Sharon “Sherrie” Virginia Magaha, 79, of Basehor, Kansas, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2019 with family by her side.
Sherrie, oldest of four children, was born to the late Louis and Helen Collett on April 10, 1939 in Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up in Woodberry, Maryland and attended Eastern High School graduating in 1957. Sherrie married the love of her life, Charles “Chuck” B. Magaha on October 12, 1957. They recently celebrated 61 years of wedding bliss and set a beautiful example of love to their family and friends. Sherrie and Chuck moved to Basehor, Kansas in October of 1971 where they raised their five children. Sherrie was very active in the Basehor community, serving as the editor of the Basehor Sentinel from 1974-1979, here she earned numerous writing and photography awards from the Kansas Press Association. She also worked for Basehor City Hall as City Clerk from May 1979 to Aug. 1982 and finished her working career as the secretary for the counselor at Basehor High School from 1982-2000. One of her greatest joys was writing. She wrote many poems for family and friends on a moment’s notice and authored a book about her childhood years. Sherrie was an avid gardener, loved anything related to nature, loved all animals, reading, watching her Chiefs and Jayhawks, and enjoyed staying close to her family and friends near and far, but most of all, Sherrie enjoyed family gatherings and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Sherrie was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Helen Collett. She was also preceded in death by her two sisters, Joyce Basso and Denise Basan. She will be missed by so many including her husband, Charles “Chuck” B. Magaha of the home, her sons, Charles “Chuck” L. Magaha and his wife, Darlene, Kenny Magaha and his wife, Diane, Michael “Mike” Magaha, all of Basehor; two daughters, Kathy Kane and her husband, John of Overland Park, KS., and Karen Streit and her husband, Dan of Basehor, KS; brother, Richard Collett and his wife Maryanne of Fairhope, Alabama; brother-in-law, Rindy Basso of Topeka, KS; sister-in-law, Carol Ann Smith of Tonganoxie, KS; grandchildren, Josh Magaha (Jessica), Brandon Magaha, Bekha Embry (Dustin), Elizabeth Woodington (Ian), Jocelyn Magaha, Kerrie Magaha, Kaley Kane, Kyle Kane, Kourtney Kane, Damian Streit, Kalen Streit, and Alyssa Streit; great grandchildren, Brock and Maddox Magaha, along with many nieces and nephews and friends from near and far and her precious shih tzu, Gizmo.
The Visitation and Rosary will be at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Basehor, KS on Wednesday, January 23, 2019. A Rosary Service will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the visitation until 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Thursday, January 24th also at Holy Angels Catholic Church with burial following at Glenwood Cemetery in Basehor.
We would like to extend our utmost gratitude to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care and all the nurses and doctors for all the wonderful love, care and support they showed toward our mom and our entire family through her brief illness. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society Inc., or the Holy Angels Catholic Church.