After a struggle lasting for two years, Sherri Walters passed away on Monday, February 21st, 2011.
Here is the published obituary:
Sherri Walters passed away on Monday, February 21st, after a two year struggle with non-smoker’s lung cancer.In her own words, she was “a daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother, teacher, health-food nut, homeschool supporter, life learner, gardener and bread baker wanna-be, cottage keeper, local foods supporter. Jill of all trades, master of none.”
Sherri was a trusted homeschool portfolio evaluater with a passion for life learning. She was a source of support, encouragement and inspiration for numerous homeschooling families throughout the state.
Sherri is survived by her husband, Andrew Walters, her three sons, Andrew Codispoti, Daniel Codispoti, and Matthew Codispoti, all of New Hampshire, by her mother Janis McCreary and her father David McCreary, of Virginia, by her sister Bonnie Zarzeka of New York, by her brother David Mark McCreary of Massachusetts, and by extended family across the Eastern Seaboard and in Nova Scotia.
Her wish is that donations be made on her behalf to Heifer International. A memorial registry where gifts in her honor may be made can be found here:
http://www.heifer.org/myregistry/sherriwalters
More information about Sherri’s life and work can be found at her website, which will be maintained in her honor by her family.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Sherri later this spring, information about which will be forthcoming also on her website.
http://www.sherriwalters.com/healingpath/memorial/
I am part of the homeschooling community and visited Sherri for homeschool evaluations several times in the past few years. She always made my children and me feel at home and offered encouragement and reassurance. She will definitely be missed by us. I wish to extend sympathy to her family.
Sincerely,
Glenda Landry
We just found out about Sherri’s passing and my heart just cracked a bit. As our homeschool evaluator over many years, she was always warm, encouraging, and wonderful. My deepest sympathies to her family. We’ll miss her!
Danna Bare
Andrew,
Your writings about your mother and her website are wonderful tribute to your mom. I was not aware after I closed the shop three years ago, I adopted my sister from a nursing home for high needs. I care for her in my home and we are very close. I stopped making my rounds around town and keep up with things. I have a father with lung cancer and she was a better friend to me than I was to her, her inspiring writings and grace while battling this is amazing. I have read many post and I just gotta say she was one in a million.
I will never forget after cleaning out the barn with Andrew and Sherri I had passed them on the street walking with clip boards in their hands and matching red hoodies, I stopped and said, ” R U Jehovah witness” lol they both turned to me and started laughing. I remember also buying a hydrandra from her and Andrew, I took so long to get it they planted it, she would come into the antique shop and let me know how the plant was doing I think the reason it is still alive is because I left it at her house. I will miss your mom deeply and send you positive powerful thoughts of peace and happiness. thanks for sharing with me.
josephine
Josie!
Are you the Josie with the red hair!? lol I am Sherri’s friend from MN. I used to come and visit her in NH and we would come to your antique shop which I just loved. My condolences to you on losing a good friend. She really liked you a lot. She would always talk to me about you. Wasn’t she a treasure?! I keep fairy gardens in her memory; they bring me comfort even though I am sad, too. It’s hard to believe that I will never be coming to NH to visit her again.
Becka
I never met Sherri. In 2008, I stayed at her guest cottage in Fitzwilliam. When I arrived late the first evening there was fresh warm gingerbread, whipped cream and fruit in the fridge and soft 1930s band music playing lowly on the cottage stereo. The cottage was a little piece of heaven, a refuge, over the next few days as I did some coursework at Antioch in Keene. After I left with such a feeling of having known Sherri despite not ever face to face meeting, I got home and received a sock and an iPod cord I forgotten promptly in the mail. It wasn’t necessary but it spoke of the person who cared in such detail.
I was told once by a wise Native elder that you cannot be a truly good host unless you do it with love. And it was obvious to me that this was a loving person. This month I was planning a return to Keene this fall and, looking up the Guest Cottage, seeing it was closed I came across this very sad news. My condolences to the family of this good woman whom I feel I knew though we never met.