Michael Robert Sheets, 76, of Poughkeepsie and New Paltz, NY passed away on January 8th, 2023, surrounded physically and spiritually by loving family members. Mike was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who was cherished by his extended family.  Mike was born on November 9, 1946, to Norma Sams Sheets and Herman Ernst Sheets in Akron, OH. Mike graduated from Fitch High School in Groton, CT in 1964.  He studied Chemistry at the University of Iowa and was a member of the Hawkeyes swim team, graduating in 1969.  After a brief stint at Sikorsky Aircraft, where he developed his love of computer science, he enlisted in the US Army, serving 1 year 10 months and 7 days, he liked to count each and every day, before being honorably discharged in 1971.  During his time in the service, Mike received the Army Commendation Medal.

Mike received a master's in Computer Science from the University of Rhode Island.  In 1973, Mike joined IBM in Poughkeepsie, where he worked for 41 years as a computer scientist on operating systems for mainframes, travelling across Europe, Asia and Africa, before retiring in 2014.  At IBM, he met his wife Ruth Alice Stoner, who he married in 1977 and together they shared over 45 years of marriage and two children.  He spent two years working for IBM Denmark, enjoying living abroad with a young family and meeting his Danish cousins.  After he retired, Mike volunteered as an AARP Tax-Aide, offering free tax preparation services to those in need.

Outside of computers, Mike's passions included his family, running, telling jokes and classic rock.  Following the passing of his mother when he was only 24, Mike served as a source of strength and support for his three younger sisters still living at home, visiting each weekend.  Mike helped to redeem the legacy of his grandfather, Dr. Arthur Chitz, music director of the Dresden Theater, who was murdered along with his wife in a Nazi concentration camp.  In 2001, Mike did an internet search and found an exhibition about Dresden musicians and their persecution by the Nazis, featuring his grandfather.  He established contact with the curator, Dr. Agata Schindler, who remains a close family friend, and whose work resulted in bringing much clarification about the lives and accomplishments of his grandparents, for which the Sheets family will be forever grateful.   In 2013, the Sheets family sponsored placement of "Stumbling Stones", a memorial to victims of Nazi terror, outside the apartment where Mike's father, aunt and grandparents lived in Dresden, Germany.  In 2019, a portrait of Arthur Chitz was placed in the Dresden Theater, alongside other directors, reinstating his legacy after his career was tragically cut short in 1933.

Mike was a "streak runner", running every day for over 15 years, except for the one day he simply forgot.  He ran the New York City marathon in 1979 and Dutchess County marathons, and was instrumental in organizing the first Dutchess County Classic.  In 2007 and 2008, Mike won the gold medal at New York's Empire State Games in the 10,000m track event for his age group.  Mike continued his daily running with a few breaks for illnesses and injury. Even in declining health, he walked at least a mile each day until November 2022.

Mike is survived by his wife (Ruth Stoner Sheets), his daughter and son-in-law (Clara Sheets & Brian  Shea), his son (Eric Sheets), his step-mother (Paulann Sheets), his brothers (Lawrence Sheets, Arne Sheets), his sisters (Diana Sheets, Elizabeth Sheets, Karn Ryken), his step-sister (Abigail Field), his step-brother (Gideon Caplovitz), many nieces and nephews, and his "perfect" granddaughter (Rosalie Shea).  He was predeceased by his parents and brother.
A memorial service will be held at Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church, 1168 Route 55, LaGrangeville, NY on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 11 am.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations please be made to the Parkinson's Foundation or Dutchess Outreach.
Arrangements  have been entrusted to Parmele, Auchmoody & Schoonmaker Funeral Home, Poughkeepsie.