Lasting Memories

Sheila Gordon Zipf
Nov. 22, 1932-Oct. 11, 2016
Portola Valley, California

Sheila Mary Murray Gordon Zipf was born November 22, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, to Isabella Ritchie Gordon and William Gordon. She lived in Detroit for most of her childhood except for one year when she and her mother lived in Scotland with her grandparents during the Great Depression.

After high school, she attended the University of Michigan and was the first to go to college in her family. She completed her BA in psychology in 1954.

She continued in school, earning her doctorate from U of M in 1959. She met and married Ted Zipf while at U of M.

They lived several places together (Ann Arbor, MI; Long Island, NY; Berkeley, CA), finally settling in Portola Valley, CA, where Sheila raised her two daughters: Erika Zipf-Williams and Margaret (Maggie) Zipf.

Sheila was a professor of psychology at SFSU for most of her career and was awarded professor emerita in 2002.

After her retirement, she enjoyed gardening, golfing, volunteering at the VA, and, most important, helping to raise her four grandchildren: Gordon Williams, Brynn Williams, Reed Williams and Sadie McCracken.

Sheila's final years were spent in the Gardens Memory Care Unit at the Sequoias in Portola Valley. She will be dearly missed by friends and family.