Sherry Castle Whitley

Sherry Castle Whitley
November 23, 1949- September 27, 2023
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.

Sherry Castle Whitley was born on November 23, 1949 to Lucile and Clarence Castle. She was raised in small towns on the Iowa prairie and developed into an urbane Texas woman. Southern Methodist University was the foundation of this transition. Armed with degrees in anthropology and law she became an author of law books and family history books. She met the love of her life, her husband and life partner of 52 years, Douglas Whitley at SMU.

Sherry’s legal career began as counsel for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, an agency in the U.S. Treasury Department. Toward the end of that position, she was contracted by Matthew Bender & Company to write what became the leading book on national banks. For over a decade she served as “Of Counsel” to Haynes and Boone, a Dallas based firm that grew to national prominence. With Joseph Jude Norton, an SMU law professor, she co-authored a second Matthew Bender book on banking law. As the children matured, Sherry transitioned from the practice of law to a federal lobbyist and government affairs officer for several financial institutions. Sherry is a 55-year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, a philanthropic educational organization focused on the education of women. She has served as a leader of local chapters and regional groups. Sherry was proud that her mother Lucile Castle, and her sister Nancy Castle Mayes, were P.E.O.’s. Together they have been unfailingly passionate about the education of women. Other accomplishments for Sherry were admission into the Daughters of the American Revolution and researching and writing projects for books on the Castle family, Whitley family and Cotten family (Douglas’ maternal family). She helped Douglas complete his application for the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Stepping outside her comfort zone, Sherry researched design and construction to build a “barndominium” on the Whitley ranch in South Texas. Sherry’s proudest accomplishment, along with Douglas, was to provide their children with the gifts of travel, adventures and family memories. She knew the experiences of mountain climbing, snow skiing, museum trips, food discoveries, and foreign exploration would open their eyes to a wider world and help shape their lives.

Sherry was preceded in death by her parents Lucile and Clarence Castle, and her son Douglas Elliott Whitley. She is survived by her husband Douglas Eugene Whitley of Coppell, two daughters, Julia Whitley (Peter Siegesmund) of Bedford, New Hampshire, and Florence Kerkaert (Tom Kerkaert) of Lewisville, Texas and by her beloved daughter-in-law Danielle Whitley of Arnold, Maryland. She has seven grandchildren – Thompson Anthony Kerkaert, Felicity Rose Kerkaert, Elizabeth Marie Kerkaert, Dillon Anthony Kerkaert, Alexandra Lila Siegesmund, Marion Taylor Siegesmund and Corinne Lucile Whitley. She is also survived by her sister Nancy Castle Mayes, her husband K. Michael Mayes, and her mother-in-law, Helen Cotten Whitley Morris.

Sherry and Douglas are grateful to K. Michael and Nancy Mayes for leading this gathering. Sherry is also grateful to Susan Solomon, our family friend and nanny, who devoted decades of her life to the care of our family.

In lieu of flowers, Sherry’s favorite charity is P.E.O. Donations should be sent to the P.E.O. Foundation (Lucile Castle Fund) at 3700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312.

Sherry will be buried in Pearsall Cemetery in Pearsall, Frio County, TX.

The service will be available by live streaming at wadefamilyfuneralhome.com. The link will be found under Sherry’s obituary.

You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived.