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Sherri Connell

A Lifetime in 27 Years

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You are here: Home / Archives for Living My Life / Counting My Blessings

Celebrating the Life of My Mom, Carole!

September 16, 2019 By Sherri

Let’s celebrate my amazing mom’s life! Not only was she a great mom, but an incredible business and people person who reached out to others with love and a caring heart!

Carole loved music! She was dancing in the crib, before she could walk, earning her the nickname, “Paddlefoot” from her Daddy. She danced around the house, doing her chores and even wore her tap shoes to school! She went to Cahokia High School in Illinois, where she played the French horn in the band and was the Prom Queen her Senior year. Carole went to college at Southern Illinois University, where Carole the dancer met Ron the musician.  Carole and Ron were married in 1955 and had three children.

Later, my mom, brother, sister and I moved to Colorado. My mom was a wonderful, loving mother who was always there for her children. She was also “Mom” to all of our friends and everyone in the neighborhood! My mom worked very hard to give her three children a good life. She was a successful clothing merchandiser, model, radio advertising salesperson and retail manager in a man’s world. What’s more, my mom had a passion for people and reached out to make a difference in the lives of others, no matter where she went.

When she retired, she used her business and people skills when she founded a very successful organization called, The Breakfast Club Singles 50+. Her personal touch set the groundwork for the popularity and reputation of this club, as she talked to countless single, widowed and divorced people for many hours on the TBC phone line, inviting them to the breakfasts and greeting them at the door with a giant smile and hug! With the help of her amazing TBC team, it grew to over 700 members and even more chapters opened up in Colorado, adding more and more events and activities!

Mom was also on the Executive Board of the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA). She was their biggest champion, lending wonderful ideas, inspiration and excitement to the board. She loved to share their message of awareness, education and support for millions living with illness, pain and disability to everyone she met, right up until the last weeks of her life.

Though Mom was very successful in her career and her non-profit work, Carole’s family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were her most cherished accomplishments!

Mom fought a very long, difficult and painful battle with cancer for eight and a half years. Yet, even when she was ill and struggling, she was known for taking someone’s hand and thanking them for caring for her, followed by blowing them a big kiss on their way out the door!

Despite her loving, giving, selfless demeanor, she was the most tenacious and determined person we have ever known, far surpassing any prognosis ever given. Her faith remained strong and she would be the first to tell you that “only by the grace of God” could she do it. Mom may not be with us physically on this earth anymore, but she will always be in our hearts, encouraging us all to by example to reach out to others, no matter where you are in life.

My mom graduated from this life to a glorious one with God in Heaven with my brother, Jim, her parents, sister, niece and precious doggy, Mopsy. She passed on 09-09-2019 at 09:09 AM.

We would like to extend a SPECIAL THANK YOU for making the “Celebrate Life” services spectacular!  Thank you, The Ambassador of Soul, Biff Gore, Chaplain Jeff Vankooten, Soquel Ross, the Invisible Disabilities Association, The Breakfast Club Singles 50+, Highline Community Church, Hefelbower Funeral Services and Porter Hospice Residences, as well as all of the incredible friends and family who attended our celebration, sent cards and/or donations to the Invisible Disabilities Association In Memory of Carole Mitchell! 

Mom, I already miss you beyond words! But you fought an incredible fight and have suffered so long. Fly free my precious best friend! I love you to infinity and BEYOND! Forever and ever and ever!

Sherri

MORE VIDEOS BELOW!

Mom and I had a cute saying we shared. I captured it the last week of her life.

Mom jokes about how someone must have stolen her ice cream, because it was gone!

Mom and me enjoying listening to the song she used to love to sing to me.

Biff Gore singing to my mom. www.BiffGore.com

Biff Gore singing to my mom. www.BiffGore.com

VIDEO CREDITS: All rights and credits for videos belong to Sherri Connell. All rights and credits for music in the videos belong to the songwriters and artists given on each video description on YouTube. Videos were created for the sole purpose of celebrating Carole’s life.

 

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Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Grief and Tribulations, Living My Life Tagged With: biff gore, breakfast club, carole mitchell, hefelbower funeral, invisible disabilities association, jeff vankooten, porter hospice residence, singles 50+

Birthday Staycation … Again!

July 18, 2019 By Sherri

No, I’m not on some wonderful vacation or in Cancun or Hawaii, don’t I wish! .. But it’s AWESOME! Enjoying my happy place on my birthday! Just wish I had a friend to share it with. Oh well!

