Sherry Lervick
Sherry Slagle Lervick, 74, of Arnegard, N.D., passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, at the Sanford Health Hospital in Bismarck, N.D.
Sherry Slagle Lervick was born on Aug. 16, 1947, at Wolf Point, Mont., to Jerry and Nora Bawden Slagle. She was raised on the family farm northeast of Alexander, N.D., and graduated from Alexander High School, with the class of 1965.
She was very lucky to have been raised in the Timber Creek area surrounded by her Slagle and Forthun cousins. She loved to go with her family to see her Bawden and Braaten cousins on holidays and summer vacations. They lived across the river and east of Wolf Point, Mont. She also looked forward to her California Bjornstad cousins’ yearly visits to see their grandparents who lived in Arnegard.
Sherry and her brothers, Rich and Les Slagle, were very active in 4-H while growing up and enjoyed taking their projects and steers to the McKenzie County Fair as well as being active on the livestock judging team.
The highlight of Sherry’s childhood was the birth of her sister, Rini when Sherry was 12. Rini fast became “her baby” as Nora was bed ridden from complications and Sherry, and her father Jerry, quickly became caregivers for both baby and mother. Sherry’s love of cooking and baking were established at that time in her life when it was essential to keeping the family going.
Sherry married David Iverson in May of 1968. They had three children, Hal Iverson, Mike Iverson, and Suzie Iverson (Rivers). They were divorced in 1988.
Sherry received her Associate Degree in Education from Williston State College. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Montana State University-Northern, Havre, Mont., and graduated with a 4.0 GPA with a Master’s in School Administration from Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.
While working on her education, Sherry worked for 10 years in various banks in both North Dakota and Montana. Her first teaching job was grades 1-3 at Grassy Butte, followed by nine years at Watford City and one year at Johnson Corners. These 3 schools were all part of the McKenzie County School District No. 1. She then was an elementary school principal at Culbertson, Mont., Sidney, Mont., Trenton, N.D. and finally back to Watford City, N.D. In total, she served 32 years as an educator. She was very proud to have been a teacher and school administrator. Over the years she was given many awards, with the highlight of receiving the 2007 N.D. National Distinguished Elementary and Middle School Principal award. She was very active in the community. Sherry was a 4-H leader for many years. She was a member of the Watford City Rotary Club as well as being a member of the Arnegard Wilmington Lutheran Church. Sherry was very active in regional and state education organizations in both Montana as well as North Dakota. After retiring from being a principal, she was appointed and then elected to have the honor of being the Arnegard Municipal Judge. To say that Sherry loved a challenge in any undertaking would be a great understatement!
In the fall of 1994, Sherry met Jerome Lervick at a horse sale in Sidney, Mont., and on May 27, 1995, the old School Marm and the old Hay Seed Farmer were married in Arnegard, N.D. At first glance it would appear that Jerome and Sherry had different interests, but actually they had the same values. Sherry valued Jerome’s honesty, inherent kindness, constant faith, sense of humor (most times) and his deep love for his animals. Jerome was her rock and she always knew he was there if she needed him. Jerome was Sherry’s match mentally and they had many lively discussions which sometimes ended with him laughing all the way to the barn and her fuming in the house. He let her fight her own battles, which in her line of work came with the job. The one constant with Sherry was that she spoke her mind and called it like she saw it. Her license plate was MOMGRIZ and if you ever tangled with her, you would clearly understand why. No one had better mess with her students! She defended and loved her teachers, but demanded that the consumers of the schools were the students and they must come first.
She is survived by her husband, Jerome; children, Hal Iverson (Tiffany) and children, Hannah and Johnny, Ballantine, Mont.; Mike Iverson (Raelyn), Alexander, N.D., children, Paiten, Autumn, and Michael; Suzie Rivers (Terry), daughters, Mikhala and Teagan, Maple Grove, Minn.; David Lervick (Mary), Spearfish, S.D., children, Sarah, Andrew (Rachel); Daniel Lervick (Brenda), Williston, N.D., children, Adam, Madison and Jessica (Tyson) Burkle; son-in-law, Mark Hilleren (Daphane), Watford City, N.D., children, Seth (Allison) Hilleren, Arnegard, N.D., and Jenny (Derek) Mattalla, Bismarck, N.D.; grandson, Ryan Benning, Bismarck, N.D.; and 11 great-grandchildren; her sister, Rini (Steve) Coffin; brother, Rich Slagle; and sisters-in-law, Barb Slagle and Penny Slagle; as well as many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins. Sherry often mentioned how warm and welcoming the Sundhagen and Jacobson families were to her when she married Jerome. Their friendships were greatly valued and she loved being included in their families.
Sherry was preceded in death by her parents, Jerry and Nora Slagle; her brother, Les Slagle; step-daughter, Cheryl Hilleren; and granddaughter, Casey Benning.
Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home of Watford City, N.D. is assisting the family. Condolences may be left on the funeral home website at www.fulkersons.com.
Sherry’s Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at 1 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Watford City, N.D. Pastor Garrett Gudmunsen will be officiating. A family service will be held at the Wilmington Lutheran Church in Arnegard, N.D., on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, at 6 p.m.
The Memorial Service will be live-streamed. You can view Sherry’s service directly on her obituary page on the website www.fulkersons.com
The family is asking that in lieu of memorials, please send donations in her honor to Home On The Range at www.hotrnd.com or the Wilmington Lutheran Church in Arnegard, N.D.