Robert A. Sherman

1960 - 2024

Sherman, Robert A.

Sep 9, 1960 - Sep 15, 2024

Robert Sherman passed away surrounded by his family on September 15, 2024 after a courageous battle with cancer. Robert left behind a tremendous legacy of family, friendship, community, and accomplishment.

Robert was born in 1960 in Dallas, the son of Robert M. and Florence Ann Sherman, and grew up in Waco with his brother (Haag) and sisters (Katy and Nelwyn). In Waco, Robert developed into a talented student and an exceptional athlete. As a teenager, Robert was a nationally ranked swimmer, training nearly 15,000 yards a day under an Olympic coach. Robert ultimately decided to focus exclusively on football and was a standout defensive tackle at Richfield High School in Waco. He earned a football scholarship at Baylor University, where he lettered two years under Coach Grant Teaff and played on the 1980 Southwest Conference Championship team. At Richfield and Baylor, Robert was well-liked and made many life-long friends, but it was at Baylor where he met his beloved wife, Mary Ella, whose love and support sustained and enriched Robert's life for 42 years.

After graduating from Baylor, Robert married Mary Ella and the first step of their journey was law school. Robert graduated at the top of his class at the University of Texas School of Law and moved to Houston, where he joined Morris & Campbell and made partner in just four years. More importantly, Robert and Mary Ella welcomed their son, Davis, and daughter, Mary Elaine, into the world. Focused on family, Robert and Mary Ella decided to move to Carthage, Texas, where they had Kate and established themselves in the community. There, Robert opened a law office, but then Robert expanded his business interests into other areas and proved an excellent businessman. He founded Carthage Title Company, invested in energy and established a large energy services company that employed hundreds of people over the years. Robert sponsored and coached little league teams, was involved in civic affairs and found great purpose and pride in providing an excellent place to work for his employees, whom he considered family and who loved his understated and modest manner, which was accompanied by a quick smile and sense of humor.

Robert's friendliness and easy-going personality belied his fierce drive and discipline. To develop into a world class youth swimmer, Robert swam nearly 10 miles a day as a teenager. Many are stunned to learn that Robert once played defensive tackle given his tall, lean frame, but he spent countless hours in the weightroom and on the field to develop into one. Diagnosed with a reading disorder at a young age, Robert battled- with the steadfast help of his mother - to overcome it and developed into a voracious reader and an outstanding student and then lawyer and businessman. While Robert developed his talents with an incredible focus and work ethic, Robert's passion was his countless friends and, particularly, his family, starting with his wife, Mary Ella - the great love of his life.

In Mary Ella, Robert found his soulmate and lifelong partner. Robert's eyes would light up every time that Mary Ella entered the room and he found great comfort in her warmth, smile, beauty and humor. With their strong marriage at the foundation, he loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, whether at their home in Carthage or at their lake house, where Robert would take his family boating and enjoy laughter, games and family fun. Robert and Mary Ella traveled extensively together and with their children and grandchildren, combining Robert's love of history with family time, fun and adventure. Robert loved life and his family and though his life was cut short, he was deeply grateful for the years he was given and his time with his family and friends and found great comfort in his faith, which sustained him throughout his life and particularly during his fight with cancer.

Robert's fight with cancer was emblematic of who he was. Though he was diagnosed with the most virulent form of cancer, he resolved to fight it and live his life as normally as possible, while undergoing brain surgery, radiation and 16 months of incredibly toxic chemotherapy. Robert survived for nearly 20 months and until the very end, Robert went to his lake house with his family, worked around the yard, went to his office, swam his normal mile a day and traveled- including taking his grandchildren to Disney World. He died with grace, clarity, faith and love, surrounded by his family.

Robert was preceded in death by his mother, Florence Ann Sherman Klein; his father, Robert M. Sherman, Jr.; and his sister, Katherine Leeann Sherman.

Robert is survived by his wife, Mary Ella, his son, Davis, and his wife, Kristi; daughter, Lainey Finch and her husband, Dan; daughter, Kate; and grandchildren George Sherman, Isabelle Sherman and Mary Belle Finch; his in-laws, Tommie George and Mary Lu Davis; stepmother, Jeanine Sherman; brother, Haag Sherman; sister, Nelwyn Sherman; aunt, Mary Hanson and countless friends. Robert will be missed greatly by all of them.

The Sherman family is grateful for the outstanding and compassionate care provided to Robert by his doctors and nurses at MD Anderson in Houston, the around-the-clock caregivers and the hospice care provided by Hearts Way Hospice.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024, at the First Methodist Church in Carthage with The Reverend Jennene Laurinec and Rev. Kevin Otto officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Odd Fellows Cemetery. The family will receive friends for a visitation from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday at Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family has designated the Carthage Independent School District Education Foundation or the Panola College Education Foundation for memorial contributions.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.