Sheila Diamond

Sheila Diamond, age 79, of Chelmsford, formerly of Cherry Hill, NJ, on February 3, 2106. Beloved wife of Arthur Diamond. Dear daughter of the late Morris and Bertha (Barmack) Epstein. Devoted mother of Eric. Devoted mother of Joe and his wife Linda. Loving grandmother of Sydney and Ellie. Loving sister of Murray Epstein. Family memorial on Sunday, February 7, 2016. Friends and Family are invited to a memorial observance from 1-4 pm at her son’s home at 7 Trailside Way, Westford. Remembrances may be made to Mental Health Association of SW NJ, 217 Black Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ 08035.

Sheila Diamond, loving wife and devoted mother of two and grandmother of two, passed away peacefully after a long illness and series of debilitating infections, on February 4, 2016 in hospice care surrounded by her loving family and rabbi at Emerson Hospital in Concord Massachusetts.

Most recently a resident of Chelmsford Massachusetts, Sheila was born in Philadelphia PA on January 29, 1937 where she attended Gratz High School and Temple University.

She moved with her family several times living in Pottsville PA where her children were born, moving to New Castle PA, Battle Creek MI, Blackwood NJ, Cherry Hill NJ, and last to Chelmsford MA.

After her boys – as she referred to them well into their adulthood – completed high school in Cherry Hill she returned to the workforce first as an office manager and then in a role she cherished as the Public Relations and Outreach manager for the Mental Health Association of Southern New Jersey for several years in the 1980s and 1990’s.

She was very well read, a devotee of the classics and modern fiction, with a limitless vocabulary; her favorite novel is Middlemarch by George Elliot which interestingly is set against her favorite detective novels by Ross MacDonald.

Sheila was known for her huge heart, warmth, compassion, sweetness, empathy, kindness, and selflessness. She was a wonderful conversationalist, always conveying an interest in the other person’s story. She was a passionate “antiquer” with a love for enigmatic prints and historic nick knacks that tell a story. She had a quick wit that was touched at times with appealing and sweet natured teasing.

Above all though she often said and always showed that her children and husband were her whole world. Well not entirely her whole world – she loved her corgi dogs too including Mike and MC.

She leaves her husband Arthur of Chelmsford MA; her son Joe Diamond and daughter in law Linda Diamond of Westford MA; her son Eric Diamond of New York City; her grandchildren Sydney and Ellie Diamond of Westford MA; and her brother Murray Epstein of Cady TX.