Sherri Lee Zochol

Sherri Lee Zochol, 46, of Bellevue, Nebraska, died August 18th, 2026, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, of brutal Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma.

She was born August 5, 1980, to John and Rae (Luxton) Zochol of Alliance, Nebraska. Everyone but Jodi loved her immediately (who obviously got over it pretty quickly). Carrie was initially confused about why they gave the new baby her name, but that got cleared up pretty quickly, too. Her mom said she was her best surprise since they hadn’t planned to have more kids.

Sherri was a ray of sunshine as a child. Every picture of her shows her ridiculously cute smile and playful personality. When she was little, she loved the color purple; her favorite pair of pants were a pair of old jeans she called her “Uncle Rich pants,” and she wanted to be a marine biologist because dolphins! She was funny and creative and was her sister Jodi’s constant best friend. They could play and talk for hours on end. Hours outside in the playhouse, riding bikes, playing on the swingset. More hours inside playing with Barbies, playing dress up, and giving unauthorized haircuts to the stuffed animals and dolls. The unauthorized haircuts stopped, but the friendship is everlasting.

After Sherri’s family moved from the farm into town when she was in the first grade, she made many new friends. Brooke and Nicole were staples at the Zochol house. So many memories of sleepovers and shenanigans well into high school. During high school, Sherri played volleyball and tennis, sang in choir, was a member of the junior bank board, and was a beloved employee at Theile Pharmacy and Gifts. In 1998, she was crowned Box Butte County Fair Queen by her cousin Maggie, who had been crowned the previous year. She absolutely won because of her amazing juggling talent that she only acquired because she needed a talent for the contest. So quintessentially Sherri Lee!

Sherri graduated from Alliance High School in 1999. Although she started her college career at Southeast Community College in Norfolk, she quickly found that life was not for her. She moved on to Massage Therapy school in Lincoln and was lucky to find a core group of lifelong friends, including Michelle, Andrea, Amelia, and Leah.

She got a job at the front desk at Embassy Suites while finishing up school and found her forever work home–with the exception of one year of employment at Brownell Talbot in 2005. She worked her way up from front desk to housekeeping to housekeeping inspector to accounting and finally Director of Accounting for the Embassy Suites in Lavista, Nebraska. She was a force to be reckoned with and did her job (and a few other people's) with great pride and dedication. We knew not to plan anything during month-end if we wanted her to come! She loved a contest or a themed party and went all in on Embassy’s Gingerbread House contests every year. Her work family adored her, and she will be greatly missed.

Sherri also worked for her sister, Amy, at Legacy Photo and Design. She helped keep the books, offered counsel on hard decisions, and provided much needed comic relief and venting services–the last two were pro bono. They talked frequently and had a beautiful no nonsense relationship that served Sherri well in the end. Sherri looked to Amy for the hard truths, and thankfully she was there to provide them with love and great care.

Sherri, along with her sister Carrie Ann, was a founding member of the David’s House Concert Series, a series created to help bring live music monthly to the living room of her sister, Jodi, and brother-in-law, David, who has ALS. The concerts helped raise awareness for ALS and provided a way for David and Jodi to socialize and enjoy live music without having the hassle of leaving the house. She was often the co-creator of the incredible smorgasbords available at each gathering and holds the record for most DHCS concerts attended! She and David often shared music back and forth, remarking when they’d found “a good’n.”

She had so many incredible memories of our lives together and would always bring them up at just the right time. She had an uncanny recall for lines from movies and shows she watched (some on repeat) and song lyrics from her vast music collection. She had her dad’s dry, sarcastic sense of humor–the kind that could cut through the heaviness of a moment and make you laugh when you probably weren’t supposed to. She loved Christmas and Halloween and her annual trips to Vala’s with the Masters family. Holiday dinners were her favorite gatherings. She made it to every family event she possibly could because family was the most important thing to her.

