Patricia Lynn Sheffield was born on September 13, 1951 at the Peterson Hospital in Holdrege, Nebraska. She is the oldest of four children born to Herschel and Berdina Sheffield. She passed away from Alzheimer's, surrounded by her loving family on April 29th at the age of 71.
Trish went to school in Holdrege, graduating with the class of 69. After her mother Berdina's early death, Trish and her three brothers gained a step family in 1970; Edna, and her three children, Brad, Patty, and Ave Lundeen. A real-life Brady Bunch, Trish adored her big loving family. On November 9, 1972, she married Charles W. Stevenson and had two daughters, Amy and Jessi, the apples of her eye. She loved being Mother to her girls more than anything in life. She attended Kearney State College, getting her BA in Art Education in 1974, and University of Nebraska at Kearney, earning her Master's in Art Education in 2000.
Trish was a beloved teacher for over 30 years. At Wilcox/Hildreth schools, she taught K-12 Art as well as high school Spanish. Trish was an exceptional teacher who took great pride in her work and loved her students dearly. Known for her compassion and kindness, she was able to meet students at their level and drew out the very best in them. A safe haven for any child in need, she was known in the community for going above and beyond to meet her students needs…educationally as well as personally. She hosted numerous foreign exchange students, as well as Summer Honor students over the years, who considered her family. Everyone flocked to her because of how she made them feel. She was a bright light that everyone was drawn to, and had endless energy to love them all.
After retiring in 2010, she pursued her creative side, painting and making purses with knitted matching scarves. She loved planting flowers each spring and the fresh scent of clothes hung in the sunshine and crisp air. Constantly reading and learning, she became a hypnotherapist thru self-study and devoured every self help book. She treated her pets like beloved children, especially her little white doggie Swedie Pie. She loved laughing and dancing, flirting with babies, collecting vintage treasures at thrift shops, making lists to plan out her dreams on yellow legal pads, taking drives in the country in the summer, embroidering anything she could get her hands on, eating popcorn, and crying at sad movies. She lived life with her whole heart.
Survivors include her partner of 35 years Brian Osborn of Holdrege, her oldest daughter Amy Lynn Stevenson and her husband, Richard Kuhlman of Ojai California, her younger daughter Jessi May Stevenson of Ojai California, three brothers and their wives, Allan and Cindy Sheffield, Monte and Ruth Sheffield, and John and Kari Sheffield, her stepmother Edna Sheffield, one dearly loved best friend and stepsister, Patty and Harry Galbraith, and two stepbrothers, Brad and Pat Lundeen, Averil and Denise Lundeen. She was the beloved aunt of Wendy Hadley, Courtney Hesser, Molly Akerson, Anna Galbraith, Katie Wuhlgemuth, Elizabeth Murphy, Megan Wilson, Matt Sheffield, John Galbraith, Joe Lundeen, Chad Sheffield, Scott Lundeen, Kaleb Sheffield, Erik Sheffield, Ryan Wilson, and Jon Spurlock. She is also survived by Brian Osborn's family, who have been an important part of her life since 1989. Trish was proceeded in death by her mother, Berdina, and her father, Herschel Sheffield.
Her celebration of life will be at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege on August 5th at 2 PM. Vibrant casual attire encouraged. Per Trish's request, Memorials will go to:
Doctors Without Borders
PO Box 5023, Hagerstown, MD
21741–5023