Kairi Shepherd | Photo credit/Facebook
A memorial service for UT Martin freshman Kairi Renee Shepherd will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at the Lea & Simmons Funeral Home in Brownsville, Tennessee, with Brother Mike Young officiating.
Visitation for friends and family will be held at noon Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, also at the funeral home. Shepherd, an Education Integrated Studies major from Brownsville, died Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Jackson-Madison County Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee.
Locally, a candlelight prayer service will be held in memory of Shepherd at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at St. Jude Catholic Church in Martin, Tennessee.
Shepherd, 18, was a 2023 graduate of Haywood High School and a dedicated member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority at UT Martin. She is survived by her mother, Amanda Cruz (Simon) of Brownsville; her father, Jason Shepherd of Ripley, Tennessee; her brothers, Damon Shepherd and Samuel Shepherd, both of Ripley; her sisters, Chelsea Schlotter of Follansbee, West Virginia, Isabella Cruz of Henning, Tennessee, and Gabriela Cruz of Brownsville; her maternal grandfather, Doug Wall; her maternal great-grandmother, Barbara Torres; her paternal grandparents, Lynn Shepherd and Rhonda Price; her paternal great-grandmother, Lena Mace; her uncle, Joseph Wall, and her aunts, Hollie Ammons and Natalee Nelson. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Thias Gentry.
For the memorial service, family and friends are asked to wear either sunflowers, because Shepherd loved them, or blue for diabetes. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 220 Great Circle Road, Suite 134, Nashville, Tennessee 37228.
The UT Martin community learned of Shepherd’s death via the following message, released Nov. 6 by the Division of Student Affairs.
“The Division of Student Affairs is deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of UTM student Kairi Shepherd. … Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kairi’s family, friends and classmates at this time. During this time of loss, we are reminded of the importance of community. Losing a fellow student can be very difficult. Students who feel they may need immediate support are encouraged to contact Student Health and Counseling Services’ 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Helpline at 731-881-7743. Students can make an appointment with Student Health and Counseling Services by calling 731-881-7750.
“If you know of a student who is grieving and in need of support, you can submit a Hawk Alert to the Care Team at http://care.utm.edu. We are here to connect you to support services on and off campus.
“Additional community resources include:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial: 988
- Crisis Text Line: Text:741741
- Carey Counseling Center: Call:731-480-0011
“Remember, it is OK to ask for help.”
The Pacer will update this story with more information as needed.
