YMCA honors late board member with new shuttle bus

Sherry Nagel’s estate, Forest Foundation provide funds to help seniors, youth

By Matthew Nash • February 5, 2025 6:30 am
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Mike Speer of Bonney Lake, the brother of Sherry Nagel, a former board member of the YMCA of the Olympic Peninsula, cuts the ceremonial ribbon on Jan. 28 courtesy the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce to commemorate a new bus that Nagel’s estate helped fund. The bus is dedicated in Nagel’s honor.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Mike Speer of Bonney Lake, the brother of Sherry Nagel, a former board member of the YMCA of the Olympic Peninsula, cuts the ceremonial ribbon on Jan. 28 courtesy the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce to commemorate a new bus that Nagel’s estate helped fund. The bus is dedicated in Nagel’s honor.

The YMCA of Sequim has a new ride to help seniors and children courtesy a former board member and a foundation.

Staff and board members of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA commemorated the purchase of a new passenger bus with a ribbon cutting on Jan. 28 in partnership with the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce. A majority of the funds came from the estate of Sherry Nagel, a former YMCA board member, who died July 11, 2024 at the age of 75. A portion also came from a Forest Foundation grant.

Nagel’s brother, Mike Speer of Bonney Lake, cut the ribbon for the van.

“We really miss my sister and to honor her like this is tremendous,” he said.

Nagel retired from banking in 2008 and moved to Sequim where she served on the boards for the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center and the Olympic Peninsula YMCA. She also served on the Sequim Y Advisory Committee that helped guide the transition between the two entities.

Gary Huff, a longtime YMCA board member and friend of Nagel’s, said the van is a great tribute to her.

“I’m so happy that this (van is) so colorful and it fits Sherry Nagel really well,” he said. “She was a great quilter and I would say a very sunny person.

“She always kept us on the straight and narrow and was very uplifting, so God bless you Sherry Nagel. Thank you.”

In retirement, Nagel was an avid quilter with the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club, worked in mixed media fiber arts, had her work shown across the region, and was a regular attendee at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Photo courtesy Marlyn Lovell Sherry Nagel was a big part of the art and quilting community in Sequim for more than a decade. She died last July and left money to the YMCA of Sequim, which went to help purchase a shuttle bus for seniors and children.

Photo courtesy Marlyn Lovell Sherry Nagel was a big part of the art and quilting community in Sequim for more than a decade. She died last July and left money to the YMCA of Sequim, which went to help purchase a shuttle bus for seniors and children.

A quilt square on the side of the bus reads “In memory of Sherry Nagel.”

She has another sister, Janet, in San Diego, and helped raise her two nephews Sam and Manny, Speer said.

Nagel and her siblings grew up in San Diego, but they didn’t go to the YMCA as children. Her brother said she connected with the organization in Sequim.

“(Nagel) loved the community and wanted to help,” he said. “Just helping Sequim is fantastic.”

Joey Belanger, YMCA vice-president of operations and Sequim branch executive, said the bus is a great new asset for the community thanks to Nagel.

“It was Sherry’s wish to be able to do something that would provide opportunities for connectedness with seniors … and have this bus to take seniors on group hikes, walks, group trips to museums, to lunch … and even to go look at Christmas lights during the holiday season,” he said.

Belanger said it will also provide transportation for youth programming, and staff will no longer need to rely on its other locations for transportation.

“For us to have that and not rely on our other two locations is gonna really help bolster what we have to offer to the families of this community,” he said.

Nagel’s friend Marlyn Lovell said plans are underway to host a silent auction of many of Nagel’s art items and much more as a benefit for St. Luke’s ministries set for 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, with a chocolate fountain, hors d’oeuvres, and wine. For more information, call (360) 683-4862.

For more information about the YMCA of Sequim, 610 N. Fifth Ave., call (360) 477-4381 or visit olympicpeninsulaymca.org.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash A new bus at the YMCA of Sequim is dedicated to late board member Sherry Nagel who died in July 2024. She donated funds to help fund the bus to help transport seniors and children to activities.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash A new bus at the YMCA of Sequim is dedicated to late board member Sherry Nagel who died in July 2024. She donated funds to help fund the bus to help transport seniors and children to activities.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Gary Huff, a longtime YMCA board member and friend of Sherry Nagel, said on Jan. 28 that a new van her estate helped pay for is a great tribute to her. “I’m so happy that this (van is) so colorful and it fits Sherry Nagel really well,” he said. “She was a great quilter and I would say a very sunny person. She always kept us on the straight and narrow and was very uplifting, so God bless you Sherry Nagel. Thank you.”

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Gary Huff, a longtime YMCA board member and friend of Sherry Nagel, said on Jan. 28 that a new van her estate helped pay for is a great tribute to her. “I’m so happy that this (van is) so colorful and it fits Sherry Nagel really well,” he said. “She was a great quilter and I would say a very sunny person. She always kept us on the straight and narrow and was very uplifting, so God bless you Sherry Nagel. Thank you.”

Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim High School swim team members join the Olympic Peninsula YMCA board directors in celebrating the YMCA’s fundraising campaign in October 2016. Long-time board member Sherry Nagel, second from front left, passed away last summer and donated funds to help by the YMCA a van in Sequim for seniors and children.

Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim High School swim team members join the Olympic Peninsula YMCA board directors in celebrating the YMCA’s fundraising campaign in October 2016. Long-time board member Sherry Nagel, second from front left, passed away last summer and donated funds to help by the YMCA a van in Sequim for seniors and children.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Maryln Lovell of Sequim and Barb and Mike Speer of Bonney Lake sit inside a new shuttle bus that the estate of their friend/sister Sherry Nagel paid for at the YMCA of Sequim to help transport seniors and children.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Maryln Lovell of Sequim and Barb and Mike Speer of Bonney Lake sit inside a new shuttle bus that the estate of their friend/sister Sherry Nagel paid for at the YMCA of Sequim to help transport seniors and children.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Mike Speer of Bonney Lake stands with the new bus his sister Sherry Nagel’s estate helped pay for at the YMCA of Sequim. A quilt square with a dedication to Nagel is on the side of the bus.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Mike Speer of Bonney Lake stands with the new bus his sister Sherry Nagel’s estate helped pay for at the YMCA of Sequim. A quilt square with a dedication to Nagel is on the side of the bus.