Sherry Annette Kreis

Sherry was born on May 12, 1949, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to Charles H. Kreis and Arlene A. Kreis (née Sherman). The firstborn of ten children, she entered the world already prepared for a life of leadership. As the eldest, she became—by long-standing family consensus—the matriarch, peacekeeper, organizer, and, when necessary, the undisputed “boss lady,” a role she inhabited with humor, affection, and tireless devotion.

She spent her early years in the Lebanon, Pennsylvania area before her family moved to West Winfield and later Richfield Springs, New York. She graduated from Richfield Springs Central School in 1967. After studying at SUNY New Paltz, Sherry later returned to formal education with characteristic determination, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from Regis University at the age of 50—an accomplishment she was quietly proud of and that her family celebrated as a mark of her perseverance and lifelong love of learning.

In 1972, Sherry moved to Denver, Colorado, where she would make her home for more than fifty years. Her professional life unfolded primarily in the telecommunications field, where she worked for AT&T, Mountain Bell, and CenturyLink in various roles, eventually serving as manager of the CenturyLink training center in Denver. Known for her competence, fairness, and advocacy, she served for many years as a union representative and later as a member of the Bellco Credit Union Board, on which she faithfully served for over two decades.

Beyond her professional achievements, Sherry was, above all, a woman deeply invested in people. She was a gifted storyteller, a generous listener, and a natural gatherer of friends and family. She loved photographs—both taking them and reliving them—capturing ordinary moments with the quiet confidence that they were worth keeping. She delighted in travel, outings, and family gatherings, and she had a particular talent for discovering a good sale or an unbeatable bargain, a gift she exercised with enthusiasm and great success.

Sherry was a devoted supporter of the arts, an avid reader, and a gardener who found joy in tending living things. She was known among neighbors not only for her friendliness but for her attentiveness—checking in, offering help, and arriving unannounced with a jar of soup when she sensed someone might need it. Her home was a place of hospitality, conversation, and welcome. It was also, by her own joyful admission, the kingdom of her beloved cats, Petey and Izzy, whom she affectionately referred to as her children.

Family was at the heart of Sherry’s life. She made extraordinary efforts to remain present to her far-flung siblings and their families, traveling whenever possible and frequently serving as the initiator of reunions and celebrations, which reflected the story of her life: gathering people together, preserving memory, and strengthening bonds.

Sherry was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Arlene Kreis, and by her brother, Gregory Kreis, who died in 2011.

She is survived by her siblings: Deborah Kreis of Sanford, Maine; Linda Ames (Douglas) of Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Charles Kreis (Annie) of Rockport, Massachusetts; Brian Kreis (Gladys) of Niskayuna, New York; H. Jeffrey Kreis of Cliffside Park, New Jersey; Carol Simpson of Richfield Springs, New York; sister-in-law Mariesa Kreis, widow of Gregory, of Saratoga Springs, New York; Karl Kreis of Knoxville, Tennessee; and Kevin Kreis (Debbie) of Schenectady, New York. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, each of whom carries a part of her story forward.

She lived a life richly woven with relationships, care, and kinship. She will be remembered for her generosity, her delight in life, her gift for bringing people together, and the steady, loving presence she offered so many.

Service arrangements are tentatively set for May 16, 2026 at the Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery in Thornton, Colorado with the time to be determined. A second memorial service is scheduled in Sherry’s hometown of Richfield Springs, New York at the Church of Christ Uniting at 10:00 a.m. on August 29, 2026.