SHERRY LINN ASCHLIMAN PENNINGTON GEBHART

May 3, 1955 - April 15, 2012

Sherry Linn Aschliman Pennington Gebhardt, of Bradenton, formerly of Sarasota FL and Goshen IN, died April 15, 2012.  She passed away following a valiant four plus year battle against Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade 4 brain cancer. She was a 1973 graduate of Riverview High School, where she was a member of the Kiltie Band. After years of working in the restaurant business, Sherry returned to school to become a certified legal assistant/paralegal. For 20 years she worked for the firm Brigham, Moore (now Moore, Bowman & Rix) as both paralegal and office manager. She also served on a number of boards with the Florida Association of Legal Support Specialists as well as the local chapter-Sarasota-Manatee Association of Legal Support Specialists including her just completed year as President. Survivors include her husband, Walter F. Gebhardt of Bradenton; parents Dale and Phyllis (Pat) Aschliman of Sarasota; her daughters Sally Fisher (John) Panozzo, Palm Springs, Fla., Erin Pennington of Sarasota; step-son, Matthew Gebhardt of Bradenton; sister, Cathy (Mitch) Hollar, Venice, Fla.; brothers, Brian (Kim) Aschliman, Gilbert, S.C.; Craig Aschliman of Sarasota, and grandsons, Jacob Panozzo, Nathan Panozzo and Khyree Sanderson. Visitation of family and friends is 6 p.m. Friday, April 27, 2012, followed by eulogies and a memorial service at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 3100 26 Street West, Bradenton, Fla. Interment will be later at Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton. Memorial Contributions to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University, DUMC Box 3624 Durham, NC 27710.

Several of us Aschliman cousins share a May 3 birthday, making us 'special' cousins, at least in our minds.  Many of us knew that a diagnosis of GBM was grim news, but Sherry actively carried on for years past the median survival times of approximately 12 months, and joining the 3-5% of patients who live beyond three years.  She was a participant in a Duke clinical trial, and possibly benefited from her experimental treatments.  She had a ready smile, a dry wit and the 'shopping gene' and will be greatly missed by family and friends.