Former District 116 superintendent remembered

Robert E. Sherman did it all at Round Lake Area Unit District 116, from attending classes as a teenager at the high school to becoming the system's superintendent.

Mr. Sherman, 70, died Sunday after an illness in Phoenix, AZ. He became the latest in his family to be inducted in the Round Lake High School Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year.

“He would want to be remembered as someone who looked to make a difference and search for ways to make Round Lake a good place to live and raise a family, said Mr. Sherman's son, David.

Mr. Sherman graduated from Round Lake High in 1958. After earning a degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, he returned to take a job at the Round Lake area's school system where he became entrenched.

Over 31 years, Mr. Sherman served as a teacher, high school guidance counselor/dean, elementary school principal, assistant superintendent of curriculum and head of District 116. He retired as superintendent in 1993.

“My dad was a great guy who was a leader in anything he did, said David Sherman, a Gurnee resident. “Seldom did he ever join a group or organization without soon after being asked to lead the group, which he was always happy to do, no matter how busy he was. He could never say ‘no.'

Mr. Sherman is in the Round Lake High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2010, which includes baseball's Jim Neuman, girls basketball's Jenny Maleug and cross country's Bill Thomas. Mr. Sherman was too ill to attend the ceremony.

David Sherman said his father was involved in the high school's sports programs as a coach, administrator, parent and Panther Pushers booster. Mr. Sherman's wife and brother also are in the high school's athletic hall.

A memorial service for Mr. Sherman is set at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul the Apostle Church at Hunt Club and Gages Lake roads in Gurnee. He is survived by his wife, Laurie, two sons and other relatives.