John E. "Jack" Sherry

John E. "Jack" Sherry, devoted husband, father and brother, passed away on March 31, 2014 at Lankenau Hospital. Born in West Philadelphia, he was the oldest child of Emmett P. and Marie Sherry (nee O'Hara). The Sherry family moved to Drexel Hill in 1945, where Jack attended St. Andrew the Apostle School and then West Catholic High School for Boys, graduating in 1950. He was a two letter athlete for Penn State University, where he attended on a football scholarship. At Penn State, Jack set a team record of 8 interceptions in 1952 which held until 1969. In 1954, he led Penn State in receiving yards and tied for the team lead in receptions. He played in the Blue-Grey Senior Bowl and was selected for the All '50s team for the "All time Penn State Football team 1950-1999". Although Jack averaged 14.5 yards a catch and is in the College Hall of Fame, he never considered himself a football star. Jack would say he was basically a basketball player playing football. He walked on the Penn State basketball team as a freshman and was the high scorer for the year. In 1954, he captained one of Penn State's greatest basketball teams where the Nittany Lions advanced to the Final Four. They lost to a strong LaSalle team and then beat Southern Cal for third place in the NCAA tournament. After graduating from Penn State, he married Helen Kenna. During his career, he moved 15 times including two years in the U.S. Navy in Bainbridge, MD where he was selected All Navy and played in the Armed Forces Olympic Basketball Trials. In the early '80s, Jack and Helen returned to the Philadelphia area where he started his own manufacturing sales rep group after a successful career at American Seating Company in Grand Rapids, MI. Jack is survived by his children and their spouses Dr. Jack Patrick Sherry (Wendy) of Iowa City, IA, Susan Sherry Fox (Kenyon) of LaGrange, IL, Michael Joseph Sherry (Leslie) of Rapid City, SD, Christine Helen Murray (Christopher) of Chatham, NJ, Stephen Emmett Sherry (Nancy) of Elko, MN;, his 14 grandchildren Sean, Kelly, Katie, Bryan Sherry; Sullivan and Delaney Fox; Brenna and Kayla Sherry, Zachary Noble, Caitlin, Meghan and Conor Murray; Stefanie and Lauren Murray. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Joan Sherry Hunt (the late James), Maryanne Sherry Snow (Edward), Patrick Sherry (Margie), Rosemarie Sherry Maguire (Patrick) and Joseph Sherry (Dena). He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Helen. Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing Sunday, April 6, 2014 6:00-9:00 PM The Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike (cor. Lynn Blvd.), Upper Darby, PA (610) 449-0300 and to his Funeral Mass Monday, April 7, 2014 10:00 AM St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 3500 School Lane, Drexel Hill, PA. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham, PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 would be appreciated.