Sheila Marie Bourelly

Sheila Marie Bourelly, 83, died peacefully Monday, June 23, 2025, in the comfort of her family’s presence, after battling cancer.

She began her life as Sheila Marie Griffin July 23, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, the first of four children born to Mildred Griffin.

Sheila graduated from Longwood Academy of Our Lady High School and earned both Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in social work from Roosevelt University.  While in undergraduate school, she married Thomas Anthony Bourelly, now deceased, and they remained together for twenty years before the marriage was dissolved in divorce.  Later in life, she decided to go back to school and earned a Master of Arts in divinity at Loyola University in Chicago.

A devout Catholic, Sheila had a career in social work at Catholic Charities, where she was a Program Director for foster children. Having lived most of her life in Chicago, she moved to Cassopolis, Michigan, in 2006 after retirement. Her golden years were both peaceful and productive, and she pursued her passions there as an artist, writer, avid reader, theologian, researcher, historian, and family genealogist. Sheila also enjoyed cooking meals, playing board games, photography, and thrifting at local second-hand and consignment shops, finding all kinds of hidden gems.

Sheila and Thomas had four children.  While Nadine preceded her mother in passing, Sheila is survived by her other three children, Marina (Alain) Bourelly-Liautaud, Joseph (Latisha) Bourelly, Edward (Cheryl) Bourelly; seven grandchildren, Jason, Larry, Giselle, Elise, Cybele, Zoe, Maya, one great grandson JJ (Jason Jr.); one sister, Sharon Allen; her loving long-time companion, Ralph Shaw; and a host of nieces and nephews.

In addition to her daughter, Nadine Bourelly, she was preceded in death by her sister, Selma Allen Coates; her brother, Steven Allen; and her former husband, Thomas Anthony Bourelly.

 Devotion and love for her family were truly unconditional, and while losing her daughter Nadine was unimaginably painful, she always exhibited strength and was a pillar for everyone else throughout the period of grieving.

She will be laid to rest in Sumnerville Cemetery in Cass County, Michigan, next to her beloved daughter, Nadine.  Her family will celebrate her life in a private remembrance in Illinois

Arrangements have been entrusted to Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, Cassopolis. Please share a memory or a message online: wagnercares.com.

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