In memory of

Sheri Lynn Nagao

Sheri Lynn Nagao passed away peacefully on November 5th. Following her stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis in late July, Sheri chose to forego aggressive treatment and return to the comfort of the home she loved. Throughout her illness and final days, she was lovingly cared for by her devoted husband of 34 years, Bob, and her beloved daughter, Kristen.

Sheri grew up surrounded by a large Italian family in Inglewood, California. After high school, she was offered a scholarship to a prestigious art school but, due to circumstances beyond her control, was unable to attend.

In 1980, Sheri packed up little Kristen in her metallic green Volkswagen Beetle and left California. They moved to the Tri-Cities, where she would meet the love of her life. She and Bob were married in 1984 and the Nagaos became a family of three. From the beginning, they complemented each other in so many ways. As they approached retirement, Bob and Sheri looked forward to traveling and more time by each other’s side.

Although her formal education in the arts wouldn’t be possible, Sheri never lost her creative spirit. She painted, drew, crafted, made jewelry and tended her backyard garden full of succulents and flowers. She loved the thrill of finding a good deal, a treasured antique or re-purposing something forgotten into something memorable and unique.

Her parents, R.C. and Holly Smith, loved to entertain and Sheri inherited her mother’s eye for making an event perfect. From the menu to the music, Sheri made every holiday gathering special. No detail was too small; she loved to make things beautiful. Kristen remembers her mom making Christmas extra special. Each year, Sheri made the excitement of the season come alive and seeing this coming Christmas was her biggest wish. She would have loved spending time with family, especially her granddaughter, Sage. It was fitting that on her last night, she opened her eyes at the sound of her favorite holiday songs. 

Sheri was also a talented hairdresser and a skilled house-cleaner. Her clients became like family to her. She had been with some of the same people for nearly 30 years. Sheri cherished the everlasting friendships she made in the Tri-Cities. She especially loved whale watching trips to the coast with her best friend, Sharon. When she wasn’t working or making things ‘just so’, she could be found watching Perry Mason, old movies or reading romance novels with her boys, Sinjin a shih tzu and Spike a lucky rescue pup by her side. 

Sheri was preceded in death by her firstborn daughter, Shawna Marie Smith, her parents, and her brother, John, and sister, Deblyn. Her fur babies Sinjin and Spike.  She is survived by her husband, Robert “Bob,” daughter and son-in-law, Kristen and Damien Taylor, and granddaughter, Sage JoLynn, of Coeur d’Alene.  She is also survived by sister-in-law, Pam Nagao (Utah), brothers and sisters-in-law, Denny and Linda Nagao (Colorado) and Steve (Wendy) Nagao (Utah), as well as nieces Holly Tuthill (California) and Madison Jordan (Michael) (Utah).