Colin Shepherd, former head of one of North Yorkshire's most successful companies, has died suddenly on the day he was due to retire from Shepherd Homes.
Mr Shepherd, aged 70, was made an OBE in 1984 for his contribution to the community. He stepped down in July 1996 as chairman of York-based Shepherd Building Group, which employs 4,000 people.
Only recently he announced his retirement from Shepherd Homes and the organisation's pension fund trust.
Staff were said to be in shock at the news of his death, which happened yesterday.
Mr Shepherd, who lived in Dringhouses and leaves a widow, Sylvia, and daughter Sarah, joined the family-owned business in 1948.
He became director of most of its subsidiary companies, including F Shepherd & Son Ltd, which later became Shepherd Construction.
He succeeded his brother, the late Sir Peter Shepherd, as group chairman in 1986. He was a former president of the House Builders' Federation and founding chairman of the North Yorkshire Training and Enterprise Council and York Enterprise.
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