Sheila Arlene Seldin

Sheila Arlene (Bunis) Seldin, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and educator, passed away peacefully on September 11, 2025, just two weeks shy of her 86th birthday, following a brief health event. She was surrounded in her final days by loving family and exceptional caregivers.
Born in New York City to Fay (Goldberg) Bunis and Stanley Bunis, Sheila spent her childhood in the Bronx, where she played Potsy (hopscotch), jump rope, and ball in the street outside their apartment on Featherbed Lane. She grew up in a small household with her three siblings-Barbara, Howard, and Gary-her parents, and her Grandpa Jake. Weekends often included visits to "the country" in Norwalk, Connecticut, to see her favorite aunt, Lottie, and cousins Joanie, Linda, and Howard (Jeff).
Initially placed on a secretarial track before entering William Howard Taft High School, an observant teacher recognized Sheila's academic potential and encouraged her parents to transfer her to a college preparatory program. She skipped a grade, entered the school's accelerated SPs program, and began City College New York at just 17. In between hanging out with her house plan (sorority) friends and dancing the Lindy at the soda shop, she earned her degree in History in 1960.
Sheila was a gifted, creative, and passionate educator. Her talent for teaching emerged early, starting in high school at summer vacation playground camps. Her professional teaching career began in 1960 at JHS 115 in the Bronx, where she taught social studies, English, and even physical education- letting students dance to their own records for exercise, much to their delight. She later found her true calling as a reading specialist, earning a master's degree in Reading from Manhattan College and serving as an Education Evaluator at John F. Kennedy High School.
Driven by a desire to better help students with learning challenges, Sheila partnered with Dan Clancy to explore new methods. They discovered the Orton-Gillingham reading approach and developed Starting Over, an innovative, multi-sensory, phonics-based program that helped countless students -and trained hundreds of teachers. After her retirement in 2001, Sheila continued tutoring privately, transforming the lives of many children who had once believed they couldn't learn to read.
Sheila met her former husband, Ed, early in her teaching career. They married in 1964 and had two children: Joanna in 1965 and Robert in 1966. The family spent many summers in bungalow colonies before moving from the Bronx to Eastchester, NY, in 1975. Sheila loved those summers-playing tennis, taking art classes, and organizing neighborhood singalongs with her guitar and a stack of song sheets.
Her love of tennis and music continued throughout her life. She made lasting friendships at Lake Isle Country Club and as a longtime member of the Westchester Choral Society, where she found great joy in singing classical choral works from Mozart, Handel, Bach and Verde.
Above all, Sheila treasured being a grandmother to her "girls." She delighted in hosting "Camp Cuzzies" sleepovers, shopping sprees at the Target dollar bin, and never missed a play, concert, or opportunity to cheer them on.
Sheila is survived by her children, Joanna (Ari) and Robert (Amy); her cherished grandchildren, India, Bari, Camille, and Franny; her siblings, and a wide circle of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff at The Watermark and Hospice, whose loving care brought comfort in her final years.
All services will be held privately. To express your condolences, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com.