THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
Shepstone Remembered Fondly By All
Chicago Executive Airport (CEA) staff and board members are remembering Ralph Shepstone, who passed away on Friday, Nov. 14 at age 82.
According to CEA officials, Shepstone's introduction to airplanes and aviation was different from most.
He grew up in the United Kingdom during World War II when the Luftwaffe was terrorizing his hometown of Bristol, England.
Near the end of the war, he enlisted in the British Army, graduating from Officer Candidate School in India.
After duty in Singapore and Malaysia, he returned to England. It wasn't long, however, before he returned to India for 16 years working for a British enterprise in the production of tea and rubber.
It was during that time Shepstone met his future wife, Jane, an American tourist from River Forest. They eventually relocated to Glenview to make their home and raise their three sons Ralph, Geoffrey, and Keith.
Shepstone became involved with the airport as a member of the Palwaukee Municipal Airport Commission. In the 1980s, the Shepstones left the area to spend seven years living in Japan, Korea, and Italy. Upon their return, he became an active member of the commission, retiring this year.
According to CEA officials, Shepstone was "influential in guiding the growth of CEA from a relatively small general aviation facility to the world caliber operation it is today."
CEA is now considered one of the 40 busiest business aviation airports in the world.
He was also awarded the 2004 Prospect Heights Citizen of the Year award, for his service as treasurer of the Prospect Heights Library District, and the City of Prospect Heights. In 2005, he was awarded the Cook County Sheriff's Senior Medal of Honor for spirit of volunteerism.
A remembrance celebration of the life of Shepstone was held yesterday (Thursday), at the Rob Roy Country Club Village Clubhouse in Prospect Heights.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sheptone's name to the Civil Air Patrol.