Dr. Harry Sherman

Dr. Sherman was born December 5, 1927, to the late Walter C. and Ella Wallace Sherman of Anniston, AL. In Addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Peggy Graham Sherman; and four brothers and four sisters.
After graduating from high school in 1946, Dr. Sherman was employed as sports editor and writer for The Anniston Star until he entered military service in 1950. He was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1952 at the rank of sergeant and entered Jacksonville State College where he graduated with a major in Biology in 1955. At Jacksonville, he was very active in student affairs, having served as editor of the student newspaper and yearbook. He was the first graduating senior ever to receive a Certificate of Distinguished Achievement from the college.
He received a master’s degree in botany from the University of Tennessee in 1958 and spent an additional year there as an instructor and research assistant. One of the highlights of his time at Tennessee was the month he spent at Point Barrow and on the Kaolak and Sagavanirktok Rivers of Alaska during the summer of 1958. He was inducted into the Tennessee Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in 1959. He completed his Ph.D Degree in biology at Vanderbilt University in 1969 and published papers dealing with plant taxonomy and nomenclature.
Dr. Sherman joined the faculty of Mississippi University for Women in 1961 and became head of the Department of Biological Sciences in 1969. He was appointed head of the Division of Science & Mathematics when it was formed in 1983 and held the position until his retirement in 1992.
He served as MUW’s liaison with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the planning and construction of the Plymouth Bluff Center. The conference building at the Center was named for him in 1995. After the Center was opened, he served as Coordinator of Public Programs and was responsible for the planning and implementation of the Plymouth Bluff Museum and 4 ½ miles of nature trails.
Dr. Sherman was active with the Boy Scouts of America for many years, serving as cubmaster, assistant scoutmaster, unit commissioner, and district commissioner. In 1990, he received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor available to a volunteer scout leader at the Council level and was recognized as a BSA Southeast Region Honor Commissioner in 1991.
Dr. Sherman proposed the Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers that was established in 1991 and served as co-chair (with Dr. Martha Jo Mims) of the MHMT Steering Committee until 2005. He was inducted as an honorary member of the Hall on December 2, 2005. In recognition of his active involvement in community service, he was included in the Columbus Exchange Club’s Book of Golden Deeds in 1992 and was similarly honored by the Town & Tower Club in 1999. He was an emeritus member of the MUW Foundation Board, having served two terms as a regular member. The MUW Alumni Association presented him with its Distinguished Achievement Award in April 2012.
Dr. Sherman is survived by his daughter Cheryl of Columbus; 5 sons, William (Myphie) of Houston, TX; Dr. John Sherman of Waynesville, NC; Christopher Sherman (Sue) of Atlanta, GA; Patrick Sherman (Candi) of Warrior, AL; and Paul Sherman (Holly) of Snellville, GA; seven
grandchildren, Kristin Marie Kerr of Birmingham, AL, Brandon Kerr (Kristen) of Mobile, AL, Justin Kerr of Southaven, MS, Hannah and Avery Sherman of Snellville, GA, Ella Sherman of Warrior, AL, and Harry G. Sherman of Houston, TX

Graveside service at Friendship Cemetery for family only.

Memorial contributions may be made to the MUW Foundation for the Plymouth Bluff Center
or the Dr. Harry Sherman Scholarship Fund at https://longblueline.muw.edu/give