We invite you to join us in honoring the life of our dear friend and longtime volunteer, Ellen Shepherd, by helping to fund a memorial bench at the National AIDS Memorial Grove, a sanctuary that meant so much to Ellen, her husband Harry, and their children. Kathleen Gail Bowman (originally Shepherd), Ellen and Harry's daughter, died from an AIDS-related illness in the 1990s. Kathleen was the second daughter of what eventually became a family of five daughters and one son.

Ellen passed away on October 4, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of warmth, generosity, and joy that will continue to live in all who knew her. For more than 25 years, she devoted herself to the Grove, tending its gardens, sharing laughter, and helping shape a space where remembrance and healing could take root. Her presence was steady, gentle, and full of love.

The Shepherds first came to a volunteer workday in September of 2000, and after planted a small Redwood tree which now stands over thirty feet tall. It is their memorial; a special place where family and friends could visit Kathleen, then later Harry, and now Ellen.

The bench, which has already been partially funded, will be placed near and facing their Redwood tree, creating a quiet place where family and friends can sit, reflect, and feel connected to one another. In honoring Ellen, we also honor Harry and Kathleen; three lives forever woven into the Grove’s living memory.

When making your donation, please select the National AIDS Memorial Grove Fund, and note that your donation is In Memory of Ellen Shepherd.

Thank you for keeping the Shepherd family’s legacy alive in a place they treasured.

"We have spent many, many hours in the Grove. We have met the most amazing people. All of them have stories to tell us. We feel a part of a very special place, a community of people who work together, laugh together, and occasionally cry together. A family." – Ellen and Harry Shepherd

Honoring the Lives of Ellen & Harry Shepherd, & Daughter, Kathleen Bowman

Help us raise the remaining funds needed to install a dedicated bench as a tribute to Ellen Shepherd, Harry Shepherd, and their daughter, Kathleen Bowman.