Charles Frederick Sheldon

Charles ""Chuck"" Frederick Sheldon, of Denver, died after a short illness on Sept. 20, surrounded by family, and at peace. Born Feb. 13, 1921, in Murdo, SD, to Carl and Marie Sheldon, he attended Washington State University as an enthusiastic member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. Then, eager to serve his country during World War II, he joined the Merchant Marines in 1942, making several brave convoy crossings of the Atlantic during his service. He and the love of his life, Leona ""Lee"" Plooster, were married for almost 50 years until her passing in 1997. Theirs was a great love affair throughout which they danced and danced, routinely clearing the dance floors when they did. He and Lee are survived by their three children and their families: daughter Marilee Utter and her husband, Harry, of Denver; son Bill Sheldon and his wife, Mary, and sons, Zachary and Nicholas, of Parker, CO; and daughter Melodee Buxbaum and her son, Rob, of Kennewick, WA. A creative, dignified, smart, and always cheerful and supportive man, Chuck's family and their extended network of friends delighted in him. He possessed great empathy, a trait that grew as he lost his eyesight. In his children and in those he met, he instilled self-confidence combined with the rare ability to make the people whose lives he touched feel very special. Chuck's career as an interior designer took him and his family from Vancouver, WA, to Pasadena and Santa Cruz, CA, Phoenix, AZ and ultimately to Denver in 1965, where he worked for Davis & Shaw and then for more than 20 years at Howard Lorton Galleries. Drawings of room design ideas in the pre-CAD era adorn his walls to this day—works of art in their own right. He reluctantly—very reluctantly--retired when he was 80, having spent the better part of his life bringing his eye for design and beauty into the homes and lives of so many. He was tall, slender, very distinguished, a great dresser and eager conversationalist. And he loved--loved--his dirty martinis. He and Lee delighted in people. They threw great parties, their porch light always was on, everyone was welcome. Later in life, when his doctors would ask, as they did time and again, whether he ever smoked, he would laugh and say, ""Sure--everyone did when I was growing up!"" An avid Broncos fan, he helped host the owner's box for years, and he was an urban pioneer, living in downtown Denver since the 1970s. Piano, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, he played them all, and, for decades, he sang in the church choir. And he read and read until he needed to rely on TV. Then Chuck became an avid CNN fan and political junkie—fervently supporting Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and President Barack Obama--and relishing conversations about them. After he lost his beloved Lee, he found a dear friendship with Bruce Smith, who pre-deceased him in 2011. Together they traveled as he never had before on several luxury cruises, autumn trips to Bruce's native Vermont, and partying with 'the boys"" in Mexico. In the Prime Timers, Chuck was dedicated to the weekly lunch gatherings, sang in the chorus and made many close friends. Chuck was one of a kind. He was our Dad and a special soul. Love you, Chuck! In lieu of flowers, donations to The Mother's Scholarship Fund at Metropolitan State University (PO Box 17971, Denver, CO 80217-9812) can be made in Chuck's memory and of a life joyfully lived.