Sheldon Paul Willardson passed away from cancer at the age of 50 on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at his home in Mountain Home, Idaho, surrounded by loved ones.
He was born on Oct. 10, 1971, in Gunnison, Utah, to Thomas and Kay Willardson.
As a child, Sheldon lived in Ephraim, Utah, where he was active in 4-H and Cub Scouts. He played the violin in school and fiddled in the family bluegrass band. Let’s not forget the harmonica! His love for horses also came from this time as he rode with his mother until the age of 15, when the family moved to Kanab, Utah. Sheldon made new and lasting relationships throughout high school and beyond. He had an incredible gift of making everyone he encountered feel important.
Sheldon married Juli Covington on July 22, 2006, in Provo, Utah. They were long-time residents of Kanab, Utah. They recently moved to Mountain Home, Idaho, where Juli practices dentistry.
Sheldon’s cheerful attitude, unforgettable grin, and one-of-a-kind dance moves will be missed at Kanab Elementary School, where he taught first graders how to thrive for over two decades.
Sheldon’s passion for animals kept him busy running the coon hounds, hunting mountain lions, parading and endurance riding with the mules and horses, and raising their feed. He was a self-made man and whiz-bang of all things wheels, from unicycle to hitch wagon to horse trailer with a dually.
Sheldon was a man of many talents, trades, and interests. He was an investor of property, businessman in sod and hay, and even raced motocross; his father started him out on a tote goat as a child. He was also an enthusiastic downhill, cross-country and water skier, as well as loved to go repelling. He never stopped planning the next adventure up to the very last month of his life.
Sheldon is survived by his beautiful and caring wife, Dr. Juliann Covington Willardson; dedicated parents; freckled siblings, Sterling Willardson and Maria Ciaverella; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by many fur babies: L’Arpege and Shooting Star (Arabian horses); Cowboy and Little Sis (mules); Hank, Ally, and Audrey (dogs); and Ghengi, Tim Tam, and Roger (cats).
A graveside ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2022, at Ephraim City Park Cemetery.
A memorial service will be held at Kanab Elementary School from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Online condolences at rasmussenmortuary.com
