Corporal Shawn M. Sickels

Corporal Shawn M. Sickels, age 22, of New Philadelphia, died suddenly, Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Â? less than two weeks before he was do be discharged from active duty from the United States Marine Corps following a four years of active duty. Born at Dover, October, 2, 1988, he was a son of Steve Eugene Sickels and Marie Haynes of New Philadelphia. Shawn was a 2007 graduate of Indian Valley High School where he excelled in academics. He had a passion for high performance race cars and was building one of his own cars and upon his discharge later this month had been accepted into the high performance and automotive technology program at the Ohio Technical College at Cleveland. A hard worker his whole life, Shawn began working at the age of 13 Â? first as a berry-picker at the Krantz Berry Farm, and during high school, tried his hand at telemarketing. He later went on to work at Texas Road House and then Hog Heaven. He’ll be remembered as an outgoing and friendly guy, a fiercely protective brother and son who loved his family and serving his country. He toured many countries and most recently was deployed aboard the U.S.S. San Antonio. When home on leave, Shawn was known to keep his family and friends up to all hours of the night spinning stories and laughing loud. In the days before his death, Shawn was counting down the days to his discharge on Facebook, and making plans for family reunions and gatherings with friends. His death is a tragic loss to all who knew him. In addition to his parents, Shawn is survived by his siblings; brother Stevie Eugene Sickels II of New Philadelphia, sister Sadie Lyn (husband Kyle) Gibson of Port Washington, and brother Shane Anthony Sickels of New Philadelphia. Shawn will be dearly missed by his family and extended family that includes many aunts, uncles and cousins, and two family dogs, Shorty and Beast. Among the many special people whom Shawn anticipated greeting upon his discharge later this month was a newborn cousin Â? Bailey Wynn Herbert. Local veteran’s service organizations and the public are invited to be on hand at East High Avenue and Second Street NE as the motorcade arrives in downtown New Philadelphia to pay tribute to Cpl. Sickels and his family. Calling hours are planned for Thursday, April 7, from 2-4 and from 6-8PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Pastor Dode Overton will lead Cpl. Sickels funeral service Friday morning at 10:30 in the New Life Church of God at 115 South Avenue, Dover. Military honors will be rendered outside of the church at the conclusion of the service. Family and friends will remain at the church for a reception. Cremation will follow in Geib’s Tuscarawas Valley Crematory at Dover. Those unable to attend are invited to share memories, condolences and tributes, that will be printed and given to the family. Click on “Memory Tributes” to the left of this screen. Linn-Hert-Geib(330) 343-5506www.geibcares.com