Obituary of Sheila C. Gillen

Sheila Cunningham Gillen, formerly of Geneseo, passed away December 5, 2015 at the age of 86 in Rochester, NY. She was preceded in death by her husband, retired SUNY Geneseo Professor, James Frederick John Gillen Sr., and her parents, the Honorable Cornelius Van Hemert Engert and Sara Cunningham Engert. She is survived by her children, Isobel Cunningham Gillen of Rochester, Sara Gillen (Geoffrey) Hobson of Cincinnati, OH, James Frederick John (Janet) Gillen Jr. of Duxbury, VT, five grandchildren, Kevin Roy (Danielle Sanchick) Hobson, Kerry Adelle Hobson, Anne Kathleen Hobson, Josephine Clare Gillen and Winnifred Jane Gillen, brother, Roderick M. Engert of Washington, DC, two nephews and seven nieces. Sheila was born March 6, 1929 in Caracas, Venezuela, where her father was serving in the U.S. Foreign Service. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in History at Vassar College in 1949 and a Master's Degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in 1952, after which she taught Economics and English Literature at the American University in Cairo. Sheila traveled extensively throughout her life, visiting numerous countries from Europe to the Middle East and the Far East. In recent years, she was a resident of Clare Bridge at Perinton in Pittsford. No prior calling hours. Funeral Services will be held at 9 AM on Saturday, December, 12, 2015 at the Rector-Hicks Funeral Home, 111 Main St. in Geneseo. Burial will be in Temple Hill Cemetery in Geneseo. Memorials may be made to the Geneseo Ambulance Fund, PO Box 428, Geneseo, NY 14454.