May 02, 1947 - January 09, 2009

Dedicated mother, grandmother, coach, and born leader touched many lives

Sherrie Ellis Lince, born May 02, 1947, in Longview, Washington passed away on Jan. 09, 2009, in Newcastle, Washington. Sherrie had done much travelling throughout the country and had lived in California, Florida, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. She attended Marshall High School in Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1965. She attended Lower Columbia College in Longview and Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington. Sherrie had a diverse background and did many different jobs in her life. She worked one summer with a carnival in Canada/Northern US, was a long distance operator, a quality control inspector in a ski jacket factory, a telephone solicitor, a para-professional educator/instructional assistant and a manager of retail clothing stores. Helping children and young adults was always very important to her and she touched many young lives through being a tutor for Longview/Kelso Indian Education, a coach and secretary of Junior Bowling in Kelso, the President of Longview Babe Ruth, a baseball coach in Longview Little League and Bremerton Peewees, a volunteer at Bremerton Indian Education and a Girl Scout Leader and Service Unit Chair in the Misty Harbor Association. Her volunteerism also including working with and chairing many community programs to include President & Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Photographic Society, Superintendant of the Kitsap Fair Photography Department, a member of the Development Committee of the Chinook Indian Nation, Amnesty International, Sierra Club, National Organization of Women, Darfur Now, the Democratic National Committee and volunteered for the Obama Get Out the Vote effort this past year. Sherrie was a talented photographer and won many awards for her art. She also enjoyed genealogy, family history, reading, politics, her children and her grandchildren.

Surviving Relatives Sherrie is preceded in death by her father, Manley Minsker (when she was three years of age) and her husband, Doug Lince (d.2001). She is survived by her parents Walt and Jean Wakefield; siblings Linda (Ron) Pyle, Skip Wakefield, Jon (Ilene) Wakefield and Paula Payne; dear friend and former husband Larry Ellis; daughters Beth Richardson and Kate Elliott and son, Leo Ellis; grandchildren Eddie Elliott and Natalie Perez, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

FUNERAL INFORMATION

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, Jan 18th, 2009 at 12:30 pm at the home of Roberta and Darrell Trotter, 1841 Pillar Rock Road, Rosburg, WA 98643.

Per Sherrie's wishes, her ashes will be scattered at Raven's Rock on the River, please dress appropriately. The Gathering after the Scattering will be potluck.

A memorial bentwood cedar box will be available to leave small pictures, letters or other mementos in remembrance of Sherrie at the service.

DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers and condolences, please send donations in Sherrie's name to the Elliott Family Reunion: 6947 Coal Creek Pkwy SE #710, Newcastle, WA 98059 or the Chinook Indian Nation: PO Box 228, Chinook, WA 98614.

Memorial

Sunset Description by Sherrie

"This was what the evening was like for my son Leo and I on Thanksgiving. To the left of the sun you can see the Astoria Bridge. You are looking towards the mouth of the Columbia taken from the Washington side and somewhat turned to the Oregon side."

Nov 2002

Just as the Wave Cannot Exist

Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me. It is an uncomfortable doctrine which the true ethics whisper into my ear. You are happy, they say; therefore you are called upon to give much. 

Albert Schweitzer