Sheldon Kyle Ivie

Sheldon Kyle “Skeeter” Ivie, 43, won his battle with cancer and received perfect healing in Heaven on the 14th of August, 2024 at approximately 9:15 AM at his home in Meridian. He once said, “I’m happy here with y’all and I’ll be happy with Jesus, either way I WIN!”. Skeeter, or Skeet, as he was affectionately known by all who loved him, was born in Seminole, Texas on May 18, 1981 to Clyde Gene Ivie, Sr. and Lena Dianne Schluter. He called Franklin, Texas his home from a very early age and that’s where his heart remained no matter where life took him. Skeeter attended all twelve years of school in Franklin, graduating with the class of 2000. He took great pride in his years as a Franklin Lion; playing football, basketball, and golf, as well as participating in track & field. His football skills took him to East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Tx where he opted not to play, but worked with the team in media and film. Skeet left ETBU with a host of friends that he cherished for the rest of his life. He didn’t know it then, but he had met the love of his life there and would find her again 20 years later through God’s guiding hand.

Skeeter raised his son in Franklin, coaching and guiding him, along with many others, through their school years and beyond. He was a leader in the community as a Little Dribblers coach and Board Member with cherished friends Michael “Duba” Brewer and Jerry Paceley, as well as others. Skeeter also worked in the neighboring town of Calvert, as a paraprofessional with special needs students, a librarian, and a coach. He then worked at South Star bank for nine years.

After many years in Franklin, life took Skeeter to Clifton, Texas where he went into business with dear friends and built a thriving restaurant called Royal Pizza! He worked hard, making sure to serve some of the best pizza, pastas, salads, and calzones! He loved the friends that became family at his beloved Royal Pizza and he left this world knowing they and his wife would work with all their might to keep his dream alive.

Skeeter was enthusiastically involved in the community and was always every teenager’s number one fan. He was a proud member of the Lion’s Club, he was always happy to be a sponsor and supporter of BARK (Bosque Animal Rescue Kennels) and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for kids, he was a member of the Booster Club, he helped plan and put on the Clifton Fall Fest, he coached football and basketball for the young ones and even some summer high school teams. There was nothing Skeeter didn’t want to be involved in, he genuinely loved his community and cherished the “small town life”. His heart was always looking out for the betterment of youth programs. Skeet chose, many times, to step up as a male role model for young men that needed one, or maybe just needed an extra one; because he cherished the men in his life who guided him through the years. However, if you asked him, he wasn’t ever doing enough to give back to the ones who had given to him. He did not seek reward or even see himself as anything extraordinary. He was just loving others and that’s what he did! He always spoke of everyone as a friend, he never let how he felt about someone go unsaid, and he truly appreciated people from the depths of his soul. The memories he held dear were memories that most of us forget over time, but not him, he remembered those special moments. To know Skeeter was to LOVE Skeeter and to never doubt that he loved you back. He loved people with the love of the Lord, unconditionally; and always saw the positive in every person or situation. If you asked him about someone his answer was almost always, “they’re such a good kid” or “they’re just good people”.

Skeeter knew how to have a good time! He never shied away from an impromptu dance party, karaoke night, or anything he thought would bring joy to those around him. Skeeter LOVED Texas A&M, Franklin, and more recently, Clifton sports to the core of his being. He would not let anything, even his wedding, interfere with his A&M football following! During the last leg of the journey with his illness, as he sat with his wife one evening and she asked him what was new, he said, “Have you been keeping up with A&M recruiting?” When she answered “no”, he responded with a smile and a chuckle, “Then we have nothing to talk about”. He loved to make her laugh! He loved to make anyone laugh and was very sensitive to people when they were in need of some encouragement or just a little “happy”.

Even though the effort is made, no amount of space on a piece of paper or words in this world can be found to describe what Skeet meant to the people he loved, or to even come close to expressing the difference he made in so many lives. He always reached out to friends on their birthday (sometimes getting the date wrong, but it’s the thought that counts, right!?) and it was more often a phone call than just a text. He genuinely and consistently prayed for those he cared about. He stood on the commandment to “go and make disciples”. Digging into God’s word, discussing theology, and teaching were three of his favorite things to do; and all three worked to bring he and his wife closer together with a soul deep love, as iron sharpens iron. He served others well and loved like Jesus. He often quoted a friend who had inspired him, saying “Share the Gospel, and if necessary, use words”. Church was important to Skeeter. He felt like it was a blessing to be able to fellowship and worship with others, to give God one day solely His. He loved singing in the church praise band, being a youth pastor, teaching Sunday School, working as a camp activities director, attending kids camp and Super Summer as a volunteer with FBC Clifton, and most of all he loved his ministry as a husband and a father. Skeeter, however, was more than a “religious man”. He lived what he believed in his everyday life and reached people far beyond the church’s ministry. If ever there was a man who lived up to the saying “live in a way that the preacher doesn’t have to lie at your funeral”, Skeet was that man.

Left to cherish all the many memories he was a part of are his wife of 5 months, Erin Mercer Ivie, his two bonus children who he loved as his own; Jolie Cecile Fruge’ and Forrest Hodge Fruge’ (of Meridian, Tx), his son Dominique Witherspoon and his grandson Grayson Witherspoon (both of Franklin, Tx); his dad and stepmom Clyde (Liz) Ivie (of Sparks, Nevada); brothers Troy (Ana) Payne (of Temple, Texas) and Gene (Keena) Ivie (of Amarillo, Tx); In-Laws John (Pamela) Mercer and Troy (Misty) Mercer (of Moss Bluff, La); Nieces Kristen (James) Tyra (of Sizerock, Kentucky); Landri Ivie (of Amarillo, Tx); Kylie, Kaysie, Kinley, and Korie Mercer (of Moss Bluff, La); Nephews Peyton (Anna) Ivie and Drew Ivie (all of Amarillo, Tx), Blake and Hank Payne (of Temple, Tx). So many friends and friends that were family to Skeeter will grieve with his family and always remember their “brother”. Skeeter was preceded in death by his beloved mother Lena Dianne Schluter (of Franklin, Tx) and his brother Robert Stanley (of Franklin, Tx).

Memorial Services will be held to honor Skeeter’s life and testimony on August 31st, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the Roland Reynolds Elementary School Gym in Franklin, Texas and on September 1st, 2024 at 3:00 PM at First Baptist Church in Clifton, Texas.

There will be a scholarship fund set up in Skeeter’s Memory, for high school seniors who attend either Franklin or Clifton High Schools; at First National Bank Bosque in Clifton, Texas. The family asks that you please consider giving in lieu of flowers to carry on Skeeter’s love for the youth in these communities.

Arrangements were entrusted to Lawson Funeral Home 254-435-2792