Sharon Seidel, 74, joined her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday morning, August 5th, 2026, at her home surrounded by family.
Sheri was a Christmas baby, born in Columbus, OH, on December 25th, 1951, to the late Charles J. Woodruff and Donna June (Cochran) Woodruff.
The oldest of two sisters and a baby brother, Sheri grew up in Worthington, OH, a Buckeye. She would graduate from Worthington High School in 1969. Impressed of the Lord to seek a Christian education, Sheri headed to Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC). It was during her freshman year she would call on Jesus Christ to be her Savior.
At BJU she would earn a B.S. in Speech Education (1973), and a M.A. in Interpretative Speech (1975). Other schools of her studies included San Diego State University (Theater) and Ohio State University (TESL).
From 1975-86 she taught speech at Bob Jones University, directed Vesper programs, and performed in several Shakespearean plays. Sheri also spent time teaching at the Baptist College of Ministry (Menominee Falls, WI). However, the most of Sheri’s ministry was invested in teaching on the high school level. She had opportunity to teach, as well as direct drama and coach for fine arts competitions, at Marquette Manor Christian School (Marquette, IL), Northside Christian School (Westerville, OH), and Calvary Baptist Academy (Huntsville, AL).
It could certainly be said that her passions were many – drama and speech, history and literature, reading and writing, acting and teaching, her church and school students, her family and dear husband. Yet dearest to her heart was Christ and His Great Commisssion to go and tell the Gospel to all nations.
Sheri and her late husband, Joe Seidel, loved missions. Whether it was behind the “Iron Curtain” of yesteryears, in Communist China, Taiwan, or Myanmar, missions was their heartbeat. In fact, Sheri’s greatest concern the last two weeks of her earthly life had been for the eternal souls of her international students whom she tutored.
Sheri’s testimony of victory in Jesus Christ can be read in I Corinthians 15: 55-57. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sheri is survived by her two sisters, Susie Postle and husband, Jim, Sandy Winter and husband, Bruce, and a brother, Chuck Woodruff and wife, Linda; two stepdaughters, Amy Meroff and husband, Scott, Allison Mauger and husband, David; 6 step-grandchildren, 1 step great-grandson and 12 nieces and nephews, as well as 18 grand nieces and nephews with two on the way.
On Saturday, August 29th, there will be a memorial service at Calvary Baptist Church, 126 Douglass Rd. NW, Huntsville, AL, 35806. A visitation will be at 10:00 AM and a memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Calvary Baptist Academy, 126 Douglass Rd NW, Huntsville, AL, 35806.
