Sherrin Louise Patterson

Sherrin Louise Sharpe was born October 12, 1965 at the Fort Sill Oklahoma Hospital to 2nd Lieutenant Gerald W. “Jerry” Sharpe and Mary Katherine “Kathy” Kennedy Sharpe. Having been born into a career military family, she first lived in Lawton, Oklahoma and moved to Norman, Oklahoma in 1970.  The family then moved to Fort Benning, Georgia in 1972; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1975, Schwabisch Gmund, Germany in 1976, and Red Springs, North Carolina in July of 1979. Sherrin attended Red Springs High School and graduated in June, 1983. 

While attending high school, Sherrin met her future husband James Patterson, who was one year ahead of her in school. They started dating after she went to college at the University of Oklahoma in September of 1983.  She returned to Red Springs in the summer of 1984 and again in the summer of 1985.  When she and James fell in love that summer they moved in together in a small home in Red Springs.  As most young couples did they each worked two jobs.

Their first daughter, Shamara Nicole, was born in Lumberton, NC on September 29, 1987 and their son James Christopher “Chris” was born on December 25, 1988.  Just two months after Chris was born, James was offered a job in Maryland, so he moved and began looking for a place for the family to live.  In August, 1989 the family moved into a small apartment in Riverdale, Maryland.

In December 1990, the family moved to Germantown where they lived on Highstream Drive for ten years.  During this time their daughter, Ashley Marie, was born in Prince Georges County, Maryland on January 9, 1991. Nicole started school at the Ronald McNair Elementary School in 1992, and she was later joined by Chris and Ashley.  Both Sherrin and James became very active in school activities, chaperoning field trips, volunteering to cover in classrooms for absent teachers, and helping out in any way possible.  As a result of these activities Sherrin was first hired in a paid position as a lunch aide and a recess aide. 

In the summer of 1994 Sherrin was asked to help out in the office, and everyone was impressed with her willingness to help and learn. She did part time work in the school office during summers for a few years. When the school secretary retired, she was asked to fill in part time and later was hired full time. Over the years Sherrin became an institution at the school.  She helped train new principals and staff and influenced the lives of hundreds of children.  In recent years many of her former students sent their own children to Sherrin’s school where she began influencing the lives of a second generation.  She was loved by all who worked with her, and her passing has left a huge hole in the Ronald McNair School family.

In 2000 the family moved to a home on Dunbar Terrace in Germantown.  Sherrin continued to work at McNair and later became the part time manager of the Germantown Soccerplex, working weekends and a few nights for nearly seven years. During this time she and James tried their hand at selling and catering barbeque.  They created a small business called GRILL TO GO!  In 2008 they moved to their current home on Beacon Hill Way in Gaithersburg, Maryland. After quitting work at the Soccerplex, Sherrin and James formally created a barbeque business called BANGIN BBQ in 2015.  With the help of their children and some friends they were successful enough to purchase a food truck in 2017.  Sherrin truly enjoyed her days motorcycle riding with James, spending time at the beach, and spending quality time and laughs with her three grandchildren which knew her as G MA!

Sherrin Louise Patterson passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family after a two and one half year valiant battle with stage 4 colon/rectal cancer.  She spent her last ten days at Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown and passed away at 1:41 am Wednesday morning, March 1, 2023.

Sherrin is survived by her husband of 37 years, James; her oldest daughter, Shamara Nicole McCalla and her daughter, Londyn Rose, age 9; her son, James Christopher “Chris”, fiancée, Stephanie Lacy, and their daughter Giselle Brianna, age 7; and  her daughter, Ashley Marie and daughter, Tiana Skye, age 4; a brother, Sean Raymond Sharpe, and wife, Andrea, of Raleigh, North Carolina: a brother, Terrence William “Terry” Sharpe, and wife, Dawn, of Houston, Texas; and a sister, Barbara Michelle “Shelley” Vonderharr, and husband, Pete, of Calhan, Colorado. She is also survived by her mother, Mary Katherine Kennedy Sharpe, of Houston, Texas and her father Colonel(Ret) Gerald William “Jerry” Sharpe and his partner, Mae Figueroa, of Bauang, La Union, the Philippines.  She is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews and the Patterson extended family.

Funeral services for Sherrin will be held under the direction of the Devol Funeral Home, 10E Deer Park Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 (301-948-6800) at the Inter-dominational Church of God, 19201 Woodfield Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 on Thursday, March 9. 2023  The viewing will be held at the church from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM.  The funeral service will begin at 11:45 AM.  Immediately following the funeral service burial will take place at the All Souls Catholic Cemetery at 11401 Brink Road, Germantown, MD 20876 (301-428-1995). The funeral service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend.   A repast will be held at Quincy’s Uptown Restaurant, 9813 Main St, Damascus, MD 20872 starting between 2-2:30 PM.  Please send flowers/arrangements to the church please.