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Avon – Sheila Gaskins Crowe, 74, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on May 20, 2026.
Born on May 24, 1951, in Buxton, North Carolina, Sheila spent much of her childhood moving throughout the East Coast as part of a Coast Guard family before her family eventually settled in Chesapeake, Virginia, where she graduated from high school.
She later continued that life of service and adventure as an Army wife and mother, creating a warm and welcoming home wherever military life carried them before settling back on Hatteras Island in 1999, where she spent the last 27 years surrounded by the community she loved.
For most of her adult life, Sheila worked in the real estate industry and formed many treasured friendships along the way. She was also an active member of St. John United Methodist Church serving on various committees including Finance, Staff and Parish Relations. Sheila was an integral part of St. John’s Community Dinners ministry. Without fail, she helped organize, prepare, and serve well over 15,000 meals during the past 13 years. Known for her kindness, grace, caring spirit, and timeless sense of style and class, she will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her husband, Ron; her daughter, Carrie Meekins-Dilworth (Don); her son, Ryan Meekins (Tiffany); and her stepdaughter, Tina Anderson (Troy). She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren: Liam, Ruby, Jack, Gavin, Owen, Thomas, Taylor, and Trenton; as well as her aunt and lifelong friend, Cheryl Gray McDonald (Allen). In addition, she leaves behind many cherished in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Sheila was preceded in death by her parents, Warren Gaskins, Sr. and Elizabeth “Libby” Gray Gaskins; her brother, Warren Gaskins, Jr.; and her sister-in-law, Denise Gaskins.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. John United Methodist Church, PO Box 129, Avon, NC 27915.
A celebration of Sheila’s life will be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John United Methodist Church, with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall.
Please share expressions of sympathy with the family at gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services was entrusted with arrangements.

Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. was founded in Nags Head, NC in 2006 by licensed North Carolina Funeral Director Courtney N. Gallop. This independent, minority and woman-owned start-up funeral home challenged the existing monopoly firm which had sole control of all funeral care, goods, and services provided in Manteo, the Outer Banks, and Currituck County for nearly 100 years.
Finally - someone brought competition into the local funeral industry. As a direct result of Gallop Funeral Services, Inc., local families now have choices, options, alternatives, fairer pricing, flexibility, and a higher level of service in funeral care for their loved ones.

In 2016, Gallop Memorial Chapel was opened in Barco, NC. The spacious, newly remodeled facility is the first and only funeral service-related business ever to locate in Currituck County. The Barco Gallop Memorial Chapel is conveniently located near the Outer Banks, Moyock and Elizabeth City. The elegant yet relaxing chapel interior is welcoming and comfortable for viewings, family gatherings, funerals, and memorial services. Our Barco chapel is perfectly equipped to serve all faiths and families in the county.
Courtney Gallop and the staff at Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. are committed to excellence. We continue to improve, grow, invest, and learn in order to provide the highest level of service for all families entrusted to our care.

In 2011, we built and established Capital Crematory, the first and only crematory ever in Dare County. The crematory supports Gallop Funeral Services and also provides professional cremation services for other funeral homes in the Albemarle area. Having our own local crematory means your loved one's cremation will be handled personally by owners of the funeral home, 100% locally, quickly, and at the best pricing.