She is tremendously missed by her sister, Pamela (Sheasley) Benoit, of Keene; her father and stepmother, Chuck Sheasley and Elena Fiske, both of Temple; her husband, Matt Russell, of Brattleboro; her grandparents, Richard and Myrna Sheasley, of Pennsylvania; Richard Roy of South Carolina; extended family, very loving friends, and her beloved Siamese cat, Thomas. She is predeceased by her mother, Karen Apple, and her grandmother, Lorraine Roy.
In addition to being devoted to her cat, Thomas, she loved to read, play Pokémon, and listen to music. She was exceptionally creative and extremely funny — her uncanny ability to find the humor in even the darkest situations was a gift to everyone who knew her. Emily was an incredibly hard worker, focused and precise, and excelled at whatever she set out to do. She also loved adventures, her most memorable being a solo trip to San Francisco — no small feat for someone usually too shy to call for a pizza.
She was candid about the darkness within that she and so many of us struggle with. She was very open about her battles with depression and drug use, especially if it meant helping others feel safe enough to share their own stories. Her candor allowed many people in her life to start letting go of the stigma that unfortunately makes these issues so hard for some of us to talk about. Emily had dreams of traveling to South Korea, of going back to school, and of living in a quiet cabin in the woods with Thomas.
In lieu of flowers, please honor Emily by putting on your fanciest kimono, snuggling with your cat, and watching something silly. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
If you are struggling, there is always a place to get help. It is never too late to reach out.
