SFANA loses a Code H Historian
Leone Elizabeth Sherk (nee Raymer)
July 31, 1942 - September 29, 2026
Passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at WRHN @ Chicopee in Kitchener, ON at the age of 84.
Leone was the beloved wife of Vern, enjoying 59 years together. Loving mother of Sheila Dedman (Doug) and Wendy Wiens (Brian). Cherished grandmother of Ruth Bowman (Derek), James Dedman (Olivia Mulock), Lydia Wiens, and Levi Wiens. Predeceased by parents Oliver and Verna (nee Daley), brothers Howard (Kaye - surviving) and Glenn (Ann - surviving), and infant granddaughter Hannah Dedman.
Leone grew up on the Raymer farm on Sunnidale Rd., one mile north of Sunnidale Corners. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, then Collingwood District Collegiate, and entered Nurse's Training at the Toronto Western Hospital, graduating in 1964. She furthered her education at the University of Western Ontario earning a Diploma in Nursing Service Administration in 1967. Leone enjoyed working in the ER's and OR's at hospitals in Collingwood, Kitchener and Ottawa.
Following their marriage in 1967, Leone and Vern lived in Ottawa, Sudbury, Guelph and moving finally to Kitchener in 1980. Leone built her life on a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ her Saviour and a shared love for her family. She had particular interest in family history and genealogy, spending countless hours researching and recording all that she could uncover. She helped to organize many family reunions over the years. She leaves a vast written and photo resource for future generations to enjoy. Leone was the genealogist for our H46 branch of the family, keeping meticulous notes, stories, and photographs.
Leone and Vern had called Kitchener MB their church home for many years and Leone enjoyed serving in the areas of the Nursery, Library and Archives Committee.
Already completed is a private interment at Williamsburg Cemetery in Kitchener.
In celebration of her life, Leone's family will receive relatives and friends from 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at the Henry Walser Funeral Home, 507 Frederick Street, Kitchener, 519-749-8467. A Celebration of Life service will take place at 1:30 PM in the funeral home chapel, followed by a reception.
Symposium Series
Symposium #8, Schürch Migration from Switzerland to Northwestern USA by Donna (Schuerch) Love, was held on November 1, 2025.
Donna (Schuerch) Love, from Missoula, Montana documented the story of her great-grandparents, Johannes and Magdalene Schürch, who immigrated with their family of 12 children to the United States from Wasen, Switzerland in 1884, settling first in Iowa, then South Dakota, and eventually in Oregon.
It is available on YouTube along with others in the Symposium series. https://youtu.be/3mxux-X_Vkk
The 22nd reunion has ended. Stories and photos of the event are posted on the Reunion page.
There were 75 attendees, the weather was perfect and the company of relatives was excellent.
Rick Evans, a co-chair of the reunion, lives in Stouffville and arranged with the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society to have their Conestoga wagon, the main mode for moving from one area to another area in 1804, delivered to the Legion for one day at the reunion.
For forty years, The Sherk Family by Thomas A. Sherk has been the go-to resource for Schürch family history. At the 2022 reunion auction, two copies sold for more than $200 each. Now, through a one-time collaboration with Tom Sherk, the Schürch Family Association of North America is able to offer copies of a limited reprint edition of The Sherk Family.
The book was reprinted in November 2023 and can be purchased for $169 USD. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to own your personal copy of The Sherk Family. This price includes shipping.
Please send your check/cheque or money order as well as the number of desired copies, your contact information including name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address, to our US treasurer at the following address:
Jack Sherick, 18 North Pine Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. Use the Contact button below to give a message to Jack.
Please make payments payable to Schürch Family Association of North America in US$.
Canadians, please use a US bank draft or a money order.
FAMILY NEWSLETTER
The April issue of the Schürch Family newsletter is in the mail. It includes information about the reunion in July; the activity schedule, list of speakers, and special events.
Click here for excepts from the April 2026 issue.
Get 40 Years of Schürch Family Association Newsletters!
