Richard Phillip Sheetz

Richard Phillip Sheetz, 70, was born December 14, 1944 in Highland Park, Michigan, and died June 27, 2015 in Kealakekua, Hawaii. Richard was the middle child of Phillip and Rose (Kniesel) Sheetz. The family lived in Michigan until Richard was nine years old, then moved to Phoenix, AZ, where he graduated from Camelback High School in 1963. After living for several months in Tulare, California, he moved back east and enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he received his degree in Accounting. In 1967, he married Janice Popp from Portland, OR, and they moved to Michigan, where he worked as an accountant for Arthur Young & Co., one of the Big 8 accounting firms at the time. Their two daughters were born in Michigan. In 1974, the family moved to Eugene, OR, where he worked for Coopers & Lybrand. Their son was born while they lived in Eugene. In 1979, they moved to the Portland area, where he lived since that time. In Portland, he worked first as an accountant for Suran and Co., and then in 1985 started his own practice, which he continued until his retirement last December. He had wonderful clients, many of whom became his personal friends. He enjoyed the tax advising portion of accounting so much, that he was truthfully referred to as a modified workaholic.

Richard’s second vocation was being involved with the Apostolic Christian Church, both locally at the Woodstock Bible Church (affiliated with the ACC), and at the national level. He served in many capacities, including as an Elder, Lay Pastor, and Bible class teacher. Nationally he was involved with the mission programs, and was the ACC Foundation coordinator for the mission in Ghana, to which he travelled 10 times. He also went to New Guinea on a mission trip, as well as travelling often for pleasure to most of North America and Europe, Israel and Tanzania. As he approached retirement, he had more time to golf and fish, and he especially enjoyed spending time with his dear children and beloved grandchildren.

He is survived by spouse Janice; son Matthew (Tyana) Sheetz and their children, Caleb, Elena and Ian of Sherwood, Oregon; daughters Melanie (Jim) Prieger and their children Jenna and Alex of Agoura Hills, California; Nanette (Duane) Schmitt and their children Josiah and Abigail of Ashland, Oklahoma; brother Robert Sheetz of Honolulu, Hawaii; sisters Diane Krieger of W. Bloomfield, Michigan; Joy (Louis) Green of Phoenix, Arizona; and Adena (Russ) Pavkov of Ft. Myers, Florida; and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, July 6, at Valley View Evangelical Church, 11501 SE Sunnyside Rd., Clackamas, OR, 97015. Interment will be in Lincoln Memorial Park and Cemetery, 11801 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97086. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Woodstock Bible Church, Ghana Mission.