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Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Humor and Fun, Living My Life Tagged With: lifetime fitness, pool, stay-cation, swim, swimming pool, water therapy

Mom Gets a Private Serenade from Biff Gore!

June 19, 2019 By Sherri

Biff Gore from "The Voice" with Carole, resident at Porter Hospice Residences at the Johnson Center.

Biff Gore from “The Voice” with Carole, resident at Porter Hospice Residences at the Johnson Center.

Wow! What an honor and such a huge blessing! Biff Gore came to Porter Hospice Residences to visit and love on my mom, Carole, with a private serenade just for her! My mom felt so special, as Biff ministered to her soul! She was in awe of his voice, music and so moved by his LOVE! 

Biff, “The Ambassador of Soul” was on Season 6 of NBC’s “The Voice,” where he received a “4-Chair Turn” during his audition singing, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. He chose Team Usher, then took it all the way to the Top 8 on Team Blake with Blake Shelton!

But even more than all of that, Biff is an amazing husband, father and human being! He dedicates his life to bringing joy through his music, sharing the love of God and encouraging people who are struggling and hurting! 

Rev. Biff Gore is the Worship Pastor at Highline Community Church in Greenwood Village, Colorado. He is also an All-Star for the Invisible Disabilities Association, a non-profit organization that reaches around the world to millions living with illness, pain and disability!

Thank you, my dear friend! You spoke into our hearts and we will forever remember this beautiful day! We love you, Biff!


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Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Living My Life Tagged With: a change is gonna come, biff gore, blake shelton, music, musician, my girl, nbc, r&b, sam cooke, season 6, the ambassador of soul, the voice, usher

We Are So Grateful for Porter Hospice Residences!

June 17, 2019 By Sherri

 
 
Carole at Porter Hospice Residences at the Johnson Center

Mom got to see the waterfall up close! She was so happy!

We finally got my Mom, Carole, outside for a few minutes to see the waterfall in the garden! To look at her in this picture, you would have no idea how much she has been through and how much she deeply suffers daily. But she asked for a little lipstick and flashed a quick smile so we could capture the happiness in her heart … a photo I will cherish for many years to come! 
 
It has been a very arduous road, as my mom has battled lung cancer for eight years! The past couple of years have been a formidable and agonizing fight, with many close calls and crisis after crisis. But now she faces the final chapter. Please pray she does not suffer much more in this life, before the Lord takes her home.

Thank you, Porter Hospice At The Johnson Center, for loving my mom and making her feel so special and important in the last few pages of her life here on earth!
 
Everyone has been so caring, helpful and amazing! My mom is finally at peace, knowing she is not alone, because not only does she have her family and friends, but now she also has her Porter Hospice Team, who have become her family, too! This is a gift in which we will be forever grateful!
 

After seeing the waterfall, Mom is sound asleep!

It takes very strong, yet compassionate people to work in a Hospice environment. May God bless you and your families for the time, sacrifice and heartache you all face daily. We are so very honored and thankful to have our mom in your care!
 

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Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Grief and Tribulations, Living My Life Tagged With: cancer, centura, centura health, end of life, God, grief, heaven, hospice, johnson center, loss, lung cancer, porter hospice residence

Christmas with Friends

December 26, 2018 By Sherri

We are BEYOND grateful to have spent CHRISTmas with these AMAZING peeps! Thank you all for letting us be part of your family Paul, Lisa and all of you incredible, loving, FUN kids!

We LOVE and ADORE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Living My Life Tagged With: Christmas, family, friends

I Love This Family!

November 26, 2018 By Sherri

I LOVE THIS FAMILY! When my mom got lung cancer, almost 8 years ago, their oldest daughter, Soquel, helped my mom clean her apartment. But she was much more than just a helper. They loved talking about music, history and politics and became very close! And Briana often made stops at Sprouts to pick up her groceries and from time to time, brought her some delicious, homemade soup!

My mom was living at a wonderful place with an incredible family, Scott and Mary Rankin. They were like family, as Mary often helped her with meals, laundry and visits to the hospital in the middle of the night. When they decided to move, it was really hard for Mom to leave the Rankins and where she called home for 15 years! But the Ross Family was happy to take her in! She had a warm, safe place to live where she saw this busy family run in and out past her window, heard their beautiful music and cherished times when they popped in to say hello!

A few days ago. Briana visited Mom at the rehab. Mom was SO excited to see her! And today, Soquel came by and played her violin for Mom! How SPECIAL!

