Barbara Parks Sherwood

Barbara Parks Sherwood, 94, long-time Tri-Cities resident, died Sunday April 20, 2008 at Oak Crest Manors in Spring Lake. Barbara was born in Grand Rapids, MI where she attended her grandmother's and mother's private school before graduating from Central High School. Her family owned a cottage in Highland Park where she and her brother, Paul, spent many happy summers swimming, boating and playing tennis. Barbara graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Geology. During one of her summers at Highland Park, while playing tennis, she met the love of her life, Miller G. Sherwood. They were married in 1938 in Grand Haven. They spent the early years of their marriage in Chicago and then moved to Ohio where they began their family. Daughters Nancy and Suzy, and son Gary were all born in Ohio. The family returned to Grand Haven in 1945, and a second son, Randy, was born here. Barbara loved being a wife and mother and spent countless hours caring for and organizing her active family. She also had a great love for all four-legged creatures, especially dogs, and was very indulgent with her children in this regard. She managed with ease a large and ever-changing pet menagerie including field mice, snakes and even one large rooster. To call Barbara "civic-minded" is not doing justice to all the many committees, events and organizations to which she devoted her considerable intellect and organizational skills. She was a long-time member of the League of Women Voters, and was a delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention in the early 1960's. She served as a cub scout den mother for both of her sons, and worked tirelessly to promote the Tri-Cities Historical Museum, the Loutit District Library and the Tri-Cities YMCA. She never lost her love for her community and continued to volunteer throughout her life including tutoring elementary students and working at the local hospital. Barbara was an avid traveler and her many journeys took her to four continents and countless different cultures. Whether visiting her daughter, Nancy and her husband George in Peru, hiking in England with her sister-in-law, Penny Sherwood, or viewing the wild animals on safari in Kenya with her daughter, Suzy and her children, Barbara loved adventure. She was the best companion through all of life's journeys. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Miller G. Sherwood, her parents, Burritt and Helen Parks, and her only brother, Paul Parks. She is survived by her daughters, Nancy Sherwood Truitt of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Suzanne "Suzy" Sherwood Ageton of Boulder, Colorado, and her sons, Miller G. "Gary" (Karen) Sherwood, Jr. of Spring Lake, MI and David R. "Randy" (Denise) Sherwood of Ada, MI; and eight grandchildren: Christine Ageton, Brett Garrod Ageton, Benjamin Sherwood Truitt, Alexander Sherwood Truitt, Courtland Reilly Sherwood, Bryce Randolph Sherwood, Daxton David Sherwood and Danika Nina Patricia Sherwood; and one step-grandchild, Brent Charles Baribeau. Friends may meet the family from 4-7 PM at the Grand Haven Community Center on Sunday, April 27, 2008. A Celebration of Barbara's Life will be presented by her family at 5 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to The Little Red House in Spring Lake, Hospice of North Ottawa Community, The Miller G. Sherwood Family Scholarship Fund at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, or the Harbor Humane Society. VanZantwick Bartels Kammeraad Grand Haven