One of Wyoming’s most beloved first ladies has died.
Sherri Geringer, wife of former Gov. Jim Geringer, died on Saturday at the age of 79. She was the Wyoming first lady from 1995-2003.
Geringer is the first Wyoming first lady to die since Martha Hansen, the wife of former Gov. Cliff Hansen, died in 2011. She had been battling an extended illness for a number of years. Geringer died at her home in Cheyenne in hospice care, her family said.
Who Was She?
Geringer grew up in Kansas, which is where she met her future husband Jim Geringer in college, who then brought her to Wyoming. The two shared their 58th wedding anniversary two weeks ago with 33 kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and bonus family members present.
Mary Kay Hill ran Geringer’s first campaign in 1994, which is when she first met Sherri and the rest of the Geringer clan. What struck her, Hill said, was the sense of genuine love and devotion each one of the Geringer family members had for each other.
Although she wasn’t always out front and center for every moment of the Geringer administration, Hill said Sherri played an important role running the more celebratory events at the governor’s mansion with style and class.
“She had good instincts and just a quiet, classy approach to her work as first lady,” Hill said. “She worked very hard to bring a real sense of first class hospitality to the residence.”
Sharing her home with the world was a tradition Sherri got to continue last Christmas when she and her husband opened their 9,000-square-foot residence for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Women’s Civic League of Cheyenne 56th annual Christmas House.
Geringer previously worked with the Civic League, and seeing Sherri Geringer’s face, who was wheelchair-bound at the time, light up at the opportunity to share her home, was a memory that event organizer Melissa Theriault said will stay with her for a lifetime.
According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Geringer suffered a stroke in 2018 that left her physically disabled. Seeing Geringer’s devotion to his wife in the aftermath of that event was touching, Hill said.
Although Geringer had trouble speaking by the time she hosted the Christmas House, her mind was still fully intact, and Theriault said she answered in a clear, emphatic manner when asked if she was sure she wanted to host the event.
Good Friend, Great Cook
Gov. Mark Gordon kicked off this event with a formal ribbon cutting.
"Jennie and I extend our deepest condolences to the entire Geringer family on the passing of Sherri,” Gordon told Cowboy State Daily in a statement Monday morning. “Her grace under exceptionally trying circumstances over the past few years was extraordinary, as was her love of Wyoming, her care and concern for the people of the state, and her devotion to her family. She will be deeply missed."
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis was Wyoming state treasurer while Geringer was first lady.
“I'm saddened to hear of former Wyoming first lady Sherri Geringer's passing,” Lummis told Cowboy State Daily in a statement. “Her passionate advocacy, warmth, and friendship made her beloved across our state. I’m keeping Gov. Geringer and their entire family in my prayers during this difficult time.”
Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Judy Catchpole served in office the same years as Geringer’s time as first lady and became good friends with her during that time, saying she was enjoyable to be around and an even better cook.
The two shared many long car rides to conferences that Sherri would attend with Judy and her husband, andthe two women would bond over talking about their children, some of whom were of similar age and knew each other.
“That was fun,” Catchpole said.
Jim Geringer told the Tribune Eagle he volunteered to host the Christmas House as a special tribute to his wife. Theriault said seeing the devotion Jim gave to his wife was “the best example of love I’ve ever seen.”
“I’ll never get over seeing the devotion they had to each other,” Theriault said. “It’ll go down as one of the highlights of my life.”
Public Service
Sherri Geringer helped start the Raising Readers program in 2002, designed to promote early childhood development by providing new books to children in the age range of 2 months through 5 years old.
“She was a quiet leader in her own right,” said her son Rob Geringer, a state legislator. “Her initiatives helped bring people together. Her passion for kids, and especially literacy, is a testament to her life.”
She also made breast cancer awareness a major priority, supporting the Race for a Cure and pushing hard for access to mammograms much easier to come by, a service in the 1990s that was less common than it is today.
“She was ahead of her time in recognizing that as an important issue for women,” Hill said.
There will be funeral services for Geringer at 1 p.m. April 14 in Cheyenne at Cheyenne Hills Church, and 1 p.m. April 15 in Wheatland at First Christian Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests well-wishers donate to a charity of their choice in Sherri’s memory or to one dear to her heart such as Raising Readers in Wyoming, Cheyenne Women's Civic League or a local domestic violence shelter.
The family is also requesting short stories of the public’s fond memories of Sherri that may be read during her memorial service. These can be sent to MrsGWyoming@gmail.com.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
