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Roxanne Shearer

Plainfield, MA – Roxanne Marie (Skaling) Shearer, 62, of West Main Street, Plainfield, Massachusetts passed peacefully at home in the early morning of October 14, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Roxanne was born on June 11, 1963, in Cambridge to Franklin W. Skaling Jr. and Carolann (Sheppard) Skaling, and soon after moved to Plainfield. In 1981 Roxanne graduated from Mohawk Trail Regional High School and, in August of the same year, married her high school sweetheart, James R. Shearer of Northfield.

Roxanne had a heart of gold. She was a true lover of all animals, opening her home and heart to a wide variety of pets in need of love and care. She and James were avid hikers, spending most of their days exploring trails across New England, regardless of the season. Roxanne had a passion for the outdoors and wildlife photography, often sharing photos of nature with family and friends online. When she wasn’t hiking, Roxanne could be found surrounded by her ten grandchildren. In addition, Roxanne was always active in her community, serving on the Plainfield Recreation Committee and working at Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School.

Roxanne leaves behind her husband of 44 years, James R. Shearer; six children, Robert Shearer and his wife Erika of Plainfield, Kristen (Shearer) Weigand and her husband Jesse of Heath, Daniel Shearer and his wife Tabitha of Plainfield, Joshua Shearer and his wife Crisabeth of Heath, Samantha (Shearer) Kelley and her husband Timothy of Greenfield, and Tyler Shearer of Plainfield and his fiancé Patricia McNiece; her mother, Carolann Skaling of Leeds; a brother, Franklin W. Skaling III and his wife Debra of Plainfield; and ten grandchildren, Logan, Alaina, Shiya, Caleb, Kaden, Hunter, Zoey-Mae, Inara, Ian, and Kember, who were the light of her life. Roxanne is predeceased by her brother, Robert J. Skaling (2020).

Roxanne faced Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) with courage and grace. For more information and to support research toward finding a cure, visit www.aftd.org.

Family and friends are invited to attend burial services for Roxanne, at the Plainfield Cemetery on Tuesday, October 21, at 1 p.m., and celebration of her life, at the Ashfield Lake House at 2:30 p.m.

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Max Greenfield may have portrayed a flirt on , but in real life, he's happily married to his wife, Tess Sanchez.

After tying the knot in August 2008, the couple welcomed two children, daughter Lilly and son Ozzie, and have continued to nurture their connection to each other. The couple told PARENTS magazine in 2021 that the secret to their marriage was making sure they always prioritized each other, with Sanchez saying, "Max always puts me first — smartly — which makes for a happy home."

"And because we're thoughtful with each other, we've ended up with empathetic, nice kids, because that's what they see all day," she added.

actor elaborated, speaking to Sanchez, "We communicate well too. You're better at voicing things, but I'm a great listener. If we haven't spent enough time together, you'll say, 'I need to see you,' and I'm there!"

As for other aspects of their relationship, Greenfield has shared how much he respects his wife's opinion on his work. Sanchez was part of the casting world for two decades and was particularly impressed with her husband's portrayal in the 2014 indie film About Alex.

"[My wife] did turn to me after seeing this film and said, 'I feel like you gave a strong performance,' " he told ABC News. "I thought, 'I must be really good in this! She's never done that!' "

So, who is Max Greenfield's wife? Here's everything to know about Tess Sanchez and her relationship with the actor.

Sanchez built a career as a casting director for major TV networks

Sanchez worked in the entertainment industry for two decades, notably serving as the vice president of talent and casting at The WB for eight years, where she helped discover talent for several shows, including , , , Smallville and , according to .

She was an independent casting director for two years before joining Fox in 2009 and was eventually promoted to executive vice president of casting in 2016. Sanchez held the position until 2020, and at the time of her departure, she was the longest-tenured senior programming executive and the only woman of color among Fox's top creative executives.

During her tenure at Fox, she worked on shows like , 9-1-1 and .

