Our Town: Ernie Sheldon is a true Folsom legacy maker

Publishers note: the following story is the second in the Folsom Telegraph's ongoing "Our Town" community profile series that spotlights our community's unique residents and public figures on the pages of Folsom's longtime community newspaper. This week we sit down with Ernie Sheldon to talk about his life of serving his country and community in so many fashions. Ernie Sheldon Sr. has had a storied life. He has traveled all over the United States and beyond while serving in the Air Force, married, raised two children and served on the Folsom City Council for many moons. Now, as his last few months serving the city of Folsom as vice mayor and councilman are near, he is winding down and reflecting on his adventures.Sheldon was born in the Windy City, Chicago, and later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he graduated high school. Immediately after graduation, he joined the Air Force during the Korean War. Sheldon shared that when he joined the Air Force, there "was not a chance" he thought he would stay in as long as he did. But 33 years later, with 11 years enlisted and 21 years as an officer, Sheldon retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. During his time in the service, he received the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with five clusters, and countless memories."I joined the Air Force on July 1, 1952. I went to Texas to train, and was lucky enough to get stationed in Madison, Wisconsin. I later transferred to Japan, doing maintenance on airplanes that were used in Korea," said Sheldon"Most of us in Japan went to Korea for the remaining part of our tour. I was there for six months, and then I opted to come back to Japan for a three-year tour. During that time, I met my wife, we got married and had a son, Ernie Jr.," said SheldonThe family moved from Japan to Seattle in March 1957, Sheldon said. They relocated from place to place within the U.S., as military families do when orders come through, including Arkansas, California, Michigan, Virginia, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri.Sheldon worked at a research and development command for seven-and-a-half years. He designed a personal system there and was promoted to tech sergeant."Promotions were pretty hard after Korea. There were about 15 people that were with me all those seven years; it became like a family," said Sheldon.Sheldon decided he wanted to be an officer in the Air Force, so he pursued a higher education, eventually earning a master's degree in management from the University of Nebraska. In March 1964, he began his journey in officer training school and later graduated, propelling him into an elite class.After becoming an officer, he worked in several facets, spending a couple more years in the U.S. before transferring to Southeast Asia and the tropical country of Thailand."I was supposed to go to Vietnam, but they changed my orders, pretty good luck," said SheldonSheldon was promoted to captain and spent some time overseas, saying that "it was a good tour."Sheldon continued his military career in a personnel command, headquarters in Omaha where the family and their dogs settled for four years."My son did really well in school there, and he got a scholarship to the Naval Academy, and my daughter did well," said SheldonAgain, the family moved to Japan this time for five years, where Sheldon shared his wife enjoyed, as she was from there and could see her family. "She (my wife) was a beautiful girl," beamed SheldonThey lived in Riverside, California for two years where Sheldon was promoted to lieutenant colonel, retiring from the Air Force in 1985. Sheldon shared one of his favorite places to be stationed was Omaha, Nebraska.Sheldon and his family moved to Folsom where they built a home. "I had a choice to make, I had a choice to make in 1985, I could talk war stories, or should I do something else and help the city I am joining. I went and sat and watched the city council meetings, the park meetings, and the planning commission meetings. I decided my enjoyment would be in the city," said SheldonIn 1986, he joined the Park Commission, "that when I started my escapades," said SheldonSheldon had numerous successes in the local arena; he was elected to the Folsom City Council in 2008, reelected in 2012 and again in 2016. He served the community as vice mayor in 2011 and 2013, a capacity he currently serves in. Sheldon served on Folsom's Parks and Recreation Commission for 20 years. During that time, he helped build several beautiful parks and recreation facilities.Ernie Sheldon Park was named after the longtime Folsom resident for his incredible dedication to Folsom Parks. He wrote Folsom's first Parks Master Plan, a document that was "instrumental" in bringing the Folsom Sports Complex, Folsom Aquatic Center and Senior and Arts Center to fruition. He was named California's Outstanding Park Commissioner in 2002. Sheldon significantly impacted the veteran community, growing the Folsom Veterans Day Parade from 23 participants to 1,400.Sheldon shared earlier this year he received the hard news that he was in the early stage of cancer. Sheldon courageously underwent an operation to remove it and is recovering at home."It's been a hell of a ride," said SheldonSome happy news, however, was also shared; Sheldon just became a great grandpa, something he is very excited about. Sheldon is proud of the work he has accomplished during his time on the city council, particularly in 2008 during the recession."During the financial crisis in 2008, we had to make a lot of changes in the way we ran the city and how we financed and paid people. The five of us had a lot of different ideas, we came together and made good decisions, we got the city out of the bad stuff," said SheldonSheldon has been a sportsman all his life, playing basketball, baseball and football. A love of the game is evident still today."My dad was a huge supporter of sports for youth. When I was in Little League, he helped our team and championed sponsors to get uniforms. When he was in Japan, he did a drive so that the American high school in Japan could have band uniforms. It carried over to his work as a park commissioner and the head of the parks department. I believe there were only three or four parks in Folsom when he joined, and now there are 47 parks," beamed Ernie Sheldon Jr., Ernie Sheldon son.