Leslie Karen Sherman

Leslie K. (Ledden) Sherman, 81, passed away in her sleep on August 13, 2026, in Stockton, California. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother; a dedicated community volunteer; and a caring friend.

Leslie was born on March 26, 1945, in Yoakum, Texas, to Roy and Sybil (Granberry) Ledden. She grew up in San Antonio, Miami, and Oklahoma City, graduating from Northwest Classen High School in OKC in 1963. Her first job, where she spent summers during both high school and college, was at a cosmetics counter in a local department store.

Leslie studied microbiology at Oklahoma State University (class of ‘67), where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. One evening, she met an engineering student named Steve on the lawn of his fraternity. They spent the next few hours walking around and looking at homecoming decorations. After he graduated, Steve moved to Dallas and they continued to date long distance. The pair married in 1967 in Oklahoma City.

Leslie earned a master’s in laboratory sciences from the University of Oklahoma, and then worked as a clinical endocrinology researcher at Baylor University Medical Center. But her focus would soon shift to her family, as she and Steve welcomed a son and daughter.

The family followed Steve’s career to Boston and then Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. While there, Leslie became president of the Philadelphia chapter of her sorority’s alumni group and a member of The Junior League of Philadelphia during which time she served as a docent at Independence Hall during the Bicentennial, teaching schoolchildren about Ben Franklin.

In 1981, the family moved to Stockton, where Leslie would remain for the rest of her life. She briefly returned to work before dedicating herself completely to her philanthropic pursuits. For many years, she dedicated herself to her community, serving as president of each of three organizations: the American Cancer Society’s regional chapter, the Stockton Symphony Association, and The Junior League of Stockton. She was also a volunteer for the U.S. Winter Olympic team and Planned Parenthood and participated in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk.

Leslie’s favorite role, however, was as a mother and grandmother. When her kids were growing up, she was their ultimate confidante: always picking up the phone when they called, listening without judgment, and dropping everything to be by their side if requested. When her grandchildren arrived, she became “Grandma Buga” with delight: spending countless hours playing with her grandsons, and never missing a baseball game if she could help it.

Leslie was adventurous and active. She traveled extensively throughout the United States and visited 42 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, often sharing these adventures with her girlfriends. Some of her most memorable trips included snorkeling in the Grenadines, skiing in Whistler, going on a safari in Africa, and vacationing in French Polynesia, especially Bora Bora and Rangiroa.

Leslie was an avid golfer and skier who traveled all over the West pursuing her passions. She was one of the earliest members of the Brookside Country Club, where she served as captain of the 18-Hole Ladies Golf Association, and boasted two holes-in-one during her golfing career.

In 2001, Leslie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but she remained active for as long as she could. During the last year and a half of her life, she moved to Oakmont of Brookside, where she made many new friends and became part of a caring community.

Leslie will be remembered as caring and warm; the kind of wife, mother, and friend that everyone dreams of having. She devoted her life to her family and her community, giving generously of both her time and her love, whether she was spearheading a charity walk or ending every conversation with “I love you.” She was thoughtful, never missing the opportunity to send a gift or a birthday card, and extremely social, with a large group of friends who shared lunches and laughs.

Leslie often handed out a charming business card that simply read: “Leslie Sherman, volunteer and golfer.” But it should have said “all-around good person,” too. Because Leslie radiated a wholesome goodness that could brighten anyone’s day. She was an incredible listener, a steadfast presence whom you could rely upon for anything: to organize a fundraiser, to be a crying shoulder, or to show up with a hot meal and a long hug. Though she likely raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities over the decades, she never sought the spotlight. She just showed up, day after day, for the people around her. And there’s no better legacy than that.

Leslie was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Pamela. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Steve Sherman; her son, Kyle Edward Sherman; her daughter, Kristin Lynn Vines; and her grandsons Nathan, Jacob, and Zachery Vines.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Brookside Country Club on September 20, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

The family welcomes donations in Leslie’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (michaeljfox.org)