Mary Sharon Occhi (Sherri) of San Jacinto, CA passed away peacefully at home on December 6th, 2010 after battling leukemia & lymphoma for 17 years. Born on a U.S. army base in Germany in 1950 and a graduate of McLean HS in Virginia, she was a born world traveler. She lived across the globe in Japan; Germany; McLean, VA; the Philippines; Minneapolis, MN; London, England; Ft. Collins, CO; Columbia, MD; El Paso, TX; Glendale, CA; San Diego, CA; Running Springs, CA; Hemet, CA; and finally San Jacinto, CA. She was married to John Occhi.
Sherri was a loving and dedicated mother and wife. She was a creative and marvelous cook, a skilled seamstress, and a gifted ceramic artist. Using her artistic skills, she could often create masterpieces of enjoyment with her magic seemingly from nothing. She lived a full life, and pursued her passions in whatever interested her, no matter where she found herself in the world. She found great enjoyment in artistic expression with hobbies such as ceramics, embroidery, and quilting. She raised her two children as a single mother by working as a medical transcriptionist, and her commitment to those she held dear never wavered and inspired others. Sherri’s deepest friendships continued throughout her life. She studied religions from all walks of life, but never strayed from her dedication to Jesus Christ and the Lord. She deeply loved Christmas - often preparing for it months ahead of time - and loved playing her favorite Christmas carol, “Mamacita” by Nora Aunor of the Philippines.
She is survived by father Lauren Ralph Keefer and wife Gwen, mother Mary Margret Nelson, daughter Natalie Kaye Arazi, son Dana Joseph Arazi and wife Heather, and brothers Robert Steven Keefer and James Bruce Keefer.
Memorial service to be held on December 20 at 11:00AM at Calvary Chapel Hemet 26121 Hemet St.; Hemet, CA 92544.
Donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America in Memory of Mary Sharon Occhi at http://www.lls.org/donate or by calling (800) 955-4572.
Dedication and perseverance regardless of adversity.
Love you, Mom.
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