Gusto.
That’s the word that leaped to my mind when I heard that my son’s swimming coach John Sherman had been killed in a motor cycle accident in Southern California.
He gave his all in every endeavor.
Homeschooled, he attended McHenry C0unty College before joining the Marines.
At first he was a volunteer coach for the McHenry Marlins Swim Team.
He received a “Muffin Man” trophy right before his 18th birthday.
Then he became an official coach.
Coach John.
He had such a way with kids.
At the end of season parties he would subject himself to their attempts to pull him under water.
And he expressed his sense of humor in his selection of tee shirts. One I remember said, “I like people. They taste like chicken.”
He had finished his basic training and was taking instruction in intelligence.
The men in his unit looked up to him.
And not just because of his height.
And was his family proud of him.
You bet.
Below is the obituary posted at McHenry’s Justen Funeral Home:
In Loving Memory
Lance Cpl. John Field Sherman
10/16/1989 – 11/21/2010
Lance Cpl. John Field Sherman, age 21, died November 21, 2010, in San Diego, California following an off duty motor vehicle accident while serving with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines,1st Marine Division, Weapons Co. CAAT Plt.
He was born October 16, 1989, in Woodbury, New Jersey, to Brian and Melissa (Field) Sherman.
A resident of McHenry since July of 2004, he was formerly of Chicago.
After receiving his high school diploma in May of 2007, John attended McHenry County College, and received his associate degree in December of 2009.
He was a coach for the McHenry Marlins, and a swimming instructor for the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of McHenry.
He also served as a lifeguard at the City of McHenry pool as well as the McHenry High School-West Campus pool.
He was a junior naturalist at the North Park Village Nature Center in Chicago. John earned his black belt at the Peace School in Chicago, and was a volunteer at the Chicago Public Library System.
From the age of 10, he had always wanted to be a U.S. Marine.
He is survived by his parents; two sisters, Gabrielle and Nora, all of McHenry; his maternal grandmother, Janet Field of Wall, New Jersey, and his paternal grandmother, Janet Sherman of Brick, New Jersey; and his aunts and uncle, Jennifer Field, Allison (Robert) Denton, Andrea (Daryl) Bauter, and David (Dawn) Sherman.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, John D. Sherman, and his maternal grandfather, John L. Field.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at Justen Funeral Home & Crematory, 3700 W. Charles J. Miller Road, McHenry, IL 60050.
The funeral service will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, at the funeral home.
Memorials would be appreciated to the USO of San Diego, Downtown Center, 303 A Street, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92101 or to the McHenry Marlins, P. O. Box 343, McHenry, IL 60051
Friends may send an on-line condolence to the family at www.justenfh.com. For information, call the funeral home at 815-385-2400.