SHEILA HELEN O'MARAH

O'MARAH, Sheila Helen (O'Callahan) Of Dedham, MA, formerly of Brookline, MA, died unexpectedly on Monday, September 1, 2025. Born September 21, 1940 in Cambridge, MA, she was the beloved wife of the late Kevin Franklin O'Marah; and daughter of the late Edward James O'Callahan and Helen Gately O'Callahan. Sheila grew up in Brookline, MA and attended Mount Alvernia Academy, the Newton College of the Sacred Heart, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She was an accomplished and beloved teacher and school administrator, whose 40-year career spanned The Carroll School (Lincoln, MA), Milton Academy, The Potomac School and Harvard Business School. Sheila developed curricula for students with learning challenges such as dyslexia. She was a Class Dean and led the Language Skills Department at Milton Academy. She was both teacher and Assistant Head of School at Potomac. She and her sister, Mickey, also taught writing at the Harvard Business School student summer program, catering to a largely international population. Sheila's impact on students and faculty alike was enormous, her great energy and rigorous standards setting the bar high. Sheila parlayed the many World War II family stories into a lifelong study of the War and of war in general. She drew much wisdom and philosophy from such academic efforts and developed a special course at Potomac called Band of Brothers, inviting distinguished guests to class, many of them veterans. Sheila believed in the essential goodness of mankind, but she also demanded accountability and insisted on the importance of human dignity. Sheila was also a loving mother, a free spirit, and could regale a crowd on the piano. She wrote copiously about her childhood growing up on Pill Hill in Brookline, MA, "an other-worldly house in an other-worldly time" and the magical neighborhood that it was: a community spirit she experienced again living on Richards Street in Dedham. About later life, Sheila wrote: "music, books, breaking bread with friends and as many new friends as I can make…friendship itself…and most important to me – family – these make me believe we [humans] will continue to become." Sheila met her husband, Kevin, at a St. Patrick's Day party at her Pill Hill home and they enjoyed 38 years of marriage together, before Kevin passed away suddenly. She wrote that the last thing she said to Kevin was a family blessing: "Good night. God Bless you. I love you." We say the same now. Sheila is survived by Kevin Edward O'Marah and Katrin Schumann O'Marah; Meave Gately O'Marah and Sandra Marie Zaragoza; and Eamon Casey O'Marah and Emily Tague O'Marah. She also is survived by her seven grandchildren: Peter Brunner O'Marah, Greta Gately O'Marah, Svenja Charlotte O'Marah, Eva Zaragoza O'Marah, Genevieve Zaragoza O'Marah, Cecilia Cole O'Marah, and Margot Rutherford O'Marah. Sheila is survived by her four siblings: Maureen Madell, Jay (and Linda) O'Callahan, Michaela Steimle, and Christopher (and Diane) O'Callahan; and, finally, by her beloved dog, Jasper. Visiting Hours will be held at the George F. Doherty & Sons Wilson-Cannon Funeral Home, 456 High St., DEDHAM, MA, on Friday, September 12, from 3:00-6:00pm. A Funeral Celebration will be held at the Apthorp Chapel at Milton Academy, 170 Centre St., Milton, MA, on Saturday, September 13, at 9:30am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment will be private. Online guestbook, at gfdoherty.com George F. Doherty & Sons Dedham 781-326-0500