She was preceded in death by her parents Randall and Geraldine, as well as her brother Russ Sherwood. She is survived by sister Caroline Massey, nieces Christina Massey, Brianna Sturdivant and husband Wayne, and great-niece Emma.
Jeannie grew up in the Forest Hill and Tigertown community, where she attended school at West Lamar until 1973. After obtaining a business degree from PJC, she got a job at JTPA where she worked in several capacities spanning over 40 years. At the time of her retirement, she was working with the Workforce Commission of Northeast Texas where she left behind several long-time friends.
Jeannie was a lover of food and family. She loved home-cooking, collected cookbooks, and ensured the family always got together for Sunday dinners. Even with a 10 year age gap, Jeannie absolutely treasured spending time with her sister Caroline - mexican restaurants and watching old movies together were her favorite.
Jeannie did not have children of her own, but treated and talked about her nieces as her own, and treated Emma as more of a granddaughter than a great niece. She gave her time and her energy selflessly to help care for everyone. She was a generous and reliable friend. She was an animal lover, a shopping addict, and always loved a good day trip with the family. She loved Tom Petty and Clint Eastwood. She had an unbeatable sweet tooth, and talked about nothing but desserts in her last days. Her favorite color was purple.
It’s impossible to sum up the depth of person such as Jeannie. She was a quiet, kind, giving person, and will be deeply missed by all who loved her.
The family would like to give a special thanks to a long list of those who made a difference and gave exceptional care in her last days:
- the staff at Texas Oncology, including but not limited to, Dr. Wilcox, Denim McIntire, and Shelly Terrones who put a very nervous Jeannie at ease during her treatments - The nursing staff at Paris Regional, including but not limited to, Ernela, Mallory, Sarah, Leslie, Brandi, Alexis, Haylee, Kat, & Carsyn from Stepdown, as well as Hayden and Micah from the ER. A special thanks goes to the entire staff of the PRH Rehab unit who cared for Jeannie over a month and took exceptional care of her.
- Wendy Knight and OnCall Hospice who made it possible for Jeannie to come home in her last days, provided gentle and thoughtful care, and created a peaceful transition for both Jeannie and family.
- Shanta Williams, a best friend and coworker of Jeannie’s for over 25 years. Shanta regularly checked in on and cared for Jeannie over the last year of her illness when she became unable to work. Jeannie treasured Shanta and her genuine friendship.
- Amanda London, a true friend who gave selflessly to help the family care for Jeannie while she was on hospice, and has provided endless support, love, and laughs in this difficult time.
There will be a family night on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cooper Sorrells Funeral Home in Honey Grove. A small graveside service will be held at Forest Hill Cemetery on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jeannie’s honor to the American Cancer Society.
To share a memory or leave an online condolence please visit, www.coopersorrells.com
