GALLIPOLIS - Devoted, insightful, dedicated, esteemed.

Those are just some of the words used to describe Warren Sheets, who passed away this past Sunday at the age of 81. Friends, family and colleagues remembered the long-time Gallipolis attorney and former Gallia County prosecutor during a memorial service Wednesday.

“It's a tremendous loss for Gallia County and a tremendous loss for the legal community,” said Brett Saunders, who worked with Sheets for 20 years at the law firm of Halliday, Sheets and Saunders.

“Church, family and the law meant everything to him,” Saunders said.

Sheets was born in Guyan Township on Sept. 13, 1924. He joined the U.S. Army in 1943 after graduating from high school, and served in World War II. He fought at the battle of Remagen Bridge. The capture of that bridge allowed allied forces to cross into Germany.

Sheets received the Purple Heart for wounds received during the battle and also was awarded the Bronze Star. He was severely wounded and was discharged from the army in 1945.

After returning home, Sheets attended Rio Grande College and received a law degree from Ohio Northern University Law School in 1950. Afterward, he returned to his native Gallia County to begin practicing law.

“He was partners with my father-in-law, John Halliday,” Gallipolis City Manager Bill Jenkins said. “He was the leading trial lawyer in town for years. He developed a strong clientele.”

Sheets succeeded Halliday as Gallia County's prosecuting attorney. He served for three terms from 1953 to 1965.

Jenkins, who served as Gallipolis solicitor in the 1960s, remembers Sheets in the courtroom, he said.

“I worked with him some, and I opposed him some,” Jenkins said. “He was a very thorough, very hard working person.”

In addition to his work as an attorney, Sheets also served on the Board of Directors of Ohio Valley Bank and of Holzer Medical Center.

“Actually, he was my neighbor for a few years,” said Tom Tope, president of Holzer Consolidated Health Systems. “He was one of the hardest working people I know.

“He was well respected and insightful. His counsel was always welcomed.”

Sheets served on the Holzer board from 1968 until 2004, Tope said. He served as chairman from 1973 until 1976.

Saunders remembers working long hours with Sheets to prepare for court cases.

“Probably the most important thing that I learned from him was his work ethic,” Saunders said. “There were a lot of Sunday afternoons after church, if we had a case, we would work.”

Sheets will be remembered well in Gallia County and beyond, Jenkins said.

“I always thought he was as good a general practitioner as anyone on the country,” he said.

Many will miss him, Saunders said.

“It's a great loss, on a personal and professional level,” he said. “He was a friend and a coworker.”