Sherry Thomas Obituary, New Jersey City University Professional Staff has died

Sherry Thomas Obituary, Death – Sherry Ann Thomas, a long-time member of NJCU’s professional staff and a labor leader, passed away on Thursday, October 19, 2023 after a brief battle with sickness. It is with a significant amount of regret that NJCU makes this announcement. She had reached the age of 60. Sherry became a member of the NJCU community in April 1997.

She just marked her 25th year of service to the university in the role of Building Maintenance Worker. Sherry began her career in the Public Safety Department, where she worked as a security guard for a number of years, and she most recently worked in the Housekeeping Department. In addition to this, Sherry served as a union leader in the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE AFL-CIO) Local No. 195.

Since the 25th of May in 2017, she has been holding the position of Madame Chapter President. Sherry was a fervent advocate for employees whose job titles were represented by IFPTE. These employees included security officers, workers in building maintenance, operating engineers, locksmiths, specialists in mechanical equipment, grounds workers, repairers and senior repairers, carpenters, painters, mechanical store clerks, landscape technicians, and plumbers and steamfitters.

Sherry’s efforts were greatly appreciated by IFPTE. Andrés Acebo, the interim president of NJCU, stated that “Sherry leaves a void that cannot be filled.” “On the first day that I arrived on this campus, she greeted me with a huge smile and a warm welcome. Since then, I have made it a point to follow her advice and keep my door open while treating our community like a family.

She frequently referred to NJCU as a family and pleaded with us to respect it and go back to the university. Anyone who had the good fortune to contact with Sherry, particularly when she fought for the causes and the people she felt compelled to defend, very soon came to feel the regret of not having known her for a longer period of time. I’m sorry to say that was not the case for me.

Let’s pay tribute to her affection for our college by treating one another with consideration and by treating each other as members of a family by holding each other accountable for living up to our highest ideals. We should join Sherry’s friends and loved ones in thinking and praying for her, and we should give thanks for the privilege of having had the opportunity to know and spend time with Sherry.