Sherri is survived by her devoted husband, Tom Rambo of Olathe, KS; her children, Bethany Rambo Cleland of Overland Park, KS, Wade Rambo of Gardner, KS, and Melanie (Sage) Isenmann of Merriam, KS; her grandchildren, Drake Cleland, Jolie Rambo, Jadie Rambo, Royal Isenmann, and Dane Isenmann; her mother, Joan Calton of Olathe, KS; and her siblings, Janna Shults of Olathe, KS, Lissa (Greg Fleming) Shults of Hilo, HI, and Rob (Janie) Shults of Olathe, KS.
She is preceded in death by her father, Royal Shults of Atchison, KS, and her maternal grandparents, Harry and Ruby Ruff of Coffeyville, KS.
Sherri was born on September 3, 1950, in Coffeyville, KS to Royal and Joan. She attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS where she met the love of her life, Tom Rambo. The two were married on December 30, 1972, in Timmons Chapel on the university campus. Over seven years they welcomed their three children into the world and as the children grew into adults and started their own families, Tom began referring to their family as the “Rambo 5.”
Sherri had a successful career in call center management that culminated in her last eight years of work with the City of Olathe. She was very proud of the work that she did and enjoyed leading successful teams. She was also very proud of achieving career successes while simultaneously raising her children with Tom and eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ottawa University.
Sherri had many passions in life, including gardening, crafting, scrapbooking, reading, adopting (and doting on) shelter dogs, and advocating for the humane treatment of animals. After retirement, she pursued a long-held interest in baking and cooking. She enjoyed making delicious meals and sweet treats for her family, including her famous cherry cheesecake.
Tom was the love of Sherri’s life, but her children and grandchildren were the lights of her life. The love and pride she had for her three children and five grandchildren was apparent anytime they were around her or when she spoke of them. When Sherri loved, she loved fiercely and you always knew that she would be there when you needed her.
A private family burial will be held at Heart Land Prairie Cemetery in New Cambria, KS. The family will host a celebration of life on Saturday, April 6, 2024, from 1-3 PM at McGilley and Frye Funeral Home, 105 E. Loula St., Olathe, KS 66061.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Sherri’s favorite non-profit, and the place where she adopted so many of her beloved animals, LL Dog Rescue at P.O. Box 8545, Shawnee Mission, KS 66208.
The family would like to thank the countless doctors, nurses, and hospital staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center who worked valiantly to bring Sherri back to us. Your care and effort for our beloved Sherri did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. They would also like to specifically thank the transplant team at KU Med that gave her a new heart and helped her rehabilitate from the transplant surgery back in June 2023. And they would like to thank the anonymous organ donor and their family who were the reason she was able to have the transplant surgery in the first place.
The family would also like to thank the doctors, nurses and hospital staff at Olathe Medical Center, the University of Oklahoma Medical Center, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the life-saving procedures performed on her throughout the years that gave us 20 extra years with her that we might not have had if not for the amazing doctors, nurses, caregivers and advancements in cardiac medicine and treatment.
SHARE OBITUARYSHARE
v.1.11.6