Sherrie Smith Tomerlin
October 19, 1946 -
January 13, 2025

Visitation

January 15, 2025
11am to 1pm

Service 

January 15, 2025
1pm

Interment

January 15, 2025
Obituary

Funeral services for Sherrie Smith Tomerlin, age 78, of Fayetteville, TN will be held at 1pm on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Joe Wayne McGee officiating. Burial will follow in Wright’s Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 11am until 1pm on Wednesday at Higgins.

Sherrie was born October 19, 1946, in Lincoln County, TN to the late Lee Wayne Smith and Martha Dolen Haislip Smith and she passed away January 13, 2025. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in education and went on to obtain her master’s from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. Sherrie enjoyed her career as an elementary school teacher and taught for many years at Highland Rim School. She had a love of history, and after retirement Sherrie went to work for the Lincoln County Archives and was the Archivist for the county for 21 years. She was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, member and past regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution, King’s Mountain Messenger Chapter, and the Lincoln County Education Association where she held several leadership positions. Sherrie cared deeply for her family, and she will be missed by all who love her.

Survivors include her sisters, Patsy (Jim) Walker of Elora and Nancy (Brent) Patrick of Shelbyville; brother, Lee (Terri) Smith of Taft; sisters-in-law, June Smith and Jill Smith; numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family members. In addition to her parents, Sherrie was preceded in death by her brothers, Gary Smith and Jeff Smith.

Memorial donations may be made to the Peggy Mitchell Scholarship Fund, c/o Washington Street Church of Christ, PO Box 324, Fayetteville, TN 37334; Daughters of the American Revolution, King’s Mountain Messenger Chapter, c/o Carla Pope, Regent, 15 Nina Drive, Fayetteville, TN 37334; or the Lincoln County Archives, c/o Lincoln County Finance Department, 206 Davidson Street East, Fayetteville, TN 37334

Higgins Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Sherrie Smith Tomerlin.

Video Services

21 Comments

  1. Holly DeBerry Thompson

    Mrs. Tomerlin was my 7th and 8th grade math teacher at Highland Rim. She was tough, but she was good. I still to this day… many many years after her class… remember how to calculate the sale price of something because she taught her students how to use math in practical ways. She still remembered my parents and would ask about me when she saw them out before they passed away. I truly appreciated her but even more so now that I am a teacher as well and remember how she cared about her students.

    Reply
  2. Rexine Douthit Pigg

    Sherrie was valued as a sweet friend who served Lincoln County so proudly. ❤️

    Reply
  3. Jane Thompson Bradley

    Deepest condolences to the Smith family. Cherish the precious memories. May God be with you during this sad time. Jane Bradley

    Reply
  4. Kay Wiley

    I have known Sherrie for many years. We taught at Highland School until her retirement. We made contact again when we were getting our ancestorial materials ready to be admitted for DAR. I have never met such a loving, giving, person as Sherrie. She gave many pins that she had accumulated throughout the years. These are historical pins celebrating America’s special events. I shall treasure mine forever. If a person needed help, Sherrie was the first to offer to help. Also, she had a strong Christian belief that helped her through many trials. I will miss seeing her every time I pass the Archives.

    Reply
  5. Kay Honey

    Patsy and Family, we are so sorry for your loss. Prayers for comfort. Anthony & Kay Honey

    Reply
  6. Wanda Williams

    Sherrie was a wonderful neighbor and friend when she lived near our family for many years. She was such a support to our family when Bobby lost his Dad to tragedy. We can’t remember not knowing Sherrie because even when we were in school at Eighth District we were friends. She cared about everyone and especially loved her students . Her family has been so blessed by her love, but especially her siblings and nieces and nephews. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they deal with her loss. Our love, Wanda and Bob Williams

    Reply
  7. Jeff and Pam Towry

    Deepest sympathy to the family. Mrs. Tomerlin taught me in 7th and 8th grade math at HRS in the 70s. Years later, our daughter had her for math at HRS. She was dedicated to her craft and expected her students to do their best. She gave the same dedication to her work at the Lincoln County Archives.

    Reply
  8. Lenace Hyde Lehnert

    Prayers for the family of Mrs. Tomerlin. My sincere condolences to each of you!

    Reply
  9. DeLois Thompson

    Joe and I are so sorry to learn of Patsy’s passing. She will be missed.
    Prayers for the family.

    Reply
  10. Anne Beddingfield

    I extend my deepest condolences to the family. Prayers for comfort and peace.

