Sherry
I was born in Schuylkill Haven, PA, a middle child, between my older sister and younger brother. My mother is French and my dad was an American soldier. They had met in Paris, after France was liberated in WWII. My dad noticed her on the subway and spoke to her in French, beginning a romance. They were married a few months later at a church in Montmartre. They came to the United States and went to Schuylkill Haven, where my grandfather had a luncheonette. My dad worked there until they moved to Philadelphia. My parents divorced when I was eight. I started working at age 11, babysitting, taking care of the neighbor’s dog and running errands for older people in my neighborhood. I always worked after that. Like my dad, I had many jobs. My dad was a hard worker, and eventually started his own exterminating business, Andrews Pest Control.
When we moved to Overbrook Park, it was difficult being a new girl in sixth grade at St. Callistus School. I went on to West Catholic Girls’ High School, where my sister also attended school. I saved my money from working, and at 18 bought an orange VW bug, paying cash for it. I went to Harcum Junior College and then St. Joseph’s Night College. I worked in the shoe department at the Blum Store on City Line, where I earned commissions on sales. I also worked at a Holiday Spa, teaching exercise classes and dance classes.
A friend of my mom said the Playboy Club in Great Gorge, NJ, was hiring girls to be Bunnies – cocktail waitresses who wore uniforms with high heels, bunny ears, and cottontails. I had helped my mom at her restaurant (see the portrait of Jeannine Mermet on this site), so I interviewed for and got the Bunny job. I attended “bunny school,” where we learned to do the “bunny dip” when serving customers. I worked in the VIP Room because I spoke French. I also worked in the showroom, where all the big acts came, like Shecky Greene and Don Rickles. We stayed in dorms and weren’t allowed to date customers. We made 90 cents an hour plus tips. Eventually I worked in customer service and sold club memberships there, and I made a lot of money without working as hard. Working at the Playboy Club was exciting, because you got to meet so many people.
After that I returned to Philadelphia and worked in my mom’s restaurant, La Truffe, and at a restaurant/disco called The Library, where I became the day manager. There I met Mark, who became my boyfriend. We moved in together, and we followed his executive jobs in broadcasting to Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. During that time I worked as a floor manager at Lord & Taylor (Chicago), at an office job for ABC (San Francisco), and in the designer area of Saks Fifth Avenue (New York). We were together for eight years. Then we separated and I returned to Philadelphia. I worked for a photographer and eventually became a photographer myself, starting my own company, Sher An Productions. I was a stylist and booked models for photo shoots. I also did some commercial modeling as a hand and leg model in ads for Wanamaker’s and Strawbridge’s department stores and for Charming Shoppes.
During this time I dated other guys and met Allan, who was divorced and had three teenagers. We married in 1985 and took our honeymoon in Greece. Our daughter Alexandra was born in 1986. She and her husband now have a daughter and son. I love helping with my little grandchildren.
When Alex was two, my mom decided to go to the YMCA and take a water aerobics class, and I went with her. Eventually I substituted for the teacher, and I was asked to stay and teach in the pool. I got my certification from the Aquatic Exercise Association, becoming the only certified instructor at the time. I have taught water aerobics at the Y for 31 years, longer than anyone else there. I also taught autistic kids swimming at the Lower Merion High School pool. I also taught swimming to first and second graders there and loved teaching them, and taught exercise classes there at night. Concurrently, I taught adult aerobics at The Philadelphian for 24 years and have given private lessons in private pools. I also taught French as after-school enrichment to students at Gladwyne Elementary School.
Allan and I have six grandchildren. Besides my family, I love swimming, tennis, walking on the beach, animals, sunsets, and horseback riding. I skied for years. I once bungee jumped from a crane over a beach in Atlantic City.
When we moved to Overbrook Park, it was difficult being a new girl in sixth grade at St. Callistus School. I went on to West Catholic Girls’ High School, where my sister also attended school. I saved my money from working, and at 18 bought an orange VW bug, paying cash for it. I went to Harcum Junior College and then St. Joseph’s Night College. I worked in the shoe department at the Blum Store on City Line, where I earned commissions on sales. I also worked at a Holiday Spa, teaching exercise classes and dance classes.
A friend of my mom said the Playboy Club in Great Gorge, NJ, was hiring girls to be Bunnies – cocktail waitresses who wore uniforms with high heels, bunny ears, and cottontails. I had helped my mom at her restaurant (see the portrait of Jeannine Mermet on this site), so I interviewed for and got the Bunny job. I attended “bunny school,” where we learned to do the “bunny dip” when serving customers. I worked in the VIP Room because I spoke French. I also worked in the showroom, where all the big acts came, like Shecky Greene and Don Rickles. We stayed in dorms and weren’t allowed to date customers. We made 90 cents an hour plus tips. Eventually I worked in customer service and sold club memberships there, and I made a lot of money without working as hard. Working at the Playboy Club was exciting, because you got to meet so many people.
After that I returned to Philadelphia and worked in my mom’s restaurant, La Truffe, and at a restaurant/disco called The Library, where I became the day manager. There I met Mark, who became my boyfriend. We moved in together, and we followed his executive jobs in broadcasting to Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. During that time I worked as a floor manager at Lord & Taylor (Chicago), at an office job for ABC (San Francisco), and in the designer area of Saks Fifth Avenue (New York). We were together for eight years. Then we separated and I returned to Philadelphia. I worked for a photographer and eventually became a photographer myself, starting my own company, Sher An Productions. I was a stylist and booked models for photo shoots. I also did some commercial modeling as a hand and leg model in ads for Wanamaker’s and Strawbridge’s department stores and for Charming Shoppes.
During this time I dated other guys and met Allan, who was divorced and had three teenagers. We married in 1985 and took our honeymoon in Greece. Our daughter Alexandra was born in 1986. She and her husband now have a daughter and son. I love helping with my little grandchildren.
When Alex was two, my mom decided to go to the YMCA and take a water aerobics class, and I went with her. Eventually I substituted for the teacher, and I was asked to stay and teach in the pool. I got my certification from the Aquatic Exercise Association, becoming the only certified instructor at the time. I have taught water aerobics at the Y for 31 years, longer than anyone else there. I also taught autistic kids swimming at the Lower Merion High School pool. I also taught swimming to first and second graders there and loved teaching them, and taught exercise classes there at night. Concurrently, I taught adult aerobics at The Philadelphian for 24 years and have given private lessons in private pools. I also taught French as after-school enrichment to students at Gladwyne Elementary School.
Allan and I have six grandchildren. Besides my family, I love swimming, tennis, walking on the beach, animals, sunsets, and horseback riding. I skied for years. I once bungee jumped from a crane over a beach in Atlantic City.
