September 20, 1954 – June 29, 2024
Sheryl was born to Dorene and Marty Smith. She had one younger sister, Diane, who she doted on and guided fiercely with her love.
Sheryl attended Wilbur Avenue Elementary School after her family moved from Sherman Oaks to Tarzana, Los Angeles. This was followed by Portola Junior High and Taft High School. She attended California State University, Northridge as an art history major, then left to pursue a position at Aaron Brothers Art Mart. She was very successful and looked every bit the part with her construction boots and toolbelt on her hips!
In her 20s, Sheryl attended Lifespring, a personal development training and was influential in her family and friends attending the training as well. She then became the company’s enrollment coordinator and increased enrollment substantially. Later, she joined Cunningham and Associates in the office furniture industry. From there, she joined Herman Miller (now Herman Miller Knoll) in April of 1984 and worked for them for nearly 25 years, starting as a salesperson and finishing her career as the vice president of sales for the western sales area. She won the love and admiration of her fellow employees as well as multiple awards, including six Cube Awards — Herman Miller’s highest award for salespeople. To this day, her fellow employees still sing her praises.
Sheryl believed in giving back, and she did so by volunteering with an organization that mentored young women of color preparing for the workforce. She also volunteered with the American Cancer Society. In her later years, she continued to be extremely philanthropic.
In 1993, Sheryl was introduced to Larry Bogatz by her dear friend Margot’s husband, David. The two fell in love, married four years later and traveled the world with Margot and David who later moved to Carbondale, Colorado. In 2016, Sheryl and Larry moved to Carbondale to be closer to them and her sister, Diane, and her husband, Scott.
Sheryl was an extremely loving wife, daughter, sister, friend and aunt. She actively participated in her two nephews’ lives, Ryan and Trevor, attending school and sporting events, always cheering them on with unbridled joy. When Ryan needed to “shadow” someone in the workforce for a school assignment, Sheryl spent the day showing him the ropes of corporate America at Herman Miller.
In 2006, Sheryl began experiencing memory lapses which were affecting her work, so she retired. In 2013, she was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s and “the longest goodbye” began.
She always came from love, despite what she knew lay ahead of her. While it was a heartbreaking diagnosis, and she did struggle with it, her heart remained loving and generous. In 2019, she experienced some seizures and, after rehab, became a resident of the memory care unit located just minutes away from Larry.
Sheryl is preceded in death by her loving parents, Marty and Dorene. She is survived by her beloved husband Larry Bogatz, Diane Darling and her brother-in-law Scott, and beloved nephews Ryan and Trevor. She is also survived by Larry’s son Scott Bogatz and his children Sidney (and her husband David) and Matthew, as well as Melissa Bogatz and their children Alessandra and Van and countless friends.
Sheryl will be laid to rest on Sunday, July 14 at 10am at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary (6001 W. Centinela Avenue) in Los Angeles, California.
Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease. It robs a person of their memories and life. Donations to the Alzheimer’s Association and/or Ovations For the Cure are appreciated and flowers can be sent to Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary.