Robert W. Sherman Memorial

Robert Waldo Sherman

Robert W. (Bob) Sherman passed away at home in Walla Walla, Washington on February 22nd, 2010, with family by his side. Bob was 85 years old. Bob was born on July 11, 1924 in Minot, North Dakota to Waldo Channing Sherman and Dorothy Baker Sherman. He was the eldest of five – William, John, Patricia and Richard. Bob graduated from high school in Minot and subsequently entered the United States Army during World War II. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for training in the signal corp. After completing his training, Bob was stationed in Livorno (Leghorn), Italy. He was scheduled to be part of the first troops in the invasion of Japan when the war was declared over.

After his military service he went to Shelby, Montana to work in his father’s Ford dealership, Sherman Motors. He sold cars for several years and then enrolled under the GI Bill at the University of Montana studying Art and Education. It was there that he began his true passion of pottery making. Bob met and married Irene Avis Ward in 1952, they later divorced. They had three sons, Jack, Frederic and Mike. Bob began his career in education teaching first through sixth grade art in Dillon, Montana in 1959 and in 1964 took a similar position with the Richland, Washington school district. There he taught art at Jason Lee and Lewis and Clark Elementary Schools until his retirement in 1982.

Bob then began another career teaching pottery at Columbia Basin College (CBC) in Pasco, Washington. It was there that Bob met and married the love of his life Linda. Working under Ted Neth at CBC – a very dear friend – Bob experienced a resurgence in his creativity and produced some of his best work. After 16 years at Columbia Basin College he followed Linda to Walla Walla when she accepted the position of assistant registrar at Walla Walla Community College in 2002 and taught pottery at that school for several years.

Bob provided plenty of art and recreational activities for his family. He gladly provided the means for his boys to participate in any interests they had – art, music or sports. He took his sons camping every summer and fishing often. A trip down the west coast and as far south as Oaxaca, Mexico in the summer of 1969 was a great adventure.

Bob is survived by his wife Linda (Walla Walla), sons Jack I. Sherman of Ether, NC, Frederic W. Sherman of Silvana, WA and Mike D. Sherman of Phoenix, AZ, twenty grandchildren, one great-grandchild, his sister Patricia Sherman Green of Yuba City, CA, brother Richard of Kalispell, MT and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Waldo C. and Dorothy Baker Sherman, his brothers John and William and nephew David Sherman.

A Special Thanks To:

We would like to thank Robert's Primary Physician Dr. Carmody, and his Nurse(Mary Price). We would also like to thank Hospice Nurses Brenda Swenson, Shannon Winterton, Sherri Lynn Greenwald, Chaplin Beth Wallace, CNA Carol Irons, and CNA Mickie Thompson of Walla Walla Washington for their incredible, considerate, loving, and gentle care over Bob especially during his last few days. You ALL should be very proud of yourselves. We could not have done it without you. Again, thank you!

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