Sherry DeCorte

1956 - 2016

Sherry Lynn Gibbons DeCorte, beloved daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, teacher and friend, passed away Oct. 4, 2016, in Salem, Oregon, after a short battle with cancer.

Sherry was born March 20, 1956, in Lancaster, California, but spent her formative years in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where she attended Skyline High School. In 1985, she moved to Boise, Idaho, where she met the love of her life, John Diaz.

Sherry next moved to Salem in 2003, where she attended Chemeketa Community College, earning a degree in early childhood education. She worked for several years in that field, most recently with the Head Start Program in Salem.

Sherry was a woman of faith who made friends easily and had a lot of love in her heart. She loved her family, her friends, her dogs and just about everyone she met. But, she particularly loved her little students at Head Start, and they dearly miss her. Sherry found a calling in teaching, spending a lot of time preparing ways to teach more effectively and to connect with her students. She was always great with children, who gravitated to her. She also loved to go camping and do embroidery. She had a special place in her heart for the less fortunate, children or adults, and would go out of her way to help others.

Sherry always remembered birthdays, holidays and special occasions, when she would send cards full of love and encouragement. She loved to read and to write and wrote several touching poems during her life. Everyone who knew or loved her will remember her smile, her laugh, her quick wit and sense of humor and the twinkle in her eyes.

Sherry is survived by her mother and father, Trudy and Chuck Gibbons; her children, Aislyn DeCorte and Charles DeCorte; her sisters, Julie Headrick, Cindy Gibbons and Kelly Gibbons; her brother, Steve; her granddaughter, Kylie, and her grandson, Jonathan; several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles; and many friends. Her partner, John Diaz, and brother, Curtis Gibbons, preceded her in death.

There will be a memorial service in Boise, Idaho, at a later date.