He was born on Sept. 29, 1921 in Fairmont, Minn., to Fred R. and Alma Martin Sheely. Gil attended school in Fairmont, Minn., and then joined the CCC and was stationed in two different camps in the woods of northern Minnesota near Ely. When Gil was 17 and 18, he went in his words, “bumming around”, mostly by riding freight trains and hitchhiking. He first traveled the west coast and then traveled the east coast, working different jobs along the way to finance his travels including in a circus. While visiting the eastern states, he was fortunate enough to see the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. In 1941, Gil enlisted in the Navy for 6 years, serving as an aviation metalsmith. After WWII started, Gil repaired and maintained Navy planes.
At his duty station at Corpus Christi, Texas Naval Air Station, Gil married Prudence “Prudy” Kiel in 1943. During the war, Gil was also stationed at Norfolk, VA, Florida, and the British colony of Trinidad. After the war, Gil and his wife moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon where they had two sons, Fred and Craig. For 12 years in the 1950s and 1960s, Gil owned a heating and sheet metal business in St. Helens, OR. After selling the business, Gil did the primary work in building his new home in Lewiston, ID. Gil retired from the Spokane, Washington Sheet Metal Workers Union and returned to Oregon. He had lived in Milton Freewater and Pendleton for the last 20 years.
Gil especially enjoyed outdoor activities, fishing, hunting, and camping. He enjoyed fine cars, owning approximately 20 Studebaker automobiles and was instrumental in starting the Spokane chapter on the Studebaker Club. Gil was a member of the Lutheran Church, the Elks Lodge, and the American Legion.
He is survived by his sons and their wives: Fred Sheely (Arlene), Umatilla, OR, Craig Sheely (Karen), Florence, OR; brother: Don Sheely (Caron), Seattle, WA; sisters: Dorothy Bahr (Walt), Fairmont, MN, Grace Siebrass (Hersch), Mankato, MN, & Ilene Callstrom, Lenexa, KS; numerous nieces and nephews.
Gil was preceded in death by his parents.
A celebration of life service will take place in May.
Please sign the online guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
