John William Sherrill, age 90, passed away at his home in Ocean Isle Beach, NC on Sunday, November 18th, 2018.

He is survived by his 3 children John Sherrill, Jr. of Cincinnati, OH, Richard Sherrill of Cincinnati and Teresa Roth of Ocean Isle Beach, 11 grandchildren, dozens of great grandchildren and even a few great-great grandchildren.

John is preceded in death by his father, Roy Sherrill and his mother Dora Mcglothin Sherrill, 2 sisters, 5 brothers, his wife and loving mother of his children, Mildred Sue (Fox) Sherrill who passed away at a young age and his second wife Arlene (Chamness) Sherrill.

A resident of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina for over 35 years he was born on October 15, 1928 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved to Cincinnati Ohio as a young boy. He married Mildred Sue Fox in Covington, KY on December 24, 1954. He was a dedicated and loving husband and father. After his young wife’s sudden passing he took exemplary care of his 3 young children. He married Arlene Chamness in Cincinnati Ohio in 1970.

John was never one to brag or talk much about himself but he certainly lived a very interesting and adventurous life. A veteran of the Korean War, he served 4 years in part as a CPL in Army 3rd Division Infantry, Armor Intel Spec and was awarded National Defense Service Medal in 1955 and honorably discharged in 1956. After returning home he worked in many fields including jet engine repair, truck driving and hospitality, earning many awards for his strong work ethic.

John loved Bowling and bowled a perfect game of 300 in 1972. This was one of his favorite accomplishments; he even had a vanity plate commemorating the game. His home was filled with bowling trophies and newspaper cutouts. John’s name often appeared in local newspapers for his accomplishments as well as contributions to news stories. He was a shortwave radio enthusiast and would often listen in on events transpiring in the area. One such contribution was in Cincinnati Ohio August 11, 1962 while listening to his shortwave radio; John spotted a bright light in the sky and reported it. It was a soviet Spacecraft passing over the city which was of course a hot topic at the time. A small article appeared in the newspaper the next day.

He also enjoyed baseball, his favorite team was the Cincinnati Reds and he followed them loyally in good years and bad. He could often be seen wearing a Reds cap, usually gifted to him by his children or grandchildren. John was an avid collector. He enjoyed metal detecting at the beach and other sites and often found trinkets ranging from rings to figurines, and of course his favorite old coins. At the age of 89 he taught his great-grandson how to use a metal detector by burying coins in the backyard for him to find on a treasure hunt. John loved children and passing down any skills he could. He taught them how to shoot marbles, play cards, draw and of course how to improve their bowling technique.

John enjoyed building electronics and even invented a car alarm that spoke words instead of sounding a traditional alarm. He also had an artistic side. He painted beautiful landscapes and sketched everything from optical illusions to caricatures of celebrities. He enjoyed photography and documented many family vacations and special moments.

He lived a very simple life and never wanted much for himself but didn’t hesitate in giving to others in need. And although claiming not to like pets he never let a stray go hungry and loved leaving nuts out for the neighborhood squirrels. He was a great source of wisdom and encouragement and will be missed.

John’s family would like to warmly thank everyone who has expressed love for him and words of encouragement for the family during this difficult time.