Sherry Neal Shaffer

Sherry was born in Silver Lake, Massachusetts toward the end of the Great Depression to Bessie and Clement Neal. When Sherry was four years old, her father passed away, and she, her mother, and brother, Clement, moved to Zion, Illinois. A few years later, the family moved again, this time to Alhambra, California, where they lived wither her maternal grandfather, George Studebaker.

Sherry graduated from Alhambra High School and later attended the Los Angeles County General Hospital School of Nursing where she graduated as an RN. In 1959, she married Philip Shaffer and together, they settled in San Pedro, California to raise their three sons, Steven, Craig, and Scott. In addition to raising her own family, Sherry opened her heart and her home to abused and abandoned toddlers who found themselves in the care of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

In 1971, the family moved to Thousand Oaks, California. When she felt her children were old enough, Sherry went back to work, this time caring for patients in the medical/surgical floor at Westlake Hospital. During those years she found the time to travel the world – not only for the adventure and camaraderie of her friends, but to learn about nursing techniques in other nations, including the Soviet Union, Mainland China, and numerous countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. She continued to do this until her husband became ill, and she retired to care for him at home.

After Phil’s passing in 1996, she began working for the ministry, God’s Hidden Treasures. She traveled frequently to the Ukraine to assist in the formation of a stroke rehabilitation program and coordinate the delivery of donated medical supplies and wheelchairs to local charities, as well as helping three children from the Ukraine receive prostheses and corrective surgery from Shriners Hospital in Los Angeles. She presented their medial cases to Shriners Hospital, personally escorted the children from the Ukraine to the U.S., and cared for them post-surgery. Once the children had fully recovered and adjusted to their new capabilities, she saw them safely back to their families. Sherry reluctantly retired from this service after limitations caused by her own stroke made it impossible for her to travel such great distances.

One of her dear friends summed her up best: “She left in my heart a deep impression of love and humanity. She was an example of kindness, humility, love and caring.”

Sherry is survived by her three children, Steven, Craig, and Scott; her daughters-in-law Carmin and Deborah; her grandchildren, Phillip, Bradley, Sarah, Rebecca, Clay, and Reid; her brother Clement, as well as nieces, nephews and their extended families.

In lieu of flowers, donations to God's Hidden Treasures may be made in Sherry's memory:

God's Hidden Treasures

C/O Nita Hanson; Attn: Vicki

3321 SW 39th St

Ocala, FL 34474