Today I'm grieving for the loss of Sherry in our world. Thirteen years ago we had a conversation in a Linden Hills cafe that changed the course of my life. I would be so proud to tell her how much goodness, joy, catharsis, relief, and edification has come from taking her advise. Love to all of you sharing this space here in her cherished memory.

Thinking of you, my extraordinary girl, and raising a glass in your honor. You are greatly missed.

Spent the last week in New York, Sherry, at the first in-person Arts Administration Educators conference since the terrific one you put together in Madison a year before you left us. Your name came up — a lot! As several have said here already, the mark you made is indelible.

Three years ago today, tributes to you began appearing on this page. As I read through them again, it affirms the remarkable influence you have on all whom you met. You were, and will always be, an incredible leader, collaborator, influencer, educator, spouse, partner, and friend. We toasted to you last week on patios around the nation. And though we carry on and know you are with us still in different ways, simply put, you are greatly missed. Everyday.

Thinking about you today. An inspiration, a wonderful person, a thoughtful friend, and a fierce advocate. Miss you my friend!

Sherry was my best friend in high-school. I was thinking about her and wondering what she was up to. I did a Google search and found out about her passing. I hadn't seen her since high-school. I am so sorry for reaching out so late. She absolutely was such a beautiful soul. My heart goes out to her husband, children and friends. I am very sad but very grateful to have known her.

I have been thinking about you a lot, Sherry, especially since I started my new job as Director of Development at Arts + Literature Laboratory two months ago. This is the kind of opportunity I dreamed of when I first attended the Bolz Center. It has been a long road to get here, but I feel like I am in the right role/place/time. Doing my best to make you proud.

Miss you, Sherry. Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, gorgeous. Envisioning us on a sunny patio, blue skies above us, hard ciders in hand, serious talkings and loud laughing about life. It’s not the same without you- nevertheless, we carry on, as you’d want us to. Miss you like crazy, girl. 

Celebrating the humor, light and love you shared with the world. Much love to Mickey, Zhen and everyone who celebrates you and misses you like hell. Love you, girl.

Thinking of you today, Mickey, Zhen, and all of Sherry's loved ones who are surely missing her tons. May you find the opportunity to celebrate her birthday together in love.

Thinking of Sherry this month; at one of our last in-person, one-on-one meetings about MYA, Sherry encouraged me to apply to the Bolz Center's new masters program. She was one of my close colleagues in UW work and community service.

I am now graduating that same masters program and attribute this accomplishment to Sherry's vision, and her belief in the arts and people. ♥

Also on my way to become a Crimson Badger, Sherry - miss you!

Happy birthday in Heaven, Sherry.

Sherry was a visionary leader with an incredible energy and zest for life. She was a wonderful teacher and mentor with a big heart and a knack for connecting people and ideas. Sending love and wishes for peace to Mickey and Zhen during this difficult time.

Dear Sherry, you will be missed by so many people. Thank you for all of the creative ideas, energy and enthusiasm you brought to my career and education. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you. Mickey and Zhen, I am thinking of you and so very sorry for your loss.

I still cannot wrap my head around this loss. Sherry was a treasured colleague, member of Forward Theater's board of directors, community leader, and - most of all - friend. Her warm and constant support buoyed me up in many a challenging moment. Her humor kept long meetings from feeling long. And her wisdom left a permanent mark on our arts community. I miss her so. What a gift she was to us all. ❤️❤️

Sherry was my teacher in the Bolz Center for Arts Administration from 2016-2018. And I am truly lucky for having studied with her. I've never met anyone quite like Sherry: so giving of herself, always thinking of ways to connect others and make their lives richer. And we are all enriched and certainly smarter for having known Sherry.

While a student in my first year at the Bolz Center, I lost my dad unexpectedly. Sherry, with her typical warmth and compassion, went above and beyond the role of teacher—helping me navigate my studies, checking in on me regularly, and showing extreme care. I'm not sure I would've made it through the program without Sherry, and this level of compassion was just second nature to her. I hope her family feels some comfort in Sherry's legacy and knowing just how many lives were made better because of our connection to her. 

