- Date Of Birth: October 4, 1925
- Date Of Death: September 8, 2015
- State: Idaho
Wayne Albert Sheffield, 89, died peacefully at Meridian Care Center on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 of natural causes.
Wayne was born on October 4, 1925 in Orafino, Nebraska to William “Bert” and Dora Sheffield. At age two, his parents boarded a train with him and his three elder brothers and moved to Meridian, Idaho where they farmed and lived for the duration of their lives. He attended Meridian schools and then joined the United States Army in May of 1945 and served for two years.
After being discharged from the army, he moved to Jefferson, Oregon to live with his eldest brother, Orville, and his family. After a year, he moved back to Meridian where he met and married Dorothy Horton in Meridian on August 7, 1949.
Wayne and Dorothy dairy farmed south of Meridian and raised their family of three children: Claude, Joseph and Vicky. They dairy farmed for 42 years and Wayne loved the farm life. Caring for his animals, planting and raising crops, irrigating and harvesting were all things that brought him great joy. He was proud to be a part of the Dairymen’s Creamery Co-op for most of those years.
Family, friends and Christian family enriched his life. He loved his extended family and enjoyed being with them whenever he could. Family reunions were a special treat for him. He especially loved to drive and to be in mountains, so many spare hours were spent with his family driving around the scenic areas of Idaho, enjoying the views and history of each area. He had a sharp memory and was often called upon to settle a dispute about when or where something happened, even in his later years.
After a bout with leukemia and then serious heart disease, they sold the dairy farm and retired from active farm life.
Wayne was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Sheffield and his son, Joseph Sheffield. He is survived by his children: Claude Sheffield (Gayle) of Meridian, ID and Vicky Peters (Marvin) of Homer, AK; his grandchildren: Heidi Wellington (Von) of Nampa, ID, Heather Burbank (Dave) of Star, ID, Holly Sheffield of Meridian, ID, Megan Pullin (Jed) of Hanson, ID, Andrew Peters (Amanda) of Bremerton, WA, Monica Gaige (Jon) of Wasilla, AK, and Mattea Peters of Homer, AK. He has nine great-grandchildren: Derek, Nate, and Zachary Wellington; JD and Kiran Burbank; Benjamin, Everett and Luke Gaige; Clara Peters; and MaryAnn Pullin. He is also survived by several nephews and nieces that were an important part of his life. He was beloved by his family and friends and will be missed.
