<p><i>Judy Shepard is the mother of Matthew Shepard, a gay student who was murdered in Laramie on Oct. 12, 1998. She and her husband, Dennis, have founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation in his memory, hoping to "replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance," according to the organization's mission. Shepard spoke during the Matthew Shepard Memorial Bench dedication on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, in Laramie.</i>