Stan Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Wreck victim, the father of 3, is remembered as 'technology nut’ BY MARK AGEE rmagee@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH — Lance Shetler was "always an electronic and technology nut," even as a boy growing up in Southern California, his sister says. The analytical mind that helped him beat an electronic chess set in less than a week, then solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than a day, served him well later in life as an engineer and inventor with multiple patents under his belt. "He never bragged about any of that," said his sister Tamara Shetler-Colbert of Pasadena. "He was just a humble, cool, laid-back guy." The 42-year-old Burleson man, a father of three young children, was killed Monday evening when a Chevrolet TrailBlazer with a suspected drunken driver behind the wheel swerved into his lane. Police said he died at the scene. The two collided head-on as Shetler was returning home from work about 6:30 p.m. Police say the other driver ran from the scene in the 500 block of Abner Lee Lane in Fort Worth, near Spinks Airport and close to the Burleson city limits. Burleson police found Mark Charles Pierce, 26, walking toward his mother’s house after she had reported the TrailBlazer stolen, Fort Worth police traffic Sgt. Rodney Bangs said. Pierce was later arrested on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter. He remained at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth on Wednesday, awaiting transfer to the Mansfield Jail, said Lt. Paul Henderson, a Fort Worth police spokesman. Pierce was a standout tailback at Weatherford High School. He went on to play fullback at the University of Arkansas before being suspended and then quitting the team after several run-ins with the law. The period from Dec. 15 through New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest times of year for alcohol-related fatalities, and drunken drivers ages 21-34 are involved in about a third of the fatal wrecks that occur in that time frame, according to a December report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "I am sad my family has joined the statistics of drinking and driving," Shetler-Colbert said. "No family in this world should have to go through this." Shetler was the third of six children and played baseball, football and basketball at San Diego Academy in California before graduating in 1984. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and worked for firms in California until 2007. The family moved to Texas, and he took a job as an engineering manager for Avail Medical Products in Irving. The family attended Burleson Seventh-day Adventist Church, where Shetler taught Sabbath School for third- and fourth-graders, his sister said. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records show three patents in Shetler’s name, all medical technology, and his sister said he was involved in creating other devices, including heart defibrillators that are carried on commercial airliners. "He wanted to invent things that saved people’s lives and made their lives better," Shetler-Colbert said. "I was reading some of the patent information on some of the stuff he made to his children last night. His 5-year-old daughter sat and listened and at the end said, 'Wow, my daddy was awesome.’ " Lance Everett Weldon Shetler is survived by his wife of 11 years, Linda; sons Joshua, 10, and Caleb, 8; daughter Chloe, 5; three brothers; two sisters; and his mother, Suzanne Purdy, father, Robert Shetler, and stepmother, Pamela Shetler. A memorial celebration is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Skyvue Funeral Home, 7220 Farm Road 1187 in Mansfield. Memorial fund A college fund to support the education of Lance Shetler’s three children has been established at Wells Fargo Bank. The number for the Lance Shetler Memorial Account is 968781443, and deposits can be made at any Wells Fargo branch or by calling 1-800-225-5935. The family asks for donations in lieu of flowers Quote If you receive benefit to being here please help out with expenses. https://www.paypal.me/clubadventist Administrator of a few websites like https://adventistdating.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggers Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 This is a battle that we live. One of our brothers has fallen and we need to "stand in the gap" and help to support Lance's children in his absence. I would encourage everyone to not think about these tough economic times, but look back at how the Lord has led and by faith donate generously to the memorial fund mentioned in the article. By giving, YOU will be blessed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moodyrantung Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I'm very sorry to hear this. I didn't know Lance personally but I did know his wife brother merried with my sister in law rini What a difference it makes when you can have confidence that someone is asleep in Jesus! Please pray their three children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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