Jocelyn Kay Sheets, 64, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., formerly of Linwood, passed away on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022 at her residence.
She was born on Nov. 24, 1957, to Dean and Juanita (Portwood) Sheets in Kansas City, Kan.
Jocelyn worked as a sports editor and journalist at newspapers in Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. Her first love was music. She was a member of the Kansas State University Marching Band from 1975 to 1979 and was on the KSU pep band for basketball. She played trumpet for the Iola City Band.
Jocelyn loved sports. She started covering sports for Linwood High School for the local newspapers. After graduating from KSU with a bachelor of science in journalism she went to the Linn County News in Pleasanton where she was a field reporter and sports reporter from 1979 to 1985. In 1985, she joined The Iola Register as sports editor where she remained for the next 26 years. She was the first woman in Kansas to be honored with the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Oscar Stauffer Award in 1987. In 2013, she moved to Iowa and became the sports editor of the Newton Daily News. In 2019, she moved to Cape Girardeau to the Southeast Missourian as a copy editor and writer.
She loved being a part of young people’s lives. She had a way about her that the kid gravitated to her, you would think it was the camera, but she made each person she covered feel special. She also mentored students in photography and writing through the local 4-H programs and the high schools. Jocelyn was a woman of faith. She believed that in Christ all things were possible. She had been a member of Iola’s First Christian Church.
Survivors include father, Dean Sheets of Linwood; brothers, Monte Sheets of McLouth and Jeffry (Pam) Sheets of Richmond Hill, Ga.; sister, Stephanie (Jeff) McDonald of Richmond; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Juanita Sheets; brother, Michael Sheets; and her grandparents.
A Celebration of Life will be Saturday, Sept. 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. at First Christian Church in Iola. At 3 o’clock, there will be a time of remembrance conducted by Pastor Steve Traw. Anyone wishing to speak is welcome to do so. She requested everyone wear purple.
Her final resting place will be at the Mount Sydney Cemetery outside of Linwood. A small graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate support to help pay for Jocelyn’s final expenses.
Donations may also be made to the Linwood High School Alumni Scholarship Fund, 17787 Cantrell Rd., Linwood, KS 66052.
Condolences may be sent in care of Stephanie McDonald, P.O. Box 214, Richmond, KS 66080
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