Friday, October 27, 2023 @ 6:00 PM

Sherry Lynn Harshberger is the daughter of Dawn and Carl Alexy, a retired nurse-anesthetist and Lutheran pastor. She graduated from Altoona High School and went on to receive a dual bachelor’s degree in elementary education/special education. She then earned a master’s degree in special education, from the University of Pittsburgh.

Before owning her own dance business for 33 years, she worked as a job coach for persons with special needs in work environments and then led an entire division of supported employment as the director. She later developed a 9 county HMO physician network for Highmark and acted as a vocational specialist for a worker’s compensation company in Pittsburgh.

Dance was a hobby out of college which quickly spiraled into an expensive pastime, but she was good at it and loved it! Fortunately, Sherry Lynn was offered the opportunity to train as an instructor at another dance studio in the area. While training, she was still working for Highmark. In a crazy turn of events, she was transferred back to her hometown of Altoona to continue her career and also began teaching dance. Her first students were her parents. Sherry Lynn taught off and on for several years when a student purchased a property and rented her a beautiful new studio where she taught for 10 years.

Passion for teaching and Christian love and concern for people was and still is at the forefront of her life. Sherry has remained close to students who are more like family than customers, some for over 20 years. It never mattered who or what she was teaching, a dance class, a group of persons with special needs, a bridal couple or a Sunday School class. She loved teaching! 

During her years in her Johnstown studio, Sherry Lynn, mentored over 30 teenagers through CareerLink programs beginning in 2005 when she moved with her husband to Johnstown and officially opened Sherry Lynn’s Ballroom Dance Center, which operated until August 2022. During that same time not only did she and her husband Brian teach lessons, they danced monthly at over 20 different personal care facilities as entertainment.

When not teaching or performing, Sherry Lynn and Brian frequent Camp Sequanota for spiritual enrichment and spend most of their other free time riding roller coasters at Cedar Point or vacationing in Jamaica. In addition, they are very involved in church programs, especially with youth. Together they have led youth groups and even chaperoned many retreats and national youth gatherings.

Now in 2023, it is more than a year since a successful transition was made from the studio to the Community Arts Center. As always, Sherry Lynn and her husband, working as a team, will continue to create community and bonds with both longtime and new students now and into the future.

Dennis (Denny) Ivory was born, raised and remained in Altoona, PA. Denny had many ties to and relatives in Cambria County. He especially loved the family cottage on McMullen Road in Ashville and often shared memories and stories about it from his childhood and young adult years. Denny would speak often of the day music changed his life. When Denny was just five years old, he watched with his mother and a few siblings as the Beatles made their first American TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan show knowing, even then, that music would influence his life and those around him. 

Denny and his best friend began to spend time playing instruments and eventually formed a small band that played in small out of the way places. As Karaoke became popular and after waiting his turn to sing in smoke filled bars, Denny took a chance on an idea, purchasing some equipment and sharing his idea with a friend. The original idea was to go into nursing homes and homes for folks who needed entertainment. Denny loved oldies, or music from the 50’s & 60’s so off to sing to those who couldn’t get out. Denny had a special gift and genuine love for people and could touch the hearts of those he sang to. While singing in a nursing home with a friend, Denny was approached by a visitor and asked to perform at a High School Reunion. With the help of his wife in naming his act, The SharpTones were born. In the summer of 2005 Denny started booking shows and the popularity of The SharpTones grew all over Central PA and the surrounding counties. The SharpTones traveled to Harrisburg, Virginia and Maryland as well. They performed at Class Reunions, weddings, car shows, church festivals, fairs, ice cream stands, private parties and anywhere music was needed. But Denny always remained true to nursing homes and benefits. Denny’s sense of humor and crazy antics with audience involvement coupled with three hours of nonstop energy made them a crowd favorite. Denny also landed the role of the “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come” in the original production of A Christmas Carol on stage at the historical Mishler Theater. 

Denny’s life came to a tragic end on July 22, 2020, when he was hit head on, less than two miles from home on RT 36 just entering Blair County. But The SharpTones are alive and well today with the help of Denny’s wife booking their shows. It is her hope to have his legacy live on as long as the passion and integrity continue, knowing that he is smiling down and singing along.