"Sherry" Sharon M (Knapp) Harte

Mrs. Sharon M. " Sherry" Knapp Harte, age 65, of Pittsfield and Englewood, Fl., died Wednesday, May 16th at  Berkshire Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family after a courageous ten month battle with ovarian cancer. She would have celebrated her 66th birthday on Saturday.  Sherry was born in Fitchburg, MA, May 19, 1952, the daughter of Harold M. and the late Maureen Fradet Knapp and had a very happy childhood. As a child, she moved to many different parts of the state and country as her Dad traveled with General Electric. She lived in Chicopee, Springfield and Pittsfield, MA and also moved to Ohio, North Carolina and New Hampshire. Sherry attended Newton Conover High School in Newton, N. Carolina and upon returning here, graduated from St. Joseph's High School in 1970. Following that, she attended Berkshire Community College. 
In 1970, at the age of 18 years old, she met the love of her life and best friend, David J. Harte. They were married soon after on October 30, 1971 . It was a  'one of a kind love'  that people admired near and far. They were true soulmates and enjoyed nothing more than being together, no matter where they were. Dave and Sherry celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary this year. 
Sherry was a wonderful homemaker for many years and began working as the secretary at Sacred Heart School in Pittsfield in 1986. At Sacred Heart, she and Sister Kathleen Wallace were the dynamic duo and had nothing but fun together for 15 amazing years. She absolutely loved going to work every day. Sherry touched the lives of so many children over the years who were often not sure if she was the secretary, nurse, counselor or vice principal because there was never a problem that she could not fix or a job that she would not do.
As a CCD teacher at Saint Mary's parish and Sacred Heart parish, she was able to share her faith with others. She took a brief hiatus from work and in 2006, returned to touch even more lives as the secretary of St. Mark Middle School until her retirement in 2011.
Upon her  retirement, Sherry lived a charmed life, living in Martha's Vineyard, in her home appropriately named "Happy Hour." There she loved to entertain her friends and family on her beautiful front porch and discover hidden gems on the island that was so special to her with her husband by her side. They resided there full time for five fun filled years but had vacationed for over twenty. Most recently, she and Dave discovered a town called Englewood Beach, Florida and it instantly became her new "happy place." In Englewood, she met so many lovely people that filled her life with laughter and joy until the end. 
Sherry was a voracious reader who loved to curl up with the classics. Anne of Green Gables was a favorite that she read again and again. Most recently, she shared this with her granddaughters who took as much pleasure in it as she did.  She enjoyed listening to Broadway music, and taking long walks in Martha's Vineyard, Englewood and Pontoosuc Lake with her husband. They could be found listening to their favorite bands, watching sunsets and dancing to the music in Mansota Key or spending time with their incredible friends. There was nothing she adored more than being with her four children and her five beautiful grandchildren, who thought she was the "greatest woman on Earth." They were the apple of her eye.  She loved doing her , "Trot Trot" when they were babies, playing Old Maid as they grew, and watching their sporting events. She would wait in line for what seemed like hours late at night so they could get their favorite treats, hot out of the oven and at the back door at Backdoor Doughnuts on the Vineyard.
She just couldn't say no to her precious grandchildren. They, as well as any lives that she touched, will treasure  and cherish her memory forever. 
A communicant of St. Charles Church, she was predeceased by her mother, Maureen F. Knapp, her sister, Susie and her mother-in-law, Jennie Ropelewski Harte.
Besides her beloved father, Hal and her husband, Dave, she leaves behind her loving children, David (Colleen) of Dalton, Julie, Jeffrey (Brianna) and Sean, all of Pittsfield. She also leaves a brother, Joseph  Knapp (Sarah) of Columbus, Oh., a sister, Kathleen Huska (Steven) and brother, Thomas Knapp, both of Pittsfield, as well as her father-in-law, John F. Harte, sisters-in-law, Debbie King  (Tony) and Kathy Chiaretto (Pep) of Pittsfield, her grandchildren Jake, Troy, Cal, Kacie and Kylie and many nieces and nephews that she adored. She had too many friends to list but they were all by her side until the end and she felt truly blessed to know each one.

Harte, Sharon, M. " Sherry", age 65, of Pittsfield, died Wed., May 16th. Calling hours at the DEVANNY-CONDRON FUNERAL HOME will be SUNDAY, May 20th from 3 to 6 pm. The Celebration of her Life will continue Monday morning at 9:15 from the Funeral Home followed with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:00 am at St. Charles Church with the Rev. Michael   Wood, administrator and the Rev. A. Peter Gregory, pastor emeritus, officiating. Entombment will follow in St. Michael's Mausoleum in St. Joseph's Cemetery. 
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either, The Sister's of St. Joseph or The Berkshire County Chapter of the Jimmy Fund, both in care of the Funeral Home.