I had the pleasure of working with Sherry through the Bolz Center for Arts Administration. At Wisconsin Public Radio, we've been fortunate to have several student "fellows" work with us in marketing over the past ten years. In addition to the amazing talent, perspective and energy of the students - I enjoyed working with Sherry to better understand the state of arts, arts leadership and "arts in community" over the years. She always had a smile on her face, a compelling idea to share and a commitment to the students. On behalf of all of us at WPR, I offer our sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. We will miss her.

I am so sorry to hear Sherry passed away. I had the privilege of working with her for many years as part of the Wisconsin MBA team. Her smile could light up a room, and her honest joy was contagious. What a terrible loss this is for her family, the alumni and students of her center, and for those of us who admired her passion and valued her creative soul.

For those of you that new Sherry, I am sure you will agree, she had a beautiful infectious smile and was extremely eager to succeed. She grew up on a farm in a very small town, called Tiskilwa Illinois aka "Gem of the Valley" She was part of the Class of 1984. She was always the kindest person, had a beautiful smile and very eager to learn. We are all very sad to learn of her passing. Everything that I have read about her journey, did not surprise me. I am so grateful that she was able to go out and make her mark on life, she truly was a special person. We had hoped to see her at our last reunion, we had messaged each other, however she was very involved in her family and career, and just couldn't attend. So on behalf of the class of 1984, we feel extremely blessed to have grown up with her and grateful so many were blessed to experience her friendship, work ethics and overall kind soul. Sherry will always be a Tiskilwa Indian!!!! 

I was so sorry to hear the news that Sherry had left this world way too soon. I met Sherry after I gave a so-so talk in Minneapolis many years ago now. She was new to her post running the Bolz Center for Arts Administration at the UW-Madison. She said she wanted to invite me to be in residence as a visiting guest artist / lecturer. That conversation turned into the "beauty course" that I've written about extensively on Jumper. We lost touch for a few years after the course but then reconnected the past couple of years at a few creative placemaking conferences and at the AAAE conference. I was so struck by Sherry's incredible stewardship for creative placemaking in higher education; by her energy and optimism and generosity in every room she was in; and by the great thinking and work she was doing in her program and her humility about that work. I will always feel quite grateful and indebted to her for the opportunity she created for me at UW-Madison--and for our initial phone call after that first meeting in Minneapolis when she asked what I wanted to teach and I mentioned Howard Gardner's "Truth, Beauty and Goodness Revisited" as a point of inspiration and she laughed as she had just been reading it. I'm so glad we had the chance to share a meal in Wisconsin last time I saw her. I am so deeply heartbroken for her husband and son and close colleagues and friends, most notably Becky. RIP, Sherry. You are gone far too soon and your presence is already greatly missed.

I was extremely sad to learn about Sherry’s passing. She was such a wonderful and passionate educator. I always admired how she encouraged everyone to connect with art and access their own creativity. It’s inspiring to think how her students will carry on her legacy, building and managing organizations that magnify the power of art in our communities. She will be greatly missed.

I met Sherry more recently as a new employee in the School of Business. In the few interactions I was able to have with her, it was clear that she was passionate about her work - and more importantly, the people her work touched. In talking about leadership classes, she focused on the opportunity to elevate marginalized voices and to use art as a way to heal communities. Even though I wouldn't have worked with her too extensively in our roles, she made a point to ask about my background and get to know me both as a person and a campus partner. She always said hello and greeted people by name in the hallway. Some of these are such small things, but they speak to who Sherry was and the positive mark she wanted to make - and did make - on her world.

Sherry was instrumental in guiding my career path in the arts - where I am now, I owe it all to her. She was always challenging me and inspiring me - she will be missed greatly in the UW arts community.

