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KNEA members mourn the loss of
Vice President Sherri Yourdon

Scholarship fund to assist singe mothers pursuing advanced teaching degrees.
Tributes and comments about Sherri welcome

KNEA Vice President Sherri Yourdon passed away August 7 after a year-long battle with cancer. She was 61.

A memorial scholarship in her has been established to assist single mothers who are pursuing advanced training as teachers. Contributions to the scholarship may be sent to “KNEA Scholarship Trust Fund” at 715 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS  66612.  Please indicate that the contribution is for the Sherri Yourdon Memorial Scholarship.  

“Students, parents and teachers have lost a great educator, a good friend and a passionate advocate,” said KNEA President Blake West. “She has been a voice and an activist for children. Her efforts in schools and in the community were focused on making public schools great for every child.”

Read tributes and comments about Sherri Yourdon

On leave from her position as counselor at Reno Valley Middle School in Nickerson, Yourdon has served as KNEA vice president since being elected in 2006. Prior to that, she served as KNEA’s secretary-treasurer.

Her passion for helping students and partnering with parents to improve public schools was evident in her KNEA activities. She advocated for after school programs through the Kansas Enrichment Network (KEN) and she enhanced KNEA’s working relationships with partners such as Safe Kids, the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) and the Kansas PTA. She was also active in Read Across America activities.

A long-time political activist, Yourdon promoted knowledge of and interest in the political process at all levels and, in the 1990’s, ran for the Kansas House of Representatives.

Yourdon earned her teaching degree at Wichita State University (WSU). She had been an active KNEA member since she started her teaching career in El Dorado in 1971, serving as local president, chief negotiator, and as a delegate to state and national conventions. She had a brief career in business before returning to education in 1976 when she became an English teacher at  Nickerson High School. Yourdon also taught Journalism, sponsored the newspaper and yearbook, and was the cheerleading sponsor.  She earned her masters in Counseling and School Psychology from WSU in 1986 and became a school counselor. Considered an innovator by friends and colleagues, she led efforts by area school counselors to start the first Reno County summer school program. 

Yourdon also taught at Hutchinson Community College (HCC) and at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility (a maximum security facility). During her 12 years there, HCF had the only prison newspaper in the state of Kansas. Yourdon also counseled part time for Court Services and the juvenile detention center.

Yourdon is a graduate of "Leadership Hutchinson" and served on the boards the Wheatbelt Area Girl Scouts,  the Reno County Mental Health Board and the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Board. She served as board president for the Wheatbelt Girl Scouts and the Domestic Violence boards.

Sherri Yourdon is survived by her two sons, Bryan, his wife Susan, and Mont, and his wife Christie, and seven grandchildren.

Comments and Tributes: Sherri Yourdon

Statements are from teaching colleagues, KNEA members and former students. You are welcome to send a comment about Sherri to kneanews@knea.org .

It was Sherri Yourdon who encouraged my initial active involvement in NEA and KNEA.  One year Sherri came and encouraged me to run as a local delegate for the NEA-RA.  She told me I would be good at it and would enjoy it.  She was right; after that I was hooked. Sherri knew how to recognize strengths and interests in members and help them to grow in the Association.  Sherri knew how to personalize and mobilize those around her toward common goals.  Sherri lived the mission and vision of KNEA.
Mark Farr, KNEA Board, Ark Valley UniServ
Nickerson High School

Sherri believed that it took the home, school and community to make great public schools.  She was a persuasive voice urging parents to be deeply involved in the school, advocated for community support for education and challenged every education employee to work toward excellence.  Sherri was impatient with policy makers and power brokers who moved too slowly to correct social injustices and find funding for schools and students that could make significant differences in the future of children. Her voice will echo as we continue to be the advocates that Sherri taught us to be.     
Claudette Johns, KNEA Executive Director

