A proud third generation Californian, Peter Joseph Sheaff was born in Berkeley, raised in San Leandro by his parents, Joseph L and Lucille Sheaff and moved to Orinda in 1948, when his father became Superintendent of the Orinda Union School District. Peter attended Acalanes High School, matriculated into Santa Clara University (BS Degree) and graduated from St. Louis University, where he obtained his medical degree in 1961. After completing an internship at Highland Hospital in Oakland, he spent his residency at Children’s Hospital of the East Bay, Oakland, and opened his Pediatric practice in Orinda in 1964. Except for two years serving as Chief of Pediatrics at Valley Forge General Army Hospital in Pennsylvania during the Vietnam War (1968-1970), his entire practice was in the Lamorinda area until his retirement in 2007.
At Children’s Hospital in Oakland, while an attending staff member he held many positions including Chief of Medicine, Medical Staff President, Chairman of Continuing Post-Graduate Education Committee as well as member if the Board of Directors.
Dr. Sheaff was a member of the Alameda County Medical Association, the East Bay Pediatric Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine.
From 1964 to the present, Dr. Sheaff served as a consultant for California Children’s Services where he orchestrated the care of infants, children and adolescents with Neuro-muscular disorders. Caring for these special children along with the many pediatric patients and their parents whom he served in his private practice over the years, allowed a unique professional and personal relationship upon those upon whom he left his mark.
Dr. Sheaff’s pastimes included leadership in Orinda’s Boy Scout Troop #233, membership in the Orinda Roadrunners (completing 11 marathons), attending lifelong learning classes at the Fromm Institute at USF, enjoying extensive back-packing trips including Mt. Everest camp, soloing the John Muir Trail and crossing the Sierras on snowshoes in 1979. He and his wife Helen enjoyed extensive international travel including leading three medical educational exchanges on behalf of Children’s Hospital to both China and Egypt. They also enjoyed opera and music.
Family members and Roadrunners will long remember his trombone on birthdays, at Christmas and in Orinda’s Fourth of July parades.
Dr. Sheaff’s survivors include his wife Helen, and his children Kate Faust (John), Tom Sheaff (Valerie), Charles Sheaff (Anna) and their mother Carolyn. He is also survived by his stepdaughters Lindsay Trevino (Dave), Meg Larsen (Sean) and Davina Roche as well as 13 grandchildren and his brother Joseph L Sheaff, Jr.
At his request services for Dr. Sheaff will be private. Donations in his memory may be made to The J. F. Kapnek Trust serving children in Zimbabwe at 938 Dewing Avenue, Lafayette, CA 94549.
