Local physician played vital role in community

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A private burial for Dr. Fred Oscar Sherrill Jr. 87, of Hartselle was May 10 at Hartselle City Cemetery. A memorial service followed at First United Methodist Church in Hartselle. #
Dr. Sherrill died Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Falkville Health and Rehabilitation. He was born June 24, 1920, in Hartselle as the only child of Fred Oscar Sherrill Sr. and Mary Nelle Barclift Sherrill. His descendants were among Hartselle’s early residents and both of his grandfathers, Dr. W.A. Barclift and Dr. Richard Byrd Sherrill, had medical practices in Hartselle.
Although born in Hartselle, he lived in Tallassee during the early years of his childhood and later moved with his family to Birmingham where he attended Ramsey High School. He joined the U.S. Army-Air Force in World War II and was selected to learn the new technology called radar, after which he served for three years in the Pacific Theater with engagements in the islands around New Zealand. It was during this time, when he witnessed such carnage and loss of goods buddies, that he decided to make his life count as a doctor.
Upon return to the U.S. from military service, he attended Birmingham-Southern College as a pre-med student. He graduated in the summer of 1948, after which he attended the Medical College of Alabama and graduated four years later with his medical degree. He interned at Carraway Methodist Hospital in Birmingham and returned to Hartselle to begin his practice in June 1953.
Dr. Sherrill entered into a partnership with Dr. Claude Lavender. Their offices were located in a small house at the corner of Sparkman and Pine Streets. The first wing of Hartselle Hospital was constructed soon after he began his practice. His patients loved him and his medical practice thrived, so people were surprised when he gave it all up to go into Christian missionary service in 1959. By this time his two daughters, Patti and Dorri, hade been born and accompanied him to San Jose, Costa Rica.
Missionary service was cut short by a family health problem so he returned to the Hartselle area. His son David was born at this time. His practice in Hartselle had been filled by two new doctors so he began a new practice in Falkville. Even after retirement, he continued to work at several clinics. He then lived in Huntsville for a number of years before he returned to Hartselle where he enjoyed friends and church activities until his recent decline in health.
He was active in many developments in Hartselle. He was a founding partner of the American Bank and Trust Company (now Regions Bank), Morgan Plaza Shopping Center, anchored by Maison Morgan, and State Construction Co., which developed several residential subdivisions in the area. He was chairman of the Building Committee when First United Methodist Church built its new sanctuary and was active in all phases of his church here and in Huntsville. Prayer ministry was a particular interest.
He is survived by three children, Patti Kulovitz of Talladega, Dorri Sherrill of Ashville, N.C. and David Sherrill of Birmingham; their mother, Margaret Sherrill of Birmingham; a and three grandchildren, Lane and Mary Lauren Kilobits, both of Talladega, and Matthew Sherrill of Birmingham.
Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, 210 Hickory Street, SE, Hartselle, AL 35640. Designate the contribution in memory of Fred Sherrill for Volunteers in Mission.