Sherman Andrews

Sherman Giles Andrews passed away peacefully at Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa, California at the age of 94, on March 12, 2025.

Sherm was born on August 20, 1930, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, son of the late Sherman and Josephine (Manning) Andrews. He graduated from the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut in 1949, where he captained the cross country team in his junior and senior years. He briefly attended Colgate University before entering Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Following his discharge, he completed his education at the University of Michigan where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Sherm then began his lifelong career in paper pulp sales with International Paper in Chicago, Illinois. There, he met and married the love of his life, Audrey Helen Bock, on February 27, 1960. Audrey was his wife and partner for the next 62 years until her death in 2022.

In 1960, Sherm and Audrey returned to Kalamazoo to begin a family. Sherm worked for Bulkley Dunton and over the next 6 years their three children were born, John Sherman in 1961, Stephen James in 1964, and Susan Louise in 1966. In 1971, he was hired by Gottesman & Company in New York City and the family moved to Wilton, Connecticut. Sherm disliked the train commute to Manhattan and was fortunate to be granted the opportunity to return to the Midwest when he was recruited in 1972 to join Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company in Port Edwards, Wisconsin. He worked there for the next decade before moving to Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1983. He managed pulp sales at the newly constructed Leaf River paper mill in New Augusta, Mississippi until his retirement at the age of 60 following the acquisition of Great Northern Nekoosa Corporation by Georgia Pacific. Throughout his career, Sherm traveled extensively, initially in the upper Midwest, then nationally, and ultimately internationally. Audrey often accompanied him on trips to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Sherm was always a skilled and avid golfer. In 1992, he and Audrey moved to the Desert Mountain Club in Arizona. They enjoyed the weather, the golf, and many new friends with whom they traveled extensively, including a transcendent rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. Never ones to stay put, Audrey and Sherm lived in two more homes in Arizona before relocating to Minnesota in 2008 to be nearer to family. In 2015 they made their final move, this time to Santa Rosa, California where they became residents of Spring Lake Village.

Sherm will be remembered for his warm personality, his sense of humor, and his welcoming smile. He will also be remembered for his old school vernacular and turns of a phrase, to which his children and grandchildren owe most of their vocabulary. Things are "zooty". We should all be careful because "there are a lot of crackpots out there." Quoting Groucho Marx, "I've had a nice time, but this wasn't it." Sherm simultaneously put people off balance and at ease with his simple directness - "I'm having a nice time with you." And "42 to the left" is a family catchphrase. We all get it. You may not.

Sherm was a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He leaves behind his sister, Mary Jo Robbins of Kingsport, TN; his children, John and wife Beth Morris Andrews of Chicago, IL, Stephen and wife Stacey Day Andrews of Hattiesburg, MS, and Susan and wife Jane Okon of Montara, CA; his grandchildren, Lucy and Ellis Andrews, Maeve Anand (and husband Sameer), Greer Rushing (and husband Jeff), and Carter Andrews (and wife Maggie); and his great-grandchild, Henry Rushing.

He was pre-deceased by his brother, Dr. Thomas Edwards Andrews.

In lieu of flowers, as an expression of sympathy, those wishing to remember Sherman in a special way may consider a donation to the Front Porch Community Scholarship and/or HEART funds to benefit staff at Spring Lake Village (https://frontporch.net/give/donate/#give). The family is grateful to everyone at Spring Lake Village who took such good care of Audrey and Sherm.