Supporting the Future of the Academy
Captain William L. Sheppard Jr. ’72, USN (Ret.)
Moved by his father’s service in the Navy, Captain William L. Sheppard Jr. ’72, USN (Ret.), chose to earn his own commission into the Navy by attending the Naval Academy. Sheppard calls his father a role model who was an “inspirational” Naval Officer for over 30 years. During that time, he had the honor of commanding four surface ships.
As the son of a commanding officer, Sheppard said he was surprised by his “welcome” at the Naval Academy.
“From the time I was in kindergarten, my dad had been the CO of every ship that I could remember so everyone was super-extra-special nice to me,” Sheppard said. “So my I-Day was a wake-up call, as I wasn’t used to getting yelled at—really yelled at. When my parents came for our swearing in, I asked if there was an extra seat in the car back to Arlington, VA. Was I serious? Probably not, but...”
Sheppard not only remained in Annapolis, he served his country in the Navy for more than 20 years. He now lives in Turkey. In the private sector, he spent more than 21 years with Raytheon Company, much of which was conducting business with the Turkish Navy.
Sheppard created a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) with the Naval Academy Foundation. He said this philanthropic tool would make his parents proud because the initiatives funded with their contributions will make the Academy a better place for years to come, and a significant component of the trust was funded with inheritance his parents invested when they didn’t have to pay tuition for him or his brother, Captain Robert Sheppard ’77 USNR (Ret.).
“It would make them very happy to know that what they saved is helping support the future of our Academy and our Navy and Marine Corps,” Sheppard said.
You can leave a legacy—and benefit from lifetime payments like Sheppard did. Contact Patti Bender at plannedgiving@usna.com or 410-295-4187 to learn more.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.