Mary Victoria Shiefman

Vicky Shiefman passed away on November 24 2025. This came after a year’s long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was born and grew up in Detroit. After graduating from Mumford High School, she moved to Chicago to attended the University of Chicago.

After graduating, she moved to New York City where she spent most of her adult life, first living for many years in the Chelsea neighborhood before ending up living in Stuyvesant town. She still maintained many lifelong friends from Detroit and frequently came back for extended visits often staying at the family cottage at Pleasant Lake.

In New York she worked as an elementary school teacher. Starting while teaching and continuing after her retirement, she was able to write six children’s books. She was very involved in the children books writing community. She was a founder of the NY Metro Chapter of The Society of Children’s Book writers and Illustrators SCBWI where she was the Regional Advisor for more than 10 Years. She was also an active member of a NY Writers Group which started at The New School in Manhattan. She was the recipient of a PEN America working fellowship.

Vicky also had many friends through her membership in the synagogue B’nai Jeshurun. She spoke several languages and had a love of dancing. She is survived by her brother Joe and his wife Toba as well as many close friends.