Sherry Ann Spear, 49

Sherry Ann Spear, 49, passed away 17 minutes after midnight at Swedish Hospital in Seattle on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. It was the day after her father's 80th birthday.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Oden Hall. A potluck will be held and all are welcome.

She battled anaplastic thyroid cancer for 19 months and was said to be free of it on April 20, 2007, but five weeks later a tumor was found under her left ear and in her throat. She returned to Swedish Hospital for chemotherapy.

While in the hospital, Sherry was visited by her brother and his daughter, Michelle, plus Lynne Thompson and her mother. She also was visited by her lifelong friend Randy Roberson, plus nurses and doctors.

She was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Dec. 20, 1957, and placed in her mother Jeannine's arms. Her mother sat with her at nights and her father, Marvin Spear, sat with her during days.

She attended Sandpoint schools, graduating from Sandpoint Senior High School in 1974.

Sherry was a model and Sandpoint Rodeo queen in 1976. She loved animals and enjoyed horseback riding and horse shows, where she was always recognized for wearing her pink cowgirl hat.

She was a contestant in the Miss Universe contest and won the Miss Congeniality award.

She worked in Alaska as an airline stewardess for Reeves Airlines for many years and then completed her associate degree in environmental waste management at University of Alaska Anchorage in Soldotna, Alaska.

Sherry also was trained as a dental assistant by Dr. Hildahl in Spokane, along with dentists in Sandpoint and Alaska.

She returned to Sandpoint to work in the family construction business in 2002. She also worked briefly for Quest Aircraft Co., and Litehouse Dressing Co., where she made many friends before losing her 20-month battle with cancer.

The family wishes to thank the many friends and businesses who stepped forward to help her, including Litehouse, Nancy Marley, Marilyn Chambers, Jim Brown, and John of God in Brazil.