Sherry G. (Herman) Velten

Sherry G. (Herman) Velten, 76, longtime resident of the Springfield area, died Sunday, March 24, 2019 at Memorial Medical Center surrounded by her loved ones.

Born in 1942 in Amarillo, Texas the daughter of Emerson W. Herman and Macon A. (Atnip) Herman. Sherry graduated from Springfield High School in 1960. She attended Mac Murray College, Jacksonville, IL. 

Sherry was a mother, avid gardener, talented musician who played the piano and upright bass, songwriter, vocalist, legal aide, State capital worker, Illinois Central Blues Club founding board member, artist, illustrator, theater performer, and a member of the Springfield Garden Club. 

At one point she was the elevator operator at the Illinois Building, she later appeared as a model in an ad for IBM business machines in Time magazine, in the 70’s she was the mom in the TV commercial for Chili Man Chili, she performed on stage in the musical Tommy in Springfield. She sang with musician friends at Blue Grass festivals in the summer. She worked in advertising for a few years, creating the character Brushy for a successful local car wash business. In the early 80’s she worked out of Senator Lemke’s office as the Director of the annual two week Illinois Ethnic Heritage Festival organizing the music and dance performances and a variety of cultural food booths, located at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It was in the mid 80’s that she used her skills and passion for music to help build the ICBC which still brings blues music to the schools today. Sherry loved the arts and working on community events. 

She made world class cherry cheese cake her family enjoyed along with some of her music at the piano including her original song “Somewhere My Honey”. 

Sherry was preceded in death by her father, E.W. Herman; her mother, Macon A. (Atnip) Sorling; and her step-father, Carl A. Sorling. 

She is survived by son, Wade (Alexandria) Velten; daughter, Stacie (Craig) Velten Remy; step-son, Brian (Judy) Velten; grandchildren, Lauren, Madeleine, and Wyatt; sister, Kay (Stephen) Childs; and numerous nieces and nephews all of whom she adored. 

Cremation will be accorded. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 2019 at Ellinger-Kunz & Park Funeral Home with Reverend Larry Hanson officiating.

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