Sheila A. Darling died at age 93 at 7:30 a.m. on November 20, 2019, at Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, NH.  Sheila was born in Benton, NH, on March 15, 1926, to Reuben French and Velma (Ladeau) French.  Sheila lived in Groton, VT for sixty-eight years until she moved into the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, NH, in 2017.

Sheila married Harold Beamis in 1942 and had two daughters.  She later married Clifford Calvin Darling in 1949 and had a son in 1950.

Sheila attended Plymouth, NH High School for a short time.  She earned a High School Equivalence Certificate from the State of Vermont in 1972.  She continued her education by earning a Certificate in typing at Oxbow High School in April of 1975.  We were all proud of her commitment to furthering her education.

During her life she worked at many jobs, such a factory worker sewing shoes, working on electronics, Assistant Town Clerk, and as a dietary aide at the former Groton School and at Blue Mountain Union.  She continued using her strengths as a dietary aid, laundry worker, and seamstress at Grafton County Nursing Home.

Sheila always was a great one for family.  She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother.  She was known as "Gram" even by those not related to her.  Sheila was always an energetic and hard worker; she was always busy.

Sheila was a shy and loving person.  Many of her caregivers at the Nursing Home often said she was a sweetheart.  We are all grateful for the kindness and professional aid they provided to her during her stay at the Nursing Home.  Sheila, or "Gram" as she known by many, is survived by her: daughters Vicky Beamis and Shirley Beamis; 2 granddaughters Tracy Ash-Murray and husband Tim and Ginger Harrington and husband Mike; 2 great-grandsons Tyler Ash and Eric Lang and wife Katie Mae; 1 great-granddaughter Alicia Cogswell and husband Steve; and 2 great-great-grandsons Alexander Welch and Calvin Lang.  She also is survived by one sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews she acquired by her marriage into the Darling family. There are and were so many wonderful members of the Darling family.  She was very grateful for her long-time friends Bill Lang and Wendy Patoine, Duncan and Joan Kemp, and her great-nephew Shawn Pitts.  The family would like to thank Shawn for his kindness in helping take care of Sheila before her time at Grafton and during her stay there.

Sheila was predeceased by: her parents; her husband Clifford Calvin Darling in 1982; her son Glenn Darling in 1992; her daughter-in-law Linda Darling in 1991; her son-in-law Gerald "Sonny" Pierce in 1991; her brother William French in 1927; her brother Richard French 1962; her brother Glenn French in 1993; her sister-in-law Shirley French in 2001; and her niece Bonnie French 1982.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Groton Community Building on Saturday, November 30 ^th from 1 – 4 p.m.  Burial will be held in the Groton Village Cemetery New Extension in the Spring. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Grafton County Nursing Home – Alzheimer's Wing in North Haverhill, NH.