Sheila Reich    1927 - 2018

It is with great sadness that we record the passing of Sheila Reich previously Secretary of the Austin Healey Club Northern Centre.

Sheila and her husband Doug, Northern Centre Chairman lived in Sale, Cheshire and when we first joined the Club in 1978 it was Sheila who was our contact. What an inspirational couple they were.

I quote from Sheila‘s own words taken from the Northern magazine June/July 1979.

“I have always been interested in sports cars because they usually have drop heads and I‘m rather prone to those. Our first little hot-rod was an MG PA and we have owned a TF a 2/4 Aston Martin a Jensen C-V8 and now a 100/4 and a 3000 mk1. People visiting us think it hilarious when they go into our spare bedroom as it is packed with AH spares and they think that I am angel to allow it. I don‘t have any choice with Doug it‘s a case of love me love my spares.”

John and I attended several committee meetings in Sale travelling in our Austin A40 Farina. The roads were not as they are now, and we left at 6pm arriving home at twelve thirty having spent most of the time on the road. Inspirationally, Sheila suggested we form a sub centre in North Wales and she suggested putting notices on cars we saw parked at the roadside. This we duly did and the rest is history.

Sheila will always be remembered for what she could produce from her large handbag including screwdrivers, plasters, tissues, head-ache tablets, pens etc. She really was “Aunty Sheila” to us all.

Doug and Sheila regularly attended our meetings at Northophall Cricket Club and all the early Welsh Weekends in Llandudno. Eventu-ally in the early 90‘s they moved to North Wales themselves to live near Denbigh.

In 2014 we were privileged at the 35th Welsh Weekend to have Doug present the prizes.

Doug and Sheila eventually settled into an apartment on Llandudno Promenade where Doug who is ninety-six, still lives.

Many messages of condolence were received from Northern Centre Healey members and twelve of us attended the funeral.

Sheila, Thank you. You were very dear to us all and you will not be forgotten.

Jill Bowman.

Sheila with their 3000 MK1 at the Lakes Weekend 1980