Meet Sheila H., a native Long Islander who dedicated over 30 years of her life to social work. Sheila was born in 1938 in Hempstead, New York, where she grew up with her family. Hempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, occupying the southwestern part of the county, in the western half of Long Island.
Shelia is the second of three girls in her family. She attended Hempstead High School and upon graduating moved to Boston, where she attended Boston University and earned her B.A. in liberal arts. It was during this time at Boston University that Sheila met Gil H. According to Sheila, a mutual friend set them up on a blind date and it was love at first sight. That is, she says, “at least for her it was.” Soon after meeting, the two married in 1959. A year later the couple started a family and had three children: Andrew, Nancy, and Bruce.
In 1978, Sheila began her career as a social worker after receiving her master’s degree in social work from Long Island University Post. Sheila’s career as a social worker spanned more than 30 years. She worked at the Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center in Lake Success, NY, before transitioning to private practice in 2005 where she worked with individual patients before retiring in 2013.
Sheila was an avid reader and especially relished novels. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles, going to the movies, travelling, and taking photographs. Here at The Groves you can often find Sheila participating in one of the baking/cooking activities, word games, listening to music or just relaxing in the front lobby.
When asked what the best thing about being a social worker was, Sheila explains:
“Meeting a lot of different people of all ages and, most importantly, cherishing the opportunity to help people.”