Heather Joy Shell

Heather Joy Shell was born on November 23, 1987 and died on October 4, 2018. Her life on earth was lovely. She was fiercely loyal, ridiculously smart, cultured, hilarious, wonder-inspired, with a keen sense of delight and a profound connection to beauty. Her family was most important to her, daughter to Geoff and Sandy Shell, sister to Jessica, Brian, Theresa, and Elizabeth, auntie to Fitzgerald and Sonora, and godmother to Fitzgerald and Grace, beloved niece and cousin. She studied the liberal arts at Tempe Prep Academy, went on to double major in Biology and English Literature at Hillsdale College. While there, she discovered Art History in a survey course. This altered the trajectory of her life, as she fell in love at first sight with it and quickly decided to also minor in Art History. She went on to teach Art and Biology at Mesa Preparatory Academy before gaining a Masters in International Art Nouveau Studies at the University of Glasgow.  She traveled extensively through Europe and Turkey during her time abroad. She pursued the field of museum education and worked at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Though a lover of all things home and comfort, she made herself an expansive and adventurous woman. Heather faced down the challenge of her life through a year-long journey of melanoma. She died in faith in Christ, and is now in the care of God with the angels and Saints. 

"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."

John 16:20-22

A viewing will be held on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Richardson Funeral Home, 2621 South Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona.  Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 9:30 AM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 2121 South Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona.  Interment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Mesa, Arizona. 

There will be a LiveStream of the Memorial Service (6-8pm Tuesday) and Funeral (9:30-10:30am Wednesday) at the following link: http://www.legacyhdv.com/heather.htm

Richardson Funeral Home, Tempe, Arizona is compassionately serving the family.

 

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Heather Shell, please visit our flower store.

Viewing

Tuesday October 9th, 2018

4:00pm - 8:00pm

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Interment following funeral service

Wednesday October 10th, 2018

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Mass of Christian Burial

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church

Wednesday October 10th, 2018

9:30am

Tempe, AZ