Sherry Thrasher Obituary

On February 27th, 2025, Sherry Brooks Thrasher died peacefully in her sleep and surrounded by family at her home in Dayton, VA, after an 8-year battle with cancer. She was a devoted mother, wife, and friend. Sherry was born in Anna, IL, just past midnight on November 4th, 1945, to Margaret Ann and George Dewey Brooks. She was the youngest and last of 5 sisters: Norma, Mary, Betty, and Bobbie. After spending her childhood on the family farm in rural Jonesboro, she attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. While studying, she met Kenneth (Ken) Charles Thrasher, who she married on July 22nd, 1967 at the Brooks home in Jonesboro. From there, Sherry and Ken moved and adventured all over the United States and Japan in support of Ken's service in the US Navy, having 3 children along the way: Jason (Monterey, CA), Alison (Decatur, IL), and Catherine (New Orleans, LA). In 1984, the two decided to stay in their last duty station of Alexandria, VA, where they lived for 36 years. During this time, Sherry worked at Carl Sandburg Middle School and later as the principal's secretary at Waynewood Elementary School. In 2020, after living longer in Alexandria than they had lived anywhere else, Sherry and Ken made one final move to Dayton, VA. Sherry crafted and honed the finest home life one can imagine, and she did it on the fly, with class. She could whip together a gourmet meal in someone else's kitchen with no warning, and no complaint. She could arrange furniture in a room in minutes, deftly solve a friend's problem after hearing just the first part of the story, or build positive energy at a party by simply walking in the door. Although she never called herself an artist, everything Sherry made and did was a display of her joyous art. Cooking, hosting, interior design, organization, conversation, and personal style served as some of the many expressions of her steadfast love. Intelligent and endlessly curious, she loved reading about history, debating politics, and discussing world events. She was never afraid to speak her mind. Sherry is survived by her husband, children, son-in-law Daniel Casey, daughter-in-law Bridget Thrasher, and 9 grandchildren, Noah, Harlee, Sarah, Aidan, Charlotte, Owen, Finn, Lulu, and Veronica. The family will receive friends between 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7th, at Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalists. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 8th at 11 a.m., at Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalists, 4101 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg, VA. Online condolences may be shared with the family at johnsonfs.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Johnson Funeral and Cremation Service in Bridgewater.