Mack Sheetz

MACK SHEETZ, age 87, of Churchville, MD, died on March 1, 2008, at the VA Maryland Health Care System in Perry Point, MD, after a brief illness. Born in Helton, NC, he was the son of the late George and Lillie Duncan Sheetz and husband, for 55 years, of the late Grace Magnolia Waddell Sheetz. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving our country during WWII where he was wounded in battle. He and three other soldiers were cut off from the rest of their company when they were advised to "run for it or surrender in the proper fashion". As he was trying to escape, he was shot in the leg and had to drag himself back to a frozen foxhole where he waited until the medics found him. He was then taken to a field hospital and then on to a hospital in Dijon, France where he laid on his back for 65 days. Eventually he returned to the states to his wife and child. He later was a civilian gunner for the federal government.
He enjoyed the outdoors and loved camping, boating, fishing, crabbing, and duck hunting. He spent many hours fishing on the Susquehanna and it's banks; and in recent years, he met often with his fishing buddies in the Lapidum parking lot to reminisce and share. He took his fishing seriously, never giving away the secret "hot spots" – known to many as "Sheetz's rock" or "Sheetz's hideaway." He held a commercial crabbing license and crabbed for many years on the Eastern Shore, frequently bringing in bushels.
He also enjoyed sports. He rarely missed his sons' (and later his grandchildren's) recreational, high school, and college sporting events. He loved baseball and auto racing, holding a season ticket for many years to the Daytona 500. He was a member of Smiths Chapel Methodist Church and took pleasure in visiting his sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was known to just "drop in" for a short visit at any of their homes at any given time. He was an avid fan of bluegrass music. He traveled to many concerts, a favorite being the Galax Fiddlers Convention in Virginia. Until his illness, he attended local bluegrass jamborees every weekend.

Mr. Sheetz is survived by two sons, Larry M. Sheetz and his wife, Nancy, of Bel Air, MD and Samuel L. Sheetz and his wife, Carol, of Aldino, MD; one sister, Jeannette Hambleton of Lancaster, PA; three grandchildren, Erik Sheetz and his wife, Wendy, of Macungie, PA, Jenna-Leigh Testerman and her husband, Mark, of Rising Sun, MD, and Jason Sheetz and his wife, Leslie, of Delta, PA; five great-grandchildren, Kaila Testerman, Jacob Testerman, Grace Testerman, all of Rising Sun, MD, and Madison Sheetz and Dawson Sheetz, both of Macungie, PA; and a special friend, Myronelle Sheets of Oxford, PA.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by four siblings, Dell Sheets, Vernon Sheets, Minnie Blevins, and Winnie Armstrong.

Pallbearers were Jason Sheetz, Mark Testerman, Erik Sheetz, Lucas Sullivan, Jim Sheets, and Jack Armstrong.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 572, Bel Air, MD 21014.