Sherry Lynn Marshall
December 15, 1966 to September 17, 2006
It is with heavy heart that this memorial is being
submitted, but it is very much earned and deserved.
One of our cherished members, Sherry Marshall, passed
away on September 17, 2006 after a long, courageous battle with breast
cancer. Sherry had been a member with the Maine Trail Riders
Association over the last several years. Throughout those years
she has served on the Board of Directors as well as holding office as
the clubs Treasurer.
She was a very active member throughout the years, even
if she did make us both ditch the painting work bee for the shed
addition so she could go buy her equine soul mate Jet, from Hemphill's.
She enjoyed her time riding, volunteering, and just hanging out at all
the club functions and has left her mark with many.
I met Sherry when we were early teens (of course she
was older). It was a slow to grow friendship with me starting
things off with a bang by putting burdocks between her saddle blanket
and lesson horse's back during her first lesson, trying to get her
bucked off. Needless to say the only thing I accomplished was a
sore back on the horse and grounded from my lessons for two weeks.
I couldn't believe that after what I tried to do to her she spent the
following next two weeks talking to me and trying to keep my spirits up
until I could start back with my riding lessons once more. That
was the start of a deep rooted friendship that grew and kept growing
until the very last day of her life.
I know she has touched many lives during her short time
on earth with us and has been an inspiration to so many. When she
was diagnosed with her breast cancer, we sat and cried together for some
time, then she looked at me, told me to get it together and be strong
because she had a lot of living to do in a short time...and live is what
she did.
Sherry managed to do a cattle drive in Montana six
months after her initial diagnosis, two months of radiation and three
months of chemo. A few of us were lucky enough to share in the
making of that memory and it will always have a special place in our
hearts. Jell-O Shots and all. Over the next, much too
quickly passing years she travelled with her friends, for a trail ride
in Maryland for her famous "Top on the Jell-O Shot" trip as well as
numerous trips to Brookfield, NY and her life long wish of travelling
through Ireland on horseback.
She was an accomplished horse person, but had many
other accomplishments as well. Her most cherished, I believe would
be in December 2005 she decided that she would obtain her solo pilots
license and managed to do so and take her solo flight on June 16, 2006.
She set out and accomplished just about everything she planned on doing.
She took seven much too short years of life and lived a life that most
people would never be able to live over three life times.
With that, I must say, Sherry was my inspiration, my
guiding force and my life long best friend. She leaves a empty
space that will never be filled. Until we meet again my friend,
ride them high in the sky.
Sandy Craig
