The Artist known as Sheryl Kaye (Reed) Waddell has passed away. She was born February 28th, 1947, to Coy and Marylee (Graham) Reed.
She married Jerry D. Waddell in Mt. Vernon, IL on February 9th, 1963. They were blessed with 38 years of marriage and laughter. She is survived by (her Babygirl) daughter Joee Waddell and her husband Reaggie Green of Jacksonville, FL. She was Nana to her sweet granddaughters: Sarah Bertrand, husband Robert, of Mt. Vernon, and Mary Haile, husband Patrick, of Bluford, IL. She was so proud of her great-grandchildren: Graham, Bridget, Eliza, and Duke Bertrand and Georgia and Shepherd Haile. Sheryl Kaye was a big sister to Kathy Dains, husband Tag, of Mt. Vernon and Terri Lewis, husband Sammie, of Bloomington, IL. She was Aunt “Sugar” to many nieces and nephews whom she adored. They returned her love tenfold. Sheryl was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and daughter Stacie Dawn Waddell and sister Donna Raye Gregory, and in-laws Byrum “Red” and Madeline Waddell.
At her request, no formal funeral service will be held. For Sheryl, Nana, Aunt Sugar, living was a work of art. A work of art she spread over the five states she lived in: Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Maryland, and Florida. As an artist she worked in the traditional sense of paint, canvas, or on other media. She always made sure there were plenty of supplies to work with. Some might call it hoarding, but it was organized! Her creative talents carried over into the day-to-day; nothing mundane could be left mundane.
She loved staging parties as if they were a play: You did not dare show up if you were not ready to be an actor in her production. Just put on the pirate hat, the beard, the eye patch, and go with it. There could be no ordinary food served in no ordinary way. Every dish was made with the Sheryl tweak and secret sauce and served with flames or feathers, or tiny patio furniture. She knew how to get through the day with a laugh and the humor showed in her paintings. She took her inspiration from nature’s beauty and could name hundreds of birds and flowers and kept guidebooks nearby should she run across the unidentified. And to get all of this creative theater of life going and to get all of us actors on her stage, she had to be the BOSS! She has left her family with many blessings and works of art and an appreciation of a life well lived. They will miss her and do well to emulate the art.
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.
