Sheldon A. Vincenti, 71, Moscow

Sheldon A. Vincenti died March 31, 2010, following a nine-month battle with cancer. Sheldon was born Sept. 4, 1938, in Ogden, Utah, to Arnold and Mae Vincenti.

Following his childhood in Utah, he traveled to Boston to attend Harvard, where he completed his undergraduate degree in 1960 and then went on to receive his degree of juris doctor from Harvard Law School in 1963.

In 1964, he married Elaine Wacker. They divorced in 1996 after raising their two children.

Sheldon served in the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Branch, where he rose to the rank of captain. After the Army, he practiced law in Ogden for several years before becoming the legislative and administrative assistant to U.S. Rep. Gunn McKay, D-Utah, in Washington, D.C.

In 1973, Sheldon and his young family moved to Moscow after he accepted a faculty position at the University of Idaho College of Law. He served the law school in many capacities during his nearly 30-year career there, including 12 years as dean. The law school was a perfect place for him to combine his passions for both the law and education. He also enjoyed teaching several semesters at the New England School of Law in Boston.

In 1997, Sheldon married Donna Allen and they spent their days together sharing books, reading and writing poetry, and enjoying their peaceful property on Moscow Mountain.

Sheldon loved to tackle projects around the house with his dad, enjoyed cooking delicious meals for his family and was an avid Red Sox fan. Most evenings you could find him gazing at the breathtaking, panoramic view of the rolling Palouse from his front window or deck and listening to classical music.

Sheldon was immensely proud of his children and grandchildren and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife Donna; his father Arnold; his son Matt and wife Renae; his daughter Amanda and husband Michael; and his grandchildren Dru, age 12, Ashlynn, age 3, Quinn, age 4 and Eliot, age 6 months.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at the UI College of Law.

Memorial donations may be made to the University of Idaho College of Law.