I had not had the oportunity to meet Ladon Sheats before he passed away, just a little over three years ago. I am not sure of the exact date of this recording, I assume it was some time in the 70’s. In it he recounts his early life as an IBM CEO in the 60’s and his call and conversion to a life of radical Christian discipleship. In the years after his conversion he carried all of his worldy belongings in a backpack, and traveled around the country, spending time at monasteries, Catholic Worker Houses, and commiting acts of civil disobediance. For those who, like myself, never met him I urge you to give it a chance, he starts out a bit slow, but I have found his talk to be very powerful.
Ladon Sheats Part 1
Ladon Sheats Part 2
Please excuse the pops and clips in the recording, the quality of the original was poor.
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Thank you for making such an inspiring speech available. It both challenged and uplifted me.
Ladon was my uncle. I still miss him. He was just another human being… inspiring in his being human.
shanda
I worked for Ladon Sheats in NY at IBM/Service Bureau. He made a lasting impressin on me when he quit his job and went to Koinonia. His action changed my path in life. I didn’t realize he had died, and I’m sorry to hear about that, but I know he is safe and secure in Heaven with his Father.
Thank you for making this available
I had not heard that Ladon had died until now. He was my manager when I was an IBM trainee, back in 1966 and was most encouraging to me; a wonderful mentor and a real gentleman. I still have a handwritten note of encouragement that he gave me at a time when I really needed it. I am sure he is with the Lord; we will renew our friendship at the appropriate time.
Ladon and my parents were friends from koinia(sp?) in the late 60’s.
I was named after him in ’71. I have only a few memories of
him. He was a ghost that sometimes appeared in Atlanta. The
last time I saw him he was just out of prison and then a monastery
Recupperating (sp?) . He refused to work chain game and spent
fair amount of time in solitary. He chose a life few of us can
Imagine or duplicate. An inspiration is too cliche to describe his life. I am in
awe that someone can be so focused on others wellbeing. RIP.
Back in 1970 I was sent to the airport to pick up a speaker for our Youth Retreat.. He would have jeans and black rimmed glasses… that how I met him… in one hour of dialog, I felt a kinship beyond description. Waht a man!
The some time in the early ’70’s I spent some time at Koinonia Farms with him… my life was never the same after that!