Sheila Kay Cofer, 65, Dickinson, died Thursday, February 13, 2014 at St. Benedicts Health Center, Dickinson. Sheila’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson with Fr. Todd Kreitinger and Fr. Tom Grafsgaard as celebrants. Interment will be at St. Martin’s Catholic Cemetery, Hazen, on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. CT. Visitation will from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday and from 8 a.m. until noon, Tuesday at Ladbury Funeral Service and will continue one hour prior to service time at the church. There will be a rosary at 7 p.m., Monday at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Sheila Albers was born February 20, 1948 at Hazen to Ervin and Clara (Dolan) Albers. After graduating from Hazen High School, Sheila attended college at UND and then Minot State, where she graduated with a degree in secondary education in 1971. Later, she furthered her education in library science.
Sheila married the love of her life, Rocky, on September 6, 1969, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church, Hazen. They lived and taught in Bowdon, Elgin and Glenburn before settling in Devils Lake in 1980. Sheila shared her love of reading and books while teaching and becoming librarian at St. Joseph’s Elementary School, the North Dakota School for the Deaf and Central Middle School, all of Devils Lake.
Sheila was a devoted wife, mother and friend. She could be found cheering on her kids at their sporting, school and music events, reading books, cutting a rug with Rocky at weddings and celebrations or sharing swim team and sour cream raisin bars over coffee with her “back door” friends, Cindy and Maribeth. Because of her disease, Sheila was never fully able to enjoy her grandchildren but when they would visit her there was always an extra sparkle in her eye. She is finally up in Heaven delighting in their every step. Although we are deeply saddened with her loss, we know she is no longer suffering. As Sheila’s baby, Ryan, so beautifully stated, “At long last, the petals fell and she was finally free.”
Sheila is survived by her husband of 44 years, Rocky, Dickinson; four children, Josh (Vickie), Dickinson, Sarah (Andra) Hargrave, Erie, Colo., Holly (Robert) Ferguson, Devils Lake and Ryan (Andi Thoreson), Fargo; nine grandchildren, Alexa and Jace Cofer, Alyssa, Astraea, Kayan and Geneva Hargrave, Dashiel and Riordan Ferguson and Bowie Cofer; two sisters, Peggy (Jerry) Bodine, Hazen and Beth (Evan) Albers-Jones, Winnipeg, Manitoba; one sister-in-law, Peggy Albers, Atlanta, Ga.; one brother-in-law, Colin (Becky) Cofer, Colfax; sisters-in-law, Robbyn (Jerry) Weinberger, Breien and Becky (Tom) Hauge, Carson and many special cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Rick Albers and special cousin, Kathy Kessler. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made in Sheila’s name to the Alzheimer’s Assoc Walkers for Sheila at: http://act.alz.org/goto/walkersforsheila, or the Dickinson Catholic Schools Library Fund.
