Sheryl K. Johnson

Sheryl K. Johnson June 27, 1959 ~ May 12, 2015 Sheryl K. Johnson, 55, passed away peacefully on May 12, 2015, in her Wenatchee, WA home, surrounded by her loving husband and family. She was born June 27, 1959, in Seattle, WA to Reverend Jim and Joy Westerfield-Maxey, miraculously surviving a premature birth at only four pounds. After spending most of her childhood in a pastor's home, Sheryl graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1977. While attending Northwest College, she met the love of her life, Bill Johnson, through mutual friends. She soon transferred to Central Washington University, where she and Bill began dating and were soon married in March of 1981. That same year, Sheryl graduated from Central with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Developmental Psychology and went to work for Comprehensive Mental Health in Yakima as a therapist for senior citizens. In October of 1982, her first son, Brock Palmer, was born and then, in August of 1985, she delivered her second son, Gavin Nathaniel. She joined Yakima Foursquare Church in 1991 as Children's Pastor and served in this position until 2002. In this role, Sheryl's many talents for helping people and building them up made incredibly positive impacts on countless lives. During this time, Sheryl arranged numerous successful youth events around the Yakima and international communities, including children's summer camps in Norway. In 2005, she and Bill moved to Wenatchee, where she was involved in multiple community organizations, including the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, and Young Lives teen mom support group. Aside from her career helping people of all ages, she was also a writer of short stories and prayer journals, wonderful public speaker, "gatherer" of friend groups, Harley rider, softball player, water and snow skier, decorator, wedding coordinator, and world traveller. Fourteen years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and told she likely had only a short time to live. Since then, she showed the disease how tough and upbeat she could be, outliving the odds by well over a decade, during which time she climbed the Great Wall of China; was present for the birth and first year of life of her first grandson, Wesley; met beloved daughters-in-law, Clara and Ryan; took part in the wedding celebrations of both her sons; rode across the western U.S. and Canada in multiple directions on the back of Bill's Harley with their close friends, Debbie and Dave Cole; took her parents, Jim and Joy and sons to Mexico; continued to use her talents for the good of many local community organizations; made new friends everywhere she went; and danced whenever she could. Her strong Christian faith was instrumental to her survival and kept her living through multiple near brushes with death, from infancy until she left this week to join God in Heaven. She is survived by her husband, Bill; sons, Brock and Gavin and their wives, Ryan and Clara; grandson, Wesley; parents, Jim and Joy, and father-in-law, Richard; sister, Cindy and brothers-in-law, Mike and John; sisters-in-law, Maureen and Melinda; nephews, Andy, Blaine, and Connor, and nieces, Korissa, Alicia, Holly, Cassie, Ashlen and Alyssa; and many cousins, friends; and beloved pets, Abby and Shorty. According to her adoring husband, Sheryl was an eclectic free spirit, who could see "what someone or something could become" and "found the good things in people and situations, even where most people couldn't." She will be forever remembered as an extraordinary daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, friend, and world changer. A Celebration of Sheryl's Life will be held Sunday, May 24, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. at Wenatchee First Assembly of God Church, 1520 McKittrick Street. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made, in Sheryl's name, to the Young Life organization. Arrangements are assisted by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.

Sheryl K. Johnson

June 27, 1959 - May 12, 2015