Obituary: James Otto Sherrard, 99, formerly of Bardstown
James Otto Sherrard, 99, formerly of Bardstown, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, at Flaget Memorial Hospital. He missed his 100th birthday by just 28 days and in his words “Life doesn’t owe me a thing”. He was born in New Hope Jan. 28, 
1915, and was raised in Boston by his parents, Edward Lee Sherrard and Mary Rose Brewer Sherrard. He was a devout Catholic and was educated in Boston and Bardstown.
His first jobs were in Bardstown working for his brother-in-law, Ray Parrish, building whiskey warehouses and Ice’s Produce. His career took a very different turn when he moved to Lexington to take a job with a local reform school, eventually taking the leadership role. He was urged to take a new job at the Lexington Signal Depot just under construction. His position quickly grew to controller but World War II broke out and he joined the Army to serve throughout the entire war in India in the Intelligence Corps. Following war’s end he returned to Lexington Signal Depot and continued his career being promoted to the top ranking job as Civilian Executive Assistant. He had attained the highest possible position as a civil service employee. His job eventually included the Bluegrass Ammunition Depot in Richmond. At the height of the war in Vietnam, he had more than 12,000 people working under his position, and he earned the highest awards from the U.S. Army. He retired in 1975 and moved to Bardstown for retirement. He soon purchased a condominium in Florida on the St. John’s River and eventually lived there and another home at Lake Cumberland where he spent countless hours fishing.
He was a fisherman and outdoorsman his entire life, landing his last bass at the age of 98. He caught tens of thousands of largemouth bass at Lake Cumberland and on the St. John’s River. As an outdoorsman, he loved fishing, squirrel hunting and baseball. He witnessed the greatest of the baseball players including Lou Gehrig and an upstart Yogi Berra, who he thought would never make a great catcher. His disappointment was never seeing his baseball hero Babe Ruth. His legacy is that of an outstanding, moral, funny, patriotic citizen and gentleman.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Margaret Neal Sherrard; his parents, Edward Lee Sherrard and Mary Rose Brewer Sherrard; two sisters, Mary Evelyn (Dolly) Parrish (Ray), and Marjorie Ruth Brumley (Duard); and six brothers, Harry U. Sherrard, (Mildred), Edward Lee Sherrard Junior (Virginia), William Paul Sherrard (Faye), William Percival, Robert Norman, and Charles Edward.
Several nieces and nephews survive him, including Norman Parrish and Don Parrish his principal caregivers in recent years; and his nieces Carolyn Hale and Nancy Neal Thompson; several great-nieces and nephews and many friends.
The funeral is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral with the Rev. Bill Hammer officiating. Burial is in Astor, Fla., by the St. John’s River at a later date.
Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, and 8-9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at the Barlow Funeral Home. Full military honors will be provided by the Marion County Veterans Honor Guard.
Memorial contributions may go to the St. Joseph Church Music Ministry.
The Barlow Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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