Dr. Sheila Pressley

May 02, 1967 - January 24, 2020

Dr. Shelia D. Pressley, 52, passed away on Friday, January 24, 2020 at the Hospice Compassionate Care Center in Richmond, Kentucky.

Dr. Pressley was born on May 2, 1967, in Asheville, North Carolina, and was the daughter of Rudolph and Rebecca Hall Davidson. She was the dean of the College of Health Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky.

Pressley attended Western Carolina University for her undergraduate education, and earned graduate degrees from Tufts University and the University of Kentucky. The latter institution awarded her the Lyman T. Johnson Torch of Excellence Award, which honors outstanding African American alumni.

Before joining the faculty at EKU in 2004, Pressley participated in conservation effors in Zimbabwe, spent a year with the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Program Office and served with serveral nonprofit agencies.

"Her positive attitude, joyful personality and desire to be of service to others touched our entire campus and community," said Interim President David McFaddin.

As an EKU faculty member, she became the first African American to chair the EKU Faculty Senate (2012-14). She also served as the university Faculty Athletics Representative, co-chair of the New Faculty Orientation Committee, and a member of the Presidential Search Committee (2012-13), Strategic Planning Steering Committee, NCAA EKU Athletics Certification Committee and the Diversity Planning Council.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by: her husband, Mark Pressley; two sons, Chase and Parks Pressley; and a sister, R. Lucille Samuel, of El Paso, Texas.

Her family requested memorial donations be given to the EKU Development Office, Attn: EKU College of Health Sciences Foundation, 521 Lancaster Ave., 203 Rowlett Building, Richmond, KY 40475, or to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, P.O. Box 98160, Washington, DC 20090-8160.