Shelly McPherson Obituary

Shelly Diane (Gentry) McPherson was born April 16, 1973 to Robert and Joyce Gentry in Boise, ID. She attended McKinley Elementary School until their family moved to Cortez, CO in the 6th grade where she started at Cortez Middle School. Shelly loved to play in the band and orchestra and excelled at choir and drama at Montezuma County High School where she graduated with honors in 1991. She was always a hard worker, working at the local Pizza Hut through high school and during the summer when she was home from her studies at BYU.

On August 22, 1992 she married Gary F. Johnson and their continued their education together at SUU in Cedar City, UT. She lost Gary in April of 1994 and moved back to Cortez to be with family. She welcomed their son, Gary Forest Johnson II, that September. Through these hardships and blessings, she persevered and earned her degree at Fort Lewis College. She began her teaching career at Manaugh Elementary where she taught 2nd grade. She met Wes in 1998. They married on September 4th, 1999, and they completed their family when their daughter, Jentry, was born in August of 2000. Shelly started teaching at Fillmore Elementary, and once again decided to further her education, earning her Master's Degree from UCO. Her passion for music was reinvigorated when she started working part-time at Norman Music Institute in 2015. She became the ESL Coordinator at Santa Fe South Middle School. She loved to brag about the amazing students and staff at both. She was always working, but when she wasn't, she enjoyed going to concerts, reading, and watching all of the Sooner sports. She loved spending time with her family and snuggling with her cats. Her kids were her pride and joy, and she wholly supported them in any and all of their endeavors.

Shelly is survived by husband, Wes; son, Gary; and daughter, Jentry; siblings Kelly Vick (Bill), Lindy Browning (Jacki), Jeff Gentry, Carol Ann Duran (Tim); Carolyn Johnson and Dan Marshall; Joyce and Wayne McPherson; Jennifer and John MacInnis; Wayne and Elizabeth McPherson; Andy and Gina McPherson; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded by her husband Gary F. Johnson; her parents, Robert and Joyce Gentry; and father-in-law Carroll Johnson. She was a great teacher, mentor, friend and mother who is loved and will be missed by all.

Services under the direction of John M. Ireland & Son Funeral Home & Chapel in Moore, OK.