Edwin Sheffield, a longtime Wyndmoor resident and a founder of Cathedral Village, a retirement and senior care facility in Philadelphia, died at his home at the facility on April 25. He was 98.
Sheffield was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1922 to William Paine Sheffield and Agatha Sheffield. He had three siblings, two brothers and a sister, all who predeceased him .
Sheffield met and married Dorothy “Dottie” Yerger in 1950. The couple met when he moved to Philadelphia after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Dottie and Ed were due to celebrate their 70th anniversary in September.
During their life together, the couple enjoyed repeated success at the Philadelphia Flower Show where they exhibited in various arrangement classes. These projects allowed him to spend more time in his beloved woodworking shop from which he produced not only his flower show creations, but also fine furniture and mechanically intricate Halloween costumes
In addition to his creative endeavors, Sheffield was on the vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where he served as treasurer, a role he also held at Bird-in-Hand consignment shop in Chestnut Hill.
After many years in management at Imperial Type Metal Company, Sheffield turned his attention to founding Cathedral Village. He helped launch the retirement community in 1976, served as a founding board member and later as its executive vice president and treasurer. He retired from his role there in 1991 and focused on a startup business to help older clients with their bookkeeping.
In recognition of his service, Cathedral Village named The Sheffield Room in his honor.
In 2004 he and Dottie moved into Cathedral Village. He served on many committees at the home and continued to serve as secretary of the board until recently.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, their two sons, Win and David, daughter-in-law Carole, two grandchildren, Peter and Hope Sheffield, Hope’s husband Zef Marks and a great grandchild, Dax Marks.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to The Governors Academy of Byfield, Mass, and Williams College, class of ‘44 institutions to which he remained connected throughout his life.
