Obituaries

George Chauncey Sheldon

Dr. George Chauncey Sheldon died Oct. 29, 2017 at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Ark., from complications of prostate cancer. He was born April 6, 1934, in Dayton, Iowa, to Harold and Annetta Joy Patton Sheldon. He was predeceased by his parents, two sisters (Margaret and Gwen) and an infant son. George graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, with a double major in music and science. He taught K—12 instrumental and vocal music for two years. Then he attended and graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, Ill., with a Doctorate in Optometry. He began practicing in Bloomfield, Iowa, in 1961 and then moved to Fairfield, Iowa, in 1968 where he partnered with Dr. Roland Peaslee. Dr. Sheldon participated in several medical mission trips through the Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity examining and providing eye care and glasses to the needy in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. He practiced his profession for 32 years. In 1980 he married Joyce Christiansen Garlough and they retired to Bella Vista, Ark., in 1994. George's advocation had always been music. He sang as a child, played French Horn in the Southeast Iowa Symphony and sang in the choir in college, held a Musician's Union Card and played with a dance band, sang in church choirs, men's choruses, Barbershop Choruses, played trumpet in the Bella Vista Community Band, and was one of the original cornet players in the Ozark Mountains British Brass Band. He also acted in several plays and musicals. Other interests included flying and he had a private pilot's license, downhill snow-skiing, canoeing, traveling, reading, good and bad jokes, and life-long learning. Survivors include Joyce, his best friend and wife of 37 years; four children, Phillip Sheldon, David Sheldon, Joan Heguy, and Christine (Ron) King; four grandchildren, Tyson (Brittany) Sheldon, Britton Sheldon, Caroline Heguy, and Nicole King; several nieces, nephews, and friends. He loved them all dearly. A special thank you to all the staff at Circle of Life Hospice who took such excellent and compassionate care of George these last several weeks. Your many kindnesses will long be remembered. His body has been donated to the Genesis Project of the Medical Education and Research Institute in Memphis, Tenn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Music Fund of Highlands United Methodist Church, Circle of Life Hospice, or the Ozark Mountains British Brass Band. A Celebration of George's Life will be held Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, at 10 a.m. at Highlands United Methodist Church, 371 Glasgow Rd., Bella Vista, Ark. The family request that those attending wear something colorful and bright.

Published November 5, 2017

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