Kathleen Sherman

" Do not laugh that I boast her off, for she will outstrip all praise and make it halt behind her."                             Prospero- The Tempest

Kathleen H. Sherman, 91, of Fulton, IL, died peacefully Sunday December 4, 2016 surrounded by her family.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2016 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Burial will be at Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Harbor Crest Home in Fulton, IL.

Kathleen was born in 1925 in Seward, Nebraska, to George and Miriam Hayes. Though a child of the Great Depression, she enjoyed an average childhood, and aside from the occasional broken arm, and bee sting (which resulted in a relative killing darn near every bee in Central Nebraska), she still found the time to develop a fascination for science and lead the Kindergarten band.

She graduated near the top of her class at Seward High School in 1943. She then continued her education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, in 1947. While at Nebraska she became one of a handful of women allowed to join the formerly all-male Cornhusker Marching Band, owing to World War ll. She carried

and played her cymbals with great pride. Even returning years later to play in the Alumni Marching Band. She was accepted by Nebraska Medical School in Omaha, but met a tall, shy, skinny B-17 Bomber pilot from Illinois on a blind date, and fate intervened.

She married Herbert Lee Sherman Jr. on February 8th, 1947 in Lincoln and after a whirlwind honeymoon to California, settled in Chicago. It was there that they started their family, which would eventually grow to number seven boys and two girls. One of the original multi-taskers, she raised kids and worked in the medical field for several years. Her and Lee hosted card clubs and worked with Cub Scouts as part of their duties as a nuclear couple.  They were together until Lee's death in 1988 and she takes that love with her now.

She was an avid reader and gardener, and a fierce New Deal Democrat. She loved FDR and Eleanor. She had an immense love of music and art, and tried to pass all of these on to her children. Late in her life she also became very good quilter and painter.

Being baptized a Roman Catholic (and still reciting decades until late in life), she loved to attend services in Latin, especially at Christmas.

She was preceded in death by her husband Lee, a beloved son Daniel David. Her parents George and Miriam and a brother James. A favorite aunt, Madeline, and a cousin

Mary Petsche.

She is survived by her daughters, Cecilia(Doug) Hosford, Huntington Beach, California, Kathleen Barron, Lancaster, California; Sons, Kevin(Abha) Sherman Glenview, Illinois, Timothy(Kathi) Sherman, Clinton, Iowa, Brendan(Marianne) Sherman, Galesburg, Illinois, Patrick(Jane)Sherman, Ames, Iowa, Matthew(Laurie) Sherman, Skokie, Illinois, and Christopher Sherman, Bettendorf, Iowa. A myriad of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who all loved and will miss her dearly.

The family would also like to thank the nurses and caregivers at Harbor Crest Home and Hospice Compassus for their tireless devotion to our mother.

Condolences may be made to Kathleen’s family by viewing her obituary at www.mcginnis-chambers.com.

" She was a rich mine of life, like the founders of early races" - My Antonia, Willa Cather