Celebrating God's Gifts of Love and Light in the Life of Sherry Keffer

Shared by Tim Lawson, privileged to be the Keffer's pastor at Luling United Methodist Church, 1984-86.

The first message was brief:  “She’s trying to go.  Please pray for rest.”  Six and a half hours later, on Tuesday, September 15, Mary Keffer sent me a second message:  “She passed away at 9 pm.”  Her mother (and our dear friend), Sherry Keffer, had “passed away”.  Thinking of Sherry and all that her kind, loving spirit means to so many of us and her unwavering determination to be a good wife, mother, friend, neighbor, and colleague, two things happened to me.

First, I heard a deep bass pulse from a great church organ followed by the singing of a stirring hymn, “For all the saints, who from their labors rest, who thee, by faith, before the world confessed thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!”  The sound was amazing and all-embracing.  I knew that we were celebrating Sherry’s life and the lives of all the saints, known and unknown to us.  It was a blessed moment.

But wait!  A thought arose.  I sent a text message to Mary, “I immediately thought ‘passed into’ instead of ‘passed away’.”  When thinking about Sherry, ‘passed away’ seems inadequate, cold, and detached.  We cherish her life because she has been and will always be compassionate and connected.  ‘Passed into’ reminded me that Jesus once instructed Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”

Sherry did.  Sherry does!  Sherry has ‘passed into’ a life beyond the limits of our sight or insight.  An historic prayer comes to mind:

For all thy goodness that withheld not her portion in the joys of this earthly life, and for thy guiding hand along the way of her pilgrimage, we give thee thanks and praise.  Especially we bless thee for thy grace that kindled in her heart the love of thy dear name, that enabled her to fight the good fight, to endure unto the end, and to obtain the victory, yea, to become more than conqueror, through him that loveth us.  We magnify thy holy name that, her trials and temptations being ended, sickness and death being passed, with all the dangers and difficulties of this mortal life, her spirit is at home in thy presence, with whom dwelleth eternal peace.  And grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that we who rejoice in the triumph of thy saints may profit by their example, that becoming followers of their faith and patience, we also may enter with them into an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Sherry Smith Keffer, 76, of Frisco, Texas, went to Heaven on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. She was born the oldest (by a few short minutes before her twin arrived) of five children to Lee and Vivian Smith on May 5, 1944, in Madisonville, Ky. She was raised in Tullahoma, Tenn., and attended Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where she received a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry.  Sherry met Charles Witten Keffer, Jr. in the Joy Sunday school class at the Grace United Methodist Church in Atlanta. They married on July 27, 1973. Together they moved from Georgia to Ohio to Iowa to Louisiana to Missouri. They retired to Buffalo, Wy. where for 17 beautiful years they hosted friends and family alike on their ranch.  In 2018, they moved to Frisco, Texas, to be closer to their grandchildren.  At every stop along the journey, Sherry made dear, life-long friends.

 

Sherry devoted her life to serving others, both within and outside of her family.  She served at church, as a troop leader, in the community, and spent time with friends and family. She always put others before herself.  In addition, she was an avid reader, loved to sew, cook, attend musicals, and very much enjoyed spending time with her P.E.O. sisters in both the IY (Frisco, TX) and J (Buffalo, WY) chapters. When living in Buffalo, she spent time with Chuck feeding cattle on their ranch and was actively involved with Habitat for Humanity.

She is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Chuck (also known as Duney) Keffer; their two daughters, Elizabeth Emerson, of Frisco, and Mary Jane Keffer, of Pasco, Wash.; son-in-law, Erik Emerson; grandchildren, Tate Emerson (17) and Megan Emerson (15), of Frisco; an aunt, Dora Keffer; siblings, Mary Simmons (twin), Paula Pope, Bill Smith, and Janie Schaepe; many nieces, nephews, and their families; and many life-long friends.  She was preceded in death by parents, Lee Harris Smith and Vivian Elizabeth Anderson.

Tribute donations can be made in memory of Sherry Keffer via the Tribute icon at the top of this page. During her 2.5 month health crisis, we used CaringBridge as a way to update family and friends.  It allowed Sherry to reconnect with both old and new friends and brought her immense joy during the difficult time.  The mission of CaringBridge is to ensure that no one has to face a difficult journey alone.  CaringBridge is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.