Jan 20, 1938 - Jan 18, 2024

• Sherrill Ann Ryan

Sherrill Ann Ryan PHD

Sherrill died peacefully at the May Court Hospice in Ottawa after a lengthy battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Sherrill was born in Englehart Ontario in 1938 and moved to North Bay in 1947. She graduated from St. Joseph’s College and then attended North Bay Teachers College in 1957. She taught on the Canadian Forces base in North Bay for five years before moving in 1962 to another teaching position in Grostenqin France. There she taught with four other young women – Ruth, Heather, Ev and Pat – these five women would meet annually in Europe and Canada to maintain to this day their close friendship. She also met and married Dick Ackland before returning to begin a career in Education with the Ottawa Board. Tragically, Dick died of pancreatic cancer leaving Sherrill to raise their two young sons Paul and Robert. Sherrill continued with the Ottawa Board mostly in Special Education (publishing some Children’s readers along the way) and concluded her career as Principal of Grant Public School in the west end of Ottawa. After retirement, she went on to teach part time at Queens University for several years.

Sherrill is survived by her sister Sheila Tierney (Ed), her loving husband Roger Ouellette, her two sons Paul and Robert (Vanessa) as well as her stepchildren Leita (Chris), Robert (Pam). She is also survived by her eight adoring grandchildren: James, Charlotte, Maya, Elizabeth, Sophie, Michael, Lola and Eva.

Sherrill was predeceased by her parents Martha O’Grady and John Ryan as well as by her older siblings: Geraldine, Bernice, Doreen, Cliff, Kevin, Tim, Frank and Phyllis.

Sherrill enjoyed her work in education and made many friends along the way. Her beautiful smile (always showing her lovely teeth), the Irish twinkle in her eyes and her warm unassertive approach to people, attracted many friends over the years.

Outside of rearing her two fine boys, there were two accomplishments of which Sherrill was most proud. The first was spending four years (following her retirement) to graduate with her Doctor of Philosophy in Education granted by the University of Toronto. The second was to meld two families, the children and the grandchildren into one large closely knit family who will all miss Sherrill’s presence for a long time to come. This all happened, first at the cottage in the Thousand Islands and then continued for many years at the Lake House on Lac McGregor in the Gatineau.
There will be a funeral mass at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, 385 Sussex Dr. Ottawa on Saturday February 24th at 11:00 a.m.

A reception will follow immediately after downstairs in the Cathedral Hall.