December 2007

In Memoriam:  Charles E. Sheppard, P. Eng.

Charlie Sheppard, P. Eng.

Charlie Sheppard, a former PEGNL president, died in September. The following tribute was written by Allan Green, P.Eng., Executive Vice President, Hatch Mott MacDonald:

Charlie Sheppard, a leader in the company's Atlantic Canada operations, passed away on September 24 after a one-year battle with cancer. 

He was widely known in the business and engineering community in Newfoundland. In all aspects of his life, he applied his customary dedication and determination, leaving behind a host of people deeply saddened by his passing but also enriched from having had him as part of their lives. 

Charlie entered MUN engineering school in 1963 and went on to Nova Scotia Technical College where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1969. 

In 1972, while in his twenties, he demonstrated his life-long entrepreneurial bent by co-founding the engineering firm of Sheppard Hedges and Associates. Over the years, this firm went through several transformations, expanded to all of Atlantic Canada, and ultimately became part of Hatch in 2004. The founding office in Clarenville remains a vital part of the Atlantic Canadian operations. 

Charlie was a Vice-President of SGE Acres Limited and managed the Clarenville office until November 2006 when his illness overtook him. 

His last project, on which he worked tenaciously to procure and to see through to the finish, was the Aur Resources copper and zinc mine in central Newfoundland which went into production in mid-2007. 

Charlie left his mark not only on the physical aspects of his province through his engineering works, but also on institutions such as the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador for which he was President in 2003-04, the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers, and various local and regional business and volunteer organizations. 

As a company, we want to express our appreciation for the contribution made by Charlie to our success as well as our condolences to his wife and family on his passing.

© Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador