A Northlake resident was awarded one of the highest honors of the Republic of Korea.
Sherri Steward of Northlake received one of South Korea’s highest honors, the Order of Civil Merit Medal of Honor, for her work in honoring veterans across the nation, especially within the Korean War front.
Steward made the trip to Seoul, South Korea to accept the award from President Lee Jae-myung at the country’s National Ceremony for Korean War UN Veterans Day on Monday, July 27, which marked the 73rd anniversary of the active combat-ending Korean War armistice signed in 1953.
“I am deeply humbled and grateful that after seven decades, the Korean people continue to express their gratitude for Americans who sacrificed for their freedom,” said Steward.
The event was hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Patriot and Veterans Affairs and featured a choir of Korean children who sang “You Raise Me Up” to honor Korean veterans and families of fallen heroes.
Steward was honored alongside two Korean War veterans, Colon Garcia of France and Joh Munro of Australia, at the event.
The Northlake resident was born during the Korean War to a decorated World War II and Korean War combat veteran, William Steward.
Her uncle, PFC David Daniel Steward, also served during the Korean War. He was declared missing in action from 1950 to 1951 before being declared killed in action and returned home to Texas.
Sherri Steward served as a high school teacher at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD for 30 years, where she dedicated much of her life to educating young people about American sacrifices for freedom and democracy.
She left education in 2006, but continued volunteering her time to educate the public about the Korean War.
According to a press release, Sherri Steward has served as a liaison for families of fallen heroes “return to Korea” program from 2016-2019, as the Co-Chair and Project Manager for the Korean War and Korean Defense Veterans Memorial in Arlington from 2016-2023, as the only non-veteran to serve on the National Korean War-Korean Defense Mission and Vision Committee from 2018-2019 and as an organizer and nominator of three DFW area combat veterans to appear on a nationally-televised TV program.
In 2024, her book Bringing Davy Home was published by Texas A&M University and selected for the prestigious Texas A&M University Williams-Ford Military History Series.
Sherri Steward lives in Northlake with her husband Michael Ganz, who currently serves on Northlake Town Council.
She was nominated for the Korean Presidential Order of Civil Merit by the Consulate for the Republic of Korea in Dallas and was selected out of hundreds of worldwide nominations.
