Richard "Dean" Sherman

Richard “Dean” Sherman, 89, of Howard died Sunday, February 16, 2020 at Howard, SD. Memorial services will be 11am, Saturday, March 28, 2020 at the Beach United Methodist Church, Howard. Visitation will be Friday, March 27, 2020 at the church from 4pm to 6pm.

Richard Dean Sherman was born July 29, 1930 on a homestead north of Howard to Albert and Ethel (Olson) Sherman. Dean was one of five siblings. Dean attended country school, graduating from Howard High School in 1948. Dean was united in marriage to the love of his life for 68 years, Joanne Willoughby on June 1st, 1952. Dean then went back to school attending Augustana College, Sioux Falls and later attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a Mortuary Science Degree.

The couple returned to Howard where Dean worked delivering fuel for the Standard Oil Company and working part-time for Willoughby Funeral Home. This lasted a short time when the couple moved to Morris, Minnesota, where he worked for Olson Funeral Home and Furniture Store. This is where he worked as a funeral director and in the furniture store learning to lay carpet, hauling furniture and making picture frames. In 1959, the couple moved back to Howard. Dean then managed the Standard Oil Company in Howard, delivering fuel to farmers in the area, he also worked for Willoughby Funeral Home and digging graves for $25 dollars a grave by hand. Dean was a Funeral Director for 62 years and the Coroner of Miner County for 35 years. Dean became the mayor of Howard in 1964 until his family moved east of Howard on a farm in 1970. Dean then purchased one of many businesses in the area, starting with Willoughby Funeral Home in 1975  the Standard Oil Company in the early 1980’s, Sherman’s Service Station, the Howard Laundromat, Dakota Propane business, tree trimming, stump grinding, and then owning cattle, pigs, chickens, buffalo, yaks, highlander cattle, planting his 1800 grape plants and later collecting bikes for the needy, Dean will be missed by many, as he was good to the community, doing anything asked of him to do. Dean was a man that seemed not to sleep as he would dream of things, to do the next day and in the future. Dean, as everyone that knew him, knew his hobbies included work and more work.

Although he worked hard, he enjoyed traveling with Joanne, having trips to Hawaii, Panama, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and other places in the States. Dean and Joanne sold the bulk plant and Service Station to their son Larry in 1993, and the Willoughby Funeral Home in 1995 to his daughter Ann and son-in-law Terry Lee.

Dean is survived by his wife of 68 years, Joanne Sherman; a son Larry (Dianne) Sherman; a daughter Ann (Terry) Lee, all of Howard; six grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; a brother John Sherman; a sister Carol Feldhaus, all of Howard and a sister-in-law Janet Sherman of Sioux Falls.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Leon Sherman, sister Eileen Clark, brothers-in-law Robert Feldhaus and Charles Clark, and a sister-in-law Jo Ann Sherman.

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