Fort Worth pastor Sherry Liles dies at 78

Fort Worth residents will gather Thursday evening to honor Sherry A. Liles, a longtime pastor and educator who died Oct. 20, 2026. Liles, 78, served as senior pastor at Calvary Church for more than 40 years. The church is located at 700 McPherson Rd. in Fort Worth.

Family members are holding a visitation from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Calvary Church. The funeral service follows from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the same location. Greenwood Funeral Home is coordinating the arrangements from its facility at 3344 White Settlement Road.

Liles was born Sherry Colley on Oct. 3, 1947, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She was the middle child of John Owen Colley Sr. and Florence Stout Colley. Her older brother was John Owen Colley Jr. and her younger sister is Donna Colley Reardon. She attended Arkansas State University and received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969. She was the first member of her family to graduate from college.

Before moving to Fort Worth, Liles taught language arts and Spanish in Arkansas for three years. She taught language arts in Louisiana for three and a half years. During her time in Louisiana, she won a teacher of the year award. She moved to DeRidder, Louisiana, in 1972 with her husband, Ron Liles. The couple served as assistant pastors at First Pentecostal Church of DeRidder. In late 1975, the family relocated to Fort Worth to lead Calvary Church as senior pastors. They retired from that role in 2015.

Liles and Ron married in August 1969. They were married for 57 years. The couple had two children: Alison, born in 1975, and Ryan, born in 1979. Liles is survived by her husband, son Ryan, and his wife Heather of Fort Worth. She also leaves behind her sister Donna Reardon of Keller. Her grandchildren include Chloe Littlefield, Liam Andrews, Nathan Nakamura, Alex Nakamura, Hutson Liles, and Rumi Liles. She is also survived by her son-in-law Justin Andrews and his wife Nancy of Burleson.

Liles was preceded in death by her parents and her brother John Owen Colley Jr. She also lost her daughter Alison Nicole Andrews of Burleson. The family has thanked several individuals for their support during Liles’ final years. These include Pastors Tommy and Dinora Brandon and the staff at Calvary Church. The family also acknowledged Dr. Sanjay Ooman at Texas Oncology. They thanked Dr. Vincent Lewis and Tracy Jones of Amedisys Hospice for their care. A special note of appreciation was given to Janice Shelley, Liles’ longtime housekeeper and friend.

Liles was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. She treated the condition for eight years before her death. The family described her approach to the illness as handled with courage and grace. She lived in a home in Fort Worth for 25 years. The residence was described as a cottage, reflecting Liles’ appreciation for British culture. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, and solving crossword puzzles. She also spent time teaching Sunday school and participating in Bible quizzes throughout her life.