At home in the quiet, pleasant, fruitful rolling hills of New Green Mandeville Manchester Jamaica, Sheryl was born to Civis and Kathleen Walcott. Sheryl was the youngest girl and ninth of eleven children, who brought joy to us with her quiet and pleasant ways of being. Our mom on occasions, when we would gather around her for quiet bonding time, said “ You know , no matter how sad or disheartened I feel, when I look at Lana, her little round face, I can’t help but smile and feel better right away”. Sheryl first word at nine months was “Bob!” Bob was a big brown dog we had. So we affectionately called her Bob. Another name she had was Plum.
We were all brought up in the Anglican Church. As the years passed she attended other churches. Here in the U.S she became a second initiate in ECKANKAR. In the last two to three years she asked her sister to take her to church, sometimes on Sunday with a friend Ms. Patsy. She went on a Saturday with her grandchildren and sometimes by herself. She liked that church.
Sheryl was adventuresome and had a passion for life. As children we enjoy all kinds of escapades, climbing fruit trees, having a grand time in the woods with the little animals and birds. Her tender love and care shone through with the animals and younger brothers as she took care of them.
After attending New Green All Age School, then Smith’s Preparatory School in Mandeville, she won a scholarship to Manchester High School. Upon graduation, Sheryl was one of two students chosen for a program called “The National Volunteer Youth Services (NVYS), with the likelihood of being employed if they did well. Sheryl and Ray Smith did this youth service at Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation Television (JBC TV). Sheryl was a Sound Engineer and the only female in that role at the time. Serving in this capacity led to interviewing and travelling with government officials on different locations. She also met and interviewed performing artists one of whom was Bob Marley. She loved these assignments with a passion. Sheryl and Ray were subsequently employed by JBC TV as they did exceptionally well. She worked on several programs then migrated to the U.S to be with mom and other siblings.
While living in New York, Sheryl worked, studied, and had Tracy and Bobby with their father Robert Parsons. Upon graduating in 1989 from City University of New York with a B.S Degree in nursing, she entered the Army Nurse Corps and was Second Lieutenant. After completing Officers Basic Training in San Antonio Texas and served for a while she became sick and received Honorable Discharge.
As a Registered Nurse she had various work experiences in New York and Florida. She served at Heartland of Sunrise as a Nurse Supervisor. On her own initiative and with approval she took her fluffy cute chow puppies to Heartland.This was added grand therapy for the patients who adorered them and looked forward each day for their arrival. She also served at Home Health of America as a visiting nurses and at Florida Medical Center Telemetry Department as Staff Nurse and Team leader. Throughout her years of services, Sheryl was commended for communicating very well with patients, peers and supervisors, very punctual and used intiative, being neat, pleasant and doing assignments very well.
Sheryl is survived by her daughter Tracy, son Robert Jr, six grandchildren Amanie, Joshua, David, Zoey, Major, and Apollo. Sisters Delphina, Diana, Brothers Carl, Charlie, Dave, Derrick. Uncle Ferdie, Aunt Gloria and Ruby, many cousins, in-laws, and good friends.
We will dearly miss her physical presence, however she is vibrantly alive and well in our hearts and with our heavenly father.
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