Sheri
Hamel Greene Hess, passed unexpectedly at her home in Davenport, Florida, on
June 30, 2021. Born May 15th, 1971, in
Claremont, New Hampshire, to veteran and retired firefighter John Hamel and
devoted mother Patricia Baker [Ruest], Sheri was the younger to her sister
Becky Herrington.
Sheri
graduated from Stevens High School in Claremont, New Hampshire, and went on to
achieve her business degree from Ashworth University in Norcross, Georgia. Sheri would acquire several professional
achievements over her thirty-year medical, music and retail career, including
the CPSP and CMRS medical credentials, but the accomplishments she was most
proud of were those of her son Tyler.
Tyler
was Sheri’s life’s work and greatest achievement. Born in Claremont, New Hampshire, as well,
Tyler fell ill early on with quadriplegia due to a spinal malady and soon
became dependent upon a ventilator.
Sheri quickly became skilled in every aspect of the illness, treatments,
and diagnosis at such a level of expertise that she was called upon to train
the medical staffs charged with Tyler’s care.
Sheri and Tyler’s advocacy work toward the early diagnosis, treatment
and long-term care requirements of quadriplegia was acknowledged by Governor
John Lynch in a press conference on the front steps of their Claremont
home. Their advocacy work would capture
the attention of actor Christopher Reeve and wife Dana. They quickly built a friendship, and upon his
passing, Christopher’s van was given to Tyler.
Sheri would serve as Tyler’s caregiver for twenty-years after he was
first diagnosed, through his formative years, through high school and college,
and until his passing at the age of twenty-three.
Sheri
would be diagnosed with stage-four cancer, given a ten-percent chance to survive
it, undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy—and beat it. She was a twenty-year survivor and advocate.
Sheri
would be critically injured in a traffic accident, undergo countless
reconstructive surgeries rebuilding essentially the entire left-side of her—and
beat it.
After
a lifetime of style, trend and fashion-forward experiences bringing her unique
eye and flavor to other’s venues—fashion, music, retail—Sheri finally took the
leap to start her own business. Sheri’s
successful Bubbles & Bling subscription box openings have been viewed by
tens of thousands of social media fans, have sold out every run, and have
amassed a waitlist several months long.
She consulted other vendors in the lifestyle space, lending her
experiences to colleagues and competitors alike, and has helped several more
get started from scratch.
She
is survived by her husband Mark Hess, her father John Hamel and stepmother
Debra Hamel [Lamery] of Claremont, New Hampshire, her mother Patricia Baker
[Ruest] and stepfather Robert Baker of Davenport, Florida, and sister Becky
Herrington and brother-in-law John Herrington of Manchester, Vermont. She is also survived by her uncle Richard
Ruest and his wife Jacqui of Ludlow, Massachusetts, her aunt Shirley McNutt of
Ascutney, Vermont, niece Brandy Fortin, and cousins John Prouty, Tony Ruest and
Andrea Ruest. As well, by her extended
family Ellis and Stacey Hess of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and Gary Hess and
Sarah Gibson of Sacramento, California.
Sheri’s
graveside service and burial will be held at the Union Cemetery in Claremont,
New Hampshire, on Thursday, July 15th, at 1:00PM. Floral and memorial arrangements can be made
with the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street, Claremont, New Hampshire, and
with our friends at the Petal Patch, 2 Main Street, Newport, New Hampshire.
