Funeral Mass for Sheila (Graham) Hussein

Sheila Gayle Graham Hussein

April 9, 1953 – December 15, 2020

Sheila was born in Gainesville, Texas, to Clarence Graham and Elsie Marie Luttmer.  She attended business school in Fort Worth, but left early to help back at home in Gainesville, where she soon met her love, her husband, Alladin Hussein. They married and eventually moved to Michigan, Oklahoma, and all over Texas in their various hospitality ventures. She loved being second mommy to her nephews, Salman and Saleem, and niece, Shelly. In 1983, their daughter, Shellena, arrived, and that was then Sheila’s main focus for the rest of her life.

She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her twin brother Kenneth, brothers Denny and Ronnie, and sisters Brenda and Charlene.

Some favorite memories:

• She often enjoyed falling to sleep in the middle of a story you were telling. But it was okay – she was just “resting her eyes.”

• Even though she had amazing hearing aids, she often responded, “What?” out of sheer habit and to the annoyance of her audience.

• She wrote the most amazing personal touches in her notes. Made us all cry every time, even if we knew what to expect.

• She was the best decorator. So much so that a stranger wrote her a heartful note saying that the holidays were always so hard for, and that my mom’s decorations were the only thing that made this person happy and hopeful.

• The dogs will wonder why they are now getting seven baby wienies instead of six.

• Oh, the times she cheated on boardgames! Hiding Scrabble tiles under her feet was a specialty.
• Scaring all of us as youngsters by hiding in closets and pretending to be the boogeyman.

Sheila will be laid to rest on January 29th. The Funeral Mass will be held at 3:00pm. Internment will be in the Seton Columbarium after the Mass.  The mass will be livestreamed at https://youtu.be/jkB7ZOwGdj0

Mama, I love you more. But, remember, I know that you love me more and are so proud of me.