Source: The Daily Nonpareil, April 6, 2006

Patrick E. Saul Sheridan, Sr., passed to Heaven on April 7, 2006, of a long battle with cancer from agent orange. Patrick was a Top Pvt. Marine in 1969, in Vietnam, where he served his country to the fullest with top honors. He was awarded many stripes, and metals including the Purple Heart, and Bronze Star. He was 56 years old.

Patrick was preceded in passing of his surrogate parents, Albert and Gloria Saul, Addison Mahoney, and Kenneth Sheridan, Sr.

Patrick is survived by his beloved wife, Pamela of 36 years; loving mother, Edna Mahoney; son, Patrick and wife Nancy; daughter, Tammy and husband Ryan Miller; his precious grandchildren, Krista and Callie Jo McCart, Kalob Miller, and Marie Worley, Brittanny and Katie Odell, Tex and Colton Richmond, Dakota Swanger; his loving brother Mike and wife Paulette; and special sister Shirley of Arizona. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Colleen Jackson, Debra Bolen, Alberta Creason, Brenda Saul; brother-in-law, Robert Jackson, Grandma Jackson, Robert Saul, Aunt Betty Nesbitt of Kansas; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and his most loving Aunt Glaydys and son Frankie, Uncle Bill and wife Nancy. Special family members also include John Wilson, children, wife and special mother Linda, Belinda Richmond and parents, John and Connie, Linda and Randy Poyner, and Tracy Bowman. Special family members also include Marcia Kline and children, Beverly Fernside.

Patrick will be missed dearly and will always be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, friend, relative of his surrogate family, The Sauls, and his loving wife, Pamela.

Patrick has been cremated. There will be a graveside memorial with military rites at a later date. All memorials may be directed to his home in care of his wife Pamela.

UPDATE from The Daily Nonpariel, Full Military Rites Will Honor Sheridan, August 25, 2006

A memorial service for a Council Bluffs Marine who died earlier this year after battling cancer resulting from exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam will be held Saturday.

The memorial service for Patrick E. Saul Sheridan, who died April 7, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Lawn Cemetery with full military rites.

The memorial service comes just days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in Washington expanded coverage to additional veterans exposed to the chemical defoliant during the Vietnam War.

Sheridan's wife of 35 years, Pamela, said her husband was "no ordinary guy."

"He came home from Vietnam in 1970 having been severely injured when a grenade went off while he was on patrol with his U.S. Marine Corps unit," she said.

Although the two had known each other since she was nine and he was 12, the friendship shown to the injured Marine by Pamela's parents, Albert and Gloria Saul, paved the way for the two to fall in love and marry - a 35-year union that was blessed with two children and three grandchildren.

"What was so unique about Patrick was his integrity," Pamela said. "For the next 30 years, he continued to work for his family, even though he experienced daily pain from his injuries in Vietnam as well as post traumatic stress syndrome."

After finding out in 2002 he had Agent Orange cancer, Patrick tried to keep his spirits up, Pamela said, and he continued to show his love and kindness to his family and friends.

"I hope people will remember that Patrick fought for our freedom back in 1969 and 35 years later gave his life for our freedom from the lung cancer that resulted from his exposure to Agent Orange," she said.