Thank you Ross and Rankin families for loving my mom over the years and showing her your love!

May God bless you and your family!

💖 Sherri

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Living My Life

This Couple! Wow!

August 24, 2018 By Sherri

THIS COUPLE!!! I am SO blessed to have these two in my life! We have known Bruce and Sue for 18 years! They are two AMAZING individuals, who make an INCREDIBLE couple! They truly put God, their marriage, family and friends first in their lives.
 
THIS WOMAN!!! Sue gives to so many in her life: her children, her grandchildren, family, friends and strangers. She has been there with me through many tragedies and difficult times. Just last June, both Sue and Bruce blessed us with the most enchanting evening in the forest, after we lost a life-long dream and project we had been working on for 3.5 years and my friend of 28 years. Then she sent me home with these gorgeous flowers to enjoy!
 
Sue has been a friend to my mom, as she has been struggling severely with her health and living an isolated life. She went through every single piece of clothing my mom had in her closet, drawers and in boxes and helped her decide what to take to her new home at the Cantril House in Castle Rock (assisted living). That was a Godsend for me, because I dreaded that task. Sue helped sort through the bathroom things and was an incredible source of MUCH NEEDED moral support for all of us, throughout the grueling process! Last week, she visited Mom in her new place and did some shopping for her.
Sue is what a true servant of God and friend looks like! And I am so thankful for Bruce, who greets me with the most loving bear hug ever! This man’s treasured wisdom is so valuable to us and we are so thankful that he shares his BEAUTIFUL bride with us! Please keep Sue in your prayers, as she is facing some of her own physical challenges. May God bless these two for the blessings they give to others!
 
I LOVE YOU Bruce and Sue, more than words can say! I could never get through this life without you!
 
Sherri

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♡ Sherri

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Living My Life Tagged With: chronic illness and pain, counting my blessings, friends and family, personal story, relationships

A Beautiful Evening with Friends

June 16, 2018 By Sherri

What a BEAUTIFUL evening for dinner with our wonderful friends, Bruce and Sue! It was a MUCH NEEDED and extra special time on their new patio in the pine trees!

Bruce had built this last Fall for a family get together and he even designed and created AMAZING hanging lights! Sue dressed the table with beautiful dishes and even had Safari napkins just for me! She is so thoughtful! She also had this gorgeous box full of daisies and got to take some home!

We felt so special and like we were at an exotic retreat having dinner in the forest with our INCREDIBLE friends!

Thank you for blessing our lives, by being in it, Bruce and Sue! We love you both to pieces! 🌼🐝🐞🦋🌼

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement Tagged With: counting my blessings, friends and family, just for fun, personal story

Christmas Concert with Mandy Harvey

December 27, 2017 By Sherri

Wayne and Sherri with seats in front of the stage

We were so elated to celebrate Christmas and my hubby’s birthday with Mandy Harvey at Dazzle!

This was our third Christmas Concert and I am so very thankful to be able to go and have never had a problem with chemicals there (air fresheners and perfumes).

It was SO great to see Mandy and give her big hugs! I have missed her! She has really been busy after being on America’s Got Talent in 2017! As you probably know, she placed forth!

We are so very proud of her and are elated that she is able to live her dream of singing and a making a difference in this world with her message of love and perseverance!

Sherri

Wayne and Sherri
Mandy Harvey singing
Mandy Harvey beautiful
John, Beth and Sara (Mandy’s interpreter)

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Living My Life Tagged With: america's got talent, chronic illness and pain, concert, counting my blessings, deaf singer, jazz singer, just for fun, mandy harvey, musician, personal story, singer, songwriter

Great Visit with Great Niece

December 17, 2017 By Sherri

I had a GREAT visit with my GREAT Niece, Avery! She was getting ready to move back to her hometown, so my hubby took us out to lunch before she left!

We had a great time talking, sharing and laughing! I am so thankful for Avery and my time with her. I wish we didn’t live so far from my family. I hate not being close to them!

But I cherish these moments!

Sherri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Counting My Blessings, Living My Life

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About Me

About Me

I am a singer, dancer, actress, model. ... Oh wait! That was my life BEFORE Lyme Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury and Chemical Injury. Join me on my pursuit to find joy in the midst of loss and pain! The one thing I certainly still have in this life is my humor! I hope you enjoy my blog full of information about living with disabling illness, pain and loss, as well as counting my blessings and just being plain silly!

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Living with Debilitating Illness and Pain

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Friendship Over Fragrances

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MCS Can Be Lonely

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