“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15
Indeed, one of His saints entered into His presence June 21st.
Roger Sherman was one of CHEWV’s founding board members and a pioneer in the modern homeschool movement. Since 1990, Roger, along with his wife Marlo, had been faithfully serving WV families. His life was devoted to improving the lives of those around him. Whether it was through programs, legislation, or his many words of wisdom, he steered CHEWV with integrity and circumspection to further the rights of home education in WV.
Although we grieve our loss, we are comforted that he is in the presence of his Lord and Savior. We share with you his obituary, lovingly written by his family, as a tribute to a man who was our leader, friend, and spiritual brother throughout the years. We will greatly miss him.
Roger L. Sherman, a resident of Rupert, WV, went home to glory with His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 21st, 2018. The son of Francis and Edith Sherman, he is survived by his beloved wife and son, Marlo and Zachary Sherman, his mother, and a sister, Elaine Curl.
After serving overseas in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969, Mr. Sherman graduated from North Carolina State University with a BS degree in Science (Forestry) in 1972. He earned a Master’s degree in Forestry from Yale University in 1974. Following three years with a regional forest landowners association in Atlanta, he joined Westvaco (later MeadWestvaco) as Public Affairs Forester in 1977, dedicating more than 40 years of his professional career to advancing the interests of private landowners in West Virginia. He served as volunteer chair of the Legislative Committee of the West Virginia Forestry Association (WVFA) for 38 years. Mr. Sherman made significant contributions to water quality management in forestry and agriculture by helping to ensure that laws and regulations governing land use were practical, reasonable and equitable. He was the driving force behind the State’s Logging Sediment Control Act and organized the informal Rural Caucus in the House of Delegates.
His advocacy was critical during the statewide property tax reappraisal. Under the banner of WVFA he brought together a group that developed the “managed timberland” tax classification, putting an end to years of widely variable property values on forestland. Mr. Sherman was involved in early efforts by federal and state agencies to determine how to deal with forestry, farming and ranching under the Clean Water Act. Through the graduate-level course in economics which he conceived, proposed and obtained funding, he left a legacy of foundational business and economics principles among hundreds of primary/secondary school WV teachers; Mr. Sherman conducted the course for over 25 years alongside WVU professors. He was a career-long member and Fellow of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). He was presented the Outstanding Service to Forestry Award by WVFA in 1986 and 1992, the WVFA President’s Service Award in 1992 and 2000, the Outstanding Service to Forestry Award in 1992 from the Allegheny Society of American Foresters, the Society of American Foresters John A. Beale Memorial Award in 1994, the WVFA Environmental Education Award in 2008, and in 2011 he was enshrined in the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame.
A longtime board member of the WV Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Sherman was a faithful member of the Executive Committee and longtime chair of the Forestry and Wood Products Committee. He was recognized as a lifelong champion of economic development for rural West Virginia and highly regarded for his insights and integrity throughout his service as a registered lobbyist during 41 legislative sessions. Mr. Sherman was a well-known spokesperson for his company and his industry in both West Virginia and Virginia. Following company retirement, he continued as a consultant in governmental affairs, public policy and communications in behalf of several WV business clients via his own LLC.
As a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian, Mr. Sherman’s faith anchored his life for almost sixty years. He and his wife Marlo, pioneers in the modern homeschooling movement, were founding Board members of Christian Home Educators of West Virginia, where they served for 28 years, helping inspire hundreds of families to train their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, grounded and settled in the Word of God.
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