SCULPTURE, PAVILION HONORS LATE CYCLIST

Scott Sheldon sold insurance for nearly 40 years, served on bank board of directors

One of Scott Sheldon’s favorite things to do in life was ride his bicycle with his wife Sandy on the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail.

But in May he passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 64.

As a way to honor his memory, Sandy, his wife of 32 years, and other family members and friends had a sculpture of Scott, as well as a pavilion, picnic tables and benches built at the Heartland Trail trailhead on Charles Avenue in Alma.

Sandy was on hand Tuesday to see the final pieces of the project completed.

“I wanted to give something to the rail-trail as a way to remember Scott,” she said. “Scott liked to ride motorcycles but later got into bicycling and he loved biking along the trail.

“We were looking for a way to honor him and I thought this would be a nice addition for the trail and even for the neighborhood.”

Along with other donors, Kevin Collison at Commercial Bankwas a big help making the project come to fruition, Sandy said.

Scott, who owned insurance agencies in Alma and Shepherd for nearly 40 years, served on the bank’s Board of Directors for 35 years, including his last 13 as chairman.

Sandy commissioned Alma artist Justin Ladoux to make the sculpture.

“I’ve known of Justin’s work for many years,” she said.

Ladoux said he’s “always been artistic” but didn’t get into designing and building sculptures until he got out of college about 15 years ago.

He initially met with Sandy to get an idea of what she wanted the sculpture to look like.

“We sent photos back and forth by text,” Ladoux said. “We would come up with new ideas trying to figure out what the final product should be.”

That process took three to four months, he added.

After the final design was agreed on it only took him three or four days to build the sculpture.

“I’m happy with it,” Ladoux said.

Sandy also worked with city of Alma officials to make the project possible.

A memorial stone dedicating the site to Scott will be the final piece added.

GREG NELSON — MORNING SUN Justin Ladoux stands next to the sculpture he designed of the late Scott Sheldon, who passed away earlier this year. His wife Sandy and other family members and friends had the sculpture, as well as a pavilion, picnic tables and benches built at the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail trailhead on Charles Avenue in Alma in Scott’smemory.