Her relationship with Greenfield began at a Hollywood bar

Greenfield and Sanchez met in an old-fashioned way: at a Hollywood bar.

The cast member told PARENTS he was an unemployed actor at the time and went out with his friends, while Sanchez was there having drinks with her girlfriends. He asked for her number, and after their second date, he made her a mix CD titled "Cool Jams."

She recalled, "He actually said, 'I have this extra one, if you want it.' "

The two felt the sparks right away and have only become "better partners" since, Sanchez said.

“Definitely chemistry at first sight, but as our relationship has progressed, it's just gotten better,” Greenfield added.

They married three years before New Girl premiered

Greenfield and Sanchez wed on Aug. 9, 2008, three years before New Girl debuted.

In a 2014 interview with , Greenfield discussed how much he enjoyed their wedding ceremony.

"Weddings are the best. I felt like my wife and I had a really special, beautiful wedding," he said. "And it was such a great moment for us. When you go to a wedding, I really look forward to the ceremony as opposed to the reception, the party. I like to hear the vows, what people wrote to each other."

The Glass Castle star added that he wrote his vows, which included "some really beautiful stuff that I don't remember. No jokes. I kept it real straight."

After getting married, Greenfield said attending other people's weddings turned into a bit of a competition to see whose wedding was better — but he always rooted for the newlyweds.

"My wife and I like to compare the weddings we go to [with] our wedding," he told the outlet. "Usually, we win that game. You go in with the hope that you’re going to be topped. You go, 'I hope it’s better than ours. I hope these guys are so in love, and show that to us and open up to us in the moment. And let us all feel that,' "

She and Greenfield are parents to two children, Lilly and Ozzie

Greenfield and Sanchez welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lilly, in 2009. The couple's family expanded again with the addition of their second child, a son named Ozzie, in 2015.

At first, the couple weren't sure if they wanted to have children, as Sanchez told PARENTS. She added that she was laser-focused on her career, but after giving birth to Lilly, they knew they wanted a second.

"When Tess was pregnant with Lilly, I definitely didn't think I was ready. ... But after Lilly, I knew I wanted a second,” Greenfield said. “I was an only child, and I wanted her to have a sibling.”

Sanchez was initially "fine" with just one child, but she suspected she was pregnant before a trip to Disneyland, where she later threw up in Greenfield’s baseball cap after a Ferris wheel ride. Now, Sanchez says she “can’t imagine” life without two kids, who are being raised to be kind people.

"We are pretty relaxed about everything, except how they treat and talk to other people. The only time we ever get mad is if we see the kids being thoughtless," she shared. "They know they always have to be kind and have compassion."

"We tell them that your friends, your teachers — everyone you meet — has a story, and you should be interested in it," Greenfield added.

She wrote a book of essays on her life and career transition

Three years after leaving the world of TV casting, Sanchez announced that she was working on an book of essays. The collection, titled We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction, was released in April 2025. She dedicated the book to Greenfield, who wrote the foreword.

Sanchez decided to write the essays after losing her job. She told the in 2025 that putting pen to paper after her major life change was “very therapeutic," and part of the goal of the book was to figure out who she was without her casting career, which had become a defining factor of her life.

"I had a lot of stuff to work out, and although when I finished I felt like it was a complete story," she told the outlet. "I did not feel like I was ready to start a new chapter. I’m still trying to figure stuff out. It’s not like I was putting a period at the end of the sentence and saying, ‘I’m fixed!’ "

When the initial news of her essay collection came out in 2023, Sanchez shared a few words of her own on Instagram, including expressing her gratitude toward Greenfield, who wrote the book's foreword.

”Pulling back the curtain ya’ll,” she wrote. “[Thank you] @iammaxgreenfield who generously allows me to talk about us, and tell more than a few jokes at his expense. You will laugh and maybe cry too. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.”

