82 years old today.... with all my love,  I miss you

For Grandpa

Worn are the ships cast out alone.
Some so broke you can see the bone.
With lights too dim to lead them there,
They somehow knew to each his own.
Forged from sticks and all the stones thrown,
Was a fire that could be seen from the shore.

The North Star is cloaked from wherever you are.
It seems that some of us won't make it that far.

High seas shake everything that we've seen,
Beating the sails to a familiar beat.
We sang "this is all we will ever be."
Sons turned Saints on the ocean by belief,
That the sands will one day fall to our feet.
It's where patience and persistence meet.
They're waving back at the rest of the fleet.

Their sails could tack against the wind.
The waves building their bodies to bend.
They balance on board.
In hindsight the sailor's soul is reformed.
The heart was lectured into raising the lantern,
And in turn, life still felt like an adventure. 

Grandpa.
My fondest memory of us is when you, grandma, mom, myself all would load up in your Crown Vic's and head out to the 7-mile fair. I remember you would always look for car parts, anything and everything with an American Eagle, or native American statues.
I remember when my mom and I used to meet grandpa in the Sear's parking lot for lunch. He would always be working on his Crown Vic's; he loved his cars and would always be working on them in the parking lot. I would watch him and observe because of how young I was.
I have become, if not by blood, a father within the last few years. Another fond memory I have is when I brought this little girl over for a visit. We ordered KFC, this rambunctious little girl was bouncing in her seat, waiting for her plate when grandpa caught her off guard by smearing some of his mashed potatoes on her nose. The look on her face was priceless along with the laugh that escaped my grandfather's lips coupled with her own.
Grandpa was not a man of many words. When I would visit, I would just talk to him, letting him know I was there, thinking of him. I know it had been over 15 years since you have been able to travel outside grandmas home, we will miss visiting with you at grandmas on our little excursions. 

I mostly always known my grandfather as a man of attitude. Moments he would put that guard down and I seen a loving and caring individual. I remember when I was young we had this BBQ and my grandfather gave me a smirk and a dollar, told me I'm a good grandchild. It wasn't the words "I love you" but I know that's what he wanted to say. Not a man of many words but actions spoke louder. I love my grandfather always and he is dearly missed .

My grandfather was one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth, he was a father, a grandfather, and a great grandfather, to me he was grandpa, the first man to ever be steadily in my life, he loved movies, watches, and his family, some would say my grandpa was a simple man, but he was so much more he was the father figure that I never got to have and for that I am forever grateful. Albert McSheridan was always strait up and always spoke his peace, he was a fighter and a very good collector. The thing I will miss most about you grandpa is the countless hours we would spend watching westerns and the metv station, even tho we didnt talk while we watched tv, we didn't have too, we shared a connection deeper than any person in the world could have provided for me as a father. I'll never forget the road trips we took, when we went to Alabama, the prison, and the Grand Canyon, and I'll never forget that you could recite the Gettysburg Address like it was nothing, and of all the story's you told me the midnight auto will always be my favorite. I love you always and forever, until we meet again I know your up there watching over. Happy Fathers Day Grandpa! I cant wait to see you again.

A Man Divided 

It’s a certain sound. An ol’ fella just shootin’ the breeze. Like the string of an antique acoustic guitar birthing waves somewhere between silence and noise. A vibration travelling through time and space. He was a contradictive human being. An intimidating figure with an unintimidating heart. One minute a bitter man, the next, a funny one. A stern rail man working hard, reminiscent of when Sam sang “that’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang.” A man split between work and a secret compassion for home, family, and friends. A man divided between families. A man divided by time. Old values merging into a modern world. One of the last midnight cowboys. Like Glen wrote, “Where hustles the name of the game, and nice guys get washed away like the snow and the rain.” A man troubled by an illness resulting in even the closest of loved ones asking, “is he there or is he somewhere else?” He was always a man that was there, but also was not. A thinking man who loved basking in the sun. There was a young boy, often excited to see him and chuckle with him. That boy now fully grown is matured enough to know that when he looked into the man’s hazy glassed eyes, he knew the man was trapped somewhere between happiness and sadness, or the absence of both like a whistle in the wind. Like a ghost in a shell, a man once trapped in shackles like the chain gang caught for grand theft auto. Luckily, no longer a man stuck between worlds, wondering where he is, but rather knowing where he is now. And through space and time, a vibration travels. Somewhere between noise and silence, like a strike of a sound wave from an antique acoustic guitar. An ol’ fella just shootin into the breeze. Remembered for a time, like a sound into thin air. 

