Sheila Allen, aged 74 years, passed away on Friday, January 24th, 2025, in Englewood, Colorado. Sheila is survived by her two daughters, Amanda Rivers, of Greenville, NC and Sally Thompson of Arvada, CO, as well as two siblings; Bernalle Webb of Mount Vernon, OH and Jonathan Webb of Mt. Shasta, CA. Additionally, Sheila leaves behind 4 grandchildren; Kayleigh Strickland, Noah Respass, Molly Thompson and Gemma Thompson, as well as five great-grandchildren, Tyler, Vitani, Tobias, Oliver and Calliope. 

Sheila Darlene Webb was born May 15, 1950, in Mansfield, Ohio, to Alvin and Bernice (Cole) Webb, whome she adored. A life-long lover of learning, Sheila spent her childhood playing in the dirt, developing an affinity for gardening that would later provide a serene escape in times of stress and an outlet for her meticulous creativity. She enjoyed working on science experiments, taking long, country walks, and exploring the world around her. Curiosity and a deep commitment to understanding life lead her through graduation from Clearfork High School in 1968, and through college at the University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University). Sheila obtained her Bachelors Degree in Psychology in 1986 and later, in 1988, her Masters of Education in Special Education. 

As a Special Education teacher in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Ohio, Sheila touched the lives of countless, under-represented and under-privileged children. The impact she had was evidenced not only through ongoing correspondence with her former pupils, but by becoming a vital, inspiring part of their lives, even being invited to weddings, Christmas dinners, and eventual baptisms of several former students’ children. 

As a mother, Sheila taught her daughters to love life, to love reading, and to appreciate art and museums and music. A fervent ‘cat person’, Sheila and her girls always had cats, and later in life, she would even take in strays who she said, “just need someone to love them.” She was known to wake her girls up in the middle of the night, drive away from the city lights and spend hours watching and discussing comets and shooting stars and imparting a love for space and astronomy. While living in North Carolina, those early mornings were spent driving to the beach, finding the perfect sand dune, and watching the sun rise over the ocean. She was an explorer, through and through, and did everything she could to imbue that curiosity into her children. 

She loved reading thrillers and mysteries but wouldn’t put down a great romance. She collected seashells and rocks and new hobbies, like pickling or canning, when the weather was just right. In every story, she rooted for the underdog and celebrated a good soliloquy. Her favorite authors were Robin Cook, Steven King, and Dean Koontz. She loved purple lilacs, and the color red, and the one regret she would often reflect on was that she never got that tattoo of a cherry on her backside. 

After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Sheila found a new subject to explore, and she dove into her disease, wanting to know all she could to help, to educate, and to prepare herself to live her best life, no matter what life threw at her. Stubborn to the bone, she wouldn’t take ‘no’ or ‘you can’t’ for an answer, so learning how to adapt became her passion. 

Sheila married Roy M. Allen Sr. on July 29, 1995, and was known to tell anyone she met that Roy was the love of her life. Together they built a loving, welcoming and supportive home in which they hosted family and friends. Sheila wrote several children’s books, featuring her granddaughter, Kayleigh and spent her time, post-retirement, baking, gardening and catching up with family and friends over a glass of iced sun tea.

Sheila moved to Colorado in 2012, and while her health continued to decline, she steadfastly refused to give up her independence. She held onto her power of control by surrounding herself with books and puzzles, quilting and other creative outlets. She took great pride in her coloring skill with crayons and often gifted her masterpieces to neighbors and new acquaintances. She enjoyed field trips to the ballet, her granddaughter’s performances, reading the Bible, and making friends through her faith or through her caregivers. 

Mindful of her condition, Sheila took the time to write out the following:

“Some of the most significant accomplishments in my life are my daughters, my college and graduate school experiences, teaching children to read and to feel good about their accomplishments, and finally, finding a life partner who was a really good man, who enriched and expanded my life.

I’ve done a lot of ‘crazy’ things, and I don’t regret any of them. I’ve learned I can only alter my life by altering my attitude. For me, like Christopher Morley said, ‘There is only one success…to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ And, I have.”

In the words of one of her favorite poems by Robert Frost, ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.’

To all her friends and family, Sheila left this world hoping you know how much you impacted her life and that she loves you all, more than words could say. 

If you would like to share your condolences or send flowers, please reach out to Sheila’s daughters, Amanda Rivers at [email protected] or Sally Thompson [email protected]