Sherri Collier

Sherri S. Hodges Collier, 46, of Louisiana, formerly of Scott City, passed away Saturday, June 27, 2009, at Christus Schumpert Highland Hospital in Shreveport, La., following a six-and-a-half year battle with lung cancer.

She was born Aug. 21, 1962, at the old Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau, to Clinton and Doris Hodges.

Sherri attended Oran public schools at Oran, Mo., and graduated with the class of 1980. She was in the first class of respiratory technician students at Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech School, graduating in 1981. While attending Vo-Tech she worked part time at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. After graduation she continued to work at the hospital, made the flight team and enjoyed the neo baby unit.

In August 1985 Sherri was interviewed and employed by Christus Schumpert Hospital. She moved to Shreveport and worked in the respiratory department, made the flight team and enjoyed working with the neo baby unit.

Sherri transferred from the hospital to the Wellness Center of Schumpert in 1991. She enjoyed working with the older people, showing them how to adapt to their breathing problems and how to do their chores easier.

She started a harmonica class at the Wellness Center and the patients enjoyed listening to "their music." She passed the class to one of her co-workers and became the auctioneer when the center had an auction or bake sale.

She and D. Scott Collier were married Nov. 7, 1987. A daughter was born Sept. 18, 1993, and named Chelsey Paige.

Scott and Sherri owned Bayou Class and worked together to make it a success.

Survivors include her husband; daughter; her parents of Benton, Mo.; two brothers, Steve (Barb) Hodges of Shelby, N.C., Brian (Jenny) Hodges of St. Charles, Mo.; two sisters, Debra (Jamie) Rowlett of Lenexa, Kan., Teresa (James) Perkins of Lewisport, Ky.; five nephews; and two nieces.

She will be missed by other family members and a large host of friends.

The funeral was held July 1 at Rose-Neath's Southside Chapel. Interment was in O.E. Price Cemetery in Logansport, La.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Benton United Methodist Church in Benton.

Announcement courtesy of Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.