Dena Naomi Sher, 93, died peacefully on July 6. Dena was born on October 26, 1930 to parents Sarah and Michael Gibbs. She was a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, raising her sons in Lafayette Hill and moving to Chestnut Hill in 1979.
Dena attended Olney High School and graduated in 1947. She won a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, from which she graduated in 1951 with a degree in Chemistry. In 1955 she began working at Smith, Kline and French (now GlaxoSmithKline) in the medical literature department. In the Spring of 1956, her lifelong love, Sanford (Sandy) Sher, began working there. They had their first date at Wissahickon Park and were married in December of that year. “The Wissahickon” and The Valley Green Inn were special places for Dena and Sandy and family throughout their lives.
Dena and Sandy were married for 55 years and shared many many interests in common, including travel, nature, the arts, and politics. They were early opponents of the Vietnam War and attended many demonstrations together. They were also very active in their communities. Dena was the principal founder of the Whitemarsh Art Center in 1964, and both she and Sandy worked to have a new library built in Whitemarsh Township. When they moved to Chestnut Hill they began caring for the nearby park and held a yearly fair there to raise money for it. Both were very active with the Friends of the Wissahickon. Dena served on its Board for 15 years and was an editor of the newsletter for several years.
After Sandy died in 2011, Dena pursued many interests. She was an accomplished piano player and joined several French clubs and a book club. She met Leo Ditkoff at a Road Scholar program, and they developed a deep friendship that included several trips and concerts. They maintained frequent contact until Dena’s death.
Dena was deeply devoted to her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her three sons, Paul (Joan Boonin), Ned (Lisa) and Ben (Niki), six grandchildren: Madeleine (Vince Katowski) , Mica, Jackie, Hazel, Olivia and Drew), and special friends Leo Ditkoff and Barb Bloomfield. Donations in her honor can be made to the Friends of the Wissahickon and the Whitemarsh Art Center.
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