More detail on this person: Donald McClellan
Sheetz II passed away from a long illness Friday,
Sept. 21, 2012. On March 5, 1947, in Keyser, W.
Va., he was born to Thelma Louise and the late
Donald M Sheetz. Don spent his childhood and
early teens in Idaho Falls. After attending
Bonneville High School, he bravely enlisted for
military duty as a U.S. Marine. He served his
first tour of duty in Vietnam in 1966. Don
returned to Idaho after surviving a bullet wound
to the chest and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Don attended college at Idaho State University,
then reenlisted in the U.S. Army, where he learned
to fly helicopters. He continued to serve his
country for two more tours in Vietnam as a Cobra
helicopter pilot in the 1st Calvary. There, he was
awarded several medals, including the Bronze Star
of Valor. He left the military in December 1976
with an honorable discharge.
Don loved flying, so he continued his career as a
commercial helicopter pilot. While working as a
Life Flight pilot, he met a flight nurse, Nora
Kiker, the love of his life. Don and Nora married
Nov. 30, 1978. Their marriage was filled with
travel and adventure, working all over the States
and abroad, which they enjoyed for 33 years.
As a talented pilot, he flew various jobs such as
fertilizing trees, fighting forest fires, long
line seismic work and flying survey crews mapping
the Brooks Mountain Range in Alaska. He finished
his career airlifting supplies to our troops in
the Persian Gulf.
Don was a loving son, husband, father,
grandfather, uncle and friend and will be missed
by all who knew him.
Don is survived by his wife, Nora Sheetz; his
children, Casandre, Donald and his wife Shannon,
and Danyle Sheetz; and his beloved grandchildren.
He is also survived by his mother, Thelma B
Sheetz; his brothers and sisters, Donna Franklin,
Judy Strand, Marvin, Kim Perry, Jamie Jones,
Phillip, George, Dale and Todd and their families.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6,
at the Vietnam Memorial in Freeman Park in Idaho
Falls. This will be followed by a celebration of
life for family and friends.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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