R.L. SHEETS

Longtime Cape Girardeau educator R.L. Sheets died Nov. 25, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital at the age of 86.

He lived at 1316 Dunklin St. and was married to Helen Sheets, who survives.

He began his career with the Cape Girardeau Public Schools in 1933 and served continuously for 33 years. He began as principal at Washington School and in 1948 became the principal at Central High School, where he remained for 11 years.

He helped plan and carry out the construction of the present high school building and was the first principal at the new location.

He served as director of guidance and counseling until his retirement in 1970.

Mr. Sheets was born Aug. 9, 1908, in Wayne County, the son of W.C. and Lillie Allen Sheets. He married Helen Kasten on June 7, 1935, in Moberly.

He graduated from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1932, and received a master's degree from the University of Missouri in 1938.

He began as a part-time teacher in 1926 while still a student at Greenville High School, and began his work in administration in 1933 as superintendent of schools at Patterson. He served as the high school principal at Malden in 1935 and as a junior high supervisor at the Campus School in Cape Girardeau the next year.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church from 1936-1992, serving as a deacon for 50 years, and was Sunday school superintendent, training union director and Sunday school teacher.

At the time of his death he was a member of the Lynwood Baptist Church.

He held presidencies of the Southeast Missouri Teachers Association, the Southeast Missouri High School Principals Association and the Missouri State High School Principals Association, and was a member of the State Committee for North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the Missouri Baptist Children's Home Board of Directors.

He also was a past president and member of the Cape Kiwanis Club and chairman of the Cape County T.B. Association.

Besides his wife, other survivors include one son, Bob Sheets of Cape Girardeau; one daughter, Judith Anne Woehrmann of Milwaukee, Wis.; one brother, Bill Sheets of Fredericktown; one sister, Myrtle St. Clair of Royal, Ark.; and three grandchildren.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel with the Rev. Mark Anderson and the Rev. S.S. Borum officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3-9 p.m. today at the chapel.