by Irene on Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:30 pm
I received the very sad news yesterday that one of our long-standing members has passed away, following a long illness. Last year she received a transplant operation and seemed to be recovering well, but sadly these things are not always meant to be, it seems.
Sheryl Jean Fairless was born in 1951, and became a Whiteoak when she married Ronald Keith Whiteoak some 37 years ago. Ronald is a great-great-grandson of George Whiteoak and Mary Ann Long, who travelled from Yorkshire to Victoria in the 1850s. He is also my eighth cousin, as are many of our Australian relatives.
Sheryl Whiteoak has been a correspondent on Whiteoak family history for many years, and has provided a lot of information on the Australian family which I could not easily have discovered without her help. She was an invaluable help to the growth of our family tree, and her letters were always warm and friendly, and very welcome to receive.
Ronald and Sheryl had three children, and to them and all the family we extend our deep and sincere condolences. Sheryl's contributions to our family story will remain here in tribute to her memory, and I have no doubt will continue to help other researchers well into the future.
Goodnight, Sheryl - sleep well. And thank you so much for all your help, your kindness and your cheerfulness throughout the years.
