Sherry Sue (Cawhorn) Christopher

Celebration of Life for Sherry Sue Cawhorn Christopher, 60 of Roland, Oklahoma will be 4:00 – 5:30 pm on November 28, 2018 at Agent Mallory Martin Chapel in Muldrow, Oklahoma.

Sherry Sue Cawhorn Christopher was born on December 26, 1957 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Ruth Lavonne Moss Cawhorn and Jerry Gene Cawhorn and passed away on November 22, 2018 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. She was married to Thomas Christopher, Jr. on March 17, 1999 in Las Vegas, NV. She retired from Darby Junior High after 27 years of service and was a Science Teacher at Muldrow Public High School. She was Nationally Board Certified in Science and was well known for her Corn Snakes, Okie and Angel.

Sherry was raised on the family farm in Vian and her love of animals and nature began there. She loved the land and the creatures that called it home. On the farm is where she learned to work hard and it showed in her strong work ethic throughout her life. No task was ever too big for her. Sherry loved her family most of all. She was a devoted wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and teacher. Whatever she did, she did it well. Her adventures took her from one end of the U.S. to the other and abroad. Life was full and she wanted to do it all.

Sherry attended and graduated from Vian Public Schools in 1976. She earned an Associate of Science from Connors State College in 1978 and a Bachelors of Science in Education from Northeastern University in 1980.

Sherry often spent her summers furthering her knowledge at workshops such as Trek of the Mammoth, SEA, and Marine Ecology. She began her teaching career as a girl’s basketball coach and science teacher at Nowata Public Schools in 1980. She had a long career at Fort Smith Public Schools from 1986 – 2016. Sherry became a National Board Certified Teacher in Science/Early Adolescence in 2006. After retiring from Arkansas, she began teaching at Muldrow High School in the fall of 2016. Sherry was instrumental in bringing blood drives to Muldrow Public School. Sherry loved the flower beds that she built and maintained with the help of her students. She wrote and was awarded several grants, many used to purchase equipment and materials and take students on numerous field trips.

Sherry earned a long list of professional honors and awards, including: Regional Finalist in Arkansas Teacher of the Year, 2001 ISEF Regional Science Fair Teacher of the Year, 1994 Fort Smith Public School Teacher of the Year, 1992 Sebastian County, Arkansas State, and National Conservation Teacher of the Year. Sherry was also active in many organizations, including: NEA, AEA, OEA, NSTA, and ISEF. She actively worked to bring the Janet Huckabee River Valley Nature Center to this area.

Survivors are:

husband: Thomas of the home

parents: Jerry and Ruth Cawhorn of Vian, OK

1 sister: Cindy Dorr and Joe of Vian, OK

1 nephew: Whitman Jameson and wife, Danielle, of Greenwood, AR

1 step daughter: Amee Davis and husband, Hal, of Hackett, AR

1 step grandson: Zach Bridges of Springdale, AR

numerous other relatives and friends

Honorary Pallbearers will be Linda Patton and all current and former students.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Muldrow High School Science Department or the Janet Huckabee River Valley Nature Center.