Sheila Lenkman

Sheila Lenkman (nee Overton). It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother and grandmother, Sheila Lenkman, due to Covid 19. Born in London, England in 1932, she grew up in a time that saw England heading to war. Her family survived the Blitz, the nightly bombings that left them homeless and hungry. They moved from place to place, finally settling in Essex, and Sheila quit school to attend nursing school. It was while working as a nurse in London that she met Fred Lenkman, who was stationed there with the Air Force in the early 1950’s. They met one night at a dance hall and fell in love. Fred headed home to St. Louis in 1955 and Sheila followed him a year later. She crossed the Atlantic, alone, on a steamer, and boarded a train from Grand Central Station in New York, to meet Fred at Union Station in St. Louis. Sheila worked as a nurse at Barnes Hospital while they planned their wedding, which took place in June of 1957. They settled in an apartment in the city of St. Louis, where their first two children were born, Tom and Eileen. A new ranch house, bought with the GI Loan program, in Spanish Lake, was the next stop. Fred Junior and Margie were born there. A few years later, with another baby on the way, they bought a large old house in Ferguson, just in time for Sheila Junior to be born. This was to be their home for many years.

Despite Sheila’s lack of a high school degree, she never let that stop her from advancing her career in Nursing, once she went back into the work force. She obtained degrees from UMSL and Lindenwood and held management positions at several large area hospitals. Towards the end of her career, she branched out on her own and ran a healthcare consulting firm that saw her traveling to clinics and hospitals across the country and having articles published in several industry magazines. She traveled to the UK and Europe many times with Fred, going “home” to visit her parents, sisters and many nieces and nephews. Her large gardens in Ferguson and later Florissant, were her pride and joy.

Fred and Sheila retired to St. Charles and moved a few times, eventually downsizing to a retirement community in St. Peters. Sheila spent her time working on making jewelry, tending to her beloved African Violets, listening to classical music, and joining her friends in book clubs and bible study. Never afraid to try new things, she learned to use an iPhone and loved texting her children and grandchildren to keep up and sending pictures of things that struck her fancy.

Sheila is survived by her husband Fred, her children Tom (Lou), Eileen, Fred Jr (Patty), Margie (Eric), Sheila Jr (Scott), and her grandchildren Kevin, Sarah, Nick, Brendan and Ethan. Fred’s family, his brother Milton (Mary Lou) and his sister Carole (Bill) and their children and grandchildren mourn their loss. In the UK, she is remembered by her sister Mary, and her many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her beloved parents and sister, Pat Dore.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the COPD Foundation.

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