Sherrill Lee (Becker) Smith, 83
Sherrill Lee (Becker) Smith, age 83 and formerly of Nashua, passed peacefully while under hospice care at the Chippewa Manor Nursing Home in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
Sherrill was born April 25, 1940, in Charles City, to Wilbur Albert Frank Becker and Dorothy Daught (Lindsley) Becker. She grew up with her two older brothers, Ronnie and Chuck, and her younger sister, Marilyn, on her parents’ farm near Nashua. Family was important to her and she had many good memories of her immediate family, her Becker and Lindsley relatives, and her Smith and DeGreve in-laws.
On May 22, 1955, she married Roger Dean Smith, in Cresco. Following their marriage, they lived in Nashua for about a year before Roger enlisted in the Army, which took them to Mineral Wells, Texas.
After Roger’s time in the service, they moved back to the Midwest, living in several places near Nashua, Cresco, and Lime Springs, as well as Harmony, Minnesota. In 1966, they moved to Wisconsin, living near Urne, Nelson, and Pepin. In 1975, they moved to a farm in Schmickle Valley near Dodge, Wisconsin and spent the next 37 years together there. Following their retirement from farming, Sherrill was employed at Ginnie’s Bar and Zeedic’s Bar in Dodge and later as a clerk at the Centerville Stop and Shop convenience store. Many great friends were made along the way.
She loved music and learned to play piano as a young girl along with her brother Chuck and sister Marilyn; many family visits included time spent playing piano and singing. Sherrill had a beautiful singing voice, sounding much like Patsy Cline.
Her childhood dream was to become a professional singer and although she never pursued that, her family and friends enjoyed hearing her sing. She was a voracious reader, a joy that she shared with her children by reading to them when they were young and then encouraging them to become avid readers themselves.
She could often be found playing Scrabble at family gatherings (and usually winning), watching Wheel of Fortune, and doing crossword puzzles.
Sherrill and Roger enjoyed traveling; many trips were made to visit friends and family in Iowa and throughout the western states and even a trip to Hawaii once.
Sherrill also enjoyed decades of many fun get-togethers and adventures with her girlfriends from Centerville.
After Roger’s death in 2012 she moved to an apartment in Trempealeau in 2014 and enjoyed living close to her son Steve while there. Following a heart attack in 2019, Sherrill moved to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin to live with her daughter, Wendy, son-in-law, Scott, and grandson, Logan. They were blessed to be able to spend her last years with her.
Sherrill is survived by four sons, Steve (Cindy) Smith, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, Kevin (Mary) Smith, Maybell, Colorado, Tim (Debra) Smith, Arcadia, Wisconsin, and Patrick (Kimberly) Doss-Smith, Albert Lea, Minnesota; one daughter, Wendy (Scott) Sullivan, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger Smith (2012); her parents, Wilbur (1990) and Dorothy (1998) Becker; brothers, Ronald (2018) and Charles (2019) Becker; sister, Marilyn Dralle (2005); and two sons, Michael (1988) and Edwin (in infancy, 1962).
Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at Wozney-Killian Funeral Home, 1378 E Wilson Ave., Arcadia, Wisconsin.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. until the time of services at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery near Centerville, Wisconsin.
To leave an online condolence for her family, please visit www.wozneykillianfh.com.
