Paul H. Sheetz

Paul Heisey Sheetz, most recently from Decatur, Georgia passed onto Glory on Sunday, August 12, 2007.  Born in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania in 1913, he became a reporter for a weekly newspaper in Howard, Pennsylvania, while still in high school.  He studied art briefly and planned to become a cartoonist. After reading the book The Triumph of John and Betty Stamm, he decided to enter Moody Bible Institute, from where he graduated in 1941 and married the late Charlotte Hall. He took post graduate studies in missions' procedures and phonetics, and later studied world history and Spanish literature at Georgia State University. The couple volunteered for missionary service in India under what was then called the Scandinavian Alliance Mission (aka, TEAM). Due to the war situation in 1943, they were diverted to Venezuela, Curaçao, and later assigned to Aruba, where they served to plant a new church.

Back in the States in 1950 Paul edited the mission's monthly magazine for five years, then helped with a new Spanish Christian magazine Verbo, in Costa Rica. He transferred to Argentina in 1957 where he served for 18 years in a Christian literature ministry and worked extensively with university students.  Besides the book publishing ministry in Spanish, he served on the staff of Pensamiento Cristiano, a quarterly for pastors, and edited a monthly evangelistic paper, called La Voz, for a total of 16 years.  Paul has written and published ten books, including five in Spanish. The Sheetz family retired from Argentina in 1975, but continued ministry to Hispanics in the Atlanta area founding a Spanish language church in 1980. Paul has written and published more than 20 tracts on biblical subjects and has conducted Bible study classes in both English and Spanish, and served on the elder board of First Alliance Church in Atlanta. He is survived by his four children: Virginia Leet of Marietta, GA; Dr. Richard H. Sheetz of Plainview TX; Douglas P. Sheetz of Sandy Springs, GA; Rebecca S. Sheetz of Decatur, GA; eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Funeral Director is A. S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, GA. (404)292-1551. Visitation is Tuesday evening August 14, 2007 from 6 - 8 pm. Memorial service, Wednesday, August 15, 2007, at 11:00 am at First Alliance Church (404)634-1209. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Alliance Church, Atlanta, GA, Moody Church, Chicago, IL, or The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL. Please call church office for more information.