hmtl5 David Baskerville Sheets b. 23 Aug 1939 Upland, San Bernardino County, California d. 31 May 2000 Irvine, Orange County, California: McKeown Genealogy

David Baskerville Sheets

Male 1939 - 2000  (60 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name David Baskerville Sheets 
    Born 23 Aug 1939  Upland, San Bernardino County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Gender Male 
    Occupation artist, furniture designer, art gallery owner  [2
    Died 31 May 2000  Irvine, Orange County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Buried Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I1604  McKeown
    Last Modified 11 Aug 2023 

    Father Millard Owen Sheets,   b. 24 Jun 1907, Pomona, Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 Mar 1989, Gualala, Mendocino County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years) 
    Mother Mary Baskerville,   b. 23 Aug 1909, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 May 2000, Gualala, Mendocino County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years) 
    Married 28 Apr 1930  Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F665  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 23 Aug 1939 - Upland, San Bernardino County, California Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 31 May 2000 - Irvine, Orange County, California Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, California Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • LKH note:
      In 1980 David Sheets changed his surname to include his wife's surname: David Stary-Sheets.
      [4]
    • David Stary-Sheets; Furniture Designer, Art Dealer
      David Stary-Sheets, 60, former creator of custom furniture who became an art dealer and expert on the California Regionalist movement. The son of premier Southern California realist painter Millard Sheets, he had operated Stary-Sheets Fine Art Gallery with his wife, Susan, for the last decade. First in Irvine and since 1996 in Laguna Beach, the gallery focused on his custom furniture and on work by the California Regionalist or California Style artists who worked largely in watercolors in the 1920s through ‘40s. Stary-Sheets became a prominent figure in the arts community--lecturing, writing widely and acting as curator for exhibits on the Realist painters. The couple lent paintings from their own collection to boost new museums such as the Irvine Fine Arts Center in 1993 and in 1997-98 were curators of “California Style: 1930s and ‘40s.” That exhibit, organized for the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, was also displayed at the Orange County Museum of Art and the Ventura County Museum of History and Art. Born in Claremont, David Sheets was educated at the Webb School, Claremont Men’s College, Chaffey College and San Diego State. He worked briefly as a loan officer and built custom homes before turning to designing and building furniture. In the 1970s he co-founded a furniture company, Woodworks Builds Dynamite Furniture, based in Ontario, Calif. Sheets hyphenated his surname after marrying Susan Stary in 1980. The couple, who started an art gallery when they lived in Northern California, were active in several arts and cultural groups in Orange County. Among those was Stop-Gap, a theatrical company dealing with social problems. Stary-Sheets was a co-founder of the Fine Art Dealers Assn. and served as president of the national group from 1994 to 1996. On May 31 in Irvine.
      Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California. 7 June 2000.
      [2, 5]
    • David Stary-Sheets
      An Anchor Bay memorial service is pending for David Stary-Sheets, a noted art dealer and former Gualala resident, who died at his home in Irvine on May 31, at the age of 60.
      Born August 23, 1939, in Claremont, California, he graduated from Webb School for Boys and attended Claremont Mens College, Chaffey College, and San Diego State University. After college, he built custom homes and began designing and building furniture. In 1980, he married Susan Stary and moved to Gualala where he crafted one-of-a-kind custom furniture for clients, both locally and nationally.
      Through his close relationship with his artist father, the late Millard Sheets, and exposure to the artists in Southern California, he developed special appreciation for the field of art history known as California Regionalism, which focused on art in California in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. He became a recognized authority in that field, and he and his wife Susan opened Stary-Sheets Fine Art in Gualala, which specialized in the California Regionalists. The gallery also showcased David’s custom furniture.
      While living in Gualala, David Stary-Sheets was a strong supporter of Gualala Arts, chairing several shows and helping to create the Gualala Arts Center.
      In 1990, David Stary-Sheets became a full-time art dealer. He and Susan relocated the Stary-Sheets Find Art Gallery to Southern California, first in Irvine, and then in Laguna Beach.
      He also c-founded the Fine Art Dealers Association, with members nationwide. He served as president for two years.
      Mr. Stary-Sheets is survived by his wife of 20 years, Susan Stary-Sheets; his son, David Revel Sheets; daughter, Peggy Swegle and son-in law Randy Swegle and their children Caitlyn and Max Swegle; brothers Owen Sheets and his wife Jacqueline Brittain, Tony Sheets and his wife Flower, sister Carolyn Owen-Towle and husband Tom, 22 nieces and nephews, and 12 great-nieces and nephers.
      In addition to a memorial service to be scheduled at Barking Rocks in Anchor Bay, a memorial service will be held in mid-summer at Scripps College.
      Independent Coast Observer, Gualala, California. Friday, 9 June 2000.
      [2, 5]

  • Sources 
    1. [S26] US Social Security Applications and Claims.

    2. [S3] Obituary.

    3. [S8] Find a Grave.

    4. [S50] LKH note.

    5. [S57] Newspaper article.