Richard Merle Sheesley

Richard "Dick" Merle Sheesley went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 in Billings, Montana after a brief illness.

While Dick was born in Los Angeles, CA., he was raised primarily in the Worland area and grew up on the family's turkey operation. The family raised in excess of 50,000 turkeys annually to support the World War II effort. Dick had many fascinating stories about the turkey operation the family ran including stories about loading the turkeys onto rail cars for shipment and visiting places such as a World Fair and The Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Dick married Pat Christianson in 1953 and they later divorced. Out of this union they had four children. Christine, Richard, David and Debbie. He later married Virginia Seghetti on December 28, 1972. This added Mark and James to the family.

Dick spent most of his adult life as an accomplished mechanic and paint and body man. He worked at several local shops before starting his career at Dowell/Schlumberger where he ultimately retired. After his retirement, Dick formed Sheesley's Iron Repair which he operated with his family for several years. He also drove truck for LeeWay trucking and Transystems.

Dick was an accomplished and passionate race car driver. He started his racing career on a local stock car track in Worland in the 1950's. He was very instrumental in the formation and operation of the Sweet 16 Racing Association which sponsored many local motorsports events, including the Ten Sleep Hill Climb that was held on the old Highway 16 in Ten Sleep. Dick won this event numerous times. His greatest racing accomplishment, however, was racing at the famed Pikes Peak International Hill climb held in Colorado Springs, CO where he competed against many famous, highly funded and accomplished professional drivers. He was always very proud, as was his family, over the success that he had at Pikes Peak as a small-time racer from our small community.

Dick was preceded in death by his father, Maurice H. Sheesley, mother, Eva (Morrison) Sheesley, brother, Sonny Sheesley and sisters Marjorie Montgomery and Betty Harkins.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia; children: Christine Carneal (Jim) of Mesa, AZ, Rick Sheesley (Ulla) of Worland, WY, David Hall (Lynn) of Wellington, CO, Debbie Johnson (Doug) of Worland, WY, Mark Sheesley(Alison), Worland WY and James Sheesley (Lisa) of Rock Springs, WY; as well as 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church. Memorial donations may be made to the Zion's Z.E.S.T. fund or Worland Senior Center in care of Bryant Funeral Home, PO Box 524, Worland, WY 82401. Online condolences may be made at http://www.bryantfuneralonline.com.