Sherry Elizabeth Stirewalt Shuford, born in Asheville, NC and having lived most of her life in Hickory, NC, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2023. After a long battle with a brain tumor, she spent her final morning lovingly surrounded by her family.

Sherry was born on April 13, 1958 to her mother, Cathy Stirewalt. After graduating from Western Carolina University, Sherry had a fulfilling career as a social worker and was widely respected throughout the Catawba County School system. In her free time she also led an annual Christmas gift-giving service for families in need during the holiday season. For over a decade, Sherry would personally hand-deliver gifts to these families. This ensured children had presents to open each year, while also making sure those families had day-to-day basic necessities. For years, she was the closest thing to Santa Claus that these children ever experienced.

In 1984, she married Rick Shuford and together they raised two children. Known as Momma to her two sons and Nini to her three grandchildren, Sherry was an affectionate, unconditionally loving core to her family. There was nothing she loved more than being around those she cared about most. For over three decades, she helped organize family beach trips that ensured her immediate family and extended family understood the importance of family and maintaining those relationships. The latest trip, in July 2023, that family beach trip had reached a total of 20 family members, all of whom would reside under one roof for a week. With the arrival of her newest granddaughter 24 hours after Sherry’s passing, the family will still be able to keep that beach trip going with at least 20+ family members in 2024.

When she wasn’t with her family, Sherry loved being around her lifelong best friends. Around these friends, she would let her hair down, and on more than a couple of occasions would lead to personal requests from Sherry to go to IHOP for late-night pancakes, of which she would rarely order. She simply didn’t want those nights with loved ones to end.

Sherry was an incredibly selfless person. She was a fierce defender of her family, as well as strangers who might be seen as the underdogs of society. Her compassion knew no bounds, and rarely did she ever ask for anything in return for it.

She is survived by her mother Cathy, sons Matthew and Cory, sisters Charla and Shannon, brother Shawn, and grandchildren Parker, Lennox, Taron and Perri. As well as a multitude of extended family members.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers and cards, donations be sent to Ronald McDonald House Charity at rmhc.org/donate.

A celebration of life service will be held for Sherry at 2:00 PM on October 7, 2023 at Catawba Country Club, immediately followed by a casual gathering of family and friends until 5:00 PM. Her ashes will be spread in Garden City, SC during the 2024 family beach trip.