Sherry Wagner-Henry was my friend and colleague. I was introduced to her by a mutual friend and colleague Brooke Horejsi. Brooke knew I was moving to Madison from New York and kindly connected to me to the best person she could have to help me feel welcome in my new arts community. Sherry immediately reached out and invited me to speak to her Bolz Center students about my work at Carnegie Hall on The Lullaby Project. The panel included some amazing women in the arts including her dear friends Bonnie Shock and Kathleen Spehar Hansen. She invited us all to her house for food the night before the panel and even know she barely knew me, she treated me like I was a long-time friend. We later had another social gathering with other mutual friends and we talked about her unhappiness with her child's school and I shared my unhappiness with my child's school and that that was what led us to leave New York and move to Madison. Eventually, Zhen joined Margaret at the Wingra School where Sherry invited the Wingra Board of Trustees (on which I served) to partner with the Bolz Center and allow two Bolz students to sit on the board as part of their learning trajectory. Sherry brought two amazing students to the table, for two years in a row, and I expect that wonderful collaboration to continue. While I hope the students gained valuable experience, I know the Wingra Board's value increased with their voices, perspectives, and hard work on behalf of the Wingra School.

And that was Sherry. She saw the opportunities for partnership and collaboration and hustled like no one else to make those mutually beneficial connections for people and for the arts. She was a relationship-builder, understanding that more could be gained by working together. Her hard work and dedication were from the heart. She deeply cared about people and wanted to make a difference. And she did make a difference in so many of our lives.

Losing Sherry is not just a loss for her family and friends. This is also a deep loss for the arts, for learners, for teachers, for creative spaces of all kinds. The world order is not the same. I miss her dearly and send my love and support to Mickey and Zhen.

Dear Mickey,

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Sherry. Hang on tight to Zhen and remember the special times that you all shared as a family. 

I did not know Sheri-- but I am very sad to hear this-- may her memory be a blessing---

I'm deeply saddened by the loss of Sherry. Although I did not know Sherry extremely well her impact on me was significant. Her ability to lead by example, her tremendous dedication to the stewardship of young professionals and students into leadership positions was evident in her work, her actions and her words. It was clear that she had absolute love for her son and family. My thoughts are with her family and friends and I mourn with her students and my colleagues and for those who will not experience the tremendous influence of Sherry Wagner Henry.

Sherry always took the time to listen to my ideas and thoughts. She was kind, considerate, and her ability to be present really influenced me. She helped me navigate a time when I felt unnoticed, and be more than I ever thought I could.

I will always be thankful and remeber her.

I'm so very sorry to hear of Sherry's passing. While it has been more than a year since I've had the pleasure to work with her, she was always a kind and giving soul. I know she'll be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her husband, son, family, and friends.

Mentor, colleague, and dearest friend. I'm at a lost to express how great the impact the world of arts and culture will be from not having your wisdom at the table. I know that all your mentees and friends will carry on the work you inspired for equity, equality, and interdisciplinary arts.

I sit her reflecting on the two projects we just started in March, wondering briefly how can I move these forward without you. But then I immediately recall the base of many of our conversations. Our work is always best served in collaboration, and it was only natural that others would join me in this work. The projects that we started these last few months I will continue, grow, and continue again as you taught me. The arts should always evolve, reflect, be a beacon of hope and growth for civilization understanding of each other.

I will miss you and I will always be inspired by your time with us.

Sherry was my first friend, ally, and mentor when I moved to Minneapolis in 2008 to begin work at Theatre Arts and Dance at the U of M. Sherry, Mickey, and Zhen were among the group that helped me move into my first apartment. Sherry took me to many garage sales and thrift stores to help furnish that apartment. I am staring at the rocking chair we found at one of those many thrift stores. I saw it as soon as we entered the store. Sherry dragged that rocking chair around the store while I continued to shop to make sure no one else took it. As we lived only 6 blocks from each other I spent a number of Thanksgivings and Christmases at their house. Sherry introduced me to the Showboat, the State Fair, and the best waffle fries in Mpls.

Sherry was the inspirational and positive force I needed as I made the major adjustment to the upper Midwest and the full time shift to teaching. 

It seems surreal that Sherry is gone. She was a force of nature. Sherry inspired so many, advocated for her students, advocated for the Arts, and her untimely death has left a gaping hole not just in the Arts world, but in so many lives.

Sherry, you have left your positive and caring mark on so many of us. Rest in peace, my friend.

