In Memoriam

Stephen L. Sheldon, 67

July 1, 1955 – May 17, 2023

HARTWICK—Stephen Lee Sheldon, a lifelong area resident, passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. He was 67.

Born July 1, 1955 in Cooperstown, Steve was one of four sons of William Lee and Grace Patricia (Davidson) Sheldon. He attended Cooperstown Central School and graduated with the Class of 1973.

On November 10, 1979, he was joined in marriage to Jane Marie Morris in a ceremony at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. They moved to Hemlock Hill Farm in 1986 and raised four loving and strong-willed children in an idyllic country setting. Steve was a dedicated family man, always wanting to know how his children and the extended family were doing.

Steve was known for his wisdom, witty sense of humor, charm, and propensity for storytelling. He had a profound love and respect for nature and was a man of many interests throughout his life, including drawing, architecture, landscaping, construction, auto racing, hiking, rock climbing, camping, skiing, and grilling. He was an active Assistant Scout Master in the Boy Scouts of America’s Troop 1254 throughout the 1990s, sharing his skills with the next generation. Many will remember Steve for his time in the truck division at Smith Ford in Cooperstown, where he was always working hard to help municipalities and members of the community.

Steve is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jane M. Sheldon of Hartwick; their four children and spouses, William and Lauren Sheldon of Rotterdam, Lindsey and John Havlik of Cooperstown, Stephanie and Randy Garrett of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Erin and Robert Ives of Schuylerville; two grandsons, Henry Charles and Levon Scott Sheldon; his three brothers, David H. and Glenda Sheldon and Gregory W. and Elizabeth Sheldon of Norwich and Scott G. and Colleen Sheldon of Milford, Pennsylvania and Cooperstown; and his many beloved nieces and nephews.

As an alternative to flowers, the Sheldon family would appreciate a memorial donation to Cooperstown’s Boy Scout Troop 1254, c/o Diana Nicols, 742 County Highway 59, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or the Hartwick Fire Department Company No. 1, PO Box 86, Hartwick, NY 13348.

Family and friends are invited to call and pay their respects from 10 a.m. until noon on Friday, May 26, 2023, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.