Remembering Sheila
From Lighthouse Writers Workshop
“This is a story about our beloved Sheila, about one of her late-life passions, and about an exciting project to honor her.
Before she retired from DU, Sheila knew she wanted to write about her family and her life. She heard about Lighthouse Writers Workshop and in 2006 took a Lighthouse writing course offered by the Enrichment Program at DU’s University College, taught by Andrea Dupree, a co-founder of Lighthouse.
In her inimitable way Sheila clicked with several others in the course and they kept having coffee together after the course ended. They never felt they needed to take another writing course, because the group read and responded to each other’s writing. The initial group of 8 dwindled to four who remained dedicated sometime-writing friends giving dinner gatherings for each other. They stopped writing but kept meeting and one night Marcella declared, “we are Delinquent Writers” – a title that stuck.
In her inimitable way, Sheila also connected with Andrea the Lighthouse teacher and co-founder, and soon Sheila was volunteering at Lighthouse, invited onto the Board and focused on fund-raising. She corralled me into various volunteer roles at the annual Write-Fest gatherings. We attended the Open House ceremonies in 2011 when Lighthouse moved into the lovely Milheim Mansion at 1515 Race St. Cancer and chemo-therapy had struck Sheila by then, and she wore a wig to those happy events.
Many years before Sheila discovered Lighthouse, the organization began holding annual week-long August retreats at the hostel overlooking Grand Lake in the mountains. Every day and nearly every night was fully scheduled with workshops, writing exercises and speakers. Thursday nights were open – “a night on the town” of Grand Lake.
In 2009, Sheila invited the Lighthouse retreat crowd to spend their free Thursday evening at our place on the shore of Grand Lake, catered by the Delinquent Writers. Many came, it was a wonderful evening and became a tradition for several years.
She has been gone for over 5 years, but her Lighthouse friends still remember her fondly and are trying to raise funds to name the café after her. This effort to remember and honor Sheila is very heart-warming. The “naming rights” are $100,000 and her family and friends have already contributed over $75,000 – 3/4 of the way! Each new gift gets even closer to the goal.”
From The NLAPW Denver branch
Sheila became a valued member of the Denver Pen Women in 2010 and left an indelible mark on our organization. Our best wishes to Roscoe and all of Sheila’s wonderful family. Here are thoughts from some of our members:
Sheila, How do we remember you? Let me count the ways.
Spirit -Selfless and successful. Sympathetic and strong. Sincere and free.
Heroine – Helpful and hopeful. Humane and hospitable. Healthy, happy hiker. HERA hero!
Equalizer – Educated and energetic. Enthusiastic and empathetic. Excited and eager.
Independent – Intelligent and insightful. Intrepid, innovative and inventive.
Lover of – Life, laughter, literature, and other lands. Loved (and loved by) family and friends, students and staff.
Angel AKA Activist – Awesome and amazing. Audacious and ardent. Adventurous. “Sheila, out of sight, but our souls and memories can reach.” ∼Andrea Antico
“Each day is a blessing. Sheila was a strong spirit and so brave. We’ll miss her insights and beautiful words.” ∼Jody Glittenberg Hinrichs
“This news [of Sheila’s passing] is heartbreaking. I am sad beyond words. Another one of our precious Pen Women… I have a place in my heart for Sheila and Mollie.” ∼Diane Chambers
“Sheila was a calm voice of wisdom and knowledge, yet simultaneously humble, humorous, and elegantly brave.” ∼Marie Kriss
“Bless her heart. We will miss her, but at least she’s out of her suffering. I witnessed how my best friend suffered. Sheila was a sharp cookie.” ∼Donna Clark
“Sheila was a consummate blogger, and I enjoyed learning something of the craft from her when she wrote for the Pen Woman’s “Blog Project” in 2014. In an entry titled “Life is a Balance,” Sheila wrote about her family’s yearly ritual of building a cairn at Napatree Point.” ∼Ann Klaiman
“I remember Sheila very fondly and will miss her. she always had a big smile for everyone and was very sharp. I admired that sharpness.” ∼Virginia Small
Sheila’s obituary can be found online at the Denver Post.
If you have thoughts and memories about Sheila please post them in the comments section below.
One reply on “Sheila Wright 1941 – 2015”
Sheilas passing has awakened many wonderful memories of our formative teenage years when she was my best friend. She left the world a better place for all that she did and all the lives she touched. God Blessed her