By VICKI URBANIK

Porter County Commissioner Larry Sheets, described as a “common man’s man,” a committed public servant, and a gentleman who tried to work out problems without confrontation, died Saturday night as a result of complications associated with a pulmonary infection.

He was 61.

Sheets was diagnosed with leukemia a year ago while running for his fifth term. Though he fought off the cancer and appeared to be making a rebound, he suffered complications after undergoing a stem cell replacement. He died at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago with his family members at his side.

A statement issued on Sunday morning by the other two commissioners, Dave Burrus and John Evans, said Sheets’ family wishes to stress that at the time of his death, Sheets was cancer free.

Funeral services will be private. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Dykes Funeral Home, 2305 N. Campbell, Valparaiso.

Sheets, retired from Bethlehem Steel’s Burns Harbor plant as a line operator, was first elected in 1982 at the age of 40 after making a failed run for the county council. He served three terms before he was defeated in the 1994 Democrat primary by attorney Robert Harper, who was then defeated in the fall by Republican Karen Hughes. Four years later, in 1998, Sheets won back his old seat and was elected again last year even though his illness kept him off the campaign trail.

As commissioner, Sheets staunchly promoted economic development and keeping Porter Memorial Hospital publicly owned. Among his latest projects was work on extending Ind. 149 to U.S. 30 and bringing curbside recycling collection to the unincorporated areas. But rather than one specific accomplishment, his colleagues say Sheets will be most remembered for his congenial approach at working out problems without confrontation.

Similar to the accolades given to another Democrat who recently died, Indiana Gov. Frank O’Bannon, both Burrus and Evans praised Sheets’ style of trying to get along with others.

Burrus said by “some lucky stroke of events,” he, Evans and Sheets all got to serve as commissioners together. They not only worked well together, Burrus said, but they also became friends. Burrus especially noted that Sheets brought a sense of optimism, cooperation and commitment that kept the board of commissioners operating well during the recent financial downturn, one of county government’s “bleakest hours.”

Evans noted that with Burrus’ election in 2000, the Democrats took control of the board of commissioners for the first time in recent memory. Though it could have been rough for the sole Republican, Evans said neither Sheets nor Burrus treated him unfavorably or failed to listen to his input. In fact, Burrus and Sheets agreed with Evans to retain virtually all county office holders and appointments made by the previous Republican administration.

Evans called Sheets a “common man’s man” who always looked out for the little guy.

“He was always a people person,” he said.

Among current county office holders, Porter County Council President William Carmichael possibly worked the longest with Sheets, as both were commissioners throughout the 1980s and early 90s. Carmichael said he could always trust Sheets and knew that when Sheets made a commitment, he kept it.

“Larry was always a man of his word,” Carmichael said. “He generally thought things out. He was always positive about every situation ... He was always a gentleman.”

Carmichael said Sheets always worked to move county government forward and was a dedicated “give and take” public employee.

A 1986 interview hinted at Sheets’ harmonious style, as Sheets explained that he gets bi-partisan support because of how he conducts himself, the issues he supports and “the consideration I give to voters.” At the time, he was the sole Democrat among the commissioners but said the three worked well together. “We agree to disagree, but when we disagree, we never put on the boxing gloves. That doesn’t help Porter County. That only hurts it,” he said at the time.

Although Sheets has missed most commissioner meetings in the past few months, all indications were that he was improving and was expected to return fully to work. Less than two weeks ago, the commissioners replaced Sheets as their appointment to the jail building corporation, but said at the time they did so only because they needed someone in the slot immediately and that Sheets was expected back in the near future.

Burrus said Sheets suffered multiple infections as a result of his depressed immune system, but that his doctors anticipated the side effects and felt confident that they could be controlled. Even the latest lung infection at first didn’t appear life threatening.

“They didn’t have any indication at all it would terminal,” Burrus said.

Evans agreed. “We thought he was on the mend, and that he was coming back to work,” he said.

Burrus said the irony of Sheets’ passing was that he didn’t know he had leukemia until he was hospitalized last fall for pneumonia. Within one year’s time frame, he learned he had cancer, apparently kicked the cancer successfully but died due to the original ailment that hospitalized him, a lung infection.

A caucus of precinct committee members must be held within 30 days to name the person who will fill out the remaining three years of Sheets’ term. The replacement must live within Sheets’ center district, which encompasses Center, Union and Washington townships.

Democrat Party Chair Leon West said it’s too soon to say when the caucus will be.

West said Sheets was well-liked and that even if one disagreed with him, Sheets took the time to explain himself. “He tried to work things out,” he said.

“It’s a sad day for the Democrat Party,” West said. “To be a five-term incumbent, you’ve got to be doing something right.”

•A full obituary is expected in Tuesday’s Chesterton Tribune. Memorials may be made to the Indiana Chapter of the Leukemia Foundation/Lymphoma or to the Porter County Cancer Society.

Posted 9/29/2003