Sherwin Louis Iverson Ph.D.

1938 - 2019

Sherwin Louis Iverson, PhD

Slingerlands, NY - Dr. Sherwin Louis Iverson, age 81 died on 4/26/2019 in Slingerlands, NY from natural causes. Sherwin had an irreverent sense of humor and he would much prefer that this obituary state that he finally took the big dirt nap.

Sherwin was born on 1/5/38 in Chicago, Illinois to Philip and Margaret (Marge) Iverson. He grew up in Vermont, graduating from St Johnsbury Academy in 1955; it was in VT that he developed his life-long passion for skiing. Sherwin skied all over the country and continued to ski on some of the most challenging and beautiful mountains in the Lake Tahoe region well into his 70's.

In 1962, while a teaching assistant in Philosophy at the University of Buffalo, Sherwin was hoodwinked into giving a "nice English girl and her friend" a tour of Niagara Falls, a place that he didn't care to visit again. However, this chance encounter kicked off a love affair that lasted the rest of his life. At this meeting, Sherwin met his future wife, Elizabeth. Six days after their initial meeting Elizabeth had to return to England. Four days after she returned home, in a move that was quite bold for the time, she received a package from Sherwin that had a key to his apartment in it. Elizabeth and Sherwin wrote each other love letters for months until she was able to move to America. They married on March 31, 1966. This past March, they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary; despite Sherwin's health issues, he gave Elizabeth a card and wrote, "I love you, you are my world."

As the son of any good Jewish parents must do, Sherwin was well on his way to medical school at the University of Vermont (UVM) when he decided to change course and direct his incredible intellect to his true academic passion: Philosophy. He earned his BA from UVM in 1959. Armed with a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to Columbia University in NYC he continued his studies and subsequently earned both his Master's degree and PhD in Philosophy from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in 1964 and 1972, respectively.

After receiving his PhD, Sherwin worked as a professor of Philosophy at Baldwin Wallace College in Ohio and then moved to the Albany, NY Capital District region (Chatham) for 24 years where he worked for SUNY System Administration in various roles, including as Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Planning. While in the Capital District he also taught in the correctional system; he often remarked that his favorite job was teaching inmates Philosophy because they were the most introspective and motivated group of students he encountered.

After retiring from SUNY in 1998, Sherwin was recruited to be the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs in the University and Community College System of Nevada (now Nevada System of Higher Education-NSHE). This job precipitated he and Elizabeth moving from the northeast to Reno, Nevada where they very happily lived and thrived for twenty years.

While at NSHE, Sherwin oversaw a diverse and large scope of work including the establishment of Governor Kenny Guinn's Millennium Scholarship initiative. The scholarship fund was created using the money that Nevada received from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and provides free or reduced tuition to top Nevada high school graduates who enroll in qualified Nevada universities and colleges. In 2000, Sherwin was appointed Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. After retiring from this position in 2003, Sherwin returned to teaching graduate and undergraduate Philosophy students, culminating each semester by hosting a pizza party for his students. Sherwin also authored a logic and philosophy text book that his family members are still working to understand.

Together, Sherwin and Elizabeth traveled to many corners of the globe. For years they owned a R.V. and with their dog, Pico they travelled the United States, visiting many of the National Parks and developing a deep love for the beauty of the Western States, including Alaska. He and Elizabeth also traveled to Russia (where Sherwin's father emigrated from), China, the Caribbean, and enjoyed many trips to see Elizabeth's family in England.

Although "Dr. Iverson" or "Dr. Sir" to many, to Rachel and Graham he was "Dad," and he was a wonderful Dad. He loved tossing a baseball with his much-loved son, Graham and many summer nights they would do so for hours. He also volunteered to work on Graham's baseball and soccer leagues and many other activities in support of both of his children. He was Rachel's biggest cheerleader during her years of competitive swimming and always instilled the values of teamwork, training and working hard over winning. He loved music and encouraged both of his children to learn how to play various instruments. Despite first attempting to teach Rachel math on an abacus, he patiently worked with each of his children each night after dinner, helping them with their homework assignments. He spearheaded family camping trips and ski vacations. He was known for making epic Christmas morning breakfasts and for consistently burning his famous "Iverson burgers" on the grill. It was not until Rachel and Graham were young adults that they fully internalized that not everyone had such idyllic, carefree, loving, encouraging and safe childhoods - they are deeply grateful to both parents for providing that to them.

Sherwin's interests included skiing, scuba diving, fly fishing, sailing, travelling, taking in the beauty of the Southwest, college basketball, reading, attending musical and arts productions, and a delicious meal in his favorite restaurants. He had a lifetime hobby of photography; the focus of his work was applying his keen eye to photograph the intricate patterns in nature. He was a master at finding beauty with his lens in places most people don't bother to look. His family, friends, and a museum in Vermont all have his works hanging on our walls. He was famous for his love of any new gadget. He built, from a kit, the family's first color television set and never met a wood stove he didn't like to fiddle with. He was very handy and completed many jobs around the very old family home in Chatham including installing the home's electricity and wiring system, putting in window's and other projects. He was always an early adopter of technology, in the 1980s he brought home a Wang computer with hard drives that took up an entire room in the house. However, it is not an understatement to say that Sherwin's greatest hobby was thinking; he always wanted to understand how and why things worked the way they did; he questioned authority (and encouraged others to do so), was a proud progressive liberal, and a strong defender of civil rights and privacy. He never took short cuts in life and he always modeled inscrutable ethics.

Sherwin was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his beloved love of his life, Elizabeth; his children Rachel Iverson (Amanda); Graham Iverson (Stacy); his brother Ronald Iverson (Rae), his treasured cousin Muriel (Al) Norman, and his sweet and devoted dog, Coco. He is also survived by friends that date back a lifetime including his sister-and brother-in-law Dilys and Peter Nilsson, and dear friends Annette and John Shaughnessy, Susannah (Ira) Marks, Helene and Tommy Annas, Cynthia and Robert Richardson, Jane and Robert Quinby, Tamela Gordon and many others.

Sherwin dedicated his career to higher education and in death he is doing the same by donating his remains to the Albany Medical College Anatomical Gift Program for the purposes of medical education and research. Sherwin often joked that he would get a large tattoo on his chest that stated, "Dr. Iverson's last class" for the students that will be working with his remains. Although his family is relieved that he never followed through on that flight of fancy, we know he is pleased to give the ultimate gift in support of education and research for medical students. His Mom would be very pleased to know that her son finally made it to medical school.

The family would like to thank friends, staff and residents at the Beverwyck, Sherwin's doctors, and the Hospice team who were incredibly supportive during the last months and years of Sherwin's life. Sherwin hated ceremonies and was a devout life-long atheist. As such, there will be no formal services. If you would like to honor Sherwin, read a book, make a lunch date with Elizabeth, mentor a child, have an inquisitive mind, and always be sure to vote!

In lieu of flowers and to honor Sherwin's love of the performing arts and education, the

family requests that memorial gifts be made to support the Performing Arts Series at the University of Nevada, Reno. Donations in memory of Dr. Sherwin Iverson can be made via check payable to the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation and mailed to Mail Stop 162, Reno, NV 89557-0162 with reference to the Performing Arts Series. Online donations can be made at www.unr.edu/pas. Donations may also be made to the Community Hospice of Albany County at https://donate.givetocommunityhospice.org/ or by mailing a donation to The Community Hospice Foundation. 310 South Manning Boulevard Albany, NY 12208.