Dear Betsey,

I don't know if you remember me from Monroe for we had moved to Florida 1981. But I was reading about you and your husband and was very sorry to hear about your loss. It was awhile ago but I was on the computer looking up somethings and came across it. I remember at the time you had 3 boys and lived down the back of our home, and George traveled alot and you held things together. I am sure you are holding it together now with your wonderful family and your husband would be very proud of you.

Dear Betsy, boys, all extended family, cousins and friends, our sincere condolences for your great loss but gratitude that you and all had the pleasure of George in your lives! May memories comfort you and eventually replace tears with smiles of joy and warmth of knowing he is at peace and probably organizing reunions Above…. Shalom is goodbye and hello! I only knew this week, Feb’23, since I have been ill and have had several surgeries since we last saw George and Betsy thankfully in  2018 at Ray’s100th. I have felt badly not being in touch but into every life a lil rain shall fall….all God’s children have problems. I believe things work out. I am grateful George had time to feel your love some more and you had time to do for him and have a long and caring farewell. Although very sad indeed there can be no regrets… lives very well lived. George would be proud that Betsy could handle so much following her loss! 

George was generous, patient and kind about a decade ago meeting with our son, Justin, to discuss business after his new MBA life. Justin used those three adjectives But his ultimate impression was “ the impressive energy of a man his age”. I see in the condolences others were impacted with that too. 

Let us hope for another great gathering of Schraders and Shermans in the future, even if it happens in smaller groups. Let us know if you ever wish to visit at our home or in Ashburnham.

For lives well lived and more to come with the memories living on in children and grandchildren,  I say Maseltov! You are in our thoughts and prayers, Christine ( Gould) ,  Richard & Justin Harper, Belchertown & Cambridge, MA

I took the liberty to write a poem about what George has meant to me. I hope you do not mind:

ODE TO GEORGE SHERMAN – By Mark DeLuzio

In 1990 I met a man

Heard he was a real pro

Impeccably dressed and looks to match

He was our new CEO

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Curious of how we used TPS

How did we turn JAKE Brake around?

We took the firm from red to black

His next words were quite profound

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He had a vision, changed all our lives

All of our futures were at stake

Asked me to come and work for him

“Let’s do for Danaher what you did for JAKE”

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Danaher Business System born on that day

Little did we know

We’d be making history

As we strived for one-piece flow

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He came from the streets, this he’d never forget

People skills, his acclaim

He remembered the janitor but that’s not all

He’d remember his daughter, her college, her name

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Had cunning sayings that told how he’d feel

So many, he was in his glory

When I presented my case, he’d stop me and say,

“Don’t let the facts confuse a good story”

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A quote he once made, we still talk of today

After so, so many years

He ended debate by stating this line

“I’ve said all I wanted to hear!”

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A walking Pareto, Juran would be proud

Never let me get off track

“DeLuzio,” he’d say, “why are you working on that?”

“Stay focused,” his mantra, his knack

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He developed us all, it was his passion

From Culp, Longo, Sulentic, many others

He was a Father to us we could never forget

But he treated us all like Brothers

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Mistakes we were allowed; wisdom so rare

Sometimes the best way to learn

Leadership, redefined

Our growth, his main concern

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His anger was rare, only witnessed it once

A VP’s BS, it was easy to tell

Pointing at me he snapped at this fool

“It’s not a cell until HE says it’s a cell”

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Strategic thinking, none could compare

A Harvard grad we had invited

Said he learned more in three days than his whole MBA

He was astonished, amazed, and delighted

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Jesus took him from us

Guess He needed him more

As perfect a place that Heaven can be

George’s aura there will be hard to ignore

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For those he had touched, he will never be gone

His impact is hard to discern

It’s ever so rare to meet such a man

His name? George Michael Sherman

Rest in Peace my Mentor and Friend!