1914
Roger
2011
Roger J Sherman
October 1, 1914 — May 18, 2011
Roger J. Sherman, born October 1, 1914, died May 18, 2011 age 96 years, 7 months, 17 days.
Roger was born in Austin, Minn., the youngest of seven children, was raised poor on a farm in Alexandria, Minn., and was a graduate of Alexandria High School 1932.
He married Evelyn Kathryn Keefe August 5, 1934. Both were 19 years of age. They had five children from 1936-1942.
Roger worked for a number of years as the assistant superintendant of the Mayo Clinic Colonial Hospital in Rochester, Minn. In 1944, at the age of 29, he moved his young family from Minnesota and assumed the duties as Administrator of the 100 bed Mary Day Nursery in Akron. The nursery name was later changed to Akron Children's Hospital. He continued in that administrative capacity until his retirement more than 35 years later in 1979. The hospital grew to 235 beds during his tenure, where it remained until very recently.
Roger was named a Fellow on the American College of Administrators 1953, President of the Ohio Hospital Association 1958-1959, and President of the Akron Rotary Club, Hilltoppers 1973-1974. He was the recipient of Children's Hospitals first Distinguished Service Award in 1979.
There were numerous changes at Children's under Roger's leadership. Just a few of those were the establishment of the Central Burn Center for Children, the Poison Control Center, the Margaret Stone Laboratories, construction of the Auditorium & Education Building which bears his name, establishment of the Cardiac Catherization Unit, the Urology Laboratory and medical Photography Department, establishment of one of the very first computer systems for hospital use in the mid-1960's, the Electrodiagnostic Laboratory, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Mary A. Howser Health Sciences Library, a new Outpatient facility with a new Emergency Department Ambulatory Care Unit, a new Regional Intensive Care Unit, the Regional Burn Center for Children and Adults, a new Adolescent Surgical & Orthopedic Unit, a new Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and Physical & Occupational Child Life Programs.
Roger established plans for employees whom he considered to be the heart of the hospital. Among those were a 40 hour work week, sick benefits, trust and pension plans, a credit union, and the Employee Foundation provides scholarships, community and national charitable funding, and hospital research programs.
Roger became very active with the Akron Zoo, even before his retirement from Akron Children's. He was instrumental in building the zoo from its humble beginnings into the organization it is today. His vision, guidance and dedication have been true assets to the zoo in making it a better place for wildlife, our children, and the community.
He was a key force behind the establishment of the annual ``Snow Bowl', which to this day continues to provide important operating funds to the zoo. Roger was a member of the Zoo's Volunteers since 1968.
Roger was preceded in death by his father, Henry; mother, Minnie Webster; sister, Agnes; and brothers, Anthony, Everett, Otis, Thomas, and Elliott. His wife, Evelyn, passed on October 10, 1965 at the age of 50. Roger was also preceded by his eldest son, Roger, Jr. on April 26, 2002.
He is survived by daughters, Margaret Sheahen of Victor, N.Y., Irene Hayden and son-in-law, Richard of Apex, N.C., Jean Bird Irene's twin and son-in-law, Lyle of Mountain View, Calif.; son, William and daughter-in-law, Darleen Evans Sherman of Frisco, Texas, and daughter-in-law, Zaunia Becker Sherman of Wooster, Ohio; daughter, Holly Hickson and son-in-law, Roger in Sarasota, Fla. and son, Jason Sherman of Akron. Roger also leaves 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
His life was full of accomplishments and he will be remembered for those by the people he touched. He will also be remembered with love by those closest to him.
He came into life without monetary assets and he went out the same way, having donated most of the assets he accumulated throughout his life to assist various causes he valued most.
He will be missed.
Services will be held 10 a.m. TUESDAY at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., with Rev. Fr. Gordon A. Yahner officiating. Private burial at Rose Hill Burial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home MONDAY from 3 to 7 p.m. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Sumner on Ridgewood, Health Center Activities, 970 Sumner Parkway, Copley, OH 44321-1693, or In-House Hospice Foundation, 30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 334, Bingham Farms, MI 48025.
