Sheila Loftus, the longtime executive director of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) and editor and publisher of Hammer & Dolly, its monthly trade magazine, passed away May 11 due to complications from a recent stroke. She was 79 years old.
Sheila Loftus (l) with first lady Dr. Jill Biden in a 2019 photo on Loftus’ Facebook page.
Loftus served as editor and publisher of Hammer & Dolly for 31 years and as executive director of WMABA for nearly as long until parting ways with the association in 2006.
Loftus was a frequent participant at industry meetings, reporting on events for Hammer & Dolly and always had her camera in hand to record events. In addition to her role at Hammer & Dolly, Loftus founded the weekly fax/email news source Crash Network in 1996. Loftus was a 1991 inductee of the Collision Industry Hall of Eagles, the collision industry’s Hall of Fame.
CollisionWeek will provide an update when additional information about memorial services is announced.