WILMINGTON — Sheryl Denise Shaw was ushered into the arms of her Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ on Monday evening, May 12, 2025.
Sherry, as she was affectionately called by all who knew and loved her, was born May 21, 1965, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to her parents Charles and Patricia Shaw. She spent most of her childhood in Rocky Mount where she and her brother surrendered their lives to Jesus. Sherry was 9 years old, and this was also the day their father rededicated his life to Jesus.
Sherry moved from Rocky Mount to Olathe, Kansas during her junior high school years. Her family spent one year there before moving to Fayetteville, North Carolina where she graduated from Douglas Byrd High School. In 1990 Sherry graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina where she majored in Religious Education and Music. At Campbell she sang during her summer months with a group called “Witness”. They traveled, singing in churches all over the state.
She inherited her love for music and art from both parents. Her mother sings like an angel, her father has a smooth-sounding bass voice, and her grandmother taught herself how to play the piano by ear; giving Sherry a firm musical foundation with which she could spread her wings and fly. Sherry had perfect pitch, learning and perfecting her alto voice in choral class. She and her best friend Patty would have fierce vocal competitions on their drive to school. Sherry’s life-long love for music began at an early age when she and her brother discovered her mother and uncle’s “45’s” in their grandmother’s attic. This led them to an appreciation of music ranging from the “oldies” of the fifties and sixties, “classic rock” from the seventies and eighties, Jesus Music from the seventies, (with Second Chapter of Acts, Matthew Ward, Keith Green, and others), to the dawning of the Contemporary Christian music and the worship music we know today. Not only did Sherry sing but she learned piano from an early age and later learned the guitar and ukulele.
Upon graduation from Campbell, she worked in Winston-Salem as a manager trainee for Zondervan Family Book Stores. She moved to Richardson, Texas after completing her training and managed the Family Book Store there.
Coming from a long line of pastors, missionaries, deacons, and Sunday School teachers, (spanning both sides of the family), left little room for Sherry to hide. In 1993, she sensed God’s call to surrender to full time Christian service, so she enrolled in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. As a student she managed the AV Center in the campus library, which is really no surprise. Any visitor to Sherry’s home, or any of the several churches where she served, would quickly observe her love for books and reading.
Even from an early age, love for books, reading, and learning was handed down to her by her parents. During Sherry and Robert’s childhood, you would often find their mother sitting on the floor and reading their favorite books to them. As they grew older the brother and sister duo were shuttled to and from the local library where they checked out as many books as allowed. This value was also imparted by their Grandad Shaw, (also a minister), who had a great fondness for books. All the Shaw grandchildren were mesmerized by the promise that one day, whichever child surrendered to the ministry, would inherit his library.
During her time as a SWBTS student she also served as Preschool Ministries Assistant at First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Southwestern Seminary with a master’s degree in religious education in 1997.
Sherry served for twenty-eight years ministering to children and their parents. The churches where she served include: Kingwood First Baptist, Kingwood, Texas; First Baptist, Norfolk, Virginia; First Baptist, Lewisville, Texas; Aversboro Road Baptist, Garner, North Carolina; Pritchard Memorial Baptist, Charlotte; First Baptist, Charlotte; and Coastal Community Baptist, Wilmington.
Sherry had a love for children that exceeded any other personal interests. She led many children to Christ, and her passion was discipleship. That led her to co-author a book while she was at First Baptist Norfolk. Its title was “I’m a Christian Now”. The book served as a catalyst to LifeWay’s curriculum, “I’m a Christian Now.”
She was an avid Bible student and was very diligent at studying her Bible as she gathered knowledge of Biblical backgrounds and history. She was always available to discuss Scripture, especially her favorite book, Isaiah.
Her distinct sense of humor was expressed in her choice of comedies, her skill in telling funny stories and jokes, and her unequaled “Far Side” Comic Book collection.
Sherry is survived by her parents Charles and Patricia Shaw; her brother and his wife, Robert and Jackie Shaw; nephew, Stephen Shaw and his wife, Amber; niece, Heather Albin and her husband, Brian; and three grand nephews.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Coastal Community Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC Friday, June 6 at 2:00 PM and visitation will be held one hour prior. The service will also be livestreamed.
Flowers or donations can be sent to Coastal Community Baptist Church, 7721 Alexander Rd., Wilmington, NC 28411, 910-686-7775.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 NIV
