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George Francis Sherman, Jr of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Washington DC, died on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at the age of 92.

George was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 25, 1930 to George Francis, Sr. And Lillian (Burke) Sherman. He was raised from a young age in Euclid, Ohio, with his three beloved brothers, Donald, Bruce, and William. When George was 16, the family moved to Hamden, Connecticut, where he graduated high school in 1948. After finishing his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College in 1952, George received his master's degree at Columbia University’s Russian Institute in 1954 and pursued post-graduate study at Oxford University, St. Anthony’s College in England, 1954-1955.

George Sherman and Anne (Nancy) Woodberry married in 1956. Together they had 4 children - Deborah, Beth, Justin, and Drew.

George had a great love of traveling the world and a strong interest in talking with people, getting to know their culture and way of life. He and Nancy formed lifelong friendships both in the US and abroad. In addition to his love of travel, he encouraged a commitment to education in his children and grandchildren. George loved good conversation, parties and intellectual and cultural events. These interests, together with his study of Russian politics, history and language, led George and his graduate classmate, Peter Juviler, to seek permission from the Russian government to travel to the USSR and be the first Americans to interview Nikita Krushchev, then Premier of the Soviet Union. The publishing of his interviews, “Talking to the Russians,” (June 1955, the London Observer), launched his almost 20-year career as a journalist. First hired to be The Observer’s East European Correspondent, 1964-67, returning to DC to be The Star’s Middle East Correspondent 1967-1974.

In 1974 George joined the U.S. Department of State as the Press Liaison for the Bureau of Near East Affairs. He participated in the Middle East Peace talks at Camp David in 1978 and was Press Liaison until 1981 when he was accepted into the U.S. Foreign Service. In 1981, George and Nancy moved to Calcutta, India, where George served as the U.S. Consul General until 1984. He became the Political Counselor in Cairo, Egypt, 1984-87 and again served as Political Counselor in Delhi, India, 1987-91. In 1991, George and Nancy returned to Washington where George worked at the Foreign Service Institute and United States Mission to the United Nations until he retired in 1994.

After George’s retirement, he and Nancy moved to Frisco, Colorado, to be near Nancy’s sister, Marie Roberts, and enjoy the Rocky Mountains’ hiking, skiing, gardening, and playing tennis. In 2010, George and Nancy moved to Silver Maples Retirement Community in Chelsea, Michigan, living near their daughter, Beth and her family. At Silver Maples, George made many dear friends. His leadership with the Memorial Garden, Resident Council, Scholarship Fund and Arts Committee will long be remembered. George and Nancy were visited by family near and far, as well as traveling as often as possible to see family and friends in Washington DC, New York, Boston, and California.

Nancy preceded George in death on August 29, 2014. Survivors include four children, Deborah Sherman (Sarah Drury) of Brooklyn, NY; Beth Sherman (Karen Hawver) of Ann Arbor, MI; Justin Sherman (Junko Onishi) of Washington DC; Drew Sherman (Danielle Epstein) of San Francisco, CA. George is also survived by five grandchildren, Bradley Hawver-King, Emma Sherman-Hawver, Benjamin Sherman-Hawver, Astrid Sherman-Drury and Michael Sherman.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 20, 2:00 pm at Silver Maples of Chelsea. 

 

 


 

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Comments  

#1 Shawn Personke 2022-11-18 16:52
An amazing person. And life. Soo glad our paths crossed.
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