Judith “Judy” Wyler Sheldon, the daughter of Oscar-winning filmmaker William Wyler, was found dead alongside her husband, Wylie Sheldon, after the couple was discovered unresponsive in their SUV on Interstate 5 near Redding, California.
Authorities said the couple, ages 84 and 86, were headed to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland when their vehicle came to a stop on the shoulder of the northbound highway. Their deaths have shaken a community that knew Judy Wyler Sheldon as a prominent supporter of the arts.
The California Highway Patrol said the pair were found at about 5:45 p.m. on June 15 inside their Jeep Compass, which was still running when it was located. Judy Wyler Sheldon was in the driver’s seat, while her husband was in the front passenger seat, officials said.
Investigators have described the deaths as a medical incident, but the exact cause and surrounding circumstances remain under review. The California Highway Patrol told the Daily Mail that the investigation is ongoing.
Police are also examining the couple’s trip before they pulled onto the right shoulder of Interstate 5, including any places they may have stopped along the route.
The couple’s journey up until they pulled over on the right shoulder of the northbound Interstate 5 is also being examined, including where they may have potentially stopped along the way, the agency said.
Both Judith and Wylie were pronounced dead at the scene after responding officers with the highway patrol and medical personnel attempted to revive the unresponsive couple.
The Redding area was placed under an extreme heat warning by the National Weather Service on Monday, but it remains unclear if the the temperatures that reached around 109 degrees played a role in the couple’s tragic passing.
Judy Sheldon and Wiley Sheldon were discovered in their parked SUV on Interstate 5 on Monday, as its revealed they were on their way to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland
While their deaths were marked as a medical incident, the California Highway Patrol told the Daily Mail that the circumstances and cause of death remain under investigation
The Daily Mail reached out to the California Highway Patrol and the San Francisco Coroner’s Office for comment.
The couple’s deaths stunned members of California’s arts and film communities, where Judy Sheldon had long been a respected figure.
Sheldon’s father, former Army vet William Wyler, directed some of Hollywood’s biggest stars – including Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Barbra Streisand and Laurence Olivier – during a career that produced some of cinema’s most enduring classics.
‘We are reeling from this news,’ Anita Monga, artistic director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said in a statement. ‘Judy and Wylie were very dear to us, supportive and a positive presence at all our events.’
For many in San Francisco’s cultural circles, the Sheldons were known as much for their hospitality as their philanthropy. Their home frequently served as a gathering place for visiting film archivists, musicians and cinema enthusiasts attending festival events.
Judy Sheldon spent decades championing silent-film preservation and played a central role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. After serving as president of the organization’s board, she later became its longtime chair.
‘I used to joke with her that she was our Frank Sinatra – Chairman of the Board,’ Monga recalled.
Monga said the Sheldons regularly opened their home to festival guests and supporters.
Judy, 84, is the daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler and spent decades championing silent-film preservation and played a central role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival
‘Judy would allow, actually encourage, our visiting film archivists and musicians to pose for pictures with her father William Wyler’s Oscars,’ she said. ‘The perfect hosts.’
The loss was still difficult to process, Monga added.
‘I’m sorry to not be more articulate; this loss is so devastating.’
Stacey Wisnia, executive director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said Sheldon was a familiar face at virtually every event she could remember over more than two decades.
‘Completely unassuming, she could always be found in the theater lobby engaged in lively conversations with festival musicians, special guests, and audience members,’ Wisnia said.
She added that she would miss Sheldon’s ‘warmth, curiosity, and charming stories about her travel adventures and her father, the great director William Wyler.’
‘She was a San Francisco treasure,’ Wisnia said.
Born Judith Wyler in Los Angeles, she spent much of her life preserving and celebrating cinema history.
William Wyler, Judy Sheldon’s father, directed Hollywood classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, Mrs Miniver and The Best Years of Our Lives, winning three Academy Awards
William Wyler was one of the most acclaimed directors in Hollywood history, winning three Academy Awards for Best Director during a career that spanned more than four decades
Although she briefly appeared on screen during the 1950s, earning credits in productions including The Errol Flynn Theatre, The Buccaneers and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, her lasting legacy came through her work behind the scenes as an advocate for film preservation.
She became especially devoted to protecting silent-film history and played a major role in promoting awareness of early cinema.
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival lists her as chair of its board, reflecting years of involvement with the organization.
In a 2007 interview, Sheldon explained that her passion for the festival grew after she attended a retrospective dedicated to her father’s silent-era films in Pordenone, Italy.
The experience helped deepen her commitment to preserving a vital chapter of film history.
Her influence extended well beyond the world of silent cinema. She also served in leadership roles supporting San Francisco’s cultural institutions and was listed as a co-chair for a gala hosted by San Francisco Performances during its 43rd season.
The loss carries an added historical resonance because of her family’s place in Hollywood history.
Her father, William Wyler, an Army vet who served in the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in World War II, remains one of the most acclaimed directors ever to work in American film.
Across a legendary career, he directed classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur,
The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver and Wuthering Heights.
He won three Academy Awards for Best Director, a feat achieved by only a handful of filmmakers.
