Shelia Ruth Urich's Obituary
It is with hearts full of love as well as a sense of loss, that we four siblings (Linda, John, Diane, and Steve) announce the passing of our beloved mother, Shelia Ruth (Williams)Urich at age 89 following our dad and her husband, David Allan Urich, who passed on June 2, 2022.
Mom passed away peacefully in the early morning of August 3, 2025, with the wonderful companionship and nursing assistance of Steve’s wife and mom’s “daughter-in-love”, Amy.
Shelia (pronounce Shell-a) was born on July 1, 1936. She grew up in Beckley, West Virginia as a bright, loving, and gentle young lady with her mom, two sisters and brother. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1954 and went to work for the FBI as a “fingerprint searcher”. She was assigned to the second shift (3pm to 11pm) to the giggles of her girlfriends who said her “love life” would be greatly impacted by working those late hours. As God would have it, Dad was putting himself through college and also working the second shift at the Kodak processing factory nearby.
The two of them were introduced on a blind date and because they both worked the second shift, they could meet at the end of their shifts for dates. Dad would pick Mom up and take her to the drive-in diner called “Hot Shop” which was the only place open after 11 at night. Their tray of food would be placed at Dad’s car window and the staff would go home saying, “Put your plates and the tray next to the building when you are done. We’ll pick them up in the morning.” It was in those late-night dates full of conversation sharing their dreams and beliefs that Dad and Mom fell in love.
Six days after their first blind date, they were engaged. And six weeks later, borrowing the wedding dress of their best friend’s wife (who also had a nineteen-inch waist like Mom), they married on November 24, 1955. For the next 67 years until Dad passed away, they exemplified a marriage of two best friends.
When Mom became a mother, she decided to stay home to care for her children. She shared that she didn’t want her children coming home from school to an empty house. She fulfilled her desire to “be there” for her children valuing and affirming each one personally. She met them with loving, kind words and instruction. She made their favorite foods even into their older years hosting large family meals for birthdays and holidays. Often her table could number more than twenty being served with excellent homemade food, laughter, and late-night conversations. She and Dad lived by the adage, “There’s always room for another at the table!”
Mom loved to drive with Dad through the winding roads of New England when the autumn colors arrived, especially pausing for covered bridges. Their pet names for each other were “Dave and Dolly”. They enjoyed collecting antiques and knickknacks. They were baptized in the Jordan River when they traveled to Israel with their pastor. And they traveled twice to India to visit their missionary son and his family. Mom was active in Church of the Cross of Fort Myers, serving as an elder. She loved each of her four children lavishly and also built a loving personal relationship with each “son and daughter-in-love” and grandchild.
Shelia is survived by her four children, Linda Harmon, John Urich, Diane Urich, and Steve Urich, and their spouses Jim Harmon, Sarah Urich, and Amy Urich. She is also survived by her thirteen grandchildren (Robert Harmon, Laura Harmon, Elizabeth Harmon, Daniel Harmon, Matthew Harmon, Nathan Richter, Timothy Richter, Jonathon Richter, David Urich Jr., Josiah Urich, Snow Urich, Christopher and Rigal) and four great-grandchildren (Quinn, Sammy, Eleanor and Zechariah).
It is with a great sense of loss and a profound sense of joy knowing that Mom is in a better place in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus, that we make this announcement. We all remember her with great loving fondness and kindness and are rejoicing at her home-going to be reunited with her husband and to meet her Savior face to face.
In leu of flowers, we believe Mom would love a donation to her church that Dad and she spent nearly two decades serving as members, elders, and board members.
Please send any checks with the memo: “In Loving Memory of Shelia Urich” to:
CHURCH OF THE CROSS
13500 FRESHMAN LANE
FORT MYERS, FL 33912
Also, please leave comments here of what Sheila meant to you.
Thank you! May the Lord bless you and keep you!
The David and Shelia Urich Family
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