Jeff Sherin

He always considered the family farm in Old Mill Creek, Illinois home even as he moved around the country. He graduated from Warren Township High School in 1984.

Jeff's love of woodworking and art started early with a booth at Gurnee days making and selling cartoon characters on wood plaques with his grandfather. That progressed into making Halloween costumes with his grandmother, building haunted houses for the Lake County Jaycees, and creating layouts for the Advertiser. This eventually led to being a theming artist and mold-maker with Daddona Studios and Rock-and-Reefs with creations mainly in Orlando, Hong Kong, and South Florida. Many of his family and friends over the decades have seen or received one of his many creations including, candle-holders, live-edge tables, lamps, cat castles & treehouses, to highlight just a few of the hundreds of items he made in his lifetime.

His other passions, working with animals and enjoying nature was interwoven with his art. Most of his art was inspired by nature. Jeff volunteered at the Racine Zoo and worked in aquarium set up and maintenance. His dream job was working as a regional curator for Rainforest Café training parrots, diving fish tanks, and doing educational programs with the public.

Jeff had many adventures in nature with his friends from hiking the Grand Canyon and the waterfalls of North Carolina, canoeing the Boundary or the canals of Florida, camping, and occasionally jumping out of perfectly good aircraft.

He spent the last few years before the pandemic volunteering at The Brevard Zoo in the aviary. Jeff often could be found designing and building animal environments for a variety of furry, feathered, scaly, and crawly (think furry with eight legs) critters.

Throughout his life, Jeff is remembered for his kindness, willingness to help others, a wicked sense of humor, and his laugh, which can still be heard if you’ve been to The Brevard Zoo to see Goofy.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 17 years, Tanya (nee Spindler), mother Karen Sherin (nee May), sister Julie Shaw (Glen), brother Kevin Sherin (Michelle), nieces Jessica Hiett (Curtis), Heather Shaw (Ryne Gindorf), Katy Sherin, nephew Kory Sherin, Elliot the cat, and Goofy, the Moluccan Cockatoo, donated to The Brevard Zoo in 2017. He is preceded in death by his father, John Sherin, furry and feathered companions Buck, Shelby, Koda, Gray, Angel, Peaches, and Roscoe (a very ornery Green-Cheeked Amazon).

A celebration of Jeff’s life is planned for Saturday, April 29th, 2023 from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Marsh Funeral Home, 305 North Cemetery Road, Gurnee, Illinois. Bring your favorite story, memory, or experience, oh, and turn the music up to 11.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Jeff Sherin to: The Brevard Zoo, 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida 32940, or online by highlighting the URL below and pasting it into your address bar.

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E12365&id=125

If you have a family member or friend who has mental health issues, please provide them with unconditional support, compassion, and empathy.