MOULTONBOROUGH — Robert Eldredge Sheldon, 86, of Lake Shore Drive, passed away on Aug. 21, 2025, at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.
Robert was born on Oct. 20, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of the late Allyn Wight Sheldon and Mary Thelma (Letchman) Sheldon.
Robert worked as curator of The Musical Instruments Collections for the Library of Congress and previously at the Smithsonian. While attending The Eastman School of Music, his grand love was collecting antique and valuable musical instruments and he was responsible for working on them to be in a playable condition. He worked alongside Frederick Fennell, who was founder and conductor of The Eastman Wind Ensemble. Robert also recorded music for Mercury Records. While in the Army serving our country, he played the French horn in "Pershing's Own" Army Band, worked with pianist Leon Fleisher ,and was a regular member of The Kennedy Center Players in D.C. Robert was also well known to be an excellent copyist of musical scores.
Robert is survived by his wife of 31 years, oboist and English hornist Sandra Jane Flesher; sons Christopher Eldredge Sheldon and Frederick Allyn Sheldon; and grandchildren Zander Sheldon, Ida Rose Sheldon and Penelope Noelle Sheldon.
There will be no services at this time.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, visit wilkinsonbeane.com.
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