Donald W. Sheeler
Retired Manor Township Chief of Police
Donald W. Sheeler, 77, of Lancaster, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 29, 2012, surrounded by his loving family at his home in Manor Township. He was married to Susan L. Sheeler on May 9, 1981.
Born October 17, 1935, in Thorndale, PA, he was the son of Mildred (Myers) Sheeler. Mildred was the wife of Leslie O. Sheeler, who later helped raise Donald along with the help of Mildred's parents.
After graduating from Downingtown High School in 1954, Donald went on to serve as a Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1957. Following the Marine Corps, Donald went on to graduate from Philadelphia Police Academy in 1961. He then took courses from Millersville University and in 1971 received his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Penn State University. He also studied at the Southern Police Institute and the FBI National Academy.
Donald's career as a police officer commenced in West Chester Borough and followed as a campus police officer at West Chester University in 1958. He moved to West Chester Police Department in 1960 and returned to the college as chief of campus police in 1963. He moved to Lancaster in 1966 and was Sergeant with Lancaster Township, when it had its own force. Three years later, with the talk of the force disbanding, he was asked to be Manor Township's first chief of police. Donald Sheeler was Chief of Police for Manor Township until he retired on January 31, 2001. He received the American Legion Silver Star Award as the state's top police chief in 1998 from the Pennsylvania State Association of Police Chiefs.
Donald was also a member of the Charles M. Howell Lodge #496, F. and A.M., Millersville.
In addition to his wife of almost 30 years, he will be lovingly missed by his two children, John S. Kline, husband of Stacy, of Manheim Township and Debra Starr, of Keller, TX; four grandchildren, Chandler and Braden Kline, of Manheim Township, Courtney Kimbrough, of Dallas, TX, Ashley Kimbrough, of Keller, TX; and a brother, Leslie Sheeler, Jr., husband of Vicki, of Oxford, PA.
Funeral Services will be held at the Millersville Mennonite Church, 437 Manor Avenue, Millersville, PA on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 12 Noon. Relatives and Friends are respectfully invited to view at the church on Saturday between 10 and 12 Noon. Private Interment will be in the Millersville Mennonite Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Flowers will be received at the church, or Memorial Remembrances can be made in Donald's memory to Hospice and Community Care, www.hospiceandcommunitycare.... To submit an on-line condolence, visit:
Andrew T. Scheid
Funeral Home
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Veterans Funeral Care
717-872-2266 / 397-8298