    Reply
  11. patricia reese

    Lee – So sorry to hear of your sister passing . Prayers to you and family . Jerry and Pat

    Reply
  12. Marsha Bradford

    So sorry to hear about this! Mrs Tomerlin had all 3 of my boys, I believe, at Highland Rim school. She was tough but fair, and my boys learned so much under her! God bless her family during this tough time.

    Reply
  13. Monte Parks

    Ms. Tomerlin was one of my teachers at Highland Rim. I have such fond memories of her and her belief in me. I learned so much from her. My sincerest condolences go out to the family in the loss of your loved one. She was truly a wonderful lady.

    Reply
  14. Belinda Jones

    Ms. Tomerlin was my 8th grade teacher at Highland Rim in 75-76. She was one of my favorite. If you were lucky enough to have had her as a teacher, then you know how special she was. She will be missed by us all.

    Reply
  15. Helen delValle

    Sherrie was a wonderful person. I first met her by doing research on the house I purchased in 2018 in Fayetteville. With her help, she helped me find out that it was a cousin that had built the home I had just bought. We continued emailing back and forth and two years later she had emailed me about a family line I was working on in my family tree. It ends up that we were cousins. I have to say with regret that even though we spoke on the phone and emailed I was never able to meet this wonderful lady in person. May she rest in peace and may God be with all the family and friends.

    Reply
  16. Cortney Hammons Hoffman

    So sorry for your loss. She was my 5th grade math teacher back in 1990-1991 and the reason for my love of math. When I was a senior in high school we had to write a letter to our favorite elementary teacher and I sent mine to Ms. Tomerlin. She was a tough teacher but cared deeply for her students actually learning the course work. I will always remember her as my favorite. May God comfort you in this difficult time. God bless.

    Reply
  17. Trish Mullins

    Sherri was always so sweet and helpful to my family, from teaching my son to help with research in our family history. She will be missed.

    Reply
  18. Karen Gilliam

    Sherrie was a lifelong friend and classmate. One of the sweetest women I ever knew. And so helpful to everyone. She will be sorely missed by our class and the entire Lincoln County Geneaology Society.

    Reply
  19. Wayne Steele

    As Ms. Tomerlin’s 5th Grade student at HRS in 1994-1995, she set the foundation in me for mathematics (along with Sherry Holder in 3rd Grade), history, and politics that allowed a poor, rural child like me to thrive, especially when everyone hated math. When my Mom was ill and my Dad worked a lot on the road, I got my first D in her class. I immediately said I wanted to improve it, and she stayed after school with me in her classroom many, many times over that next 6-12 weeks. I don’t think I ever got an A in her class, except maybe for Social Studies, but she set the stage for me to make A’s after we made it through her grooling class, on through Pre-Calculus and Statistics in college. I owe her a many thanks, and we were lucky in the 90s to have not only have that one great teacher, but many and most throughout all grades K–9th.

    Reply
  20. Kathy Shook Brown

    Lee, I am very sorry for you and all your family, in the lost of another sibling. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

    Reply
  21. Anita Johnson

    So sorry to learn of Sherrie’s passing. She was a classmate and friend. I would dare say she knew the genealogy of nearly all the families in Lincoln County at one time. Her knowledge and friendship will be missed.

    Reply

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Memories

21 Comments

  1. Holly DeBerry Thompson

    Mrs. Tomerlin was my 7th and 8th grade math teacher at Highland Rim. She was tough, but she was good. I still to this day… many many years after her class… remember how to calculate the sale price of something because she taught her students how to use math in practical ways. She still remembered my parents and would ask about me when she saw them out before they passed away. I truly appreciated her but even more so now that I am a teacher as well and remember how she cared about her students.

    Reply
  2. Rexine Douthit Pigg

    Sherrie was valued as a sweet friend who served Lincoln County so proudly. ❤️

    Reply
  3. Jane Thompson Bradley

    Deepest condolences to the Smith family. Cherish the precious memories. May God be with you during this sad time. Jane Bradley

    Reply
  4. Kay Wiley

    I have known Sherrie for many years. We taught at Highland School until her retirement. We made contact again when we were getting our ancestorial materials ready to be admitted for DAR. I have never met such a loving, giving, person as Sherrie. She gave many pins that she had accumulated throughout the years. These are historical pins celebrating America’s special events. I shall treasure mine forever. If a person needed help, Sherrie was the first to offer to help. Also, she had a strong Christian belief that helped her through many trials. I will miss seeing her every time I pass the Archives.