-	Your Grandson, Christopher 	

I am very proud to have been the son- in-law of such a hard working family man.

I liked Al he always enjoyed a good joke 

My father in law, Albert McSheridan,  was a man of few words ,
But those words were sharp and to the point ,
Everyone knew exactly were they stood with Al...preferably far away and quiet🤫 

  Alberts relationship with my husband,Jason ,was unique in that Jason didn’t move out (officially)until he was 23 years old . 
Jay had moved in with Kevin for a bit , moved in with Bryan for a bit , flopped at Clays on occasion but pretty much always ended up back in mom & dads sunporch . 
All his siblings had left the nest at much earlier ages.  So father and son had some quality time to bug the heck out of each other .

I’ll remember how he disliked Jason watching sports on his TV and how much he loved watching animals.

“Y’all need to knock off that noise I’m watching my program “ was his go to phrase .

I’ll remember how Jason would get such a kick out of pushing his buttons and riling him up but just as quickly have him in stitches laughing .

In the end , Albert loved and was loved by many.

When I think of Albert McSheridan I will fondly remember him, sitting in  his folding chair , cigarette in hand just basking in the sun.  🌞


“May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
May this world and all it’s wonders,
Be a home to all humanity,
May the people find a common purpose, May we help one another to survive, And until we meet again,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.”

Grandpa, 
Thank you for always being my hero & being the first man to ever love me. Watch over me and be my guardian angel until we can meet again. I love you, endlessly. 
Your granddaughter, 
Dev. 

Its been so long, but the memories I do have are of you making goofy noises, or giving a quick tiny pull of my hair to get my attention and I would turn around and you would laugh. Sorry it took so long grandpa. Keep Mandy and Brandon company until we can all meet again. Kelly

I woke up early this morning and loaded Katie and Kylie in the car for a trip down Route 41. That was once our road for many a family pilgrimage. I passed all the sites that we once went to and was visited by the ghost’s from our past. 

I made believe that we were all loaded in that old 1973 Chevy station wagon, the hum of the road and the chatter of my siblings were all comforting to me. 

But it was you that I missed. 

I remember the time that you tried to catch me a catfish with your hands at the Skokie Forest Preserve. That ended up with you cutting your foot on broken glass. All the Sunday outings, the Apple Orchards and all those trips to Highland Park Kmart and the 7 Mile Fair.

But most of all I just wanted to remember all of us, together and happy. 

I think I can speak for all of us children when I say there was one thing we wont reminisce:  the wind blowing your flicked cigarette ashes into our eyes! 

Oh well, we all survived.

Love and miss you, Dad.


Dad, from my cradle to your grave I have been and always will be daddy's little girl.  You weren't the dad that said I love you and read bedtime stories... no long hugs or sentiment but I never went without and I was always saved by you and mom when I made my ignorant mistakes,  that was the sentiment,  the silent "I love you" . You were the first man to love me and then you became the first man to love my daughter.  You were my angry, loud hero.  Kindness wasn't your strong point but it isn't mine either.  I am and always will be proud to be your nessie.  I Love you so much. Love eternally Your daughter Vanessa

Dad when I was growing up we were always together doing things. But as the boy became a man we seemed to have less and less in common until we didnt see eye to eye on just about anything. They say with age comes wisdom and as I've grown older I've come to realize we were more alike than either would care to admit. We were apart for far too long and for that I'm sorry. It's been said no matter what a child does a Father will always leave a light on for them to find their way home. So Dad keep a light on I will see you on the other side. Your Son Rick.

WHEN I WAS A KID WE ALL WOULD HANG OUT AND SEE MR MCSHERIDAN WORKING ON THOSE BAD ASS OLD CHEVYS  AND WE WOULD WATCH HIM TURN TRASH IN TO TREASURE THE HE STARTED TEACHING US WHAT HE WAS DOING HIS ART IF YOU WILL EVER TIME TIME I SAND OR PULL A DENT OUT OF A CAR THAT MAKES ME THINK OF HIM HE WAS A GREAT GUY AND TREATED  ME WITH KINDNESS GOD BLESS YOU SIR AND THANK YOU R I P  I AM DAVID BRANDENBURG


OBITUARY

Albert Shelton McSheridan

November 15, 1938 – June 14, 2020

Drake & Son Funeral Home

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