Wally Sheil

Walter N. "Wally" Sheil (April 15, 1929 – June 23, 2002) was an American academic administrator and politician from Jersey City, New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate as a Democrat from 1978 to 1982, and ran as Republican candidate for Sarasota County Commission in 1996.[1]

Wally Sheil
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 31st district
In office
1978–1982
Preceded byJames P. Dugan
Succeeded byEdward T. O'Connor Jr.
Personal details
Born
Walter N. Sheil

April 15, 1929
DiedJune 23, 2002 (aged 73)
Cuddebackville, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (1978–1991)
Republican (1991–2002)
EducationSeton Hall University (BS, MA)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army

Education

Sheil attended Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, where he played basketball with Thomas F. X. Smith. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1950. Sheil went on to play for the Carbondale Aces of the American Basketball League. Sheil received an Master of Arts from Seton Hall University in 1952.[2]

Career

Sheil worked as the director of admissions at Saint Peter's from 1957 to 1962 and director of continuing education at Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University) from 1967 to 1977. Sheil was president of Hudson County Community College from 1977 to 1981 and from 1987 to 1989.[3] Sheil also served in the United States Army as personnel psychologist.[4]

While in the State Senate, Sheil was stripped of his assignments on the Judiciary Committee for supporting Republican Thomas Kean in the 1981 New Jersey gubernatorial election.[5] He filed a lawsuit against Senate President Joseph P. Merlino for the removal.[6]

Sheil served as the Hudson County Democratic Party chairman from 1977 to 1981.[3][7] Smith attempted to remove Sheil as chairman in 1980.[8] A split among county democrats saw Sheil lose the 1981 primary election to Edward T. O'Connor Jr.[9]

Sheil retired to Sarasota, Florida, in 1991, where he changed his political affiliation to Republican.[10] Sheil ran in the Republican primary for a seat on the Sarasota County commission in 1996.[11] He lost the primary to Ray Pilon, and later helped file an ethics complaint against Pilon for using a non-public mailing list to solicit campaign support.[12] Pilon was the subject of a suggested fine of $100.00 by the Florida Commission on Ethics.[13]

Personal life

Sheil died on June 23, 2002, in Cuddebackville, New York, and was interred at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Otisville.[4]

References
  1. "Gurney Has His Eye on Dist. 1". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. May 8, 1996. p. B1. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  2. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey. Vol. 198. J.A. Fitzgerald. 1979.
  3. "Walter Sheil, 73; powerful Dem leader and HCCC chief". The Jersey Journal. June 25, 2002.
  4. "Obituaries". The Record. June 25, 2002.
  5. "Jersey State Senator Removed From Panel". The New York Times. November 23, 1981. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  6. "THE CITY; Senator Removed From Post Sues". The New York Times. December 2, 1981. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  7. "Candidates slug it out". The Day. June 15, 1981. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  8. "Mayor of Jersey City Fails to Unseat Sheil As Leader in Hudson". The New York Times. June 10, 1980. p. B10.
  9. "Campaign '81: In N.J. county it wasn't quite politics as usual". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 4, 1981. p. B04.
  10. "Sarasota GOP Hopeful was Democratic 'Boss'". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. May 22, 1996.
  11. "Candidates are Scheduled to Debate at Sarasota Center". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. August 21, 1996.
  12. Thompson, Rod (January 31, 1997). "Commissioner may face hearing". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  13. "96-125 Final Order and Public Report, In re Ray Pilon". State of Florida. April 17, 1997.
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