The Wilson family has loved the Sherman family since they first met over 35 years ago.  Both families, having moved to Baltimore at the same time, immediately connected and remained dearest friends from that moment on.  How fortunate were we to have Betsy and George, two amazing, thoughtful, caring, fun people in our lives!

I’m reminded almost daily of Betsy and George’s love, generosity, dedication to helping others and their joy in life and each other as I walk the UMBC campus with friends.  Prominently displayed in front of Sherman Hall is a photo of Betsy and George.  They are inspiring!

Betsy, Jonathan, David, Michael and Matthew are my heroes (as is George).  Their devotion to getting and giving the absolute best, most impeccable care for George was challenging and non-stop but their persistence prevailed.  The Sherman family is what Love, Devotion and Family means.  You all have my Love and Admiration

Betsy, I am so sorry for your loss. We had some wonderful times together when George and I worked in the hardware industry.  My ex-wife Judy and I and you and George were always fun to be with. I'll never forget playing golf with him at one of the many Hardware Wholesaler events at Pinehurst. Not only was he late for the tee time, but he also kept taking calls every 4 or 5 holes. He once was asked me to fly to CA on his private plane. He said we could relax during the flight. You never could relax with George; he was always full of ideas.

Sometime in 2002 I was walking through Narita airport in Toyko and ran into George. After chatting briefly, he asked if I would be interested in joining Campbell Soup's board.  He commented that CPB had just fired a search firm that had been looking for a year for the right person and he thought I might fit the bill. After expressing my interest and being interviewed by several directors, I was elected to the board in 2002 and retired in 2019. It was a wonderful experience and I'll always be grateful for George bringing me onto the Campell Soup board.

I regret not getting together with you and George in Bethany Beach (I live in South Bethany), although every time I called George he was off on another trip.

My very best regards,

Randy

It’s hard to put into words just how special George was to so many people! I still remember when I was going to interview with him at Danaher, the recruiter told me he was “demanding but delightful.” Truer words were never spoken! He had very high standards, but he expected no less from himself.

He always took an interest in my husband’s political career, and, even though I had not worked for him for several years at the time, I will never forget the concern and support he provided when our daughter was born missing a chamber of her heart, requiring her to have three open heart surgeries within 2 ½ years. That’s the type of person he was; when you worked for him, he cared about your whole family!

I can’t even imagine the loss Betsy and the boys must feel, but I’m hopeful that knowing how much he meant to so many and the fun stories shared here will help lessen the pain.

My first contact with George was a little awkward and went something like this-"hello George, I'm Pat Allender Danaher's CFO. I'd like to discuss your employment contract." Fortunately things improved from there and by most measures had a pretty good run together for eleven years.

With George's upcoming Danaher retirement I was tasked with coming up with something to present to George as a parting gift. We decided on a plaque citing selected accomplishments during his tenure as CEO and it was my responsibility to narrow the submitted suggestions to fit the limited space, things like share price growth, added to Fortune 500, added to S&P 500 and so on. One of my proudest moments was standing before the audience at his farewell Leadership Conference and reading the plaque to the audience. I only got about a third of the way through when  spontaneous applause broke out and continued until I ended.  

After George retired we did connect from time to time over the years, a Great Chef's dinner, a couple get togethers at the Ocean, a round of golf and 20 years later still looked like the guy who walked into Danaher in 1990. 

 I knew George really enjoyed golf. it was the only thing he ever did that he wasn't outstanding at. But even on the golf course he was still George- calling on his cell phone to check on a deal while waiting to tee off on number 9 at Lighthouse Sound. 

He was the best boss I ever had and more importantly, a friend.

Mr. Sherman's son Matt was the very first kid I met and  became friends with  in 1986 when my parents enrolled me in Friends School of Baltimore...I remember several times also meeting Mr Sherman and other members of the Sherman family. My memories of Mr Sherman when I was a  kid is he was always smiling and seemed larger than life. One memory that sticks out was Mr. Sherman coming to our second grade class and speaking about his experiences traveling to Japan...It was so interesting!  For a kid who could never sit still for long, it may have been the only time during the entire second grade year (and other years) I was able to sit still and listen!  May peace come during these difficult times.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om 

I met George when I was 13 years old.  My sister, Lorraine, was marrying Billy.. A close friend of George’s , better known to the Sherman family as “Cookie and Govy” Even then , more than 50 years ago , we recognize George was impressive.

Over the years George used his natural capabilities and capitalize on every move with the right decisions including marrying Betsy.  He was a “force” In business yet always wanted to give back with his time and concern for others.

A remarkable man.

Vince and I send our deepest condolences.

Joni Carosella

It is difficult finding the words to express how I feel after the loss of my boss George.

George was the most caring and the kindest employer I’ve had in my almost 40 years career.

He was always considerate and made me feel comfortable like his home was my home,acting always like if i was part of the Family . He was so energetic with a taste for life that always made me want to go above and beyond for him and the Family.He was so grateful even for the simplest things, like his favorite homemade tiramisu. He never failed to mention how it was the best he ever had.

George will be missed here at the Miami property and i will always remember him.

Warm regards 

Mr. George Sherman wasn’t a man you’d overlook in a room. He cared about the folks he met, the people he worked with, and the children he strived to support. I admired him for his leadership, filled with an empathy and passion that comes with vast experiences and a big heart. I'll greatly miss his wit, his huge smile, and his enthusiasm for connecting with people. You felt it when you talked to him. He had a way with words that deepened a conversation, and you knew it was all sincere.

I cannot thank him enough for the opportunities that he and Mrs. Sherman have offered rising teachers at UMBC, but I will continue to serve our youth in their names as best as I can. He and his loved ones will remain in my thoughts, and I wish them all the best in this trying time.

Dear Betsy, please accept our deepest condolences. Although we did not have the opportunity to know George well he certainly made an impact.  May his memory be a blessing to you and your family.

Nicole & Mitch Kendall

Louis first worked with George in 1988, when George ran the Power Tools Group at Black & Decker, and they remained close throughout the years.  George was a dynamic business leader with an infectious energy, and an unbroken string of tremendous businesses successes. We first met Betsy in 2003, when George and she visited us for a weekend.  It was then that we realized that despite being a shrewd decision-maker in the business world, George’s most brilliant move had been persuading Betsy to elope with him after only 6 weeks!  Over the years we spent time together enjoying meals (including George’s mastery of ordering at Nobu!), playing golf, and visiting art fairs.   Betsy, a gracious beauty with a heart of gold and a spine of steel, was the love of his life. Together they created a legacy—personally, with their love for family and community and philanthropically, with their compassion and generosity.

George had a gift for connecting with people by sharing a story or personal anecdote, and making anyone in his presence feel special and relevant.  He was an inspiring mentor who truly wanted to help others succeed.  When George first met our children, he sparked a passion in our then 7-year old daughter by telling her that he thought girls and women made intuitively better leaders.  Over the years, George observed her interest in math and science and encouraged her to study engineering.  She is now a 25-year old engineer at GM working for a female CEO. George was a visionary who was light years ahead of his time!

Betsy, the devotion and care you, Matthew, David and Vanessa, Jonathan and Denine, Michael and Carrie have given George over the past 14 months has been so loving and thoughtful.  We can only imagine George, up in heaven with a twinkle in his eye, bragging about all of you and Basel, Pasha, Maxwell, Cosimo and Delilah. Sending you the biggest hugs and lots of love! Patrice and Louis Friedman