Sharalynn Ann Hummel

Sharalynn Ann Hummel passed away July 18, 2023, in Santa Maria CA. She would have turned 86 on August 2nd. Sharalynn, who went by “Sherry”, was born in Zion, Illinois in 1937 to Edmund and Sadye Van Dien. She had one sibling, a younger brother named Tom. Sherry spent an extended time with relatives in Santa Clara, California to address her seasonal allergies. While there the next door neighbors’ son, George Hummel, came home from serving in the Navy. He saw Sherry over the fence and knew she was the woman for him. George and Sherry got married not long after that on August 14, 1955 in San Jose, Calif. They moved to San Luis Obispo where George was attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and while there Sherry had her first child, Brian. After George graduated from college, Sherry & George moved to San Diego where Sherry had her second child, Alan, who was born on October 20th 1961. A few years later they moved to Montecito, California where they lived for a year, then they moved again to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they lived about 2 years while George worked on the Saturn 5 project. While living in New Orleans Sherry became a pro at evacuating to higher ground during hurricane season. Sherry and George then moved to Stanford, Connecticut where they attended Jesse Lee United Methodist Church. While in Connecticut Sherry had three more children –sons Wayne and Lee and her only daughter, Karie.

While in Connecticut George began helping to coach little league baseball and both Brian and Alan were part of the teams he coached. Alan started out as a bat boy because he was so young but eventually ended up being one of the best infielders and hitters on their team.

In 1972 the Hummels moved to Zion, Illinois, Sherry’s home town, where they were reunited with Sherry’s parents Ed and Sadye Van Dien. Alan attended both junior high school and high school at Zion Benton Township high school -graduating in 1979. Alan was a quiet but well-liked student at Zion Benton who did well on the basketball, baseball and golf teams.

While living in Zion, Sherry worked at the high school where Brian and Alan were students. Alan worked as a lifeguard at the State Beach Park. While living in Zion, Alan attended the Christian Catholic Church (CCC) summer camp in Door County – Camp Zion- something he looked forward to doing each summer. This was the same camp Sherry attended when she was growing up and one that Alan’s siblings also attended. Throughout the school year Sherry encouraged her kids to go to Bible school and attend church at the Christian Catholic Church she had grown up in. She also encouraged her children to play the piano and to sing in the choir. Sherry appreciated music and beautifully sang hymns with a lilting vibrato. Sherry always loved music and even after she had had her stroke and was unable to communicate she would respond in some fashion to the singing by her children and grandchildren.

In 1980 the Hummel family moved to Littleton, Colorado where George took a job as a technical writer for Martin Marrietta a defense contractor. Alan attended junior college while living in Colorado and also attended many concerts including some by his favorite groups - Kiss and ZZ Top. Sherry loved living so close to the mountains and would regularly go with George and the kids for drives up into the mountains.

In 1981 George was offered, and took, a position with Martin that transferred him to the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California. The Hummel family then made there last move settling in the area of Santa Maria, California. Alan transferred to Hancock Junior College where he took classes part time while working at the Lompoc Unified School District . Over the next ten years Alan would continue to work for the school district while attending college at Hancock and later at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Alan ultimately obtained his teaching credential but after trying teaching decided it was not the career for him. He instead took a job with the US census which had him traveling thorough the central coast to homes, colleges and prisons. He also helped his mom with her side business of house cleaning and also worked for a pet food company.

While living in Santa Maria, Sherry also worked a variety of jobs from secretarial positions to working as the assistant to an insurance broker.

After George suffered some serious health issues that required him to retire, Alan purchased a mobile home in Orcutt Ranch Mobile Home Park for his parents so they could live close to his grandmother (Sadye Van Dien) who had moved to the Mobile Home Park in 1984. While living there, Sherry who loved to talk with people, befriended most of her neighbors and regularly took swims in the communal pool. She also took her grandkids to that pool – a found memory shared by all the younger granddaughters. George lived at Orcutt Ranch until he died there on August 3rd, 2002 from pancreatic cancer. Alan was by his side throughout his illness and moved in to take care of Sherry after his death. Alan would also on a daily basis visit his grandmother, Sadye, who had moved to a senior living facility after George died. Alan lived with Sherry until her Alzheimers made it too difficult for him to care for her by himself. However even after Sherry was moved to a care facility Alan continued to visit her every day. In fact during Covid he was Sherry’s only permitted visitor because the staff had come to trust him so completely and knew he provided Sherry with the care she needed to continue living semi-independently. Alan consciously chose to make his parents and grandmother his priority and the family he would devote his life to and he certainly made all of their lives better – offering them companionship, love and care until his death. The day before Alan died he spent the entire day with Sherry as was his custom. When Alan died the family was advised that Sherry would need to be transferred to a facility that could offer far more care as Alan was doing the work of three caregivers – something the management and staff at Santa Maria Terrace were very open in praising Alan for. They also expressed great sadness at his passing as they thought he was a truly kind and giving son – sentiments shared by everyone who knew Alan.

Sherry was a loving grandmother, and Alan a loving uncle, to their eight grandchildren, nieces and nephews-Jessica, Joe, Becky, Jacob, Michaeli, Mandy, Sadye and Kariss. Sherry and Alan spent lots of time with the 5 younger grandkids whom they would regularly take to Waller Park to visit the ducks at the duck pond. Sherry affectionately became known to those grandkids as “Grandma Duck”. Sherry and Alan also regularly babysat Michaeli and Kariss when they were young and developed a unique bound with them both. It was such a blessing for the family that they all had the opportunity to be together for the joyful event of Michaeli’s marriage to Aaron on March 25, 2023. Sadly that would turn out to be the last time the family was all together as Alan died just a few months later on May 30, 2023 followed shortly thereafter by Sherry who passed away on July 18, 2023.

Sherry is remembered for her extreme friendliness towards anyone she would meet just taking her slow walks around the neighborhood or any place she was visiting. She loved to be “observant” of her surroundings, she loved sunsets and loved to travel.

Alan is remembered as a sweet caring Saint of a man. He was a wonderful loving son, grandson and brother. To his siblings, he was a hero.

Sherry and Alan are survived by Sherry’s children and Alan’s siblings: Brian (Moira) Hummel, Wayne (Kelly) Hummel, Lee Hummel, Karie (Mike) Whitford. They are also survived by Sherry’s eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren (Alan’s nieces and nephews): Jessica (Noah) Stamm, Joe (Tori) Hummel, Rebecca Hummel, Jacob Hummel, Michaeli (Aaron) Miller, Mandy Hummel, Sadye Hummel, Kariss Whitford, Bryden and Noelle Stamm, Holly and Lyra Hummel. Finally Sherry and Alan leave behind the family of Sherry’s younger brother, Tom Van Dien, who died in 1997, leaving his wife Lynette, their son Jason and daughter Taylor Van Dien who all live in Illinois.