Valerie Kaye Hortenstine-Sheldon, 39, of Hillsboro, died Thursday, May 16, 2019, as a result of a traffic accident near Raymond.
Visitation will be held Monday, May 20, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the K of C Hall in Raymond.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 21, at 11 a.m. at the hall. Burial will be held in the Hortenstine Family Cemetery in Ramsey. Hough Funeral Home in Raymond is in charge of arrangements.
Sheldon was born June 25, 1979, in Vandalia, the daughter of Jacob and Teresa (Sergent) Hortenstine. She married Timothy Sheldon on July 25, 1998, which later ended in divorce.
A graduate of Ramsey High School, she attended Lake Land College. She completed several law enforcement training classes at area agencies.
Chief Sheldon worked as a patrol officer for the Coffeen Police Department, Nokomis Police Department and Witt Police Department.
For the last 12 years, she worked for the Raymond Police Department, where for the last nine and a half years she served as chief of police.
She was a Montgomery County EMA volunteer and a member of the Montgomery County Search and Rescue Team.
She is survived by her father, Jacob (Crystal) Hortenstine of Ramsey; mother, Teresa (Allen Smith) Hortenstine of Ramsey; two sons, Jacob Sheldon and Isaac Sheldon, both of Hillsboro; sisters, Katelyn (Bo) Ridgeway of Litchfield, Josephine (Andrew) Stewart of Vandalia, Misty (Michael) Warner of Vandalia, Cassandra Hortenstine and Elizabeth Hortenstine, both of Ramsey; three nephews; four nieces; and her companion, Jason McCallum of Raymond.
Memorials may be made to the Valerie Hortenstine-Sheldon Memorial Fund, which has been set up for her children's education.
Online condolences may be left at www.houghfuneralhome.com.
