Sherry E. Gelbwasser

AGAWAM-Dr. Sherry E. Gelbwasser, 45, of Feeding Hills, MA, died Friday, April 26, after an illness. Born in Holden and raised in Rutland, MA, she was a 1986 graduate of Wachusett Regional High School and went on to earn a B.S. in early childhood education (magna cum laude) at North Adams State College, an MLS at SUNY Albany, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership at Johnson & Wales University. She joined the Learning Resource Center (LRC) at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT, in 1994 as information services librarian and has served as librarian since 2002. Sherry was the daughter of Herman Gelbwasser, who died in 2011, and Bonnie (Romalis) Gelbwasser of Johnson City, NY, formerly of Rutland and Mashpee. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her brother, Michael of Shrewsbury, MA, her sister, Amy (Mark) Payne of Endwell, NY, numerous other family members, including her beloved uncle Carl Romalis, several close friends within and outside of the ACC community, and her cat, Melanie, to whom she was devoted. A woman of many interests and accomplishments, Sherry’s passion was her career as a librarian and she consistently received praise for her work, assistance and support of ACC’s LRC, faculty, staff and community. Her memberships included Phi Lambda Theta Education Honor Society, Alpha Chi National Honor Society, the American Library Association, the ACC Diversity Committee, and the Connecticut Library Consortium’s Services to Older Adults Roundtable. She was founding chair of the 2008 ClS Genealogy Roundtable and was instrumental in the LRC’s implementation of the Connecticut Radio Information Service for patrons lacking ambulatory access to the library. She loved animals and supported rescue and shelter initiatives, enjoyed participating in the Asnuntuck Bowling League and the annual Scrabble Tournament, and was active in ACC Freshwater poetry reading events. A memorial service will be held this summer at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the ACC Foundation, Inc., 170 Elm St., Enfield, CT, for a scholarship in memory of Sherry E. Gelbwasser. New England Funeral & Cremation Center, LLC 25 Mill St., Springfield, MA has been entrusted with the arrangements. For full details visit www.nefcc.net

Sherry E. Gelbwasser

January 20, 1968 - April 26, 2013