When Sherri was transferred from Nickerson High to Reno Valley Middle School, she was not happy and I was less than thrilled.  We forged forward and quickly developed an easy going relationship.  As it turns out, the years we were together were the most challenging in my professional and personal life.  But Sherri was always there pushing me, pulling me, carrying me and walking by my side.  And as I tumbled out of that dark period, it was Sherri who caught me, put me back on me feet and sent me down the road.  I can think of no better colleague or friend than Sherri Yourdon.
Julie Wilson, Director, Ark Valley UniServ

I wanted to say thank you to Ms. Yourdon because she probably saved my life.
Clarisa Wheeler, former student

You were my birthday mate and a truly special person to me. I will always love and remember your kindness and thoughtfulness to all. Sherri, you were one of a kind and I will deeply miss you.
Jarius Jones, Kansas City Kansas NEA

When I think of Sherri, I hear these words ringing in my head: "Absolutely"....or "Not a problem,"....or "I would be happy to!" That is why she had so many friends and admirers. She always had a positive outlook on life no matter how difficult the challenges. In fact, I think Sherri did her best work when challenged.
Ola Wilk, EA 309 Nickerson South Hutchinson

Sherri was the type of person that once she met you, you had a fan for life.  While counseling at Reno Valley Middle School, she would be the person that students and faculty would go to for encouragement, support, to shed a tear with, and to celebrate with. She loved working with kids.  She shared with me a few weeks ago that she was so thankful that she was able to spend so many years in the classroom working with kids.  She missed them.  But she sure did love her KNEA family!  Many of us were blessed to be able to witness the true strength of an amazing woman.  While attending the San Diego RA. She didn't miss a single 6:30 AM meeting and stayed up late at night. She inspired us all.
Sherri has always been known as the woman that gives the best hugs.  When she wrapped you up in her arms, she would hug you with her soul. 
Linda Henderson, EA 309 Nickerson South Hutchinson

Ms. Yourdon gave us wonderful high school memories (even the bus trip to Jostens!). She will be missed by all of former students, friends and family. I am fortunate to have know her both as a teacher and a friend.
Deb Glass NHS Class of 1980

Sherri taught us a lot about happiness, fulfillment, positive attitude, faith, love, and courage. That was her legacy to us all.  She will be deeply missed and remembered always.  What a fantastic lady and friend!
A few years ago Sherri, Clara Martin, and I were on our way home from Dodge City where we had a dinner meeting with Christy Levings, Blake West, and the leaders of Southwest UniServ.  Sherri was driving and going a little bit over the speed limit.  Needless to say, she was pulled over.  Being her usual comb, cool, and collected self Sherri managed to talk her way out of a ticket.  Sherri always was a true diplomat!
Debi Ellis, retired, Buhler NEA

Sherri loved Christmas. She collected Santas and she spent time looking for Christmas gifts all year.  I think she knew every Christmas song ever written as well as the artist(s) who recorded it.  Several times when I wanted to find a particular song, I knew that all I needed to do was ask Sherri. Sherri was the most patient person I knew except when she was driving.  Just let us get behind a slow car without the ability to pass, and her impatience showed.  It always surprised me.  If the waiting list at a restaurant was two hours long, it never bothered her.  But a slow car!  An entirely different story.
Sherri believed that each of us had to make our own decisions about our lives.  She was always willing to discuss the problem, but she was never willing to suggest the decision.  She wanted each of us to come up with the decision.  She invited brainstorming, but she never chose.
Clara Martin, NEA Kingman County

Think of every positive adjective in your vocabulary and nearly every one characterizes Sherri.  Wise and smart,  non-judgmental and supportive, caring and generous, warm and humorous, just to name a  few.  I feel blessed that she was my dear friend for over 30 years and that I have so many wonderful memories to fall back on.  "To have a friend, be one" explains why Sherri has more friends than anyone I've ever known.  She knew how to be a friend.
Pat Lisowski, retired, EA 309 Nickerson South Hutchinson

I have so many wonderful memories of Ms. Yourdon. She was always their for her students. I remember when I had lost my mother to cancer - you were their to comfort me. I was so young that I thought it was the end of the world! But you had made me a strong vibrant woman that I am today.I have never forgotten anything you have told me. You were a definite role model for all your students.
Sherri Keene, former student

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