Sherry Lynn Kirksey

Sherry Lynn Kirksey

June 1949 – August 12, 2025

Sherry Lynn Kirksey (née Longest), 76, passed away peacefully at home on August 12, 2025, in Kalispell, Montana, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in June 1949 in Phoenix, Arizona, Sherry grew up in both Phoenix and Memphis, Indiana. As a teen in middle school in Phoenix, she made cherished friends she held dear for the rest of her life.

She later lived in Louisville, Kentucky, and southern Indiana before marrying the love of her life, John Kirksey, in 1980. Together they built a home filled with love, laughter, and a healthy dose of teasing—because Sherry believed life was too short to take seriously all the time. Later, she and John made Kalispell their home for new adventures, lasting friendships, and of course, lots of time with the grandchildren. She was a furiously loved nana, often found catching way more fish than her husband and reminding him of that every chance she got.

Sherry had an insatiable love of travel, a passion for shopping that could rival any serious expedition, and an obsession with uncovering family history. That passion led her to one of her proudest accomplishments—becoming a verified member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a distinction she worked tirelessly to earn through careful research and dedication to preserving her family’s history.

She had a gift for turning every holiday, outing, or ordinary Tuesday into an adventure, leaving everyone around her smiling, rolling their eyes, or laughing out loud. She was famous for her holiday tablescapes and her ability to make Christmas mornings last for hours with the sheer number of gifts under the tree. And of course, she deeply loved her church family at Family Life Christian Church in Kalispell.

Her life was filled with accomplishments: She served her community as an alderwoman and justice of the peace in Louisiana, worked as a model in her early years, built a career as a paralegal, and ultimately created and built her own successful business.

Sherry is survived by her husband, John Kirksey; her children, Tim Baxter and wife Angel “Mimi” Girard and Kelly Fisk and her husband Steven Fisk; her mother, Lena Rogers; and her beloved grandchildren, Paris Girard, Noah Fisk, Abigail Fisk, and Lucy Fisk. She was preceded in death by her father, John Longest.

A celebration of Sherry’s life will be held at Family Life Christian Church, 1075 Foys Lake Road, Kalispell. Visitation will begin at 4:00 p.m., followed by a service at 5:00 p.m., and a casual potluck reception afterward—because of course, Sherry would expect good food, plenty of laughter, and maybe a little chaos.

As Sherry passes into the arms of Jesus Christ, her savior, she will always be remembered for her warmth, determination, sense of adventure, and unwavering pride in all she accomplished.

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