- Date Of Birth: January 3, 1934
- Date Of Death: July 4, 2020
- State: Massachusetts
METHUEN – Our Mother, Shelia, passed away peacefully at her home on July 4, 2020 with her children by her side.
She was educated at Sacred Hearts Grammar School and graduated with, the Saint James High School class of 1951. She became a Hairdresser, beginning at Annette’s in Washington Square, and in the early 1970’s was an instructor of Hairdressing at Essex Aggie in Danvers, MA. She eventually worked as an operator for New England Telephone in Haverhill and Woburn, MA, and finally finishing her career, retiring from Computer Associates in Andover, MA.
Sheila was an avid gardener and was a former member of the Rye Garden Club. In her opinion a garden could never have enough “color “and spent many hours making sure that there was. She also volunteered with Hospice while living in Rye.
In 1956, She married Dr. J. Edward Guard (1932-1977) of Haverhill and they raised their four children. She was predeceased by her son David R. Guard (1957-2011) and is survived by her children, Maureen A. Guard of Sumter, SC, Christopher T. Guard and his spouse David F. Maroon of Methuen, MA with whom she shared a home and Alicia B. Mazza and her partner, Dennis O’Brien of Deerfield, NH. She is also survived by her grandchildren Jessica Carey (John Carey 1969-2016) and her daughters Izabella and Madison, Sarah Guard and her daughter Zoe, Benjamin and Kathleen Mazza and their children Evelyn and Finnegan, Emily Mazza and her Fiancé, PFC Jose Ares, US Army, and Lance Corporal Jacob Sieczkowski of the USMC.
In 1984 she married John J. Facella (1933-2002) of Lawrence, MA residing in Haverhill and eventually Rye, NH. She also leaves behind her stepchildren Mary Lou and Alfred Arcidi of Rye, NH, their children, son Alfred and his wife Kelli and their children, daughter Lauren and husband Jason and their children, and sons Michael and Andrew Arcidi; Nadine and Chris Piazza of Kingston, NH and her daughters, Amanda and her husband John and Amy and her husband Kevin; Carol Kummins, of Hampton Falls, NH and her son Berkley, the late Anthony Facella (1962-2013) and his sons John and Anthony Facella and Catherine Facella and her partner, Steven DeFina of Bradford.
Sheila was one of 6 children. She also leaves behind her brother James P. and Rose Boland of Haverhill and William A. and Maureen Boland of Methuen, MA, and many nieces, and nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. She was predeceased by her sister Mary V.
Her Family would like to thank her team of care givers over that last few years, Eleanor Yazbek, Maureen Cohen, Marie Balsamo, Patricia Pattinude, Blanca Sarango, Nada Asmar and Luz Rosado as well as Merrimack Valley Hospice.