FAIRLAWN Chapel
Roger was born in Austin, Minn., the youngest of seven children, was raised poor on a farm in Alexandria, Minn., and was a graduate of Alexandria High School 1932.
He married Evelyn Kathryn Keefe August 5, 1934. Both were 19 years of age. They had five children from 1936-1942.
Roger worked for a number of years as the assistant superintendant of the Mayo Clinic Colonial Hospital in Rochester, Minn. In 1944, at the age of 29, he moved his young family from Minnesota and assumed the duties as Administrator of the 100 bed Mary Day Nursery in Akron. The nursery name was later changed to Akron Children's Hospital. He continued in that administrative capacity until his retirement more than 35 years later in 1979. The hospital grew to 235 beds during his tenure, where it remained until very recently.
Roger was named a Fellow on the American College of Administrators 1953, President of the Ohio Hospital Association 1958-1959, and President of the Akron Rotary Club, Hilltoppers 1973-1974. He was the recipient of Children's Hospitals first Distinguished Service Award in 1979.
There were numerous changes at Children's under Roger's leadership. Just a few of those were the establishment of the Central Burn Center for Children, the Poison Control Center, the Margaret Stone Laboratories, construction of the Auditorium & Education Building which bears his name, establishment of the Cardiac Catherization Unit, the Urology Laboratory and medical Photography Department, establishment of one of the very first computer systems for hospital use in the mid-1960's, the Electrodiagnostic Laboratory, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Mary A. Howser Health Sciences Library, a new Outpatient facility with a new Emergency Department Ambulatory Care Unit, a new Regional Intensive Care Unit, the Regional Burn Center for Children and Adults, a new Adolescent Surgical & Orthopedic Unit, a new Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and Physical & Occupational Child Life Programs.
Roger established plans for employees whom he considered to be the heart of the hospital. Among those were a 40 hour work week, sick benefits, trust and pension plans, a credit union, and the Employee Foundation provides scholarships, community and national charitable funding, and hospital research programs.
Roger became very active with the Akron Zoo, even before his retirement from Akron Children's. He was instrumental in building the zoo from its humble beginnings into the organization it is today. His vision, guidance and dedication have been true assets to the zoo in making it a better place for wildlife, our children, and the community.
He was a key force behind the establishment of the annual ``Snow Bowl', which to this day continues to provide important operating funds to the zoo. Roger was a member of the Zoo's Volunteers since 1968.
Roger was preceded in death by his father, Henry; mother, Minnie Webster; sister, Agnes; and brothers, Anthony, Everett, Otis, Thomas, and Elliott. His wife, Evelyn, passed on October 10, 1965 at the age of 50. Roger was also preceded by his eldest son, Roger, Jr. on April 26, 2002.
He is survived by daughters, Margaret Sheahen of Victor, N.Y., Irene Hayden and son-in-law, Richard of Apex, N.C., Jean Bird Irene's twin and son-in-law, Lyle of Mountain View, Calif.; son, William and daughter-in-law, Darleen Evans Sherman of Frisco, Texas, and daughter-in-law, Zaunia Becker Sherman of Wooster, Ohio; daughter, Holly Hickson and son-in-law, Roger in Sarasota, Fla. and son, Jason Sherman of Akron. Roger also leaves 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
His life was full of accomplishments and he will be remembered for those by the people he touched. He will also be remembered with love by those closest to him.
He came into life without monetary assets and he went out the same way, having donated most of the assets he accumulated throughout his life to assist various causes he valued most.
He will be missed.
Services will be held 10 a.m. TUESDAY at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., with Rev. Fr. Gordon A. Yahner officiating. Private burial at Rose Hill Burial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home MONDAY from 3 to 7 p.m. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Sumner on Ridgewood, Health Center Activities, 970 Sumner Parkway, Copley, OH 44321-1693, or In-House Hospice Foundation, 30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 334, Bingham Farms, MI 48025.
FAIRLAWN Chapel
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