Obituary of Sheli Allyn Taylor

Sheli Allyn Taylor, 59, of White Plains, NY, passed away on November 16, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. Sheli is survived by her loving husband, Gregory Thomas Taylor, her two children, Megan Grace Jeffry and Patrick Ryan Jeffry, her caring mother, Susan DiFrisco, and her two younger sisters, Staci Silva and Stephani Hunter.

Sheli was born on March 26, 1966 in San Francisco, CA and grew up in San Diego, CA. A confident, intelligent and kind child, she was an active role-model to her sisters, excelled in competitive youth sports, and served in her High School student body, where she funded and built the stage she would later graduate upon. She then attended the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in the Social Sciences. At Berkeley, she met her first husband, James Jeffry, before leaving her “ranch home for concrete and glass.”

In New York City, Sheli began working in fashion as Assistant to the President of NEXT Model Management, run by Faith Kates. Her keen eye, strategic thinking, and unmatched work-ethic were widely recognized within the industry, and in 1995, Eileen Ford named her Director of New Faces at Ford Models. She was featured in the January 2000 edition of National Geographic, in an article titled “The Enigma of Beauty.”

In 1999, Sheli made the move to the suburbs of Larchmont, NY, and poured all her energy into raising her children. She was a kind and supportive mother, who passed along her passion for sports, creativity, and community. She was an active member of the Chatsworth PTA, serving as Co-President from 2007 to 2009. She also enjoyed playing tennis for the Larchmont Shore Club, winning various tournaments through the years, and teaching CCD at St. Augustine Church.

In 2010, Sheli accepted the position of Dance Conservatory Coordinator at Purchase College, SUNY, where she was able to translate her business acumen and strategic skills to a higher education setting. She subsequently served in a number of key positions at the institution, most recently as Associate Director of Contracts and Procurement Services. A highly respected member of the Purchase community, Sheli was also a member of the college’s reaccreditation steering committee and served as Professional Staff Council  President. In 2023, she was awarded both the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service and the Purchase College Professional Staff Council Bridge Builder Award.

A firm believer in continual education and self-realization, Sheli graduated from the Harvard University Extension School with a Master of Liberal Arts in Management in 2023, with her children by her side. She had a cumulative GPA of 3.9.

Sheli centered her life around family, love and beauty. She will be greatly missed by all those she crossed paths with, especially her husband and the family and friends who she held most dear.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Fox Funeral Home in Larchmont from 4-8pm. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at Church of St. Augustine in Larchmont at 10am, followed by burial at Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Sheli’s name.