Dick Sheets died March 12, 2018, at age 71. Born in Fort Wayne, Sheets grew up in Franklin, Whiteland and Columbus, Indiana. His journalism career began when he worked as a reporter for The Triangle newspaper at Columbus (North) High School. After serving in the Army from 1968 to 1970 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and in Germany, he graduated from IU with a double major in English and Journalism.

Sheets worked 22 years at The Republic newspaper in Columbus, Indiana. He spent five years as sports editor, covering high school sports in his daily column “Sheets on the Line.” He later served as news editor and copy desk editor. In 1977, he became an editor for the Office of Code Revision in the Indiana General Assembly’s Legislative Services Agency.