She loved planning trips with her family and counted down the days to her next adventure. Her most recent adventure-in-planning was an Alaskan cruise for her 50th birthday, but she lived for the Oregon coast. She had taken multiple trips with her Mom, her sisters Amy and Carrie Ann, her brothers-in-law Clint and Corey, her nieces Marley, Evie, and Sabrina, and her nephews Radley and Gavin. She had gone on an epic adventure to Greece with Amy and Evie. Had bravely taken Sabrina to Kentucky for Bryerfest and Denver for a concert with her friend Rin. And was the only person in the world able to get Radley on a plane to go see the train of his dreams in Portland, Oregon. She was the catalyst for so many wonderful vacations and opportunities in her family, and we will strive to carry on the traditions that she started.

Sherri worked incredibly hard to overcome her struggles with alcohol and proudly shared her story with others. Several people have shared how her courage to tell her truth about her journey made it easier for them to admit they, too, had a problem and to do something about it. She was an inspiration to many still fighting their battles, and her family was so proud of all that she had accomplished.

Sherri’s cats were her babies. Early on, she acquired an already aging Elwood from a coworker, and her life as a cat lady began. When Elwood died, she got Cash and Scully as itty bitty lil kitties and loved them to the end of their long, happy lives. When Scully died a few years ago, when Sherri was in Greece, Sherri adopted Lennie and Briscoe, and they brought new life into her home in (mostly) the best way. Unfortunately, Cash passed away just one week before Sherri did during what has come to be known as the worst summer ever.

Embracing her inner Ouiser Boudreaux in real life for the past couple of years, Sherri was unapologetically herself. She worked hard, preferred the company of her cats and Law and Order, and loved spending time with her family. She knew what she wanted, and most of the time, that was peace and quiet. Still, she stayed connected, posting a photo with her cat babies every morning from her couch to the family group chat. She loved fiercely and would have done anything for her family. She adored her mom and dad and had the most precious bond with her three sisters. She cherished her brothers-in-law, Clint and Corey; her nieces, Marley, Evie, and Sabrina; and her nephews, Jacob, Cody, John Riley, Ross, Eli, and Radley. She found great joy in being the fun Aunt.

Her sister, Carrie Ann, had become her workout partner and motivator during the past year that Sherri had started to feel sick and faithfully accompanied her to all of her medical appointments when things started to get worse, including when Sherri received her devastating diagnosis Carrie Ann became one of Sherri’s fiercest advocates, showing up for appointments, ER visits and hospital stays, helping manage the overwhelming business of this hideous disease, and making sure Sherri had what she needed. Carrie Ann carried an enormous amount of the practical weight of Sherri’s illness.

From the moment of her diagnosis, Sherri was surrounded by her family. Her mom came from Alliance and spent most of the last weeks on Sherri’s couch. Amy flew directly from a once in a lifetime trip to South Korea, Carrie Ann completely rearranged her small business schedule to be with her as much as possible, and Jodi spent every minute of her respite time and any time her amazing kids could stay with David so she could sneak over to bring a favorite meal, put up a Christmas tree, or just sit beside her. In her final days, Sherri FaceTimed with her dad, and they both lamented the fact that they didn’t have any projects planned at the moment. He so much wanted to be here, but he was still with her.

No one could have guessed that we would only have 48 days left with our favorite little sister. And we are all still mad about it. Including Sherri. She died without pain, surrounded by love and laughter and cozy blankets and stories from her mom and sisters. We held her and laughed and cried. We made sure she knew how incredibly special she was, how much she was loved, and that she was definitely the favorite.

Sherri’s ashes will be spread at her request on the beautiful Oregon coast where she felt the most peace. No doubt she will be seated on the beach with her coffee and a giant wedge of cheese, waiting for the rest of us to get there to help her finish putting together the puzzle on the dining room table of her favorite beach house.

Sherri leaves behind a family who deeply loved and adored her and will carry her with them always. Her parents, John and Rae Zochol; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Amy and Clint, Carrie and Corey, and Jodi and David; and her nieces and nephews, Jacob, Cody, John Riley, Ross (Maddie), Eli (Abi), Marley (Gavin), Evie, Radley (Ava), and Sabrina (Ace). She was also the favorite of her many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Edward and Jean Zochol, Clarence and Daphna Luxton, her aunts Mary Lou Zochol and Mary Francis Brock, and her niece Macie Elisabeth Oyler. 

Celebration of Sherri's Life: 5pm, Saturday, August 29, 2026 at (Residence) 13609 S. 46th Street, Papillion NE 68133