Norm Ivan Sheets

Norman Ivan Sheets of Hastings passed away Sunday, September 15, at Bryan West Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 20, at First United Methodist Church in Hastings with Rev. Lance Clay officiating. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Friday, September 20, at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 1-7 p.m. with the family present 5-7 p.m. Thursday, September 19 at the funeral home and one hour before the service at the church. Memorials may be given to the First United Methodist Church or the University of Nebraska-Kearney Athletic Department. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Norm’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page.

Norm was born February 23, 1944, in Clay Center, NE to Ivan Edward and Julia Johanna Martha (Peters) Sheets. He grew up around the Trumbull area. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Hastings. 

He graduated from Trumbull High School in 1962 and Kearney State College in 1966. While at Kearney he met his future wife Jean Conroy. They were married June 4, 1967, in Shelton, NE, and recently celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. They had two children Kim and Kelly.

Norm loved anything sports-related, especially football. He was a talented athlete. While at Kearney he and fellow inside linebacker Ron Koteles were known as the Gold Dust Twins. He was also known by many as Stormin’ Norman. He earned the respect of his teammates and was voted captain of the 1965-1966 team.

After college, he taught school at Trumbull where he also coached football and basketball. He then taught Driver’s Education at Hastings High School where he retired in 2003 after 37 years of teaching. While at Hastings he coached football and wrestling. One of his coaching highlights was being selected to coach for the Nebraska Shrine Bowl high school all-star football game first as an assistant and then again as a head coach in 1980. Norm loved the thrill of competition. Once his kids began playing sports, he then coached many of his son’s and daughter’s baseball, softball, and basketball teams.

Norm was an avid hunter and fisherman and also farmed for 43 years. He had a passion for gardening. He enjoyed raising vegetables and giving them out to friends. He also grew several prize-winning cabbage and broccoli.

Norm also enjoyed being “Grandpa” to Braylen, Brogan, and Brynzley and attending their activities.

Norm was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Stanley Sheets and Russell Sheets; sister-in-law, Sandra Conroy; and cousins, Linton Black and Eldon Sheets.

Survivors include wife, Jeanne; daughter, Kimberly (Jason) McCoy; son, Kelly (Shelley) Sheets; grandchildren, Braylen, Brogan, and Brynzley Sheets; sister-in-law, Carol Sheets all of Hastings; nephew, Troy (Juliet) Sheets of Greeley Colorado and children, Harper (Cole) Taylor and Hattie Sheets; cousins, David (Ann) Black of Grand Island, Kathryn (Rod) Mousel of Kenesaw, Keith (Betsy) Sheets, and Janiece (Tom) Norman of Lincoln. He will also be missed by his feline friend, Snookie.