Sheila Hoen, 89, is a distinguished legal professional, oil economist, and artist—she has even received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who. Sheila has demonstrated leadership and excellence across multiple careers, and now as a resident at Morning Pointe of Hardin Valley Assisted Living in Knoxville, Tennessee, she continues to find new ways to thrive and make her community a better place.
Breaking Barriers
Born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Sheila has always been driven. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia, where she met her husband (Ernie), and began a varied professional journey.
Sheila started out as a biomedical librarian, and in 1962, moved with her family to Libya. There, she became assistant to the manager of an oil company. After relocating to California, she earned an MBA and became a petroleum economist, rising from financial analyst to manager of gas contracts.
In her 40s, after being passed over for a promotion due to being a woman, Sheila boldly enrolled in law school. As one of just 11 women in her class at Oklahoma City University, she excelled and went on to practice law for over two decades, specializing in oil and gas, conservation, mediation, wills and trusts, and real estate.
Art and Civic Involvement
Sheila relocated to Florida in the late 1980s and continued building her legacy — this time through art. A lifelong painter, she passionately pursued the craft after losing her best friend to cancer. She studied in France, visited Monet’s home, and explored impressionist and abstract styles. “I love to use tertiary colors to create landscapes,” she says. Her work has been showcased in galleries from Sanibel Island to Salt Spring Island in Canada, where she helped found a co-op gallery.
Civic involvement has also been central to Sheila’s life. From leadership roles in the Zonta International women’s empowerment network to shoreline preservation and arts councils, she has never sat on the sidelines.
Finding a Home at Morning Pointe
After her husband passed, Sheila moved to Knoxville. She toured six assisted living communities — and chose Morning Pointe of Hardin Valley as her new home.
“I have three parents in assisted living at two different Morning Pointe locations,” said her daughter Zarah Yerger. “I couldn’t possibly care for all of them myself, so I’m grateful for a safe, loving environment where my mother can be cared for and enjoy herself. Morning Pointe has been a blessing of community for my mom.”
Sheila enjoys a full calendar of devotionals, hymn singing, exercise, and outings. She’s embraced life at Morning Pointe with the same zest that has defined her every chapter.
“Mum is an extrovert,” Zarah adds. “She’s friendly, always looking to help someone, and still wants to contribute. The staff makes her feel seen, loved, and appreciated.”
From law to art, from advocacy to adventure — Sheila’s story reminds us it’s never too late to make a difference. We are proud to spotlight her remarkable life and grateful she calls Morning Pointe home.
