Sheila N. Fitzell

Sheila Fitzell, of South Hadley, surrounded by her loving family, was called home to eternal life on November 22, 2024, where she was reunited with her beloved husband, John “Mike” Fitzell, who predeceased her.  Sheila was born in Manchester, England on January 2, 1934 (or as she delighted in telling anyone who asked for her birth date, “1-2-3-4”).

      At age 5, during World War II, Sheila was among the hundreds of thousands of English children from large cities who were separated from their families and evacuated to the countryside to protect them from relentless Nazi bombings.  At age 17, Sheila began touring England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with a professional musical review company where she was a dancer.  Dancing remained a lifelong passion, especially tap dancing, which continued into her eighties when she danced with a local group who performed in nursing homes, senior citizen centers and even at the Big E. With very little encouragement, Sheila would break into a tap dance routine or give an impromptu tap lesson to anyone willing to give it a try.

      In 1952, Sheila met the love of her life, Mike Fitzell, who was in the US Air Force stationed just outside Manchester.  Sheila and Mike married in 1953 and welcomed Stephen in 1954. The new family returned to South Hadley in the summer of 1954, where Sheila was warmly received by Mike’s parents and his six brothers and sisters-in-law.  

      Sheila became a naturalized citizen in 1960. Although retaining her English accent and love for all things English, especially 6-8 cups of tea per day, Sheila was proud to call herself an American and often expressed her gratitude for the good fortune of being a citizen.  

      Mike served in the Air Force until 1971, taking the family on adventures across the globe.  Their second son, Michael, couldn’t wait to join these adventures.  He was born on a bumpy ambulance ride from a remote airbase in Morocco to the U.S. military hospital in Kinetra. The family’s journeys took them from the exotic markets of Morocco to Plattsburgh, NY, where David was the only son born in the U.S.; Laon, France; Cape Cod, MA; Mons, Belgium; Riverside, CA and Aurora, CO; before finally returning home to South Hadley in 1974.

      Sheila worked for AT&T as a telephone operator, a department store clerk, kindergarten teacher’s aide, hospital switchboard operator and several secretarial positions at Westover Reserve Air Base, ultimately serving as secretary to the Base Commander prior to her retirement. Sheila was a lifelong learner who took courses at Holyoke Community College on a wide range of subjects from creative writing to Egyptian history. She never passed up a chance to visit an art or history museum.

      Sheila converted to Catholicism in 1954 and was a devout Catholic for the rest of her life.  As an active parishioner at Saint Patrick’s Church in South Hadley, Sheila served as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister and a regular participant at Adoration and praying the Rosary.  Well into her eighties, she was a Meals on Wheels driver, and regularly visited nursing home residents, cheerfully referring to her volunteer work as “helping the old people” – a testament to her young-at-heart spirit.  She even filled in as the secretary to the pastor when the permanent secretary was ill or away.

      Sheila’s quick wit, English accent and sincere desire to get to know all who came into her life gained her countless friends.  Sheila is survived by her three sons: Stephen (Pamela) Fitzell, Michael (Susan) Fitzell, and David Fitzell (Jennifer Velez), as well as Linda Fitzell, nine grandchildren: Kathleen Fitzell, Shaylyn (Nick) Stevens, Patrick Fitzell (Erin McCormick), Shivahn Fitzell (John Comey,) Dylan Fitzell, Margaret (William) Parker, Ian Fitzell, Molly Fitzell (Ryan Fitzgerald), and Conor Fitzell (Claire Pavlovich); great-grandchildren Teddy and Tommy Stevens, Liam and Brady Parker, Yvaine and Saoirse Fitzgerald, and Cormac Fitzell, and her best friend, Peggy McIsaac.   Sheila was a special aunt to many Fitzell cousins, and leaves a large contingent of wonderful friends and family members who visited, called, brought meals and sent cards during her illness over the past eight months.

   In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her parents, James and Doris Isherwood, her brother Robert (Hilda) Isherwood and sister Rita (Arthur) Parkinson.

   Visitation will be at Saint Patrick’s Church, South Hadley at 9:30am Saturday, January 11, 2025, followed by mass at 11am and interment at St. Rose Cemetery, South Hadley.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Patrick’s Church. The O’Brien Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. For more information or to make online condolences please go to obrienfamilyfh.com.