Mark Sheldon, an announcer for the Classical Public Radio Network, died on Dec. 9 from cancer. He was 43.
Sheldon graduated from Brigham Young University with degrees in music education and choral conducting. After college, he worked as an announcer in Utah and as a station manager in Indiana.
Sheldon joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1992 as a syndicated classical music host. He also produced national radio broadcasts for the Minnesota Classic Orchestra, the Utah Symphony and the Grand Teton Musical Festival.
In 1999, Sheldon was hired by the Classical Public Radio Network, which is co-owned by KUSC and Colorado Public Radio. There he hosted the late afternoon classical music program on weekdays, and the “Sacred Classics” show on Sunday mornings.
He discussed his 15-year battle with a rare form of ocular melanoma on the air and in an online journal. When his insurance company dropped him just before a cancer treatment, friends held a benefit concert in his honor.
In his spare time, Sheldon sang with the Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers, and guest-conducted the St. Martin’s Chamber Choir in Denver.
• Interview With Colorado Public Radio
December 16, 2003 by
Mark and I worked at the Boy Scouts of America in Santa Clara California. It was my first job right after college and we became very good friends right after we found out our passion for the arts and music. I did West Side Story my senior year in college and we always joke about the sharks and the jets and about the part that Anita sings: “I think I will go back to San Juan” and he always replied: “I know a boat you can get on”, especially when I was from San Juan.
It was a lot of fun. Also his knowledge of the language after completing his mission in Japan. Amazing, very smart man. I have read all the information about his fight and it shows the want to enjoy this beautiful life that we take for granted. When he left the Boys Scouts we lost contact. But good people are very hard to forget. He still my very good friend and he knows it. Mark you know I love you my friend.