John M. Sheehy

John Martin Sheehy died on January 31, 2024 at Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh.

He was born on October 28, 1932, to Walter P. Sheehy and Luella Gotto Sheehy in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

John attended St. Patrick’s Elementary School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in Green Bay in 1950.

He received his B.S. degree from Marquette University in 1954 and two master’s degrees and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

John is survived by his wife, Joan Tisch Sheehy, whom he married on June 11, 1962: a son, Jonathan of Oshkosh: and a son, Frederic (Anne) of Woodbridge, VA.

Grandchildren survive: Madylin Sheehy of Appleton, Kelly (Enzo) Diomeda of New Port Richey, FL, Grace Sheehy of Woodbridge, VA and Cooper Sheehy of Boston, MA, and great-grandson Gianni Diomeda.

He is pre-deceased by his parents, two sisters, Mary Lou Garsow, and Virginia Lepp, both of Green Bay.

John began his teaching career in 1957 in Pulaski, Wisconsin after serving in the U.S. Army Medical Service for two years. He taught English in and also served as assistant principal and principal of Pulaski High School.

He left Pulaski to pursue full-time graduate study receiving his Ph.D. in 1967. He served as principal of Aspen High School in Aspen, Colorado, leaving there in 1969 to become planning principal and then executive principal of the West Bend, Wisconsin High Schools. He also served as principal of Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Heights, IL and in 1979 became principal of Oshkosh West High School from which he retired in 1994.

In 2003 he served as interim principal of Lourdes High School and St. John Neumann Middle School in Oshkosh.

John was active at the state level on the Governor’s Council on Library and Network Development, the Wisconsin

Interscholastic Athletic association where he served two terms as chairman, and the Association of Wisconsin of Wisconsin School Administrators of which he was a founding member.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will take place.