Ahhh Sheila, My Friend Gone Way Too Soon...

Ahhh Sheila!!!!

January 01, 2019

On yesterday, I attended a very moving memorial service honoring the departure of my very dear friend, Sheila Devon Marshall from Washington, DC who passed away on January 19, 2019. She and I enjoyed dinner on January 1, just weeks before her untimely death. She had been ill and I was anxious to see her. I was pleasantly surprised however to see looking well, definitely optimistic and appeared to be on the mend. One just never knows... It was to be our last girlfriend gathering to spend time together talking, laughing, planning and reminiscing. Who knew? Tell your peeps' you love them!!!

At least a few hundred people attended her memorial service, no exaggeration. Wonderful tributes were given about her; what a good friend she was, what a caring person she was and of course how very much she was loved by oh so many and how ferociously she loved her alma mater, Howard University. Sheila and I became fast friends when we met back in the 90's when I attended a Howard University Alumni Association (HUAA) meeting in Washington DC. At her service, speakers shared memories and jokes about her feistiness, how cantankerous and strong headed she could be because she was "always right" even when wrong as two left shoes. LOL! Her generosity and true compassion for others was shared repeatedly. We all loved her so, just the way she was! She was our Sheila!!!

There were tears, laughter, joy, sorrow and hats! Sheila loved hats and many of her hats were on display. Our dear friend can now rest with ease as she lived life on her terms and left us with much to celebrate between her dashes. She came here to live and live is what she did. She traveled, she partied, she loved to dance, prided herself on being Marvin Gaye's biggest fan. St. Martin was her second home. She never met a beach that she did not love, especially if surrounded by good friends, music and a good glass of wine. She loved golfing.

Compliments of Sherry Winston

She was a member of too many organizations to name. HU Alumni Relations on behalf of the Board of Trustees, read a resolution in her honor. HU Alumni Association, Greater Washington DC shared loving commentary to her and what she meant to their club. Her Red Hat & Epicurean Sisters showed up in force to pay tribute. One woman actually had an accident on her way to the service. Her car turned over due likely to remnants of snow and black ice. She had to be removed from her vehicle via the window. The EMTs of course wanted her to go the hospital but she was not having it until after she attended Sheila's service, which of course I hope she did. That's just how amazing Sheila was. Folks just loved her. She gave generously of herself, her time, her ear, and her money to anyone or any cause she thought needed her support, especially if it involved Howard University. She had a huge heart and on yesterday, overwhelming attendance at her memorial confirmed as much! The memorial was beautiful!!!

Her services were held in the Chapel at Howard University Law School. Very appropriate for one of Howard's biggest, most vocal and consistent alumni supporters and one who would argue her position so passionately, one would have thought her an attorney. (smile). If only more of us who

attended HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) were half as generous and supportive of our institutions as was Sheila... Thank you Howard University Chapel administration and alumni for honoring her memory by attending and hosting a farewell service in celebration of dearly departed fellow Bison gone to rest much too soon. She can now rest easy...

To cap the day off, following her service, at least ten of us, all good girlfriends of Sheila's, some affectionately known as "The Pearls", one who has been her friend since 10th grade in high school, lingered in the Chapel and had our own service eulogizing our dear friend. I am sure she was there laughing it up with us. Her presence was felt through our joy. It was wonderful. After about an hour or so of that, we all went to a Black owned Soul Food restaurant in DC, Oohh's & Aahh's (support it!) and continued our celebration of our dear friend and new friendships made in honor of her.

Black Women Gathering, February 02, 2019

Conveniently, we had the upstairs of the restaurant to ourselves where we could hoop and holler as loudly and as much as we wanted. And hoop and holler we did! Just as we have done before with Sheila, just as Black women often do when we gather, just as she would have us do. Yeah she was there... (smile) We all love her so and gave life to her through our joy about her. We will continue to celebrate and honor our friend and surely we will gather again in one of her favorite places, probably St Martin to further honor her and because When Black Women Gather, Amazing Things Happen... (shameless plug http://www.whenblackwomengather.org/ - LOL!)

We had an amazing time for another couple of hours reviving Sheila through our joy. Forever she will live on through us and so many others. Sheila would have it no other way! We love you so "Suga" and will miss you terribly...

Ahhh Sheila, rest well my very dear Friend gone way too soon...

This one is for you Sheila! Inside Joke!!!

At The Wendy Williams Show!