Remembered by many for his classic "A Christmas Story," master storyteller Jean Shepherd, 78, of Sanibel died early Saturday, October 16 of natural causes at Lee Memorial Hospital. Although he led a very private life after retiring to Sanibel, he had talked last Christmas to a WBBH, Channel 2 reporter about his surprise at the enduring popularity of the story of Ralph Parker and his desire for a Red Ryder BB gun. Shepherd had narrated the 1983 film which was based on one of his short stories. His voice waas familiar to those who listened to him for 21 years on WOR AM in New York City. Working without a script he would tell stories from memories of growing up in Hammond, Indiana. The humorous talesof Ralph, his alter-ego, and his family and neighbors like the hillbilly Bumpuses later became part of Shepherd's published short story collection, "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters." Shepherd also wrote "In God We Trust" and his writings also appeared in publications from The New York Times to National Lampoon. PBS produced several of Shepherd's stories for his syndicated programs, "Jean Shepherd's America" and "Shepherd's Pie." Shepherd's storytelling, laced with sharp humor and insightful observations of Midwestern life in the 1950's was compared by critics to Mark Twain's, High school American literature anthologies included works by Shepherd, many which recounted the traumas of adolescence. Shepherd was born July 21, 1921 in Hammond, Indiana and began his radio career at age 16. He served in World War II and worked radio in Cincinnati and Philadelphia before going to WOR. According to his long time friend and business advisor Irwin Zwilling, in recent years Shepherd stayed out of the public eye. Most on Sanibel were not aware of his living here or of his accomplishments. He became even more reclusive after his third wife, Leigh, died in 1998 after 21 years of marriage. The couple had no children and there are no survivors. A Sanibel cab driver, who used to pick up Shepherd and his wife and who visited Shepherd after she discovered that Leigh had died, said Shepherd told her he felt many on the island didn't understand and appreciate his sharp sense of humor. Zwilling said that although Shepherd left New York he remained a New Yorker at heart and requested visitors to the island bring bagels or a pastrami sandwich from the Carnegie Deli to him. There are no public funeral arrangements, but Zwilling said a New York "memorial celebration" is planned.