Fr. Wilfred Sheehy

SHEEHY, FR. WILFRED - Entered into rest peacefully in Santa Rosa, CA on October 21, 2014, at the age of 88 years. Fr. Sheehy was born in Searsboro, IA, on November 11, 1925. He attended public grade school and high school in Searsboro, IA, graduating in 1943. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from the summer of 1943 to May 1946. He attended Creighton University, NE, St. Ambrose College, Davenport, IA and Iowa State University. Following his college education, he worked in Milwaukee, WI. In 1955, he joined the Pallotine Fathers and completed his theological studies for the priesthood at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the Priesthood on September 21, 1960 in Holy Cross Church, Milwaukee, WI. He ministered as a Pallotine Father in Fargo, ND, until 1966. He taught religion at Pius XI High School, Milwaukee, WI, for one year but he did not believe he had the gift to be a teacher but preferred parish ministry. As a result he came to exercise his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Santa Rosa in the summer of 1966. He has ministered in the Diocese of Santa Rosa since serving as a parochial vicar at St. Mary's; Arcata, Our Lady Queen of Peace; Clearlake, St. Helena parish; St. Helena, and as pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe; Windsor, St. Joseph; Crescent City and St. Joseph; Middletown. He retired from active priestly ministry in August 1989. Father Sheehy is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers. He is survived by his nieces and nephews. We are grateful to the staff of the Napa Valley Care Center; Napa, and Carmel House; Santa Rosa, who gave caring attention to him in his final weeks. Family and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass on Monday, October 27, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at the Cathedral of St. Eugene (Corner of Farmer's Lane and Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, CA, 95405). The Celebration of the Funeral Mass will be preceded by the recitation of the Rosary. Interment will follow in the priest's plot at Calvary Catholic Cemetery (2930 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404). May he rest in peace.