Rev. Clyde Shideler; advocate for disabled, mayoral candidate



By Lola Sherman

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

and Linda McIntosh

COMMUNITY NEWS WRITER

August 8, 2003

OCEANSIDE  Funeral services are pending for the Rev. Clyde "Pete" Shideler, a

tireless advocate for the disabled.

The Rev. Mr. Shideler, 68, died yesterday at his home in Oceanside.

He had run unsuccessfully for mayor of Oceanside in 2000 on a platform of

turning the City Council's interest away from big developers and toward the

individual citizen and small business owner.

A retired pastor and former Air Force instructor, he spent recent years

working on behalf of the disabled.

Although he used a respirator and a wheelchair himself, he did not want to

enumerate his disabilities. He would rather talk about abilities.

As chairman and co-founder of the San Diego ADAPT Chapter and director of CE

Disabled Services, he stood behind the ADAPT motto: "Go over, go under, go

around, or go through, but never give up."

"Disabled people should be treated like human beings, not fourth-class

citizens," he said in a recent interview.

Since he took over CE Disabled Services, its services have become

international. The nonprofit group began as an information and referral
clearinghouse and

counseling service for people with disabilities in the United States.

It now works with more than 40 countries protecting the rights of disabled

people. Its large network provides referrals for education, employment,
housing,

adaptive computer technology and counseling.

The goal of ADAPT and CE Disabled Services is independence.

"We need to make things so everyone can get around," the Rev. Mr. Shideler

said. He was looking into audible stoplights that tell when it is safe to
cross

the street and signs that give audible messages.

He was also evaluating voting machines that could be operated by touch

instead of sight.

But he had been in failing health for some time.

The Rev. Mr. Shideler, who was given his nickname "Pete" in childhood by an

older brother, was a native of Omaha.

He is survived by his wife, Loretta; sons, Jon and Chris of Oceanside and

Paul of Colorado Springs, Colo.; daughter, Robin Waltman of New Jersey;
brother,

Al Shideler Jr. of Iowa; and a grandson.

Cremation was planned

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