Kristine “Kris” Sherman Qualls

Devoted partner, loving mother, passionate gardener, and committed community member, Kristine “Kris” Sherman Qualls passed away June 16th at the age of 77 in Wilmington, Delaware, after a short illness following a long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends. Kris held on to her wit and strength to the very end.

Throughout her life, Kris brought joy to her family, neighbors, and community through abundant care, cultivation, and curiosity. With an eye for good soil, the right plants, the nuance of the seasons, and some patience and determination, she could turn any patch of dirt into an exquisite garden. This was Kris’s gift, and one she gave freely to everyone she touched.

“Krissie” was born in 1948, in Wilmington, the eldest of four children to James and Estelle Sherman. She grew up across the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Woodstown, New Jersey, and graduated from Woodstown High School in 1966. She was prom queen her senior year, with a radiant smile and long dark hair. She went on to graduate from Vanderbilt University in 1970 during a time of social and cultural transformation. A devoted Pi Beta Phi and proud defender of Vandy football, Kris was shaped by both tradition and her generation’s desire for change. After college she worked for DuPont where she remained until after her third child was born. Kris was passionate about social justice, empowerment, and human decency throughout her life and was never afraid to say what she thought.

In 1982, Kris married Spencer Qualls. Each brought two children to the marriage, and in 1984 they welcomed a child of their own, making five: Sara, David, Jeffrey, Jonathan, and Neely. The family quickly outgrew their city home and built on an expanse of farmland along the Delaware/Pennsylvania line. From the top of the big hill, Kris and Spence presided over ATV rides in the snow, mornings fishing in the pond, pool parties with neighbors, annual fall pumpkin rolls, and epic crab boils. For years, “Pentland” was the place for unforgettable gatherings. Long after the kids were grown, the house remained full of sprawling plants, sleeping dogs, and family photos on every surface — always ready for an Eagles game or a visit from grandchildren.

Kris was a committed member of Westminster Presbyterian Church for over fifty years. She found deep strength and friendship through her faith community and paid it forward through decades of devoted service. She attended Sunday services regularly and often passed along sermons to her children. Kris served as a church deacon, sang in the choir for eighteen years, and rang handbells for over thirty. Her faith was quiet, but it was central to who she was.

In every organization she served, Kris matched passion and artistry with commitment and purpose, always giving back to the communities that gave her joy. Through her church she volunteered with Urban Promise, an organization supporting children through learning and leadership in Wilmington.

Kris was perhaps happiest in the garden. Any walk with George, her dog, was an opportunity to identify a new plant and add it to her already extensive knowledge. That love led to four decades of service at the Delaware Center for Horticulture, where she chaired the Rare Plant Auction among many other roles. She was a long-time member of both the Spade & Trowel Garden Club and the Countryside Garden Club, spending decades learning and teaching. Her passion for floral arrangement drew her to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and deep involvement in the Philadelphia Flower Show, where her spare, elegant arrangements praised by judges for “smashing color, harmony, and rhythm” won numerous awards for creative design and earned her a long tenure as chair of the competitive classes.

When many her age were stepping back from the water, Kris discovered rowing on the Christina River and became a dedicated member of the Wilmington Rowing Club. She was never out for an easy paddle. Kris worked hard through practice and annual trips to the American Rowing Camp to become a formidable competitor at the Head of the Charles in Boston and other national-level regattas. She served as club treasurer, and true to form, transformed the club’s grounds with an extensive perennial garden.

Kris is survived by her husband Spencer; her five children and their spouses — Sara and Mike Sweeney of Virginia Beach, VA; David and Lee Ann Qualls of Wilmington; Jeffrey Carney and Andrea Galinski of Gainesville, FL; Jonathan and Julie Carney of Pittsburgh, PA; and Neely and Dan Newcomb of Wilmington — her siblings Nick and Kathy Sherman, Jan Ledyard, and Neale and Lucy Cogswell — nine wonderful grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who adored her. She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Estelle Sherman.

As Melanie DeMore exclaims, “You gotta put one foot in front of the other, And lead with love”. Kris will be remembered as a doer, someone who found joy in getting her hands dirty. She never slowed down — she had things to do and places to be! We are forever grateful for the abundant life she lived.

“Don’t give up hope
You’re not alone
Don’t you give up
Keep movin on

Lift up your eyes
Don’t you despair
Look up ahead
The path is there”

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13^th St., Wilmington, DE 19806. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Kris’s name to ALS United and Urban Promise.