Filed under: Friends of Shery, Photos | Tags: creative, cross stitch, Emily, Ham, Hamilton, high school, humor, laughter, Rob
I first met Sharon (Shery) when I moved to Dallas in 1963. We were in high school. I was new to the area and Shery became a great friend to me. She was one of the top cheerleaders and always had a smile on her face and a ton of friends. Although she was petite she could spring high into the air. She had the most powerful legs I have ever seen. She always delivered her cheers with perfection.
Her parents had a store called Mr. B’s. For many years I loved to shop there during high school, college and long after. It was there I saw Shery often. Then I married and moved from Texas and lost touch with Shery.
In 1978 our family moved to Shreveport. I unexpectedly ran into Shery while waiting at Sear’s to get a baby picture taken. We immediately picked up our friendship again.
Several years later my family left Shreveport when Shery was pregnant with Rob. The big debate was whether he should be called Hamilton – to be shortened to Ham!! Trust me, we were all in favor of Rob and NOT Ham! The debate was o interesting and challenging for Jim and Shery.
My memories of Shery are precious. She was always a nice person to everyone. She had an infectious smile and lovely demeanor. She was always a pleasure to be around. Her abundant talents are too many to list, and she was always willing to share them with everyone. She had the patience of a saint.
Shery taught me to needlepoint and cross-stitch. I enjoyed all the projects she helped me with. I still have a pillow she made for me in 1979. It has been on my sofa all these years. I love the butterflies and how they represent the transistions we go through in life.
Shery faced many transitions, but she never let her illness or accident get her down. Her sense of humor always tickled me during our telephone conversations. Just a small example was how she described her leg “like a shish kabob,” and the way she wore her hair as a “comb over” after her cancer radiation treatments. She laughed her way through those tests.
I sent a perfume to Shery called “Beautiful.” It was a favorite of my mother’s, who also suffered with illness.
Emily, your wonderful mom left to your family a “Beautiful” legacy in the way she lived her life. She appreciated all things beautiful. She never let her disability get her down. She was blessed with talents and we, as her friends, were blessed with her gifts. Her friendship was a treasure.
Filed under: Friends of Shery | Tags: accident, Amanda Self, cross stitch, Emily, framing, Gene Self, Rob
She was here such a short time. We hardly knew her. Shery was the most creative person I ever met. Truly, she was an artist.
I first met her in Dianne Roper’s quaint little shop in Pierremont Common, In Stitches, she had displayed some needlework in frames–Shery’s framing–and Shery was passing out her business cards.
It didn’t take long. Women were buying materials, thread, fabric at In Stitches, then home to begin our “therapy” (house, meals, laundry, children, activities; it could be overwhelming) and all spare moments were used in our needlework. And when the project was completed, it was off to Shery’s frame shop. So often, many of us didn’t know what we wanted, and Shery would take our project and present the many options of frames, borders (or not) and if we couldn’t make up our mind, we would ask her which one SHE liked. Shery’s pick was invariably the one we went with and really liked.
Her framework graces my walls and, to this day, people still ask who does my framing.
Her children were beautiful; they looked like they stepped out of a storybook, only a year apart, Emily and Rob.
Opening day of school, South Highlands Elementary on August 29, 1983: I am seated in a kindergartner’s chair, my little girl standing next to me, hovering close, the room is crowded with other mommies and their five-year-olds and across from me is Shery Reeves. We smile in acknowledgment, our children’s eyes meet, Emily, with dog ears, peering out from her mother’s side, spots Amanda and they stare at each other, recognizing one another from the frame shop but not saying anything, not smiling. I lean over and tell Amanda “you remember Miss Shery, we have been to her frame shop and that’s Emily, her little girl, you remember Emily.” She does not acknowledge anything, just keeps her eyes fixed on Emily. I notice that Shery does the same thing: “you recognize Miss Gene and her daughter, Amanda, they were by the frame shop just last week.” Emily’s eyes stayed glued to Amanda’s.
Funny the things we never forget.
After the accident, Shery was in the hospital for several days, perhaps weeks and the children were farmed out to neighbors, but one evening I received a call from Jim.
He needed Emily and Rob to stay at a neighbor’s for two nights, maybe three–work, hospital, home–he only had two hands. He had found a place for Rob, but Emily would only stay with us. I told him Emily could stay as long as she liked.
Amanda was thrilled–a sister for two, maybe three nights! Emily was always a joy.
With much love and fond remembrances, Gene Self.
Filed under: Birthday, Family | Tags: Birthday, cross stitch, framing, Nancy Thomas, pottery, Rosalyn, Rowe, Roz
I was remembering it was your mom’s birthday. I have many things in this house to remind me of Shery every day. She introduced me to cross stitch, gave me cross stitch and framed most of my cross stitch. All of my Rowe pottery, Nancy Thomas and Willard lamps remind me of her or came from her.
