Harriet Shealy

Harriet Sanders Shealy, 86, wife of Little Mountain native Otis Shealy, died Monday, August 22 in Wilmington, Delaware.

Harriet was born in Chicago, IL, daughter of the late Wiley B. and Dolly Cooper Sanders. She grew up in Chapel Hill, NC, and received a B.A. and M.A. in Art History from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Prior to her marriage she taught at Mississippi Women’s College in Hattiesburg, Miss. In 1950 she married Otis Shealy, a graduate student at Chapel Hill. Harriet moved with her husband, a DuPont researcher, through several transfers, and settled with him in Wilmington in 1957. She was active in the American Association of University Women, Girl Scouts, and social issues. In the 1960s she chaired a Fair Practices Committee of the Wilmington Council of Churches. Harriet found many outlets for her art, including painting, writing, and illustrating children’s books. In the 1970s she became active as a doll artist, producing original and reproduction dolls. She taught doll making to some 200 women in the Delaware area, and founded the Brandywine Doll Club.

Harriet and Otis maintained their ties to Little Mountain with many visits to family and friends. Special ties include scuppernongs, fig preserves, barbeque, and hush puppies.

Harriet is survived by her husband, Otis Shealy; two sons, Malcolm Shealy and Glenn Shealy; a daughter, Barbara Lerch; a daughter-in-law, Nellie Drouillard; a brother, Britton Sanders; a sister, Venitah Sanders; a sister-in-law, Anne Shealy, and 12 grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, Alan Shealy.

Harriet will be interred at Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, Little Mountain, SC. Friends and family may call at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home in Newberry Sunday, August 28, 2011, from 4:00- 6:00 p.m. A graveside service will be held Monday, August 29, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. by the Rev. John Stoudemayer. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Mt. Tabor Memorial Fund, 816 Mt. Tabor Road, Little Mountain, SC 29075.

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