Sherry Wallsmith grew up in Orangefield, Texas and graduated from high school there. She met her husband Richard, in Houston, where she worked for the University of Houston, main campus. She was a secretary for five years in the College of Education for an assistant dean and then part-time in the Physics Department. Richard and Sherry moved back to Richard's hometown, Luling in 1991. Sherry worked as Church Secretary at the Central Baptist Church in Luling for six years before coming to First United Methodist Church in Lockhart in July of 2009. Richard and Sherry have four children and one grandson.