Sherry was so generous with her time and eager to connect people to each other. She was a mentor of mine through the University of MN and we stayed in touch through both of our families moving. When my life brought me to southern WI, she did not hesitate to introduce me to her network of arts and cultural professionals that she had built in her time there. She spent time meeting with me and helping me get involved in projects going on in the area. Despite her incredibly busy schedule, she made the effort to carve a great deal of time out for me, and I know she does the same for so many others. She will be greatly missed.

When Sherry Wagner-Henry was hired as director of the Bolz Center, I was both a member of the advisory board and a candidate for the position. My candidacy lasted until a few minutes into the phone interview when I realized that I was entirely the wrong person for the job: My focus was on the Bolz Center’s past. (I’m confident that Ray Aldag and the other members of the search committee realized it sooner than I did, but they were kind enough not to say so.)

At Sherry’s first meeting with the advisory committee, as I listened to her articulate a vision of the future and practical steps for reaching it, I found myself unable to remain silent. “You really are the right person for this job,” I suddenly blurted out. She was, and she remained so.

A couple of years later, I did become an arts administration educator, taking on leadership of the undergraduate program at UW-Stevens Point. Our relationship broadened and deepened as she helped me, through both advice and example, learn to be a teacher. Our shared time at conferences fed a friendship that grew richer as I joined her on the board of directors of AAAE, our national association, a year ago. When she called me two weeks before her death to share her cancer diagnosis and upbeat expectations, we wound up talking as much about an issue that had been troubling me as we did about her health. As usual, she provided the epiphany I needed.

Sherry Wagner-Henry was a person of intellect and creativity, integrity and compassion. Despite the difference in our ages, she was a mentor and role model, and an extraordinary friend. On every dimension I experienced, Sherry was what a human being should strive to be. I shall miss her terribly.

Sherry is irreplaceable in my universe in so many ways. I will miss her support, advice, and generous spirit. Her spirit will keep living in all the people she touched, the projects she labored to produce, and in the connections she so lovingly fostered I am still in shock and will miss you Sherry.

Sherry invited me to come to the Bolz Center each year to meet with her graduate students. Around those annual connections and in between them, she and I had many opportunities to speak, share, commiserate, and laugh…always, a good laugh (usually more than one). Truly, I have no memory of Sherry that doesn’t envelope me with warmth, joy, encouragement, and compassion. I am grateful for the generosity she exhibited each time we connected. I am grateful for the connection we had, personally and professionally.

When I first met Sherry I instantly knew I wanted to know her better. There are some people who just invite you in like that, with their genuine warmth and humor and spirit. I remember sitting with her on the sidelines at one of our kids' soccer games, and we talked about parenting and books and travel and we laughed about all kinds of things... and only half paid attention to the game. It was really lovely. I'm heartbroken for the loss of my new friend, and I'm holding Sherry's family, friends, colleagues, and students in my thoughts. Mickey and Zhen, I'm so very sorry.

Sherry was always available and provided Dane County Arts and Cultural Affairs with some wonderful students from the Bolz Program. She was always upbeat and supportive of the many different creative minds and worked tirelessly to build the program. She will be greatly missed.

Such a tremendous loss and I'm so devastated to hear this news. I had the honor of being a graduate in Sherry's first class at the Bolz Center and she was such an inspiring, smart, kind, funny, creative, and nurturing person. She cared so much for her students and she will be truly missed by all who knew her - and there were so many!

Sherry was a true colleague who was always thinking of ways to innovate and improve everything that she did. Her students were part of her family and it was an honor to be a part of her arts recruiter event over the last few years. I remember having lunch with Sherry at APAP in NYC at the start of 2020 and the laugher and rich conversation that went way over our intended time. We could not stop talking about her plans for the program, the students and her precious family - she loved them all so fiercely and her passion and joy will truly be missed.

Sherry was one of the first to welcome me, with open arms, to the field of arts management education. I had been away from academia for quite some time, and Sherry's generosity of spirit, enthusiasm, and deep commitment to the arts and education inspired me.

Thank you, Sherry.

