Norman D. Sherman, 84, passed away Sunday, August 9, 2015 at the Pioneer Lodge in Coldwater, KS. Born July 14, 1931, at Coldwater, KS, he was the son of Otto R. and Rose Etta (Bauer) Sherman. Norman’s roots were in Comanche County, his grandparents settled south of Protection, KS. Norman grew up on the farm north of Coldwater – he called it the North 40. He went to New Home School and graduated from Coldwater High School. Norman enjoyed playing football and played all through high school. He loved flying and soloed when he was 17 years old. He owned a Cessna 175 and his special love was a Piper Cub that he and son, Jay, refinished from the frame to the cover. He got a big kick out of flying the Cub backwards in a strong wind. Norman served in the U.S. Air Force and especially enjoyed a tour of duty in Alaska (not a state at that time). Following his return home from the military service, he met and married Mary Menoher on January 22, 1955, in Greensburg, KS. They made their first home in Wichita. Norman worked for Steffen’s Dairy in Wichita and later in Pratt and Dodge City. In 1966, they bought the Coldwater Locker in Coldwater, and operated that business until 1977. Norman also served as Undersheriff during that period of time. The Ambulance Service began while he was still Undersheriff, and he was an E.M.T. and served as the first Ambulance Director. Following the sale of the locker plant, he became the Comanche County Appraiser and later he served as County Appraiser for Kiowa County also. During the same period of time, he and son, Jay, operated S & S Dairy. They sold the dairy cows and he retired from being appraiser in 1994. For three years following retirement, he did gas and oil appraisal for Finney County and was a consultant in several other counties. Norman spent eleven years as sexton for Crown Hill Cemetery and really took pride in keeping it looking nice. He used to comment that if the two sure things in life were “death and taxes’, he had that covered. These last few years, Norman loved spending time out on the farm that he and Mary bought in 1989. He liked working with cattle and growing alfalfa and when the alfalfa was baled, he wanted those bales off the field. Even while in Pioneer Lodge, he was able to go to the farm and move the bales off the field from the first two cuttings of hay.

Norman is survived by his wife: Mary Sherman; two sons: Matthew Jay and wife Lori, and John Christopher and wife Karin; grandchildren: Kara Rath (Jason), Zach Sherman, Lachlan Sherman, and Celeste Sherman; great-grandchildren: Brynn Sherman and Jayden Rath; and sibling: Larry Sherman.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings: Claude Raymond Sherman, Clayton LeRoy Sherman, Clinton DeBoy Sherman, Elizabeth June (Sherman) Burt, Emma Jean (Sherman) Harris, and Barbara Irene Sherman.

The family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 12, 2015, at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater, KS.

Funeral service is at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, August 13, 2015, at First Christian Church in Coldwater, KS, with Pastor John Paul presiding. Burial will follow the funeral service at Crown Hill Cemetery, Coldwater, KS, with full military honors.

Memorials may be sent to Coldwater United Methodist Church or God’s Country Cowboy Church in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.