Katharine Helena (Daniels) (Sheppard) Arms, beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt, and a respected and admired Brockton business woman, died peacefully on Saturday, February 6, in the company of her family.
Born in Brockton on July 30, 1922, Mrs. Arms was the second daughter of Louis J. and Anne Isabel Daniels, one of five daughters. Upon graduation from Brockton High School in 1940, she attended the Burdett School in Boston before her marriage in 1942 to Robert C. Sheppard of Cortland, N.Y. They had three children: Phillip, Anne, and Stephen. Mr. Sheppard died in an automobile accident in 1962.
In 1961, Mrs. Arms went to work for the Brockton-based National Bank of Plymouth County, which was later to be named First County National Bank. She quickly rose to the position of branch manager and for close to twenty years was a fixture at the east side office. In 1967 she married Joseph E. Arms.
An officer of the bank, Mrs. Arms was known for her sharp business acumen. To her, the lifeblood of the bank was its customers, and she treated them all with unmatched professionalism.
She was the first woman member of the Kiwanis Club of Brockton, and her lengthy tenure with the organization included a term as president of the Quota Club. For her accomplishments she was cited in several noteworthy publications, including Who’s Who in the East and Who’s Who of American Women.
Mrs. Arms was a talented seamstress and knitter, with a keen eye for fashion. She was also a strict grammarian who had no trouble pointing out, and correcting, any and all abuses of the English language. She loved to laugh, and had a sharp, and sometimes pointed wit.
Possessed of a strong alto singing voice, for years she sang in the choir at St. Edward’s Church. She also took part in several of the church’s musicals. Her rendition of “Honey Bun” from South Pacific was a highlight of the 1959 production. In later years she performed with Sophisticated Ladies, a regional song and dance ensemble.
She was a devout Roman Catholic, and her strong faith was her guidepost and anchor throughout her life. She had a devotion to Our Blessed Mother and prayed the rosary daily.
She was the touchstone and center of a family that extended beyond her sisters to include not only cousins, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but a wide circle of friends.
Mrs. Arms was predeceased by her parents; by her husband, Robert Sheppard, by her husband Joseph E. Arms; by her sisters Mary Currie, Isabel Comerford, and Margaret Kerr.
She is survived by her sister, Helen Chaves, of Kingston. She is also survived by her children and their spouses: Phillip A. and Maria Sheppard of Cotuit; Anne I. and Bernard LaBelle of Fairfield, CT.; Stephen D. and Karin Sheppard of Nantucket; and Edward W. and Paula Arms of Bridgewater. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and ten nieces and nephews.
Funeral from the Conley Funeral Home 138 Belmont Street (Rte 123) Brockton Friday at 8am. Funeral Mass in St. Edith Stein Parish,Brockton at 9am. Burial in Calvary Cemetery. Visiting hours Thursday 3-7pm.