Don SchieferdeckerDon Schieferdecker
Don Leroy Schieferdecker, 73, of Rushville died at 8:20 p.m. Nov. 16, 2022, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy.
He was born Dec. 18, 1948, in Rushville, the son of Roy Henry and Erma Elizabeth Payne Schieferdecker. He married Anna Marie on Sept. 28, 1999, in Tempe, Texas. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Roy LaVerne (and Michelle) Schieferdecker of Litchfield and Andy Root of Rushville; two daughters, Amanda Elizabeth Schieferdecker (Josh Smith) and April (and Tim) Zeeck, both of Rushville; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He enlisted in the United States Navy on Aug. 14, 1966, at age 17. He went through boot camp at Great Lakes and later served three tours of duty in Vietnam in aviation jet. After being released from active duty at San Diego, Calif., he received his honorable discharge on Aug. 14, 1972.
He grew up in Rushville where he attended elementary schools and graduated from Rushville High School in 1966. He worked for Frank Kotter with Kotter’s Service in 1969. In March of 1970, he went to work for the City of Rushville with the Street and Water Departments.
He started his career in law enforcement working part-time for the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Department as a dispatcher and part-time deputy on Oct. 14, 1980. He also was a part-time Rushville City Police officer under Chief of Police Wayne Diseron.
Sheriff Bob Lashbrook swore him in as a full time officer in 1981 and he attended the University of Illinois Police Training Institute Academy in Champaign. After graduation he served as a Chief Deputy under Sheriff Lashbrook, Sheriff Bill Redshaw and Sheriff DeWayne Bond.
He was sworn in as Sheriff of Schuyler County on March 15, 1996, when Sheriff Bond retired from office. He was a certified Juvenile Officer for the department. After 34 years in law enforcement, he retired on Dec. 1, 2014.
While Sheriff he started the following programs through the department: The Schuyler County Christmas Basket for needy children and their families, Big Buddy Day Youth Program, Just Say No to Strangers, Neighborhood Watch in the villages throughout the county, the red tag patrol program, rural business checks, vacation home checks, criminal patrol targeting drugs, DUI, suspended and revoked drivers, Triad for senior citizens, the well-being check for senior citizen’s program, youth first offender program and continued on with the department DARE program.
He initiated two teen youth centers and the K-9 program in the department.
He was a member of the Rushville Fire Department for 49 years, a current member of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association, a past member of the Rushville Moose Lodge #506, Rushville I.O.O.F. Friendship Lodge #24, past Chairman of the West Central Illinois Police Training Unit which provided State training for all officers in the West Central department units, past Chairman of the Board at the Rushville HELP Center, a member of the Schuy-Rush Park Board, a current member of the American Legion Post #4, a current member of the Gutherie Pierce Post #1239 Beardstown VFW and the Illinois Trucker’s Association. Before becoming Sheriff, he coached several T-Ball and Minor League baseball teams in Rushville.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Worthington Funeral Home in Rushville with David Haney officiating. Inurnment will follow in Rushville City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Military services will be conducted at the gravesite by Schuyler American Legion Post #4 and a U.S. Navy Honors Detail.
Memorials may be made to the Rushville Fire Department or the Schuyler County Humane Society.
Condolences may be sent to www.worthingtonfh.com.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus