[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 120 (Thursday, September 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF GERALDINE ``GERRY'' ESTEP 
                                SHERWOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 12, 2013

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate and celebrate the 
life of one of Fairfax City's most, prominent citizens, Mrs. Geraldine 
`Gerry' Estep Sherwood. Mrs. Sherwood passed away on August 5, 2013 
leaving a legacy that will benefit Fairfax City and the Northern 
Virginia community for generations to come.
   Mrs. Sherwood's passion for the musical arts emerged at an early 
age. When she was just a small child, she was asked if she would like a 
large, toy piano for a present; she responded by saying that she would 
``wait for the real thing.'' The wait was not to be very long, she 
began piano lessons at age 6 and continued her education through 
college where she majored in music.
   Mrs. Sherwood's involvement in Fairfax City began in 1947 when she 
accepted a position as a teacher at Fairfax High School. At Fairfax 
High School, she initiated a choral music program and shepherded its 
growth for seven years. At that time, Fairfax was a `village' of about 
1,000 residents. The area was surrounded by farmland described by Mrs. 
Sherwood as ``a wasteland as far as music was concerned.''
   Also in 1947, Mrs. Sherwood met a young veteran, Mr. Stacy Sherwood, 
who had served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. They married 
in 1950 and together became a force in Fairfax City. Mr. Sherwood 
served on the town and city councils, and was instrumental in having 
Fairfax City identified as the location of what is now George Mason 
University. While Mr. Sherwood continued his civic activities, Mrs. 
Sherwood dedicated herself to promotion of the arts in Fairfax City.
   Following public school teaching, Mrs. Sherwood provided private 
lessons in piano and voice and directed junior and senior choirs at a 
local church which she continued through 2010. She served with the 
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Fairfax Music Guild and the Fairfax 
Choral Society, and was a founding member of the Arts Council of 
Fairfax County. Mrs. Sherwood was named the Honorary Chair for the 2010 
Spotlight on the Arts Festival.
   In 2007, Mrs. Sherwood offered to donate $5 million for the 
construction and operation of a community center in the heart of 
Fairfax City. Although a centrally located community center had been 
contemplated since the 1960's, it was not until her generous offer that 
the dream could become a reality. Named in honor of her husband who 
passed away in 2002, The Stacy C. Sherwood Center opened its doors in 
February, 2011.
   The Stacy C. Sherwood Center was immediately recognized as a 
superior, state-of-the-art facility, earning the prestigious ``Best New 
Facility Award'' from the Virginia Recreation and Parks Society in 
2012. Containing over 14,000 square feet, the Center caters to a wide 
range of arts, activities and programs. This center is also used as a 
venue for weddings, private business and social activities, in fact the 
Center contains the largest performance and banquet space in the City 
of Fairfax. This Center not only provides a facility to expand and 
promote the arts, it enhances the identity of the region and is a gift 
to the community that will live on.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life 
and contributions of Mrs. Geraldine ``Gerry'' Estep Sherwood. Mrs. 
Sherwood will be missed, but will always be remembered as the driving 
force that changed Fairfax City from a ``wasteland as far as the arts 
were concerned'' into a regional treasure. I, and the constituents of 
the 11th Congressional District of Virginia, owe Mrs. Sherwood a debt 
of gratitude that cannot be repaid.

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