Richard H. "Dick" Sheakley

Richard H. "Dick" Sheakley, 90 of Bruin, passed away Friday morning, June 17, 2022, at Sunnyview Nursing Home after many years of heart disease.

Born December 26, 1931 in Fairview Township, Karns City, PA, he was the son of the late Charles R.  and Estella M. Weckerly Sheakley.

He was a 1950 graduate of the Fairview Township Karns City Petrolia High School. Shortly after graduation, he went to work at L. Sonneborn, Inc. in Petrolia until 1952 when he was commissioned into the U.S. Army and sent to Korea as a member of the Company D, 65th Engineer Batallion C. He received an honorable discharge with the rank of sargent and earned a National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with 1 bronze star, Meritorious Unit Citation, United Nations Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

Upon returning from the Korean War, he returned to work at Sonneborn as a lab technician until his retirement in 1994 with 44 years of service.

It was at Sonneborn where he met his future wife. His story was ... I saw this beautiful woman and asked her name and said, "l'm going to marry you". And he did! On June 15, 1957, he married the former Frances L. Sindone at St. Mary Catholic Church in Parker. They were married for almost 58 years until her death on May 24, 2015.

He was a member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in the Village of Brady’s Bend where he sang in the choir.

He was a member of the American Legion Post #642 in Chicora and the NRA.

He learned to shoot and hunt as a young boy on the family farm and continued to hunt until his health failed, with taking several hunting trips to Colorado. He taught his son and daughter to shoot and hunt and enjoyed trap shooting with his daughter while she was in high school.

Richard was a gun enthusiast and in the 1980's owned and operated Sheakley's Gun Shop in Bruin.

He attended BC3 for photography classes and enjoyed tramping through the woods taking pictures of nature. He loved woodworking and scrollwork, making numerous projects, including a complete sleigh and reindeer which he proudly displayed in his yard. Although, he never played, he loved watching golf on tv and knew every player's name. He and his wife, Frances, were very active in their church and together traveled to almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii, but his biggest joy was being with his wife and sitting in his recliner.

Anyone who knew him, could tell you he loved to talk and talk about any subject and was well versed in everything with a terrific memory.

Dick is survived by his children, Lawrence “Larry” Sheakley of Arizona, Suzanne “Susie”  Balint and her husband, Matt, of Butler; his grandchildren, Jennifer Minton and her companion, Dave Hauser of Butler, Jessica Smith and her companion, Bernie Bowman, of Seven Springs, Ashley Friedrich of Butler and Bradley Sheakley of Arizona; eight great-grandchildren, Madison Tonini and her fiancé,  Adam Voelker of Pittsburgh, Cienna Tonini of Colorado, Myah and Macy Smith (and their father, Chris) of Saxonburg, Lakota Nolder and her companion, Abe Rafferty, and Nakoma Nolder, all of Bruin, Brayden and Dillon Friedrich of Butler; one sister, R. Ilene Sheakey of Karns City, one brother, Charles L. Sheakley (Jean) of Kentucky; five nephews, Dennis, Darrel, David, Doug and Donny Sheakley; a niece,

Denise Sheakley Wilkins, all of Kentucky, along with their spouses, children and grandchildren;  all of his nieces, nephews, and cousins he “inherited” from the Sindone family, including nephews, Tim Booher (Linda) of Chicora, nieces, Shelia Hillwig (Herk) and Tina Bodkin (Tom), all of Butler, whom he dearly loved and was proud of his entire life.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Frances and his great­granddaughter, Nitikka Nolder.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Karns City, 128 Main St., Karns City, Thursday, June 23 from 1-3 and 6-8 p.m.  A funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, June 24 at 11:00 a.m.  from St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Brady’s Bend, with the Rev. Victor Baguna, church pastor, officiating.  Military honors will be accorded at St. Patrick Church by members of the Chicora and Brady’s Bend American Legion Posts.  Interment will follow at Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Karns City Regional Ambulance Service, PO Box 21, Petrolia, PA 16050, American Legion Post #642, PO Box 43, Chicora, PA 16025, or Bruin Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 1, Bruin, PA 16022.  Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.

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