Stephen G. Sheetz, the former president and CEO of convenience store chain Sheetz, died Sunday, the family-owned company announced. He was 77 years old.
Sheetz died from respiratory complications after being hospitalized on Dec. 28, according to the Altoona Mirror.
He was treated for pneumonia for two weeks last month before returning home on Christmas Eve. He returned to the hospital days later.
Sheetz had also been diagnosed with leukemia in 2011.
An Altoona native, Sheetz started working for Sheetz Kwik Shopper, which his brother older Bob founded, at the age of 12. After graduating from Penn State, he was named the supervisor and director of operations for the company’s four locations in 1969.
The brothers continued to expand with Stephen Sheetz serving as CEO from 1984 to 1995 after his brother Bob retired.
He served as the company’s chairman of the board from 1995 until 2013 before becoming the chairman of Sheetz’s new petroleum transportation company. He retired in 2020.
Sheetz now has about 27,000 employees at its more-than 800 stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
Stephen Sheetz and wife Nancy also started a program to provide mentorship and financial support and scholarships to Penn State Altoona students with leadership potential, and another program to encourage entrepreneurship in his native city. The couple were also known to frequently make financial gifts to other local charities and organizations.
“Above all, uncle Steve was the center of our family,” said Travis Sheetz, current president and CEO of the company. “We are so deeply grateful for his leadership, vision and steadfast commitment to our employees, customers and communities.”
