AMERICUS — Mr. Langdon Cheves Sheffield, age 87, passed away on Wednesday morning, July 18, 2018, at Perfect Care.

Funeral services are planned for 3 p.m. on Friday, July 20, from the graveside at Oak Grove Cemetery. The Rev. Deb Bibler and the Rev. Bill Dupree will officiate.

The family will receive friends between the hours of 1 and 2:45 p.m. on Friday between at First United Methodist Church, and at other times at the family home, 1108 Hancock Drive.

A native of Americus, he was born July 29, 1930, son of the late John West Sheffield and the late Emily Cheves Sheffield. He was a 1947 graduate of Americus High School and graduated in 1951 from the Virginia Military Institute with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

A veteran of the United States Air Force, Mr. Sheffield was commissioned second lieutenant in June 1951. He completed Air Force pilot training and Air Command and Staff School in 1953, serving from 1953 until 1956 as S.A.C. Crew Commander. He was released from active duty in February 1956, having achieved the rank of captain. He then served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1957 until 1958.

Mr. Sheffield was a member of the Americus Rotary Club, where he served as President from 1967 until 1968, and as District Governor for District 690 from 1975 until 1976. He was a member of the Americus & Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, serving as President in 1964 and Chairman of the Industrial Development Committee from 1966 until 1968. A member of the Andersonville Historical Commission, he was instrumental in establishing the POW Museum in Andersonville. He served as Chairman of the Americus Utility Commission for 27 years, served as Chairman of the Democratic Committee of Sumter County, was member of the gas section of the Georgia Municipal Association, and Trustee of the Georgia Employees Retirement System between 1972 and 1985.

Mr. Sheffield was President of Americus Hardware, Inc., Vice-President of Sheffield Hardware Co., Secretary & Treasurer of Sumter Realty Company, President of Lake Collins, Inc., Director of the Bank of Commerce, and originator and partner in “New Garden Hills”, a residential subdivision in Americus. He enjoyed golf, water skiing, light aircraft, motorcycling, and outdoors activities such as hunting and fishing.

A member of First United Methodist Church, he was on the Board of Stewards and was a long-standing teacher of the Epworth Sunday School class.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Florence Collins Sheffield; and by his brother, John West Sheffield Jr.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy Freeman Sheffield; children: James Langdon Sheffield (Trish), Langdon Cheves Sheffield, Jr. “Pete”, Emily Sheffield Hollingsworth (Lee), Becky Bankston Steenbergen (Gordon), and Mitzi Leigh Parker (Travis); eleven grandchildren: Lauren Powell Kraemer (Travis), David Graves Powell, John Clayton Hollingsworth, Katherine Collins Hollingsworth, Langdon Sheffield Hollingsworth, Lilly Margaret Bacon, Elijah Garrett Bacon, Cooper Allen Parker, Margaret Eleanor Steenbergen, Mattie Lois Steenbergen, and Camille Grace Steenbergen; one great-granddaughter, Audrey Louise Kraemer; nephew, John West Sheffield, III (Debbie); and niece, Jean Sheffield Buchanan (Jim).

For those wishing to do so, memorial contributions are suggested to the Georgia Rotary Student Program, P.O. Box 61227, Savannah GA 31027; or to the Americus Rotary Club, P.O. Box 912, Americus GA 31709

To sign our online guestbook and express your condolences to the family, please visit www.hancockfuneralhomeinc.com

Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., is honored to be entrusted with these arrangements for Mr. Langdon Cheves Sheffield.