Christmas tree honors respected South Salt Lake resident

One year after an attacker took the life of longtime local resident Sherry Black her family came together to honor her memory by supporting a worthy cause.

This holiday season, Black’s family decorated a special Christmas tree to raise money for Primary Children’s Medical Center. The tree was displayed at the annual Festival of Trees event held Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.

Black’s daughter Heidi Miller said the family hoped proceeds from the special Christmas tree would help heal sick children and bring comfort to the family.

“It was kind of a tender mercy,” Heidi Miller said. “It was a way to turn a terrible day into something better.”

To honor Black, the family created a 9-foot-tall evergreen tree decorated with hundreds of green, gold and purple ornaments and poinsettias.

Miller said the tree was very traditional, but included special glass ornaments with pictures of books because Black had been a local bookstore owner and loved reading.

Black, 64, was a resident of South Salt Lake for nearly 40 years and owned the B&W Billiards and Books located at 3466 South 700 East. The mother-in-law of Utah Jazz owner Greg Miller, Black was a wife, mother, grandmother and a respected member of the community.

Black was discovered by her husband on the floor of her bookstore Nov. 30, 2010. South Salt Lake Police found she had been stabbed after they were dispatched to the business in response to a 911-emergency phone call.

Police are still looking for leads in the case and the Miller family is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to a suspect.

Heidi Miller said her mother, in addition to being loved by her family and friends, always made the holiday season special for the family.

She said this Christmas participating in the Festival of Trees to honor Black had made the season a little brighter after what had been a dark time searching for leads in the murder case.

“It was a great experience. It really made a difference for the family,” Miller said.

For more than 40 years, the Festival of Trees has displayed traditional holiday Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces gingerbread creations and quilts. One hundred percent of the funds raised for the sale of donated holiday items go to benefit the children served by Primary Children’s.

This year, the Christmas tree donated to honor Black raised thousands of dollars to help sick children.

Heidi Miller said the family was so happy to be able to help Primary Children’s.

“To be part of that is so fulfilling,” she said. “There are more good, wonderful people than bad ones.”