Sherry Lynn Smith

Sherry Lynn Smith passed away peacefully on Nov 7. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Edward Douglas Smith, her parents, Cy & Joyce Pfirman, and brother Tom. She is survived by four children - Sarah, Adam, Jason, and Meredith Good, four grandchildren - Megan, David, Kennedy, and Kiel, her sister Nan, and the countless laughs she gave us over the years.

Sherry loved to dance. If you happened to walk by her while a good song was playing, you would likely find yourself caught in a pretzel or dancing a shag. She loved to decorate, both with items purchased during her travels with Ed, and from local artists. In fact, she had such a talent for decorating her own home that visitors often sought her advice in how to beautify theirs. She just always had a knack for knowing when to arch a doorway, use a bold print, angle a piece of furniture, or perhaps not use the bold print.

Sherry was an avid reader, and there were many times we were diverted from our present mission by her calling out our name, only to find her on the sofa, wearing her readers in front of an open book, where she would say, ‘Listen to this…’ and read aloud a passage that had spoken to her. We are lucky to now have so many books with sentences underlined and notes in the margins.

She stayed fit with yoga and hours upon hours of walking, but afterwards, when it was time for dinner, she loved nothing better than to strap on the feed bag (as she used to say) and enjoy a plate of meatloaf,  mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy. And when asked if she wanted dessert, her standard reply was, ‘Does a bear shit in the woods?’

Sherry never raised her voice, and always got the laugh. Watching Planes, Trains, & Automobiles and listening to a Bill Bryson audiobook will never be the same without her beside us to delight in the wittiest and more inappropriate parts that may have whooshed right over our heads had she not been there to point them out.  

She always had a way of finding the unique, adding special touches, engaging our minds, and opening our worlds. So many of life’s gems would have gone unnoticed without her beside us.

Though her ending was peaceful, make no mistake, Sherry did not go softly into that good night. She maintained her dignity, kept us entertained, and remained a force to be reckoned with until the very end. She was our counselor, comforter, and port in every storm, and there will never be another like her. But while our pain is great, we are fortunate to be able to lean on our memories of her extraordinary wit, charm, style, and sense of humor to sustain us going forward.

It has been and always will be an honor and a privilege to call her Mom and Yaya. We are very proud.

Services will be held at home and in Hawaii.  www.mcmillianfuneralhome.com

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