In my role as ED of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras I always looked forward to spending time with Sherry knowing that I would take away some beautiful nugget of valuable information to bring back to my organization. She was so kind, so competent and so generous with her time. What a tragic loss. The loss of her leadership will be deeply felt in our community

In thinking about Sherry and her tragic, untimely passing, my first and strongest reaction is that no, this can’t be, I want to see her again and I don’t want her to be gone. I was feeling this was pretty selfish of me, but as I dug down, I realized it was just a reflection of what a lovely, wonderful, and special person Sherry was, and how much she gave to all the communities she was part of.

Sherry was that rare person who could successfully negotiate a career in both the arts and the academy, and do so with a matter-of-fact integrity that made you know you could trust her. She presented the same self no matter where she was or who she was with. That self was super-smart, insightful, and reflective, animated by a clear commitment to inclusivity, fairness, and simply doing the right thing.

Those shouldn’t be rare qualities, but they kind of are. Sherry might claim her virtues were nothing much, but that’s yet another sign of how special she was.

Sherry did so much good work and would have gone on to do more—but there I go, getting selfish again. I knew Sherry as a colleague and friend, and I’m sure the more close you were to her, the more devastating her loss will be.

So it is up to us now, those who knew her, to honor her legacy by working clearly, cleanly, and fairly to bring the arts into people’s lives, and support people’s lives in the arts. Simply doing the right thing isn’t simple at all, but Sherry deserves no less.

I didn't know Sherry well, having spent my 4 years at the U of M hiding away in the shop under the direction of her future husband, Mickey. But you couldn't be a student in Rarig and not know her in some capacity. When I look back, I don't pull up specific memories of Sherry, I just see her smile. She was just one of the warmest, most friendly instructors I'd ever known, and everyone loved her. I was thrilled to learn, a few years later, that she and Mickey had married, and I loved watching along via social media connections as their family grew. I'm devastated by the news and heartbroken for her family and dear friends who have lost such a light. She's certainly left her mark on this world.

The arts and our broader community have lost a genuine trailblazer. I do not recall one conversation with Sherry that did not make me laugh, think deeply, and appreciate her brilliance. 

There is not one aspect of my own life that will not feel Sherry’s loss. I considered Sherry a colleague both in my professional and community work, a mentor, and a friend. Sherry was not only an ally in my work, but shaped my immediate future; she was the reason I applied to and accepted admissions into the Bolz Center’s new master’s program. My story is not unique when it comes to Sherry’s reach and devotion to community and people.

I was very much looking forward to continuing our work together. As a woman of color, when mentors and advocates are often few, I considered myself lucky to have found in Sherry a life-long advisor and friend. Whether it was working on ID Hub directions, MYAC hiring or talking about life, family and her son Zhen, Sherry was full of life, knowledge, compassion, frankness, and humor. There are not enough words to describe the amazing leader and human we have lost.

Thinking of Sherry, her family, and community. Sherry – I will miss you.

-Ginger

Sherry was not only a distinguished and dedicated colleague but a leader in the field of arts management education, a powerful advocate, and a compassionate soul. Many are called; few are chosen.

Sherry was a warm and kind human being, and an amazing scholar. I always enjoyed our talks at AAAE conferences and so appreciated her welcoming spirit. As an alumn of the UW-Madison, I was excited to go back home, but under Sherry's leadership, everyone I spoke with felt that this was now their home. Sherry will be deeply missed. 

While I did not know Sherry well, every time I met her was memorable and sadly far too brief. As a UW supporter of the department of Art History and the Chazen Museum of Art, every event at which we were both present was an occasion that revealed her enthusiasm, keen intelligence, insightfulness, ability to see the solution to an existing problem that others missed. She will be missed by so many, even by those, like me, who were only slightly in her orbit.

Warm, intelligent, insightful..these are just a few words I think of when I think of Sherry. I met her while working on the Any Given Child launch in Madison, and connected again around internships for some of the students she was working with. She always had a welcoming smile and made you at ease, to then have a great conversation about any number of topics. It is so sad to see her light leave, but she lit many candles that will carry on that light. Sending comfort to all of her family and friends.

I am devastated by this news. Sherry and I bonded over love of the arts and the business - and joy - of managing arts organizations. She was a lovely, warm, intelligent person, always enthusiastic and always looking for ways to expand and deepen her mission and bring others in. I enjoyed seeing her on my visits to the UW. I will miss her very much.