Danice J. Sher

With profound sadness, we share that Danice “Dani” Johanna Sher passed on Thursday, March 27th 2025 after a prolonged 18-month battle with Stage IV Gallbladder cancer.    Born on October 21, 1975, Dani is survived by her husband, Matt Ryan, her children–the two brightest lights of her life–Josephine and Emmett Ryan, her parents, Harvey and Patricia Sher, her sisters, Rachel Sher and Alyssa Creney, as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, in-laws, and wonderful friends.

From the time that Dani was a little girl, she had a unique ability to make people laugh.  As a toddler, she famously took the stage at Disney World and commanded an audience with an impromptu dancing and singing routine. In elementary school, she was the class clown and was quick with jokes and eerily accurate imitations of characters from Saturday Night Live.  These skills proved worthwhile in her later childhood and teen years as she was able to get out of any kind of trouble by making her parents and teachers laugh. Dani’s delight in bringing joy to others made her a supportive and loving wife, friend, sister, mother, and daughter right until her very last moments.

Dani attended The Bolles School where she was active in student government and honed her theatrical chops.  She then went on to major in French Literature and Pre-Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, MO and developed her love of Improvisational Comedy with the Mama’s Pot Roast Improv Troupe.  During college, she studied for a semester at The Sorbonne in Paris.  After graduation, Dani moved to Chicago to take classes and perform at Improv Olympics (iO) and was ultimately offered a job as a comedian at Boom Chicago Comedy Theatre in Amsterdam where she lived and performed for nearly three years.  Family and friends who were lucky enough to visit her in Amsterdam will remember those days as filled with sheer joy and great adventures.  

Dani returned from her lively Amsterdam era in 2005 ready to pursue her other passion, medicine.  She attended Midwestern University and earned her Physician Associate degree in 2008.After graduating, she worked in the Emergency Departments in several of Chicago’s busiest hospitals where she was exceptionally quick on her feet and brilliant in her ability to diagnose and care for patients. In the initial frightening months of uncertainty of the Covid 19 pandemic, she was bravely on the frontlines in overfilled and understaffed hospitals.  Through it all, she continued to bring her quick wit and compassion to her co-workers and patients alike. 

Dani met the love of her life, her “rock”, Matt Ryan in 2005.  It was love at first sight when she saw him singing a karaoke version of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name.”  They married in 2008 and had their two children in 2011 and 2013.  Josie and Emmett are Dani’s greatest accomplishments and provided her with more love and pride than anything in the world.  

Dani was the proud creator and owner of Sparkle Aesthetics Med Spa in Oak Park, IL.  Her business was just like her -  full of Sparkle, bright and happy. Armed with the learnings from her time as an ER PA in the use of ultrasound techniques, she pioneered the use of this skill in the safe administration of facial fillers in the aesthetic industry, becoming a renowned expert in the field who was invited to speak at conferences around the U.S. and abroad.

Dani will be deeply missed by anyone who was lucky enough to be in her orbit.  Visitation will be at Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home (7319 Madison St, Forest Park, IL) on Friday, April 4 from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm and a celebration of life ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 5 at The Cheney Mansion (220 N Euclid Ave, Oak Park, IL) from 3:00 pm until 7:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Camp Kesem, a non-profit organization that provides ongoing support  to children through and beyond a parent’s cancer diagnosis.  Camp Kesem, 440 N Barranca Ave #2273, Covina, CA 91723 or online at  www.Kesem.org for the national organization or Camp Kesem Notre Dame program.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Danice J. Sher, please visit our floral store.