Sherrye Dee Garrett

Sherrye Dee Garrett, 73, of East Petersburg, passed away on Sunday, November 10, 2019 at UPMC, Lititz. Born in York, she was the daughter of the late Charles and June Himmelright Geesey. Sherrye was preceded in death by a brother, Edward Geesey.She was the wife of the late Richard S. Garrett who died in 1987.

Dr. Garrett was an expert in the area of curriculum development and research in the fields of media education and the teaching of reading and adult literacy. She served as manager of Community Services and Newspapers in Education at the Lancaster Newspapers Inc. for more than 16 years where she coordinated local science fairs and academic competitions such as county spelling and citizen bees.

Sherrye’s works can be read for projects she completed for many organizations including the United States Olympic Committee, as White House Special Advisor to the President on the Year 2000 Conversion, Newspaper Association of America, International Literacy Association, National PTA, National Council for the Social Studies, The New York Times, USA Today, Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus, and the National Holocaust Museum. Her work has been used in schools, universities and community-based education programs throughout the United States and in more than 50 other nations.

Sherrye began her career teaching for the Manheim Central and Penn Manor School Districts. She went on to teach college and university undergraduate and graduate levels at Millersville University, Elizabethtown College, and Texas A&M at Corpus Christi. She co-authored a prominent series of research and curriculum materials and over a dozen textbooks for children. She has authored The Mini Page instructional resources for parents for many years. Dr. Garrett lectured throughout the US and abroad. She was a co-founder of Use the News Foundation, and she served on boards and advisory committees including the Pennsylvania Media Association, the Literacy Councils of Lancaster, Corpus Christi, and El Paso, as well as numerous other nonprofit organizations.

Sherrye was an avid reader and a renowned expert in her field, but she took the most pride in her two grandchildren to whom she was a devoted and ever-present grandmother. She is survived by her son, Brendan R. Garrett and his wife Sandy Garrett, grandson Logan and granddaughter Lexie.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity UCC, 2340 State Street, East Petersburg on Sunday, November 24, 2019 at 2:30 P.M. Friends may visit with the family immediately following the service. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, those desiring may send contributions in Sherrye’s memory to a charity of their choice.