Sheila M. Ary

Sheila M. Ary 88 of DeKalb, passed away peacefully Monday, December 25, 2017 while visiting family in Island Lake, IL.  She was born December 19, 1929 and was the daughter of Gerald and Gwendolen (Richardson) Littleboy.

Sheila was born in Somerset, England where her father was a teacher in a Quaker school.  When she was four years old the family moved to Saffron Walden, in Essex, when her father became headmaster at another Quaker boarding school.

Following her graduation from the University of Oxford, she worked in the Herbarium of the Department of Botany at Oxford and had the opportunity to do some writing for the Oxford University Press, including co-authoring the Oxford Book of Wild Flowers.  She then moved to Cambridge, where she is worked for the Commonwealth Bureau of Plant Breeding and Genetics.  It was while she was working in Cambridge that she met her husband, Donald Ary who was teaching grade school for the US Department of Defense.  They moved to the United States after seven years living in Cambridge.  She concentrated on her young family until starting work at NIU for ERIC (Educational Research Information Center).  When ERIC was moved to Ohio State University she became a freelance book indexer and editor.

Her family was always the most important thing in her life, but she also had a lifelong interest in gardening, making several trips with the American Horticultural Society.  Her favorite hobby was embroidery, and she was a member of the Embroiderers' Guild of Embroidery, the American Needlepoint Guild, the National Academy of Needlearts, and the National Standards Council of American Embroiderers, going to their Seminars, entering work in their exhibitions and sometimes winning awards.

She enjoyed travel, and was fortunate to have family in New Zealand and her home country of England, giving her the opportunity to spend time there.  She was a member of the American Association of Indexes, a member of the Altrusa Club.  She enjoyed needlework, gardening and birdwatching.

Survivors include; three children; Richard (Marie) Ary of Lisle, IL, Grace (Anthony) Tucker of Island Lake, IL and Rachel (John) Oplt of Hoffman Estates, IL.  Grandchildren; Douglas and Alex Ary, Jeffrey and Nora Tucker and Alyssa and Natalie Oplt.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Donald, brother Michael Littleboy and sister Eleanor Littleboy.

Celebration of life visitation for Sheila will be held on Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 2:30pm-4:00pm at Finch Funeral Home.  Memorials can be made to American Friends Service Committee 1501 Cherry St. Philadelphia, PA 19102.  Sheila graciously donated her body to Northern Illinois University.  Arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.