To Ralph's family I offer my condolences. I just found out about Ralph's passing. We were classmates at East Pennsboro High School and graduated in 1959. Our class has been notified.
Ralph E. Mundis


I attended Bush Middle School for my 8th grade  year  in 1977. I along with several friends were transferred to Bush from Tuxedo Elementary School. Mr. Sheetz welcomed Us with open arms. He was a fair man and always hands on. It was like We had been at Bush all of our years because he did know all students by name. I'll never forget when he and my homeroom teacher Ms.Deborah Nettles sang " The Closer I Get To You " at  the school talent show!!It was Awesome! It was also great the way he announced the players names and nicknames during the school basketball championships. I just found out that Mr. Sheets had passed. May he rest in heaven  and I pray that there are more Principals like him today and in the future. Children today need good men like him. Last but not least I'll always remember  how funny it looked when he signed paperwork with his left hand. Rest Well .

I'm so sorry to hear of Mr. Sheetz passing. He was my Principal at Bush from 1977-79,  and he was a great, hands on Principal. He made an effort to get to know his students and he did an excellent job at encouraging us.  I remember him singing "I Got You Babe" at the school Talent show...such a great man! We kept in touch through my high school and college years. He was a good man.

My heart is heavy; My high school principal was one of my greatest encouragers when I unexpectedly became a teen mom. 

There were others but this fun loving, funny looking caucasian man pushed this scared little  black girl into success because he said, "Little Carrie, you're bigger than your challenges and you serve a REAL God! Don't give up, get going and finish what you started."

I kept my baby because of him. I kept my head up because of him. I kept going because of him. I'm a 20-year Veteran because of him. I'm a successful parent because of him. God rest the soul of Principal Ralph B. Sheetz. He was truly a great man. 💙💛💙

I was so saddened to hear this news. I just found out today. Mr. Sheetz was my first and last public school principal in Birmingham.  He was first my Principal at Bush Elementary school from 1972-1976 for first through 4th grade.  I then came back from 6-8th grade when Bush became a middle school from 1978-81. I have so many great memories. He was such a caring man and loved his students. He chose me and a few others to create the first documentary for the school. The group traveled to Nashville in his car to present it on a school trip. Those were great times. Once I was sent to his office as punishment and he had me file papers until the class period was over. That's the kind of principal he was.  He was a man that listened and made sure the environment for the school was fit for learning and also leaving room for growth. When I attended high school at Ramsay, he became my principal my senior year. How fitting for him to welcome me into school and to see my off on my final public school journey. He made school a safe place to be and I will forever remember him as one of the best, He once called my parents home in the early 2000's and I was there. We talked and I told him about finishing school, being married and having a son  at the time. He was so excited to hear it  and said he was taking a chance to see if I still lived in Birmingham and to say hello to my parents. He and my mom talked for a while and that was the last I  heard of his voice. My mom was on the PTA for as long as I was at Bush and when the parents didn't have cars, he would pick them up and drop them off just so they could attend the meetings.

He will always be remembered at our reunions and gatherings from Ensley to Ramsay. I really hate I didn't know about it. I would have loved to show up for him as he did for so many  of us. Rest on Mr. Sheetz. A job well done!

OBITUARY

Ralph B. Sheetz

30 April, 1941 – 31 January, 2020

Johns-Ridout's Mortuary-Elmwood Chapel & Elmwood Cemetery & Mausoleum

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services