June 17, 1956 – April 18, 2026
Words cannot come close to expressing the immense pain and sadness we are feeling. To lose such a beautiful wife, mother, Nana, sibling, friend is heartbreaking beyond measure.
She was truly one of a kind, caring, and full of light. To say she could light up a room is an understatement. She was the one who brought people together – family, friends, and loved ones. She was the warmth, the love, the center of it all. Love she gave so freely was something you could feel the moment you were around her. She had a way of making everyone feel special, cared for, and important. Constantly thinking of others before herself.
Sheila was the kind of person who deserved pages written about the way she made people feel, because there will never be enough words or tears to capture her impact.
Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, she later made her home in Thunder Bay, where she built a life filled with love and connection.
She shared a deep and unbreakable bond with her life partner, Herb Sanderson. The love they had for each other was undeniable, standing side by side through life’s joys and through the difficult battle with breast cancer. A battle we thought had been won, but that returned stronger than expected.
Sheila found joy in the simple moments of life. She loved travelling, trips to Vegas, and road trips she took with her husband visiting family in the United States.
Sheila was an incredibly social and chatty person—and could talk to absolutely anyone, anywhere, and she truly did. It didn’t matter if you were a stranger or someone she had just met in passing; she would strike up a conversation easily, by the end, you felt like you were part of her world. She had a special love for collecting knick-knacks, treasured time with her grand children spending countless hours doing activities & making memories. She shared her passion for baking through her business, Nana’s Nummies, proudly selling her creations at markets and bringing smiles to so many.
She is survived by her loving husband Herb Sanderson; daughters, Deisha and Dana (Dante); grandchildren, Nakita, Nolan (Maegan), Ava, Carla, and Jaymz; great-grandchildren, Ava, Seth, Matty, Daniella, Isla, and August. She leaves behind her mother, Betty, along with her brother, sister, aunts, uncles, in-laws, and dear friends. She was predeceased by her father.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the nurses, PSWs & student nurses who made her time in TBRHSC and St Joe’s floor 4 bearable They were able to bring a smile to her face, even during her pain.
We truly believe that earlier detection could have made a difference. While in remission, after multiple visits to the emergency department in severe pain, her symptoms were not fully recognized and were constantly misdiagnosed. We share this in the hope that others will advocate for their loved ones, trust your instincts, ask questions, and continue to push for answers when something doesn’t feel right.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date in Thunder Bay and Minnesota.
She will forever be loved, deeply missed, and never forgotten.
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
