Sherrie Lee Kubala

Sherrie Lee Kubala, 82, of Waldorf, Maryland, passed away on August 23, 2026, in La Plata, Maryland, surrounded by her loved ones. Sherrie was born on March 8, 1944, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to the late Thomas Woodrow and Kathleen Ault. Smart, determined and independent from the start, she graduated from Cutter-Morning Star High School in 1962 as valedictorian of her class. That same year, her local VFW was sponsoring her to compete for Miss Hot Springs as part of the Miss America program. But Sherrie had other plans. Before the pageant ever took place, she packed up and headed for Washington, D.C., where she began working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was at the FBI that Sherrie met Joseph D. “Joe” Kubala, although their love story didn’t exactly begin as one. Joe was coaching the FBI women’s softball team when Sherrie tried out, and to say it wasn’t love at first sight would be an understatement. Sherrie was decidedly unimpressed with her future husband. Fortunately, first impressions aren’t always lasting ones. The two married on January 12, 1963, and went on to share more than 63 years of marriage. They soon left Washington for Maryland, where they built their life together and raised their two sons, Joseph and Tom. Sherrie’s love of sports didn’t end with that fateful softball tryout. She continued playing softball and volleyball for years, breaking more than a few fingers along the way. She coached baseball and became the first woman umpire in Charles County, Maryland, blazing a trail in a role traditionally held by men. Years later, she was still putting her competitive spirit to good use as the longtime commissioner of her fantasy football league. That same drive carried into Sherrie’s professional life. After beginning her career with the FBI, she went on to serve as Vice President at Washington Homes and later as Vice President at Washington Savings Bank. She worked hard throughout her career and was every bit as determined professionally as she was everywhere else in life. Although Maryland became home, Sherrie never lost her connection to Arkansas. For many years, summers meant returning home with Joe and the boys, renting a cottage on the lake and gathering with her Arkansas family. There was swimming, fish fries, plenty of laughter and, most importantly, time together. The tradition continued until the boys were nearly grown, and those summers became some of Sherrie’s favorite family memories. Eventually, Sherrie and Joe found their own special place on the water in Newburg, Maryland, where they lived for more than 20 years. Sherrie loved that home deeply. She delighted in watching the ospreys and geese and took countless photographs of the sunrises and sunsets over the water. After moving to Waldorf in 2025, Newburg remained close to her heart and was a place she missed terribly. And, of course, there was Yoda, her beloved Chihuahua and faithful companion, who occupied a very special place in Sherrie’s world. Through all of it, Sherrie was unmistakably Sherrie. She was the matriarch of the family, and nobody was particularly confused about who held that position. Strong-willed, spirited and feisty, she knew her own mind and wasn’t particularly shy about sharing it. Fiercely independent throughout her life, Sherrie could make you laugh, keep you on your toes and was, in the very best sense of the phrase, quite a character. Sherrie is survived by her husband of more than 63 years, Joseph D. Kubala; her sons, Joseph M. Kubala and his wife, Teresa, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, and Thomas M. Kubala and his wife, Michele, of Apollo Beach, Florida; her grandchildren, Amanda Kubala, Alexis Kubala, Vincent Kubala and Kara Kubala; four great-grandchildren; her siblings, Ronald E. Ault and his wife, Erin, of Waldorf, Maryland, Samuel F. Ault and his wife, Christine, of Benton, Arkansas, and Kelly Edelen and her husband, Darrin, of Hughesville, Maryland; as well as many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Sherrie was preceded in death by her brothers, Thomas E. Ault and Lonnie E. Ault. Sherrie will be cremated in accordance with her wishes.

Sherrie Lee Kubala

March 8, 1944 - August 23, 2026