Jeanne A. Sheets

May 1, 1930 – May 23, 2023. Many say it is not the dates on either side but the dash that matters. The length of Jeanne’s dash was long, spanning more than 93 years, it was deep, and filled with the love of family and friends.

Jeanne passed away on May 28, 2023 at Moore Few Care Center in Nevada, Mo.

Jeanne Anne (McHugh) Sheets was born on May 1,1930, in Nevada, Mo., and was the third child of James Patrick and Mary Catherine (Hochstatter) McHugh. Jeanne and her siblings were raised by Joseph and Florence Hochstatter following the death of their father in the early 1930s.

Jeanne attended Maple Dale School (a one-room schoolhouse) where her Aunt Florence was the teacher. She graduated from Nevada High School in 1947. After graduation Jeanne started working at ­­Belknap and Ellinger Buick dealership where she stayed until she met and married a handsome fellow, Donald W. Sheets, who had just moved to town after serving in World War II. Don and Jeanne lived south of Nevada and started a successful family farm. Don preceded Jeanne in death on Dec. 18, 2012. Jeanne’s desire was to remain on the farm as long as possible and she stayed there until 2021.

Jeanne was an extremely hard worker — being an equal partner in operating the farm plus running the household. The days were long and the nights were short. Later in life, Jeanne started working at Producer’s Grain in Nevada. She enjoyed her job primarily because of the wonderful people she interacted with each day. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a long-time 4-H leader, a charter member of the B.P.O. Doe’s organization, a member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority and a staunch Democrat. One of her prized possessions was a gold tie-tack shaped like a peanut that Jimmy Carter removed and handed to her at a fundraiser in 1976.

She loved to watch sporting events and all activities her children and grandchildren participated in — basketball, car racing, 4-H, and FFA. Jeanne enjoyed playing cards, completing jigsaw puzzles, word searches, coloring books and an occasional beer but never more than one. Jeanne was an expert on old wives’ tales, folklore and wise words.

Survivors include her children, Connie Garton (Varian), Milo, Mike Sheets (Donna) and Monte Sheets, Nevada, and Lois Miller, Kansas City; grandchildren, Kylie Moad (Chris, Carter, Kyndal), Kimberly Toellner (Brad, Lane, Ryan), Jared Sheets (Crystal, Easton, Creighton), Kristin Twellman (Gabe, Collin, Tyler, Brayden), Logan Harms (Brittany, Carsyn, Cohen), and Jonathan Sheets (Kayla, Morrow); numerous cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews also survive. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; Aunt Florence and Uncle Joe; two sisters, Mary Fidelis Wellendorf and Helen McHugh Brauer; and one brother, James Patrick McHugh Jr. who was lost at sea in 1956 as a Navy pilot.

Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., Thursday, June 1, at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada followed by a funeral conducted by Father ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Peter Savage at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Fort Scott National Cemetery at ­12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Nevada Senior Center Home Delivered Meal program Donate (goaging.org).

We are blessed our mother’s life was a marathon, we are grateful for all that her dash represents and the sweet memories it holds. A special thanks to the caring staff at Moore-Few who helped her immensely in these final years.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.