    Reply
  5. Kay Honey

    Patsy and Family, we are so sorry for your loss. Prayers for comfort. Anthony & Kay Honey

    Reply
  6. Wanda Williams

    Sherrie was a wonderful neighbor and friend when she lived near our family for many years. She was such a support to our family when Bobby lost his Dad to tragedy. We can’t remember not knowing Sherrie because even when we were in school at Eighth District we were friends. She cared about everyone and especially loved her students . Her family has been so blessed by her love, but especially her siblings and nieces and nephews. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they deal with her loss. Our love, Wanda and Bob Williams

    Reply
  7. Jeff and Pam Towry

    Deepest sympathy to the family. Mrs. Tomerlin taught me in 7th and 8th grade math at HRS in the 70s. Years later, our daughter had her for math at HRS. She was dedicated to her craft and expected her students to do their best. She gave the same dedication to her work at the Lincoln County Archives.

    Reply
  8. Lenace Hyde Lehnert

    Prayers for the family of Mrs. Tomerlin. My sincere condolences to each of you!

    Reply
  9. DeLois Thompson

    Joe and I are so sorry to learn of Patsy’s passing. She will be missed.
    Prayers for the family.

    Reply
  10. Anne Beddingfield

    I extend my deepest condolences to the family. Prayers for comfort and peace.

    Reply
  11. patricia reese

    Lee – So sorry to hear of your sister passing . Prayers to you and family . Jerry and Pat

    Reply
  12. Marsha Bradford

    So sorry to hear about this! Mrs Tomerlin had all 3 of my boys, I believe, at Highland Rim school. She was tough but fair, and my boys learned so much under her! God bless her family during this tough time.

    Reply
  13. Monte Parks

    Ms. Tomerlin was one of my teachers at Highland Rim. I have such fond memories of her and her belief in me. I learned so much from her. My sincerest condolences go out to the family in the loss of your loved one. She was truly a wonderful lady.

    Reply
  14. Belinda Jones

    Ms. Tomerlin was my 8th grade teacher at Highland Rim in 75-76. She was one of my favorite. If you were lucky enough to have had her as a teacher, then you know how special she was. She will be missed by us all.

    Reply
  15. Helen delValle

    Sherrie was a wonderful person. I first met her by doing research on the house I purchased in 2018 in Fayetteville. With her help, she helped me find out that it was a cousin that had built the home I had just bought. We continued emailing back and forth and two years later she had emailed me about a family line I was working on in my family tree. It ends up that we were cousins. I have to say with regret that even though we spoke on the phone and emailed I was never able to meet this wonderful lady in person. May she rest in peace and may God be with all the family and friends.

    Reply
  16. Cortney Hammons Hoffman

    So sorry for your loss. She was my 5th grade math teacher back in 1990-1991 and the reason for my love of math. When I was a senior in high school we had to write a letter to our favorite elementary teacher and I sent mine to Ms. Tomerlin. She was a tough teacher but cared deeply for her students actually learning the course work. I will always remember her as my favorite. May God comfort you in this difficult time. God bless.

    Reply
  17. Trish Mullins

    Sherri was always so sweet and helpful to my family, from teaching my son to help with research in our family history. She will be missed.

    Reply
  18. Karen Gilliam

    Sherrie was a lifelong friend and classmate. One of the sweetest women I ever knew. And so helpful to everyone. She will be sorely missed by our class and the entire Lincoln County Geneaology Society.

    Reply
  19. Wayne Steele

    As Ms. Tomerlin’s 5th Grade student at HRS in 1994-1995, she set the foundation in me for mathematics (along with Sherry Holder in 3rd Grade), history, and politics that allowed a poor, rural child like me to thrive, especially when everyone hated math. When my Mom was ill and my Dad worked a lot on the road, I got my first D in her class. I immediately said I wanted to improve it, and she stayed after school with me in her classroom many, many times over that next 6-12 weeks. I don’t think I ever got an A in her class, except maybe for Social Studies, but she set the stage for me to make A’s after we made it through her grooling class, on through Pre-Calculus and Statistics in college. I owe her a many thanks, and we were lucky in the 90s to have not only have that one great teacher, but many and most throughout all grades K–9th.

    Reply
  20. Kathy Shook Brown

    Lee, I am very sorry for you and all your family, in the lost of another sibling. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

    Reply
  21. Anita Johnson

    So sorry to learn of Sherrie’s passing. She was a classmate and friend. I would dare say she knew the genealogy of nearly all the families in Lincoln County at one time. Her knowledge and friendship will be missed.

    Reply

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