Shereen Jacobson-McCrary

Shereen Jacobson McCrary, 80, of Houston, Texas passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2024, after a courageous two year battle with colon cancer. Shereen was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1943 to Harry and Carolyn Jean Isman. She graduated from Von Steuben Metropolitan High School in 1961 and went on to receive her BA in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois - Urbana in 1965. Just prior to her senior year in high school she met Edward Jacobson. Shereen and Ed were married in 1963 while in college. After graduating, the couple moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they had their first child, Elizabeth, in 1966. Shortly thereafter, the family was transferred to Kansas City, and in 1969 their second child, David, was born. In 1971, the family was transferred to Houston, Texas where they continued to live thereafter. In Houston, Shereen focused on raising her family, making friends, charity work, and establishing herself in the Jewish community. She was active at her children’s schools and was a founding member of Congregation Beth Am. Her favorite pastime was spending time with family, but also included reading, sitting in the warm Texas sun, going to the theatre, shopping, and gardening. Shereen had a special passion for the arts, teaching, gardening, and a fabulous eye for design. As someone who always needed to be busy, she was always tinkering with projects and started making terrariums. This hobby led to making terrariums and plant and floral displays for friends and companies, which resulted in the establishment of Sherrariums Company (a play on “Shereen” and Terrariums). This would lead her on a journey to become a pioneer in the interior landscape industry as the first woman owned Interiorscape company in Houston. After a divorce in 1977, Shereen focused on raising her children and building Sherrariums. As the company grew, the size of the projects required an expansion of her team, and she hired Stephen McCrary – a decision that would change her life forever. In 1982, Shereen and Steve realized that together they were a great team, both in and out of the office, and they were married. Forty-one years later, their marriage and the company are still going strong. Her successful business legacy lives on with the next two generations at the helm. Shereen did everything BIG. She lived big, loved big, and worked big, so it is no surprise that she leaves a personal legacy second to none. Known to her family as the “Duchess,” Shereen was the family matriarch. She is survived by her loving husband of forty-one years, Stephen McCrary; her daughter, Elizabeth Berger and husband Michael Einhorn; her son, David Jacobson and wife Diane; her grandchildren, Ben and Jeneve Berger, Evan Berger, Ethan, Noah, and Josh Jacobson, Natalie and DJ McCall, Rachel Einhorn and husband Andrew Hopkinson; her great grandchildren, Kayla, Ashlyn, Emily, Brooke, Abraham, Archer, and Riley; her brother, Sheldon Isman and wife Arna; and her best friends, Ed and Robyn Jacobson, along with her beloved pets, Baxter and Bristol. The family would like to thank Dr. Benjamin Musher and his wonderful team at the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center – Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Bin Teh and his team at Houston Methodist Hospital Radiation Oncology, and Lois McGee, Shereen’s wonderful and loving caregiver, for their expertise, love, and support during these last few years and for helping to make a terrible situation a time of personal growth and joining together. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Shereen’s name be made to the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center GI Department towards the study to prevent and cure Colorectal Cancer, or the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk City, Florida, or the charity of your choice. Services will be held at Congregation Or Ami on Monday, March 18, 2024 beginning at 11:00am followed by a graveside service at Forest Park Southwest Cemetery.

Shereen Jacobson-McCrary

June 16, 1943 - March 14, 2024