Obituary: Ingrid ‘Inky’ Settje Sherman, 89, Hood River
With hearts full of love and gratitude, we celebrate the beautiful life of Ingrid ‘Inky’ Settje Sherman, 89, of Hood River, Oregon. She peacefully entered her heavenly home on February 15, 2025, surrounded by those who cherished her, with the sound of her children’s laughter and the powerful strains of Messiah filling the room.
Born on October 19, 1935, in Pierre, South Dakota, Ingrid was the beloved daughter of Josephine and Hugo Larson. From an early age, she radiated empathy, curiosity, faith, and perseverance—qualities that would define the way she lived and loved.
On June 17, 1954, she married her first love, Victor Settje, and together they built a home overflowing with warmth, faith, and laughter. As parents to 11 children, their love extended far beyond their family, welcoming many more into their home and hearts. After nearly 50 years of marriage, Victor passed away. Ingrid found the companionship of Wayne Sherman, whom she married in 2007.
Ingrid was a woman of deep faith and unwavering love. A devoted member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Hood River, she found immense joy in sharing her musical gifts, playing both the organ and piano for services. One of her greatest honors was playing the magnificent pipe organ at St. Peter’s Church in The Dalles—a moment that filled her heart with profound joy and gratitude.
Her passion for learning and caring for others led her to pursue a career in nursing. She graduated from Wilmont High School, earned her nursing degree from Clark College School of Nursing in 1987, and later completed her BSN at OHSU. But Ingrid’s greatest calling was motherhood, and she poured her heart into raising her children, ensuring they grew up surrounded by faith, love, and the knowledge that they were deeply cherished.
Beyond her devotion to her family and faith, Ingrid loved long walks around her Hood River home, gathering with loved ones, and filling her home with the music that so often mirrored the joy in her heart.
She leaves behind a legacy of unconditional love and boundless grace, carried on by her adoring family:
Her husband, Wayne Sherman, her 11 children—Victor, Connie, Daniel, Wayne, Josie, Kathy, Donna, Elizabeth, James, Joseph, and Hannah, her 25 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild, along with her three sisters and two brothers.
She now rests in eternal peace, reunited with her parents, Josephine and Hugo Larson, her brothers Hugo, James, and Stephen Larson, her sister Josephine Coolidge, her beloved son John M. Curry, and her first love, Victor Settje.
Honoring Ingrid’s Life
Viewing Service: February 20, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center, Hood River.
Funeral Service: February 21, 10 a.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church, followed by burial at Mountain View Cemetery. Pastor Lawson will lead the service.
Celebration of Life Reception: Noon – 3 p.m. at the Best Western PLUS Hood River Inn Trillium Room.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Ingrid’s memory to the WELS Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ministry, a cause close to her heart, in care of Anderson’s Funeral Home.
The family extends their deepest gratitude to Providence Hospice of the Gorge and Anderson’s Tribute Center for their loving care and compassion during Ingrid’s final journey.
To know Ingrid was to be embraced by kindness, lifted by laughter, and inspired by faith. Her love will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her. In Ingrid’s words, “Please remember to go to church, hear God's word, have your babies baptized, and to love one another as Christ loves us”.
Ingrid lived with unwavering faith, a deep and abiding love for family, and a spirit of generosity that knew no bounds. Her life was a testament to one of her favorite scriptures, Psalm 23:6:
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
