Though small in stature, Sherry lived a big life impacting many as a bossy sibling, loving spouse, encouraging parent/grandparent, dedicated co-worker and “force of nature” during periods of both adversity and fun-filled adventure. Sherry Detillian of Columbus, Ohio, died peacefully on May 13, 2024, just shy of her 86th birthday.
She was born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1938 to James and Hazel Carsten, who welcomed her to the family as their first-born of what would become a tightly knit family including three busy children. She attended Cuyahoga Falls High School before earning a B.S. in Journalism at Bowling Green State University. Sherry was recognized as one of the few women earning a Journalism degree during her tenure at BGSU. It was there that she met the love of her life, Dick Rohrs.
While attending a fraternity party, Sherry met a dashing young man named Dickison Dean Rohrs from Hamler, Ohio. During that cold winter’s evening, a snowball fight ensued that would ignite a friendship resulting in a college romance ultimately culminating in a Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio wedding in August 1960. Excited to start their new lives together, the two relocated to Columbus, Ohio where Dick began his career at The Ohio State University.
Within a year after arriving in Columbus, Dick and Sherry welcomed their first child Daniel Lee Rohrs. While living in an Ohio State dormitory, they mentored first-year college students while entertaining the budding academicians with the antics of their little boy. Several years later, the young family welcomed their second child Kathryn Ann Rohrs. With the family growing, they abandoned dorm life and moved to the quiet local suburbs eventually moving into their first home in Upper Arlington, Ohio. This “starter home” would end up being the family’s home base for the next 52 years.
Life for the Rohrs family in UA was filled with making new friends and enjoying time with wonderful neighbors. The Rohrs were thriving until tragedy struck the family when Dick Rohrs died unexpectedly in February, 1974. Devastated, Sherry and the kids moved forward with the love and never ceasing assistance of friends and family. Sherry, determined to support the family, then started her career at The Ohio State University. This would be the beginning of a several decades long career at the University including stints with the Ohio State University Police Department, Departments of Aviation and Facilities Operations & Management. When Sherry retired, she was widely recognized as an extremely hard worker and strong contributor to every department served.
Sherry loved her children and worked tirelessly to provide for her family. Through the fruits of her labor and the provision of the Lord, the family learned how to “make do” through the lean times and become creative with all sorts of leftovers. Although not always the most demonstrable of mothers, Sherry instilled a sense of grit and strength that would continue to serve the kids well to this day. Always adaptable, remarkably resilient and fiercely loyal to her friends and family, Sherry demonstrated what true friendship and parenthood was all about.
Sherry always loved to travel and explore the world. Whether as a chaperone on a high school trip to Mexico, a family Grand Canyon white water rafting trip or a six-week motorcycle trip across the country with her then husband, Harold Detillian, she was always game to experience new cultures, meet new people and see the world. Sherry embraced venturing into the unknown. As her daughter has always said about her mom, “The biggest gift our mom ever gave us was wings.”
Though she loved traveling and rooting for her OSU Buckeyes, Sherry’s favorite role was that of a grandparent. She treasured her time with her grandkids and loved being their grandma, never failing to attend a youth sporting event, music performance or church function. She was always willing to babysit, take the grandkids for a weekend or venture to Texas to experience grandparenthood in the Lone Star State.
Sherry was a long-time member of First Community Church in Marble Cliff. Likewise, she spent more than two decades as a member of Christian Fellowship Church in Columbus and most recently attended the Refinery Church in Hilliard, Ohio.
Sherry was preceded in death by her parents James and Hazel Carsten, husband Dick Rohrs, and Harold Detillian. She is survived by her siblings Carol (Jim) Letvin and niece Jennifer, Jim (Marcia) Carsten, nephew Justin and niece Lauren and their families, son Dan (Libbie) Rohrs and grandchildren Austin, Wesley and Carson Rohrs, daughter Kathy (Jamie) Rohrs Wilhelm and grandchildren JD (Taylor) Wilhelm, Jason (Karley) Wilhelm as well as numerous nieces, nephews and related family members.
In lieu of flowers Sherry would welcome donations to the local chapters of: The American Heart Association and Alzheimer’s Association
Funeral service for Sharon will be held Sunday, May 19, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221, followed by a visitation from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
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