In Honor and Memory of Muriel Shepherd
Several weeks ago, New York’s mental health advocacy community lost one of our greatest champions.
From the very first days when I ventured into statewide advocacy in 1993, it was immediately clear that Muriel was the very best we had. She understood the details of every issue, however complex, and would always patiently and clearly explain the challenge or opportunity that was facing us and what to do about it. Her great intelligence was matched by her deep devotion to people with psychiatric disabilities and their families.
She seemed ever-present at the Capitol, from the 1990’s to what seems like just a few years ago. She was indeed ever-present because she came up to Albany on a weekly basis to walk the halls and work policymakers and staff in support of initiatives to increase services or expand availability of housing and the like.
Muriel was an early and ardent support of recovery, empowerment and the consumer movement and a great bridge to our friends in the family movement. She was always very generous with her always on target advice and her passion for what we were doing and bringing to the policy table.
I’ve attached a few photos of Muriel. Our staff worked very hard to come up with the first one, which is the way I’ll always remember Muriel. It’s a remembrance of the extraordinary collaboration between NAMI and NYAPRS that was the nightly candlelight vigils we held at our state Capital in Albany in the 1990’s.
In 1993, we came there, together, to insist that then-Governor Mario Cuomo sign into law the Community Reinvestment Act that came to funnel over $200 million to create or expand a broad array of critically needed community based recovery services, including rehabilitation, employment, housing and crisis, peer and family support. When Governor signed this bill into law at Fountain House a month or so later, he credited the groups that ‘wouldn’t leave’ with convincing him to approve this landmark piece of legislation.
The photo embodies how I will always remember Muriel…ever present….ever collaborative…..eyes filled with the great conviction and compassion she shared with us for so many many years.
NYAPRS will always remember Muriel in another way. I came to visit Muriel in her nursing home a year ago to tell her that we had re-named one of our annual awards as the “Muriel Shepherd Partners With Families Award.” She glowed for a moment…became silent…and then proceeded to return to another policy issue she wanted to discuss and plan around.
We will always miss her and, once a year, at our Annual conference, we will always honor her and the family members who have carried on in her great tradition.
Below is a wonderful obituary written by her daughter Althea.
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Muriel Shepherd Obituary by Althea Schoen
Muriel D. Shepherd, whose activism for social justice left a lasting mark on New York’s mental health scene, passed away peacefully on May 11 at age 95. A long-time resident of New Paltz, New York, Muriel grew up in Hempstead, Long Island where she became valedictorian of her high school class while working for both a doctor and a lawyer. She went on to graduate from Barnard College and earned a Master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. She had a long and varied career, including vocational counseling with returning World War II veterans in New York City, reporting for the New Paltz News, and public relations work for Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center.
Muriel was a passionate advocate for those afflicted with mental illness, which became the focus of her activities for the last 30 years of her life. She founded the New York State-wide chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. Through her almost around-the-clock volunteer efforts she grew the chapter into an effective lobbying organization with headquarters in Albany. She fought tirelessly for the establishment of essential community-based services and was honored with several awards for her work. She frequently testified before the Albany legislature, and such was her dedication that when she could no longer drive the 120 mile round-trip to the State-House, she took a combination of bus and taxi.
Muriel had a brilliant, inquisitive mind that never stopped engaging with the world or being open to new ideas. As she declared just a few months ago, “All of life interests me.”
Muriel was fiercely devoted to her family as well as to her work. In addition to her determination, resiliency, sparkle and humor, Muriel may be most remembered for her incredible selflessness and her generosity of spirit, which was a gift to all who knew her. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by her two daughters, Sarah Shepherd of Lake Katrine, New York and Althea Schoen (Howard Schoen) of Brewster, MA., a sister and brother-in-law Edwina and Jack Welton, a brother-in-law Peter Shepherd and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Richard Shepherd, who directed and chose the design for the Sojourner Truth Library at the State University of New Paltz.
Burial will be private. Contributions in her memory may be made to NAMI-FAMILYA at P.O. Box 635, Orangeburg, N.Y. 10962 or the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (bbrfoundation.org).