Obituary of Sherry Jean Shira

On Friday, July 3rd, 2020, Sherry J. Shira, loving wife, mother and grandmother, was called home to be with our Lord. This was truly her Independence Day as she had struggled the last six years to recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury, never fully finding her vibrant, free and energetic self again. Today we find solace in our faith and hers, knowing she has been released from her earthly bounds and is reunited with her beloved horses, parents, family and friends from her past, as they celebrate their reunion and prepare a place for us to join them. What a time that will be!

Sherry was born to Ardell and Gretchen Sitz in Bloomfield, Iowa, on September 28, 1951. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1969 and after a job with Bell Telephone Company she decided to make a change and join the military. In 1975 she joined the Iowa Air National Guard where she met her best friend and wingman for life, Michael Shira. They eloped to Tucson, Arizona to marry on January 27, 1978 and returned to Iowa to serve eight more years, with a short 18 month transfer to the Colorado Air National Guard. In 1986, Sherry followed Mike to Tucson, Arizona with a transfer to the 162nd Fighter Wing, continuing her military career for another 15 years. She could do it all…and did, with excellence! Sherry spent these years in the Operations Group, Medical Squadron, and Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center.  She lived by her motto, “Work hard, play hard” and truly changed lives with her service. Sherry Shira honorably retired as a Chief Master Sergeant in 2001.

To know Sherry was to know true love, true joy and true spontaneity. She pretty much lived on horseback; it was sincerely one of the loves of her life. She could outride anyone! She showed horses in Western and English, she jumped, she raced, she competed in gymkhanas, and she even was a member of the Quadrille de Mujeres; carrying flags and sequence into the Tucson Rodeo Arena. There was never a dull moment and that continued throughout her entire life. Sherry had a connection with horses that was only surpassed by her connection with people. When she wasn’t riding, she was owning karaoke, lighting up the room with her smile, jokes and laughter, traveling, lovin’ on her children and grandchildren, or bending God’s ear to pray for you. You could depend on her for anything! She was everyone’s best friend, “mom”, mentor, and entertainment. This world is a better place because she was a part of it and we will have a continued emptiness in us until we meet again. We love you with all our hearts, Sherry! Thank you for all you gave to us in your short time here.

Sherry is survived by her husband, Michael Shira and three children; Lacey Johnson and her husband, Daniel, Robert Shira and his wife, Brett, and Megan Johansen and her husband Erik. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, with one on the way and her beloved sister, Terry Willson and her husband, Ed. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ardell and Gretchen Sitz.

Services are pending at this time, due to Covid-19. Information about a celebration of life will follow at a later date, when we can give her a proper tribute. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in honor of Sherry Jean Shira to: www.braintrauma.org.