Nathan “Nate” F. Sheldon, 86, of 178 West Street, Paxton, died Saturday, December 4, 2004, in St. Vincent Hospital. He leaves his wife of 63 years, Elizabeth “Betty” (Boyd) Sheldon; a son and daughter-in-law, Orville and Carolyn Sheldon of Paxton; 2 daughters and sons-in-law, Jean B. and Larry Norris of Australia and Judy “Samm” and David Russell of Keene NH; and 4 grandsons—Jerid Krulish of Jamaica Plain, Ethan Krulish, currently serving in the US Army in Iraq, Keith Sheldon of Paxton, and Kyle Sheldon of Hawaii.
Nate was the Harley Davidson dealer of Worcester for over 40 years and owned and operated N.F. Sheldon Co. He was an avid rider all of his life. In his youth he was a champion TT Racer, winning the New England Championship in 1938. He received many awards and honors from motorcycle groups for his contributions to the sport.
Nate was born in Worcester, son of Orville T. and Gladys V. (Cheever) Sheldon and resided in Paxton for many years. He was a graduate of South High School and a WWII Navy Veteran. He was a member and former trustee of Paxton Congregational Church and had served as a Paxton Cemetery commissioner and was a member of the Greendale Retired Men’s Club. Nate was a Life Member of the American Motorcyclist Association, the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, the Yankee Chapter Antique Motorcycle Club of America, and a life member of Harley Owners Group (HOG). He was a former member of the Worcester Auxiliary Police and the Worcester Sheriff’s Department; past President and Treasurer of NEHD Dealers Assoc. and Vice Pres. of the NE Motorcycle Dealers Association. He was a 32 Degree Mason and a member of Rufus Putnam Lodge AF&AM, a member of Paxton American Legion Post, the VFW, the US Navy Memorial Foundation, and the Sampson WWII Navy Veterans Assoc. He was a member of Mass. Police Chief Assoc, the NE Police Chiefs Assoc., and the Paxton Seniors.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, in the First Congregational Church of Paxton, 1 Church Street, Paxton, MA 01612. Private burial will be in Mooreland Cemetery. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to The Paxton First Responders, the Gazette Santa, or the Organ Fund of First Congregational Church of Paxton.