Includes
• 40 years of family newsletters
• Every Name Index
• Tables of Contents
Digital Version: $125 in both USB and USB-C drives
This is a vital resource for researchers and newsletter subscribers.
Send your order and cheque or money order to your respective treasurer. That treasurer will notify Cary Adams and he will mail out the flash drive. Use the Contact link below to ask any questions you might have about these 40 years of newsletters.
Y-DNA Project
Justin Houser is the administrator with Todd Bielefeld along with Alan Leis. If you would like to have your Schürch genes tested, contact us. Todd and Alan would be more than happy to assist you. Use the Contact information at the bottom of this page.
The Sherk Family
by Thomas A Sherk
How Many Ways can one Spell Schürch?
Scharc
Schark
Sharrach
Schearch
Schearck
Scherch
Scherck
Schereck
Scherg
Scherge
Scherich
Scherk
Scherrich
Schirch
Schirck
Schirg
Schirk
Scheorck
Schoerg
Schorch
Schorck
Schorg
Schorock
Schorrock
Sharrich
Shirrock
Schorg
Sherak
Shorck
Schuerch
Schurch
Schurcho
Schurck
Schuerg
Schurg
Schürg
Schurge
Schurger
Schurgh
Schurgo
Schurig
Schuricht
Schurke
Scurean
Scurge
Sharg
Sharick
Sharigh
Shark
Sharrich
Sherak
Shercg
Sherch
Sherck
Shereck
Sherg
Sherich
Sherick
Sherig
Sherk
Sherock
Sherog
Sherrick
Sherrig
Shierk
Shirch
Shirck
Shirg
Shirk
Shirok
Shirrock
Shorck
Shorg
Shork
Shurck
Shurg
Shurixh
Shurk
Sierck
Tscherck
Tsherch
Tsherck
How many? Sixty or more at last count. Add family surnames with ties to the Schürch family like Bergey, Brubacher, Clemmer, Detweiler, Erb, Good, Hunsberger, Martin, Shantz, and many more and the number of Schürchs skyrockets. In the 37 years since our association was established, Schürch historians have discovered numerous ties connecting the descendants of the first Swiss arrivals in 1727. Come and explore and celebrate your ties to Schürchs in Switzerland and across North America.
Who are the Schürchs?
Well, if your family name or that of any ancestor is Scherich, Scherch, Schirch, Schuerch, Sharick, Sherck, Sherick, Sherk, Sherrick, Shirck, Shirk or any of the more than 70 variants, you are a member of the Family. The Schürch Family originated in Switzerland and through emigration spread to North America in the late 1600s.
Our Swiss-German ancestors spelled their name Schürch and this is still the accepted spelling in Switzerland today. The Swiss also spell it ‘Schuerch’ exchanging the umlaut for the letter ‘e’. Our immigrant forefathers did not speak English and the clerks on the ships at the port of arrival did not usually speak German. Thus in Colonial America and later in the 1800s, various phonetic spellings were adopted. The name of the Family Association uses the Swiss spelling since it is the original surname and is representative of all the various branches of the family in North America today.
The Schürch Family Association of North America (SFANA) was created in 1982 by a group of individuals who were interested in preserving their family heritage. At that time, it was known that at least twenty-five individuals with likely ties to a Schürch family arrived in North America between the years 1727 and 1808. Many of those families (but not all) had ties to Sumiswald, Switzerland. Consequently, a sister organization, Schweizische Gesellschaft für Namenstrager Schürch (SGNS), developed around the same time, with similar goals. This sister organization has compiled extensive documentation on family branches in Switzerland.
The Swiss Schürch Association meets regularly. To learn more of the Schürch Family Association of Switzerland, abbreviated SGNS, visit the Swiss Schürch Family.
SFANA has provided this site to disseminate information about our family and the activities of the Association. Check in on a regular basis to see the latest information on the biennial reunion, research and family happenings.
To learn more of the Schürchs who first landed on North American shores go to Schürch History.
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