Following is the obituary for SHERYL LYNN (GILLIS) JAGERSON, submitted by her family.

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Sheryl Lynn (Gillis) Jagerson, 80, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and community leader, passed away after a long illness on May 26, 2024. She was surrounded by children and grandchildren at her home in Westport.  

Sherry led an extraordinary life, filled with adventure, curiosity and a deep love for her family, the environment and her community. Her inquisitive spirit, unflagging positivity and sense of wonder inspired those in her orbit and have left a lasting legacy.  

Sherry was born in Long Beach, Calif., on April 6, 1944, to Shirley and Bill Gillis, graduating from Wilson High School and Long Beach State University. She grew up body surfing and water skiing, the start of an enduring love of the ocean and the outdoors. She married Gordon Todd Jagerson in 1964 and together they had three children, Stacy, Wendy and Ty.  

The family moved cross country to Connecticut in 1972. Though Sherry and Todd divorced, they remained lifelong friends and co-parents. Over the next 50 years, Sherry raised two generations and was a gracious host to many in her unique log cabin amidst the natural beauty of Nash Pond in Westport. 

Sherry was a sailor and captain, and worked for many years in the sailing industry and as an entrepreneur.  After an early stint working at North Sails and Ockam Instruments, she started Jagerson Sail Loft making and repairing sails for 10 years. Later, she created Women’s Sailing Adventures, a business teaching women open-ocean sailing in Maine, the San Juan Islands, New Zealand and the Caribbean. 

Sherry was an ocean-sailing veteran at a time when it was rare for women to crew ocean races. She raced in several Bermuda Races, a Trans-Atlantic Race and survived the harrowing 1979 Fastnet race. She was also a first mate sailing for Sea Education Association (S.E.A.) out of Woods Hole on Cape Cod. She was also an avid hiker leading family hikes on the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains for many years. 

In her later years, Sherry became an activist for many causes, focused on water, nature and her community.  She was a steward for Nash Pond, helped create the Mill Pond Preserve, led one of the first Ban-the-Bag Initiatives in the country, co-created the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, helped found the Westbridge Coalition, was a founding board member for United with Kenya, and was on the board of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.

Known as “Oshu” to her grandchildren and many others, Sherry is survived by her children, Stacy Fowle, Wendy Teleki and Gordon “Ty” Jagerson; their spouses, Andy, Max and Elisa; her grandchildren, Adelaide, Clementine, Jasper, Ayla, Tibor, Taj, Ava, Naoma and Huck; her ex-husband, Todd Jagerson, and siblings, William J. Gillis II and Patricia Shephard.

There will be a celebration of life open to the community at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport. 

In lieu of flowers, Sherry would have wanted people to donate or give time to their favorite environmental organization; organizations Sherry supported included Harbor Watch, Sierra Club, Earthplace and Appalachian Mountain Club.