Lyle Vaughn Sherry

     Lyle Vaughn Sherry (also known as Amazing Lyle and Pops) was born to Virginia Evelyn Dye and Donald Floyd Sherry on July 21, 1954, in Spokane, WA, and brother to Tom and Lee. He departed this life unexpectedly on June 2, 2025, in Long Beach, CA, at the age of 70.

     Lyle was a remarkable individual—a free spirit, endlessly curious, and truly one of a kind. He lived a life full of adventure and never hesitated to take risks or try something new. Lyle never met a stranger and had a gift for connecting with people from all walks of life. He carried a supreme confidence that allowed him to be quirky in ways most would shy away from for fear of other people’s opinions. Lyle made being weird cool, before it became trendy. Have you ever seen the “Keep Austin, TX Weird” slogan? Substitute Austin for Lyle and that was his life motto.

     Lyle had many passions and was an avid inventor since childhood. For years, he was deeply involved in the Volkswagen community and was a member of the Northwest Region Sports Car Club of America, even racing in the Formula Vee series for a time. He was a car enthusiast and loved watching Formula One racing, in person or on television. He was also a dedicated fisherman and hunter, and was over the moon when he retired and fulfilled his dream of owning a 25-foot Parker fishing boat. Teaching others to fish brought him immense joy, and he was always planning his next trip on the water.

     A mechanic by trade, Lyle owned and operated Bothell Import Service and Boss Tuning in Bothell, WA for over a decade, where he built a fiercely loyal customer base. Known as much for his mechanical expertise as for his magnetic personality, his legendary shop parties became a tradition on Bothell-Everett Highway. One of his standout creations was a 1990s build of a 1965 VW Type 3 Notchback, featured in Hot VWs magazine in January 1993 and shown at numerous BugNationals car shows. “The Notch” won many awards and Lyle took immense pride in its accomplishments.

     With a mind for engineering and design, he invented and sold the “Factory Filter,” a convenient, easy-to-change oil filter for Volkswagen Beetles and Type 1 VW engines, also featured in Hot VWs. Later, Lyle designed and marketed the Lucky Seven, a precision industrial cannabis trimmer, and his Sensigars creation was featured in Skunk magazine. Rumor has it that he scored above a 140 on the IQ test, the mark of a genius.

     A mentor and a fixer, Lyle shared his wisdom with all. Chances are, many of you here today learned something valuable from him. From life advice to “What’s this noise on my car mean?”, he’s who everyone called when they got stuck with something.

     In the fall of 2000, Lyle realized his dream of living in California. There, he found a new community of colleagues, lifelong friends, and fishing buddies through his work as a marine mechanic in Newport Beach and auto mechanic at Europro.

     Above all else, Lyle’s greatest joy was his family. He was a devoted father to his beloved sons, Karl and Dean, whom he shared with his first wife, Nancy; a proud grandfather to Georgia, Ruby, and Brooklyn; and a loving husband to Jennifer. He cherished them deeply, finding his greatest happiness in their laughter and love.

     Lyle’s family and friends remember him as a source of positivity, lighting up every room he entered, leaving a lasting impression on all he met and most likely a crazy story or two to tell. His enthusiasm and ability to connect with people from all walks of life established him as a beloved figure in the many communities he was a part of.

     On June 20th, 2025 at 3:15pm, Jennifer, Karl and Dean honored Lyle’s wishes by spreading his ashes at The Wedge in Newport Beach. He is now one with the ocean he loved. Though we are heartbroken by his untimely passing, Lyle will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered for the joy, warmth, and kindness he brought to those around him. His spirit lives on in the memories we hold dear.