Jeffrey Lee Sheets , 49, Minot, died Wednesday, January 2, 2013 in his home.

Jeffrey Lee Sheets was born on August 19, 1963, to Harold Terry and Leona (Lindberg) Sheets in Waco, Texas. He attended elementary school in Belcourt, North Dakota and Minot, North Dakota. Jeff graduated from Powers Lake High School in 1981. He attended North Dakota State University, Dickinson State and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law.

Jeff was involved in the junior youth rodeo association and won his all-around trophy saddle in 1978. He was very involved in horse shows and loved studying all of the bloodlines and breeds. Jeff also participated in football for Powers Lake and received awards in that sport.

Jeff was admitted to the North Dakota State Bar Association in 1992. He served as the States Attorney for Dunn, Sioux and Burke Counties of North Dakota. Jeff was the Chief Judge for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and was a public defender for the Three Affiliated Tribes. At the time of his death, Jeff was in practice with his own law firm which he and Leigh built together.

Jeff was proud to sponsor the North Dakota High School Rodeo Association year end saddle in the bareback and enjoyed sponsoring any other rodeo event rodeo to promote the sport.

Jeff was united in marriage to Leigh Cudmore on June 21, 2003, in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Jeff instantly became a father to three, Lane Thomas, Sydney Justene and Dee'Laney Shay. The family made their home at Selfridge, North Dakota for a year before moving to Minot, North Dakota. Two more little cowboys came along and completed the family. Bodie Albert and Tygan Mervel were daddy's right hand little men.

Jeff has always been involved in the sport of rodeo. A very special person, Mervel Hall, assisted Jeff in learning the ropes as well as his mother, Leona who hauled Jeff and his brother Scott to the best rodeo schools she could find. Soon the family was hauling Lane, Syd and Dee to all the youth rodeos they could find and Jeff was passing on his knowledge of horses, horsemanship and the dedication required to compete. He stepped in a couple times announcing at the rodeos and also judged at some too. Jeff "cracked out" again in the bareback riding a couple years ago just so the kids could see him ride. The saying that came out of that was "I may be stupid...but I ain't chicken." He will be deeply missed by all who shared in his life.

Jeffrey is survived by his wife, Leigh, Minot; children, Lane, Sydney, Dee'Laney, Bodie and Tygan, all of Minot, ND; mother, Leona (Mervel Hall) Sheets, New Town, ND; brother, Scott (Karla) Sheets, Williston, ND, nieces, Kayla, Shannon, Megan and nephews, Denver and Dawson; aunts, Phyllis James Hall, Michigan, Carolyn (Lynn) Kranzler, Eugene, OR and Beverly Joan Elsberrry, La Grande, OR; uncle, Darie Lindberg, Powers Lake, ND; mother-in-law, Mona Demery, Eagle Butte, SD; brother-in-laws, Gary (Nikki) Cudmore, Dupree, SD and George Cudmore, Mobridge, SD; sister-in-laws, Dani Cudmore and Rita (Mike) Lafferty both of Eagle Butte, SD, and Mona (Kyle) Cudmore, Aberdeen, SD and special family friends, Larry (Karen) Schafer, Maryland.

Jeff was preceded in death by his father, Harold Terry Sheets, maternal grandparents, Albert and Margaret Lindberg, paternal grandparents, Harold and Marjorie Sheets and his uncles, Tuffy Lindberg and James Sheets.

Funeral Service: Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 12 noon in Our Redeemer's Lutheran Brethren Church, Minot.
Interment: Eagle Butte Cemetery, Eagle Butte, South Dakota in the Spring of 2013.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 11, 2013, from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred.