Keith Conover Sherman's Obituary
Keith Conover Sherman, 88, departed this life on Thursday, April 2, 2015. He was born January 5, 1927, in Independence, Kansas, to Samuel M. and Buena B. Sherman. He was one of eight children. He was reared in Moline, Kansas, and graduated from Moline High School.
Keith served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict.
He was attending school at Pittsburg State Teachers College majoring in pre-med when he was re-called to the Navy and served aboard the aircraft carrier Leyte during the Korean Conflict.
He returned to school in 1953 at Kansas State University and received his B.S. and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees in 1954 and l958. He practiced a short while in Nickerson, Kansas, but spent most of his career at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, as a diagnostic veterinary pathologist. He received a Post Doctorate Master’s Degree in Veterinary Pathology at Iowa State University in l962. His employment offered the opportunity to work in Africa for six months, England where he worked at the London Zoo on two different occasions, South America, and Haiti where he established a laboratory for the U. S. government. He had been on five of the seven continents. He was later transferred to the main office in Washington, D.C., and served on the Swine Disease Staff and the Animal Care Staff where he wrote the regulations for Sea World in Orlando, Florida. He was, at that time, in charge of the 48 state federally funded zoos in the U. S. Following that he went into administrative work and was Assistant Federal Veterinarian in Charge of both Kansas and Missouri and Federal Veterinarian in Charge of the State of North Carolina, retiring in 1987.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters and a brother.
He is survived by his wife Rosemary of the home, a marriage of 62 years, daughter Valerie Ann Durbin and husband Dan of Arkansas City, Kansas, son David Keith Sherman and wife Patty of Solon, Iowa, grandsons Dustin Durbin and Casey Durbin, granddaughters Kelly Sherman and Emily Sherman, great grandson Dylan Durbin and sisters Pat Hanshaw and Barbara Hendricks, both of Winfield, Kansas
He was a life member of the American Legion, Post #107, Chanute, and VFW, Post 1654 of Chanute. He served as Commander of both of these military organizations. He was a member of the Chanute Elks Lodge. He was a 32nddegree Mason with a membership of fifty-six years. His memberships also included Virginia Lodge #315 of Savonburg, of which he was a Past Master three times, Mirza Shrine of Pittsburg, Kansas, Quetzalcoatl, Shrine Units of MGs, Legion of Honor, Life Member of the Sword of Bunker Hill, Past Masters Club, Tri County Club, and Chanute Shrine Club. He was a former member of Jesters, Red Cross of Constantine, and the Commandry of the York Rite in Iola . He had been President of the Mirza Past Masters Club, Chanute Shrine Club, Tri County Shrine Club and Mirza MG Unit. He was a life member of the Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no visitation. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Chanute Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at 2:30 at the Moline City Cemetery in Moline, Kansas with military honors.
The family suggests memorials to the Shriners Hospital for Children and may be sent in care of Countryside Funeral Home 101 N. Highland Chanute, KS 66720. Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com.
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