Greenfield followed this up with his own heartfelt message, writing in part on Instagram, "A beautiful example of perspective and acceptance after a really s--- couple of years. I love you. We love you. "

They maintain a strong partnership at home

Sanchez told PARENTS that she’s the “nuts and bolts” of their family operation and keeps things running smoothly, while Greenfield is “playful.”

The actor revealed that sometimes, when his daughter has a question, he's unsure how to answer, they'll ask for Sanchez's input because of her sharp-witted approach to parenting.

On that same front, Sanchez asks her husband for one "must" from his end. "Don't debate me in front of the kids. Back me up," she said.

Greenfield told ABC News that Sanchez was in charge at home. "She's the boss!" he joked in 2014. “She keeps me in the ground, as opposed to grounded."

She and Greenfield have adopted two rescue dogs, Joey and Darlene

Greenfield and Sanchez are pet parents to Joey (also known as Rox) and Darlene, whom they rescued in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

The pair adopted Darlene from Wags and Walks after she had been in their care for 400 days. The shelter announced the pup's adoption in an Instagram post, writing that Greenfield and Sanchez had told them that Darlene was a "million dollar dog" and they "knew she was the one the first day we brought her home."

In May 2024, Sanchez told PEOPLE that she and Greenfield have a deal in place when it comes to the dogs — when he's away filming, they hire pet help.

"The dogs are such a huge responsibility," she said.

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years, saying that the independence it once had to speak up on social issues has been stifled by its parent company Unilever.

In a letter, which co-founder Ben Cohen posted on social media on Greenfield’s behalf, Greenfield said he could not “in good conscience” remain at Ben & Jerry’s — citing a loss of independence to Unilever, which he said had once agreed to give Ben & Jerry’s autonomy around its social mission when it acquired the brand more than two decades ago.

“For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” Greenfield wrote “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”

Ben & Jerry’s, famous for its colorful ice cream containers with flavor names such as Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, has also long been known for its progressive political values — speaking out on a range of social issues over the years. And in his letter late Tuesday, Greenfield noted that the brand’s loss of independence arrived at time in the U.S. when the Trump administration “is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community.”

“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,” he wrote.

Tensions between Ben & Jerry’s and its parent have heightened in recent years — with the ice cream brand accusing Unilever of silencing its statements in support of Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza, among other conflicts. And Greenfield’s departure also arrives as the consumer product giant, based in London, is spinning off its ice cream business into a stand-alone company called The Magnum Ice Cream Company.

In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Magnum said that it would be forever grateful to Greenfield for his contributions to Ben & Jerry’s and thanked him for his service, but was not aligned with his viewpoint.

“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” the spokesperson said — adding that Magnum is still committed to Ben & Jerry’s mission and remains “focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand.”

Meanwhile, Greenfield and Cohen have been pushing for Ben & Jerry’s to be allowed to become an independently owned company again, saying in a letter to Magnum’s board that they don’t believe the brand should be part of a corporation that doesn’t support its founding mission.

Ben & Jerry’s has been at odds with Unilever for a while. In March Ben & Jerry’s said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker’s social and political activism.

In a federal court filing, Ben & Jerry’s said that Unilever informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever. Ben & Jerry’s said that violated its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board.

Unilever said in a statement at the time that it hoped Ben & Jerry’s board would engage in the agreed-upon process.

Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million. At the time, Ben & Jerry’s said the partnership would help the progressive Vermont-based ice cream company expand its social mission. But experts stress that preserving complete independence from a corporate owner is never promised.

“What Ben & Jerry’s does spills over onto brand Unilever, and vice versa,” said Kimberly Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. “If a brand wants complete and total autonomy, then it is best to remain independent,” she added.

Tommaso Bondi, an assistant professor of marketing at Cornell Tech, speculates that both Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s “underestimated” conflicts that would arise out of the arrangement — noting that the way that brands now talk about politics and social issues is “completely different” from when this deal was struck 25 years ago. And the size of the parent company today also piles on pressure.

