V.O.C.A.L. founder Miriam Shehane dies at 91

Miriam Shehane/Source: Alabama Crime Victims Compensation
Commission

V.O.C.A.L. founder Miriam Shehane has died.

Officials with Victims of Crime and Leniency say Shehane passed away Monday.

Shehane became an advocate for crime victims after the murder of her daughter Quenette in 1976.

Shehane dedicated her life to making the way easier for those who came after her. Out of that, V.O.C.A.L. was established in 1982 in Montgomery.

“Miriam was a true hero who touched so many lives,” said Board Chairman C.J. Robinson. “Out of a tragedy she found the grace to institute change so that others would walk an easier path. Her legacy will live on in the impact she had on us all.”

“It is difficult to consider a world without Miriam Shehane,” Executive Director Wanda Miller. “She was a force, a mother who had experienced more than many could bear, yet she harnessed that tragedy into a positive light that would forever shine in Alabama. Her vision will not end today but will continue in her honor and in remembrance of her daughter Quenette.”

No word on funeral arrangements at this time.

Miriam Shehane was 91 years old.