Our gentle and kind loving mother has passed from earth to eternity. On January 12th, 2024, Sheila (Proctor) Marshall passed peacefully holding the hands of her 2 sons Kenny and Christopher, her daughters-in-law, Dawn and Amber, and her loving fiancé Ronnie. In the few days where she rested at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, she was lovingly cared for and well attended by family and friends.
Sheila was born in Portland Maine on July 10th, 1956, to parents Christine Proctor and Sidney Proctor. Being one of six children there was never a dull moment in the Proctor household. She graduated from Portland High School in 1975 and soon before became a mother to her oldest son Kenneth Marshall. A few years later she welcomed another son, Christopher Martin, and they filled her life with love and purpose. She would always talk about how proud they made her and spoke to them every day to make sure they were doing okay, and every night would say “goodnight and I love you”. She took her role as a mother very seriously, always worrying about their happiness and health. Sheila treasured her family most and enjoyed every time they would gather. She enjoyed spending holidays, birthdays, and cookouts together to be able to catch up with everyone and enjoy each other’s company where they would spend the time laughing and reminiscing of memories from the past. She enjoyed days soaking up the sun at Moy Mo Da Yo, and nights camping under the stars, all with her family of course. Growing up on Munjoy Hill, Sheila’s roots were deep seeded, and she never even left the same block her entire life. Through the years, Sheila made lots of friends that she held near and dear to her heart including her neighbor and friend Maria Pulsoni, whom she shared many talks with and treasured her company. Munjoy Hill would always be the place Sheila called home, and she was very proud of it.
It was in Portland where she met her love, Ronnie Brown, where they would remain best friends over all these years until finally becoming recently engaged. Though she continuously played hard to get, she loved Ronnie, and he knew it, despite how hard she made him work for it. They were there for each other until the very end, with an unwavering love for each other that will continue even though she is no longer with us.
There wasn’t a person alive who didn’t love her family as much as Sheila did. She talked to her mother and siblings on a daily basis. Sheila and her mother had an extremely close relationship, and they enjoyed seeing each other and speaking to each other every single day. She enjoyed her visits with her mom and they both took care of each other. You knew how much Sheila missed her dad, because she spoke so highly of him and often. She always had pictures around and would remind her granddaughters of who he was and the things he used to do. She did an amazing job keeping his memory alive and would always say that losing him was the worst day of her life. Sheila was amazing at memorializing those she loved and had lost, and she never took her relationships in life for granted with those she loved.
In 2013, Rylie Rose Martin made her a grandmother and she has made that her whole life’s purpose. She beamed with pride as she welcomed Reagan Reese in 2014, and again in 2017 when McKenna Elliana joined the party. Sheila’s Granddaughters were her entire world and as far as she was concerned, they hung the moon. Sheila enjoyed sleepovers with her 3 angels, (which she affectionately referred to them as) where they would indulge in root beer floats and cartoons mom wouldn’t approve of. “Shh… Grammy’s secret!”. She showered her girls with so much love. They enjoyed taking long walks, playing at the playgrounds, and making crafts together. Sheila was very talented with using what she had to create enjoyable and life lasting memories with her girls. She taught them how to go frogging and took ferry rides with them. They will always think about the 4th of July at grammy’s where they would spend all day in her back yard and then walk up to the promenade to all watch the fireworks together while they sipped on fresh lemonade, danced and played with bubbles until the fireworks began. As her girls grew older her love for them continued to grow. You could not talk to Sheila without getting an update on the things her girls were up to or being shown updated photos to see how much they’ve grown. She created special relationships with each of them individually that they will cherish for a lifetime. She taught them to be gentle and kind and to love their family fiercely. She protected them at all costs.
In reflecting on Sheila’s life, you cannot talk about her loves without mentioning her devotion to her late chihuahua, Gizmo. He was feisty and selective with whom he trusted, but she absolutely adored her fur baby. She enjoyed taking pictures and was extremely talented at preserving memories. Every photograph developed was accompanied by an endearing note, as well as the exact date and place that the photo was taken. She was notorious for leaving notes on everything, either as reminders for herself or as notes for her loved ones. Sheila enjoyed watching scary movies all by herself…a task not for the faint of heart. She found peace and familiarity on the beach at the Eastern Promenade as well as Willard beach. She raised two of the most loving, kind, hard working men and their wives could not be more thankful to her for them. It takes an extremely strong woman to be able to raise decent human beings with the biggest hearts. She taught them how to love, but also how to be strong and defend themselves and those they love. She taught them to be true to themselves and they practice her strong values every day of their lives. She enjoyed it when her boys would pop in to see what’s for lunch or to sit for a chat. She was always there for them any time they needed to talk or needed advice. She was truly the most amazing mother and grandmother, and words cannot begin to describe the void that is left in all of our lives without her. Her memory will forever be cherished, and we will do our best to continue to make her proud, until we meet again one sweet day.
Sheila was predeceased by her father, Sidney Irvin Proctor, her great-niece Annalyse Flaherty, her niece Heidi Carver, and her brother-in-law Steven Phillips. She is survived by her mother, Christine Virginia Proctor of Portland; her fiancé Ronald Brown of Portland; her sons Kenneth Marshall and his wife Dawn of Westbrook, Christopher Martin and his wife Amber of Saco including three granddaughters Rylie, Reagan, and McKenna Martin; her brothers Scott Proctor and his wife Jean of Saco, Sidney Proctor Jr. and his wife Roberta of Saco, Mark Proctor and his wife Layna of Saco; her sisters Ellen Lebeda of Portland, and Tammy Phillips of Raymond; an amazing and loving group of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Due to Sheila’s wishes, there will be no services, however if you would like to make a donation in her honor, memorial contributions may be made to: Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, 11 Hunnewell Road, Scarborough Maine 04074.
“I love you a whole bunch in the whole wide world, to the moon and back, and further than that.”
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