AIKEN, S.C. - Stuart Burke Sheldon, 82, of Aiken, South Carolina, entered peacefully into eternal rest at home surrounded by loving family on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.

Stuart was born on June 3, 1940, in Syracuse, to Ray D. and Emma Belle Sheldon.

He moved to Sidney, at the young age of 5 where he enjoyed his teenage years as a lifeguard and spent summers working with his brother, Douglas, at a camp in Canandaigua.

His lifelong pursuit of knowledge began at The Webb Institute on Long Island, where he pursued a degree in naval architecture. Although he was unable to accomplish that pursuit after falling ill with mono and returning home, he ultimately received a degree in philosophy from Houghton College.

After graduating, he pursued a career with the U.S. Customs Service as a commodities specialist in Washington, D.C. In 1967, he moved to Buffalo, joining C.J. Tower and Sons, a leading customs brokerage firm on the Canadian border. He became the vice president of C.J. Tower at the young age of 35. He left in 1990 and worked for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, as a logistics specialist until his retirement at the age of 62.

Stuart returned to school to pursue a Master of Divinity at 63 and was declared a Hebrew Scholar at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio.

The greatest reward of his career, however, was meeting the love of his life Carol. Shortly after their marriage in 1991, Stuart formally adopted Bethany and Markus and embraced the role of fatherhood at the age of 51. Bethany and Markus never considered him anything other than their loving father. They were so close people often commented that they each had various attributes from Stuart, and it became an inside joke for the family.

As a family they enjoyed camping, cooking, entertaining, traveling, volunteering, and visiting family and friends. Stu shared his love for ornithology, cooking, and travel, bestowing each as gifts to his children that have carried on to their own today. Stu was very devoted to his faith and anyone who knew him reflected that his love and devotion to God was something to behold. He was an avid student of the Bible and loved to share his broad knowledge with anyone at any time. He was an elder at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Aiken, South Carolina.

Stuart was very thoughtful and purposeful in everything he did, especially in relationships. He spent countless hours engaging in personal connections with those he loved and had many meaningful relationships with family, friends, and acquaintances. He loved Carol with all his heart and did everything with her in mind up until his last moment on earth. To know him was to know a humble yet strong man; strong in faith, love, and hope, with a wit and twinkle of eye that could make anyone smile.

Stuart is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Carol Sheldon (Barnum); daughter, Bethany Reesor and her husband, David of Aiken, South Carolina; son, Markus Sheldon and his wife, Angela of Matthews, North Carolina; and five grandchildren, Isabella, Abigail, and Olivia Reesor, as well as Jones and Murphy Sheldon. He is also survived by his brother, R. Douglas Sheldon and wife Eileen of Colonia, New Jersey; and sister, Christina Rae Sheldon of Ilion; and sister-in-law, Janet Thompson (Barnum) of Niagara Falls. He was also blessed with many loving nieces and nephews.

In the end, he was at peace — looking forward to meeting our Savior. It is with this peace we find comfort, while learning to carry on without him in the flesh.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, at Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home in Aiken, South Carolina.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at New Covenant Presbyterian Church with the Revs. Dr. Larry Gilpin and Dr. Mike Phillips officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to Hope Community project at www.HopeCommunityProject.org, a philanthropic organization dedicated to strengthening families in Haiti which was very near and dear to his heart.

Visit his online guestbook at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.