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Sheila Ann Templeton Fournier passed away peacefully on Monday, March 21, 2016 after a brief illness. Sheila was born December 27, 1934 in Valentine, Nebraska to Julia Kennedy Templeton and Robert Burbank Templeton. The Templeton family eventually moved to Blair, Nebraska where Sheila and her two brothers were raised.

After graduating from Blair High School in 1952, Sheila attended Rosary College in Illinois before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1954. While at the University of Nebraska, Sheila was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

Sheila graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1956 with a degree in Bacteriology while receiving a minor in both Chemistry and Zoology.

On August 3, 1957 Sheila married Donald Frederick Fournier. After a year in Lincoln, Sheila and Don moved to Phoenix in 1958. In addition to supporting her husband’s new dental practice and raising her five young children, Sheila donated her time to various causes and organizations. She was a proud member of St. Francis Xavier Church, the Junior League, and the Maricopa County Hospital Auxiliary.

After divorcing in 1972, Sheila entered the work force and spent time with the Volunteer Bureau, the Arizona Theatre Company and then as a paralegal with Jones, Skelton, and Hochuli where she worked until retiring in 2002. After her retirement, Sheila was able to spend more time with her children, grandchildren, friends, and travel to Europe and Hawaii.

Sheila was a devout and loyal Catholic who attended Mass often. In addition to going to church and practicing her faith, Sheila enjoyed volunteer work, spending time with her children and grandchildren, playing bridge (and winning the big bucks), watching her grandchildren compete in athletics, traveling, cheering for her beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers, doing her daily crossword puzzles and wearing Chanel Number 5 perfume.

Sheila leaves behind five children: James (Alison) Fournier, Anne Fournier Selin, John (Rhonda) Fournier, Don (Kristen) Fournier, and Julia (Steven) Helffrich. Sheila had a very special place in her heart for her fourteen grandchildren: Taylor, Haley, Shae, Carson, Natalie, Julia, Sharon, Harry, Tommy, Nellie, Sarah, Jennifer, Miguel, and Marco.

Sheila was an amazing daughter and sister, an intensely loyal mother and friend, and was simply the best grandmother ever. Those who knew and loved Sheila will miss her dearly.

A private Catholic Mass was held for Sheila on Tuesday, March 22 at Nativity Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas. Sheila will be buried next to her parents in Blair, Nebraska.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~