Sheila Ann Gerhart, 69, of Birdsboro, PA died stress free and at peace in her bed, Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 5:55AM surrounded by family. She was born February 5th 1948 to the late Carolyn and Leonard Gerhart and grew up an only child in Reading PA.
She was preceded in death by her ever-loyal, always dutiful husband, Michael Cuccaro and beloved pets, Snooper, JR, Dusty, Billy and Snickers.
Sheila is survived by her three children, Christine Cluelow, Bridgette Benner and Michelle Curtier. Grandchild, Tiffany Beam and Great-Grandchildren, Taleah Beam, Laney Burke, Liana Burke, and Savannah Burke. As well as her beloved cat and faithful companion, Willy. Sheila was a supporter of the American Museum of Veterinary Medicine, Berks Mineralogical Society and The William Penn Memorial Fire Tower.
Although a less than average life span, Sheila did not have an average life. She laughed inappropriately at every chance, learned what she wanted to learn, fix what she wanted to fix and love who she wanted to love. Sheila was not one for sentiment or religiosity, she liked you or she didn’t. It was black or white. As her children, we are still trying to figure out which one it was for us (we know she loved us.) She believed that pickle juice cured a stomach ache, Boric acid cured EVERYTHING and that Godzilla and King Kong had super powers. (Aside from their sheer awesomeness).
Sheila was a unique individual who lived her life on her own terms, a connoisseur of all things eclectic. She felt that “careers” were for the unimaginative, and spent her early years as a very talented hairdresser, raised three children and moved onto a stint as a fiddle maker, restoring old string instruments. Her true passion was antiques and anything she created with her hands was a work of art. She was a master cook, framer, seamstress and she once took apart the engine of a 1967 Chevy Impala, cleaned all the parts and put it back together in perfect running condition (believe it).
Anyone looking for a band aid collection, 20 or so hubcaps, a large ceramic stork (we think) umbrella/cane stand, a (slightly used) toaster oven, 1000 tools that we aren’t sure what they’re used for and an inaccurate (hopefully) Geiger Counter, please contact the family after a reasonable amount of time has passed. Tomorrow would be fine.
At Sheila’s request, no service will be performed and in lieu of flowers, and in her honor, the family requests you stop by Lancaster County Antique Market and share a memory with Roger, Deb and Grace. Who knows, you may end up leaving with one of Sheila’s treasures.
Cancer ripped a hole in the lives of everyone who loved Sheila. Cancer left us devastated and heartsick. Cancer robbed the world of someone so amazingly interesting, but cancer did NOT beat Sheila, for 15 years she WON! It never stood a chance against her.
…and, sadly, she also died from Cancer.
If you want to you can look for Sheila in a freshly plowed field rock hunting, an evening bonfire eating moonshine soaked fruit or walking amongst the halls of the Co-op with Tina. Today she is happy and dancing, probably to the Grateful Dead, trying to sell God an antique clock, or a particularly beautiful piece of amethyst.