A star was born on July 27th 1943...Sheila Rae Friel was the fourth child born to Netty Frances, and Leo Walter Friel Sr. My Nanny was born April 11th 1903, which made her 40 years of age when she gave birth to my momma...her siblings were all grown by the time she came along..so needless to say she was spoiled rotten by all. Her brother, Leo Walter Friel Jr. Was the only boy, and he was absolutely crazy about his baby sister. He named her Punkin, which later was shortened to Punk. And that is what he called her til the day he died.  Momma was a beautiful young lady by the time she reached her teen years, and her first heart break came at the age of 17, his name was Chrissy McGwire, her second came in 1964 when she fell in love with a man named Leonard Troutman...that relationship lead to a pregnancy and the birth of my oldest sibling, Leonard Keith Friel, was born on August 1st 1965, and was pronounced dead just a few minutes later. He weighed 10 pounds and a half, and was 21 1/2 inches long. He was over due by 4 weeks, and was being choked by his embellical cord that was the worst thing that my mother had ever been through. In 1968 momma was working as a waitress in a local bar in Highland Park, when her boss Jenny Miller hired her nephew as a bouncer. This will built, dark complected, bad boy, was a very handsome blue eyed devil, was only 19 years old when he fell for my mother she was 25...Larry Herman Smiddy married her on May 3rd 1969. And their first daughter, Angela Renae Smiddy was born on November 13th, 1969 and four years later, September 4th 1973,  I was born...my mother was the warmest, most loving human being. I am so fortunate to have had such a wonderful woman as my mother...and i would give my right arm to have been half the woman and mother she was...my mom loved me beyond imagination, excepted me for the person i was, was there to pick me up every time i fell...She wiped my tears, bandaged my boo boos, up till the day she passed away..
The last 3 weeks we had together, was so special...She had been diagnosed with an aneurysm, and had to quit smoking before she could have it clipped. My mother in law kept my daughter's for me so that i could stay with my mom, it was the most amazing time of my life. We had always been close...but this short amount of time would turn out to be the last memories i would make with my mother, and i thank God for each and every second we had together...Momma had her surgery...and came out like a champ...just confused, and a bit combative because of the medication and had been given during surgery. She  also began to swell profusely and eventually had to be intubated to suction her stomach...the Dr.s decided that she had been given to much anesthesia, And her intestines her having a hard time walking up. THIS WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAD EVER BEEN THROUGH. Momma had to much pride and would not allow any one to help her clean herself, as she had lost control of her bowels. I stayed with her and took care of her for 8 nights, and things were starting to look like we were going to be ok. Except for the fact that i had lupus, and had fallen into a flair up while taking care of momma. I went to the er to get steroids run by I.V. and was told that i had let it go too long and had to be admitted. All this time my mom was being treated for her intestines being sleep...her Neuro Surgeon ordered xrays of her stomach to see what was going on. I was in my hospital room on the phone with my daughter's grandmother, when my mom's nurse, entered my room, behind her was the hospital Chaplin. I knew something wasn't right . I was told that my mom had become unresponsive on xray and had slipped into a coma. I was wheeled to the I..C.U. to spend my mother's last minutes with her. After everything was over, my mom's nurse come to me again..and said she just wanted me to know, that my mother's love for me was so strong, that it kept her alive long enough for her to say goodbye to me. My mother was my first best friend, my last best friend, my everything. My life would never be the same after that day. I hurt everyday for my momma...I miss her every single day of my life...people say time heals everything....nope!!! Not true...it's just that over time, you learn how to handle the pain...but it still hurts today, as much as it did the day the angels carried her home! Sheila Rae Friel Smiddy past away July 18th 2003. She was entered into rest on July 23rd 2003, she had 2 sisters, Frances Lee Friel, Melvin Anita McGill, and one brother Leo Walter Friel...all gone before her. She was the mother of 3, one son, Leonard Keith Friel, who proceeded her in death, and 2 daughter's, Angela Renae, and Tammy Lee smiddy. one Nephew Mark Allen McGill,  3 grandsons, Daniel Rae McGill, Chad Zepplin, and Bradley Steven Hazel. And 4 granddaughters Allexxis Renae Sinkhorn, Bretta Paige Smiddy, and Mikayla Rae, and Rayna Lee Wright.She was also survived by life long friends, ....each and every person meant the world to her. THANK YOU FOR VISITING HER MEMORIAL...Gone but not forgotten!!!