Sheila D. (Wood) Gillen

Mrs. Sheila D. (Wood) Gillen, of Waltham, died Thursday, December 25, 2025 at Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley in Littleton. She was 95.Sheila was born in Weymouth on November 22, 1930, a daughter of the late James and Dorothy (Rice) Wood. Raised and educated in Weymouth, she graduated from Weymouth High School and attended nursing school.

She met her high school sweetheart, Robert M. Gillen, while roller skating at Paragon Park on Nantasket Beach. They married in 1951 and lived briefly in Belmont before making Waltham their home, sharing fifty-one beautiful years together until Bob's passing in 2002. The couple were longtime active members of Christ Church Episcopal in Waltham.

Sheila loved traveling, from family summer vacations on Cape Cod to trips with Bob to Bermuda and Europe. She enjoyed quilting and gardening, and she had a real gift for cooking and baking; her creations were hard to resist. More than anything, she loved her family; she was a wonderful wife, the best mom, and nothing made her happier than time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her sister, Arlene P. Moreschi.

Sheila is survived by Linda C. Ballenthin (John) of Lexington, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pamela S. Manning (David) of Falmouth, Maine and Robert M. Gillen, Jr. (Pamela Vaughan) of Stow, Massachusetts; her grandchildren, Jennifer (David), Heather (Ryan), Kyle (Kaitlin), Willi (Sarah), Robert, Thomas, Cori, Rylee; her great-grandchildren, Sierra, Mason, Sage, Chloe, Lucy, Julian, Wesley, Adeline, and Walter; her siblings, Kenneth and Barry Wood, both of FL.

Services for Sheila will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sheila’s name may be made to: Parkinson’s Foundation online at parkinson.org or mail to: 5757 Waterford District Drive Suite 310 Miami, FL 33126