Sherry Lynn Ford Keough

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

— John 3:16

Sherry Lynn Ford was born in 1943 in Johnson City, Tennessee, the beloved daughter of Joyce Mae Harvey and Grand Mother Carrie Harvey. She spent her earliest years in the foothills of East Tennessee before her family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where Sherry blossomed into the woman her family and friends would come to adore. She later returned to the place of her birth to pursue her education at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, earning a degree that would shape her life’s calling.

At the heart of everything Sherry was and everything she gave was her deep, abiding love for God. Her faith was not something she wore on special occasions, it was the foundation she stood on every single day. It shaped the way she loved her family, the grace she extended to others, and the peace she carried even through life’s hardest seasons. She believed in something greater than herself, and that belief made her greater still. Her faith was a gift she gave freely to all who knew her, and its light will continue to shine through the lives she touched. On July 9, 2026, Sherry went home to meet her Lord and Saviour, stepping into the eternal life she had always believed in and faithfully lived toward.

Sherry dedicated part of her career to teaching students with special needs — a role that suited her generous spirit perfectly. She also carved out a remarkable career in aviation, working for Piedmont Aviation and Delta Air Lines, living in Cincinnati before making her way to Charlotte, North Carolina. In Charlotte, she returned to Piedmont, working as a gate agent and in the airline hospitality club, where she loaded luggage and greeted countless travelers with warmth. She made every person feel they were exactly where they were supposed to be.

It was in that very hospitality club that Sherry met the great love of her life, Doug Keough. The story is quintessentially Sherry: Doug leaned over mid-crossword puzzle and asked to borrow a pen. Without missing a beat, she looked at him and said, “You need a pencil.” He never stood a chance. When the time came, it was Sherry who proposed, and she chose Good Friday as their anniversary date, ensuring Doug would never have an excuse to forget it. She was practical, witty, and always one step ahead.

Above all else, Sherry was a mother, a wife, and the steady, loving center of her family. She was the kind of woman who showed up fully, completely, and without hesitation  through every season of life. She loved her family through it all, and David built a family because Sherry made it possible. She was, and always will be, the most amazing woman those who knew her have ever had the privilege of loving.

Sherry is survived by her husband, Doug Keough; her sons, Richard Autry, David & Michelle Autry, and Johnny Autry; her grandchildren, Morgan Autry, Madison Autry, Michael Autry, Anderson Autry, and Hunter Autry; her brother, Jim Harvey; her sister, April Powell; and the many friends and family members whose lives were made richer simply by knowing her.

She will be remembered always, and missed every single day.