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Sheila Stephenson

From Historic Saranac Lake Wiki


July 7, 2021

Born: 

December 31, 1934

Died: July 4, 2021

Sheila A. Stephenson worked at Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington as Little Bo Peep.


Adirondack Daily Enterprise, July 7, 2021.

Sheila A. Stephenson

Sheila A. Stephenson, 86, of Saranac Lake, passed away on July 4 at the Alice Center in Malone, with family by her side.

Sheila was born on Dec. 31, 1934, in Saranac Lake, to Lancelot Durward Longtemps and Ida Isabella Ann Shelhamer.

Sheila attended St. Bernard’s School and graduated from Saranac Lake High School. She attended North Country Community College and SUNY Plattsburgh as an adult student. She worked as a ward clerk at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake and as a nurses aide at Elderwood of Uihlein in Lake Placid. A little known fact is when Sheila was a young woman, she worked at Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington as Little Bo Peep!

Sheila was known for her smile and kindness. Everyone who crossed paths with Sheila loved her. She loved all animals but most importantly her beloved cats. She also cared for feral cats in her neighborhood. Sheila enjoyed walking, writing poetry, drawing, gardening, attending church and visiting with friends.

Sheila was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her cousins, Lisa Davis of Potsdam and Virginia Shelhamer of Saranac Lake, who cared for Sheila in her later years, and several other loving cousins.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. A mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 12, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Saranac Lake. Burial will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, you may consider a donation to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society, Saranac Lake Free Library or St. Bernard’s School. Family and friends can also share their condolences at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.