Mikayla Kathleen Sherrell, of Dixon, was born on August 18, 2000, at Rolla, a daughter of James Allen "Jimmy" and Michelle Kathleen (Saunchegrow) Sherrell, and departed this life at 7:30 p.m., on Friday evening, October 21, 2016, on Highway BB in Maries County, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Mikayla had attained the age of 16 years, 2 months, and 3 days.

Mikayla had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior and had followed her Lord in baptism on April 17, 2011, while attending the Crocker Christian Church when her family lived in Crocker. Prior to starting high school, she had been accepted into the National Junior Honor Society and had been the student manager for the girls' 8th grade basketball team. At the time of her death, Mikayla was a member of the sophomore class of the Dixon R-1 High School. During her freshman year of high school, Mikayla had served as manager of the Dixon Lady Bulldogs Softball Team, and as a sophomore, she had been a regular player in right field for the team. Also, while in high school, Mikayla had been a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Family Career and Community Leaders of America Club, the A+ Club, the Pep Club, and the DHS Honor Roll. She had written in her Bible, goals to be attained in her life included being happily married, having children, be something high up in the nursing program/medical field, be successful, help the community, and be a youth group leader/sponsor.

Those left to mourn the passing of Mikayla include: Her mother and step-father, Michelle and James Bench, of Dixon and Richland; her father, James "Jimmy" Sherrell, of Dixon; her sister, Mirissa Sherrell, of Dixon; her step-brother, Jayrob Bench, of Richland; her step-sister, Julianna Bench, of Richland; paternal-grandparents, Roger and Mary Sherrell, of Dixon; maternal-grandparents, Dale and Kathy Saunchegrow, of Dixon; paternal-great-grandmother, Nola Overlease, of Rolla; maternal-great-grandmother, Lorene Brandt, of Dixon; step-maternal-grandparents, Jimmy and Roberta Bench, of Richland; Uncles; Aunts, Cousins; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mikayla was preceded in death by her paternal-grandparents, Jerri and Jerry Overlease; her paternal-great-parents, LeRoy Overlease, Charlie and Cora Dale Sherrell, and James and Valeria Olajos; maternal great-grandfather, Frank Brandt; and maternal-great-grandparents, Clarence Saunchegrow and Leona Wicks.