“Unilever is just simply too big to be polarizing,” Bondi said, while speaking out on social issues remains a defining feature of Ben & Jerry’s identity. “In some sense, it was an obvious clash,” he said.

Particularly in recent years, the marriage has been on shaky ground. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop serving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry’s under its Hebrew and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank.

In March 2024 Unilever announced the spinoff of the ice cream business — including Ben & Jerry’s — by the end of 2025 as part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands like Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

But the acrimony continued. In November, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in federal court in New York, accusing it of silencing Ben & Jerry’s statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.

In its complaint, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever also refused to let the company release a social media post that identified issues it believed would be challenged during President Donald Trump’s second term — including minimum wages, universal health care, abortion and climate change.

Businesses across sectors have encountered growing pressure to take a backseat when it comes to social activism today — particularly amid the Trump administration’s wider crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in both government and workplaces across the U.S.

Vanessa Burbano, a professor at Columbia Business School, notes that her research shows that corporate stakeholders today “most appreciate” when companies take an apolitical stance, or try their best to distance themselves from politics as much as possible.

Still, Burbano notes that it’s a “tough line to navigate.” She and others note that there can be a sense of whiplash if companies stay silent on something today that they may have commented on just a few years ago.

“You need to know what your brand is. You need to know what your brand is not. And you need to be consistent,” said Beth Egan, an associate professor of advertising at Syracuse University.

While she understands that a company “the size of Unilever is being cautious in this political environment,” Egan adds that it’s important to recognize Ben & Jerry’s longstanding brand and nature of their relationship as a well-known subsidiary. “I think trying to silence them will probably backfire,” she said.

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the beloved ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, announced this week that he's resigned from the company he helped create in the late 1970s over an ongoing dispute with its parent company, Unilever.

The Vermont-based ice cream maker, with its zany packaging and inventive flavors, has long been known for its progressive politics and the company routinely speaks out on social issues.

But in a public resignation letter posted online Tuesday, Greenfield said Ben & Jerry's "has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power" by Unilever, the multinational corporation that bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000.

"And it's happening at a time when our country's current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community," Greenfield wrote.

"It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world," he added.

For years, Greenfield and his co-founder, Ben Cohen, have clashed with Unilever over the ice cream company's independence and its ability to take public positions on political and social issues, from the war in Gaza to climate change. The between Unilever and Ben & Jerry's created an independent board, which was responsible for preserving the company's social mission.

Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever in March, accusing it of firing the Ben & Jerry's CEO in retaliation for the company's ongoing activism on social media.

In an emailed statement Wednesday, the Magnum Ice Cream Co., a standalone company within Unilever that includes the Ben & Jerry's brand, said it was grateful to Greenfield for co-founding the company and for his service and support over the years.

"We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful values-based position in the world," Magnum said.

"We remain committed to Ben & Jerry's unique three-part mission – product, economic and social – and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand," the company added.

Magnum is set to split off from Unilever in mid-November, in what the two entities are calling a "demerger."

Ann Lipton, a professor at the University of Colorado Law School, said the tension between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever stems from their unusual merger agreement, which gave the Ben & Jerry's board control over political and social messaging while Unilever maintained operational oversight.

"It's very unclear where that line is," Lipton said. "Part of what has been happening over the last couple of years is a struggle, with the board saying, 'This is part of the social responsibility aspect,' and Unilever saying, 'No, it's part of the operational aspect.' "

The co-founders, Greenfield and Cohen, through the "Free Ben & Jerry's" campaign for Unilever or Magnum to sell the company, but so far the effort has been unsuccessful.

According to Cohen, Unilever and Magnum are trampling on the independence of the company's board and diminishing the social mission that customers love — and it doesn't make sense for the companies to be connected.

"This is a marriage that has fallen apart, is definitely on the rocks," Cohen said. "All we're saying is, 'It's clear you don't love us as we are anymore. Let us be free and let us find a socially-aligned owner, so that Magnum can be Magnum and Ben & Jerry's can be Ben & Jerry's.' "