The one, the only, the original–joyfully exuberant, unstintingly generous, open-armed and open-hearted–the Sherry Ann Shepperson Talley slipped peacefully into eternity in the early morning of Monday, July 3, 2023. She was surrounded in her final hours, as she had been throughout her life, with the love of her precious daughter, Tiffany, who devotedly cared for Sherry in her last years, as well as family, and her “chosen family” of dear friends.
Sherry was proud of her West Texas roots, especially her connections to San Angelo, Christoval and Ozona. Christoval was founded by her Jones family ancestors, and her grandfather from Ozona, George Montgomery, learned ranching from none other than John M. Shannon. Her Aunt Ida and Uncle Judd Montgomery of Fort Stockton had an apartment at the historic Cactus Hotel in San Angelo, where there will be a celebration of life in the coming months. Sherry was especially close to her grandmothers Lizzie Shepperson and Camille Montgomery who helped welcome her to heaven. Shepperson’s Furniture was a landmark establishment in San Angelo for decades, as a family business owned by John William and John Robert Shepperson.
Sherry was born in San Angelo on November 1, 1943 to Carolyn Montgomery Shepperson and John W. Shepperson. Sherry was nestled between her adoring older sister Camille Shepperson Chalk (of Dallas, TX) and charming little brother John Robert Shepperson (of Allen, TX). She attended Santa Rita Elementary and later Central High School, becoming a proud member of the inaugural drill team squad of Tex-Anns. At TCU (Fear the Frog!), Sherry joined the Tri Delta sorority where she made the dearest friends and lifelong sisters.
On May 22, 1964, Sherry married her high school sweetheart Mike Talley, and they had two children, Tiffany and Michael. Michael’s unexpected death at age 11 in 1984, led Sherry to pursue her love of art as a way of healing. She finished her Art degree at Angelo State University, and then became the Artist in Residence at Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut, established for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Everyone knew Paul Newman was the real love of her life because of his dedication of bringing a different kind of healing to thousands of children and families around the world. Her admiration for Newman was so profound, she even wanted to change her last name to Newman, and spent a season autographing her artwork as “thesnewman.” Paul’s daughter, Lissy, commented, “It’s a privilege to have you in the family.”
Sherry channeled her love and grief into art and the children, staff and families at Camp, painting murals, crutches (better known as Lean on Me Sticks), casts, canvases, story poles and even the little bald heads from the ravages of chemo with glow-in-the-dark paint. You could often find her on the porch of Arts & Crafts teaching children pottery, encouraging all of us to lighten up and get messy. For those sick children, for the young volunteers, and for the staff, Sherry became “Camp Momma,” because of her enthusiastic encouragement and her boundless gift for making every person feel special. Her whimsical art, spread all through Camp, doesn’t just capture the spirit of “Have fun and raise a little hell”–it creates the spirit from the moment you drive through the entrance and on even to the treatment rooms where the kids need distraction and comfort. Sherry became the Camp epicenter of joy and support, fueling and bolstering countless summer staff and volunteers. In a place full of adults trying to uplift and give to children, Sherry was the person who helped recharged the staff and volunteers, and took care of everyone while wearing her perfect Grace Kelly pink lipstick. She also started the “Soul Patrol” which main purpose was to give foot massages to all the campers to calm them before bedtime with peppermint foot lotion.
Sherry was so proud to share this important Camp experience with her daughter, Tiffany, who spent summers as a Camp Counselor and then worked full time at the Camp’s headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, helping the kids through her tireless efforts to raise funds for their care. Over 27 years, they were the “yin and yang” in what they contributed to Camp, as Sherry might say, but a beautiful mother/daughter team, nonetheless.
As an artist, her perspective was to express with color what she could see that no one else could, and she saw something wonderful in everything and everyone she encountered, and she shared that perspective with absolute joy–you could say she infected everyone around her with joy. She often said, “Bring it on!” when offered something good; we who loved her said, “Bring it on!” to that infectious spirit and reveled in spending time with her.
Speaking of things Sherry would say . . . well, what might she not say? So many Sherry-isms! She didn’t have much of a filter, but it was never cruel, just honest and mostly funny as hell. She had a great sense of humor and loved puns, poetry and a well-turned phrase. Sherry also loved music; James Taylor was a favorite, Willie Nelson, Broadway showtunes–you’d go over to her house on “lower Monroe” and find her covered in almost as much paint as the canvas or piece of furniture she was working on, and always music, mostly from her own large collection, played in the background. Her door was always open.
She often sang favorite lyrics from something to lighten a mood and could play piano and, um, sorta, the violin. She was a pretty good cook, too, especially after a little “toddy,” and was the best at Thanksgiving dressing.
Since 2014, Sherry has been passionate about the work of West Texas Counseling & Guidance (WTCG), a nonprofit counseling center headquartered at the historic Cactus Hotel, bringing hope and healing to thousands of children, teens, families, Veterans, and individuals, across the Concho Valley, down to Del Rio and Uvalde, through West Texas and into Southeastern New Mexico. Her artwork is proudly displayed in these locations, and there will be a grand opening of The Michael Montgomery Talley Children’s Center at WTCG in the coming months. So much important work is being done for trauma, anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
Sherry loved San Angelo, Camp, the Hill Country, bluebonnets, sunflowers, Hanukkah Hoedown, her children, her family, her friends, the moon. Sherry loved life. Sherry loved us. We loved Sherry. Sherry was, quite simply, the best medicine for the human condition. Our world will never be the same, as her favorite poet Brian Andreas said, because “I was one of us,” and you, Sherry, have gone on ahead. But we’ll catch up, because you’re waiting, saying, “I’ll be right here.”
The Dog is Up.
Love you the most.
Momma, we will miss you.
Kumbaya.
She is survived by her daughter, Tiffany Talley of San Angelo, her sister Camille Shepperson Chalk (Ron Chalk) of Dallas, her brother John Robert Shepperson (Jackie Shepperson) of Allen, her beloved nieces and nephews, her Godchildren, and thousands of chosen kiddos and best friends and family.
A very special thank you to our San Angelo medical team Steven Alred, Jenny Wiggins-Smith, and Rudy Haddad, and our dear nurse Crystal from Hospice of San Angelo.
You can honor Sherry and the impact she had on this world by supporting the important missions by of West Texas Counseling & Guidance and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
West Texas Counseling & Guidance
36 E. Twohig, Suite 600
San Angelo, Texas 76903
WWW.WTCG.US
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
555 Long Wharf Drive
New Haven, Connecticut
www.holeinthewallgang.org/rememberi…
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 3, 2023 at 2PM at the Cactus Hotel.
The Cactus Hotel
36 E. Twohig
San Angelo, Texas 76903
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