Sheryl Lynn Carlen

Sheryl was born on a farm in Dansville to her parents Wilbur and Irene Risner. It is there that she developed her love for animals and especially horses. She had cats and dogs while growing up and when she was old enough to join 4-H she got her first horse, Thunder an Arab/Welsh pony. Sheryl rode Thunder all over the farm, in the Memorial Day parade and began showing her in the 4-H shows. In high school she met her husband Richard Carlen and they were later married on July 12, 1974 at Millville United Methodist Church. On January 14, 1976 she gave birth to her first son, Gregory Scott and on March 13, 1979 her second son, Jason Mathew. She was the boys chauffeur, friend, room mother and most of all, their mom. She became a bus driver and soon had many more young friends in her life. As the boys became older she took them to little league, 4-H scouts, church, summer camps, science Olympiad and many school field trips. She also became the 4-H horse leader and it there she met some of the kids that became life-long friends. She loved helping anybody with any interest in horses. She herself became more and more interested in showing her own horse. It is at this time she started breeding and raising her new horses from foal to show ring. About seven generations later she is showing her new favorite boy, Jake. All the while raising cats and dogs. We all know she was a real fan of the Wizard of Oz and eventually had to have the “Toto” and off to Ohio she went and adopted little Carter. Carter has been a real comfort to her for the last year, he could sense what was happening.

On February 23, 2013, Gregory married Nicole Berry and we gained a daughter. On February 11, 2015 Greg and Nicole Carlen blessed her with a grandson, Anders Blaise Green Carlen. Sheryl sure did enjoy every time he was around.

Sheryl worked at St. Lawrence Hospital, Lansing General and Ingham Regional Hospital which later became McLaren Regional Hospital. It was there she had the pleasure and privilege of working with a host of great doctors, residents, nurses and staff. She sure enjoyed the many activities she did with her co-workers including Christmas parties, gift ornament exchanges, Friday nights at the City Limits and of course her annual trip with them for her birthday at Comerica Park to see the Tigers.

The things she loved the most were her family, horses and then the Tigers, followed by anything else. In her last days she was still trying to figure out how to get there one more time. It was her goals of seeing them and showing at the nationals that gave her will to fight at the very end.

She was preceded in death by her father Wilbur Risner. Sheryl is survived by her husband, Richard; son, Gregory and his wife Nichole; son, Jason Carlen; mother, Irene Risner; sister, Sandy Schikorra and her husband Mark.

Those desiring may make contributions to Arabian Horseman's Distress Fund, 236 Henry Sanford Road, Bridgewater, CT 06752.

Memorial services will be Wednesday June 29, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Gorsline Runciman Ball Dunn Chapel, 621 Jefferson St., Mason, MI. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.