Warren Bert Sherwin, Scott City
October 9, 1934 - November 4, 2023
Warren B. Sherwin, 89, died at Park Lane Nursing Home, Scott City, Kansas on November 4, 2023. He was born on October 9, 1934, on the farm, southwest of Beeler, the youngest son of Mark and Alice (Prose) Sherwin.
He was a lifelong farmer and rancher.
His older siblings were Douglas, Dennis and Reva, who all preceded him in death.
His parents, Mark and Alice Sherwin, lived west of Buda School, a one-room schoolhouse, where he attended until going to Beeler High School.
He met Alberta Anderson of Utica, at a dance in Dighton. They started corresponding after Warren was enlisted in the United States Army in 1954.
He completed his basic training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, and was trained as a helicopter mechanic at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. His home base was Fort Hood, Texas where he loved working on helicopters. One of his most memorable experiences while in the military was being part of 800 soldiers participating in an army exercise to witness an atomic explosion, at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada in 1955. During that exercise he received $55/month extra in hazardous duty pay. He also flew support for tanks, transported officers and helped injured soldiers get medical care. After he was discharged in 1956 with a rank of E-3, he went to Wichita to work for Boeing, before moving back to the farm.
On December 23, 1957, Warren married Alberta Anderson at the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Utica. They had five children: Rhonda, Brenda, Shelly, Karen and Scott.
Warren was dedicated to hard work, raising crops, beef cattle and putting in long hours in all kinds of weather to provide for his wife and children. The farm had a large orchard and garden.
He and Alberta enjoyed going to “cousin” card parties and square dances. Alberta passed away on June 3, 1996, after 38 years of marriage.
Later Warren met Dorothy Schwartzkopf Weeks of Brownell. They married on January 2, 1998. They lived and worked on the farm and were active in the Sunflower Polka Club. Dorothy passed away on October 27, 2000.
Warren met and later married Norma Dvorak Binns of Scott City on September 22, 2001, his wife for the last 22 years. They lived first on the farm for a few years and then moved to Scott City. They enjoyed traveling with their RV to a camp near Salinas, Colorado and to Fredericksburg, TX, where they had many retired friends.
The Sherwin children have many fond memories of their dad, including fishing on Sunday afternoons, working together in the fields and on the farm. Warren had a calm, steady, compassionate character. He was very mechanical and always had something to fix. Having four daughters and a son had its challenges, but he patiently taught them to drive farm machinery.
Besides his family, one of Warren’s legacies was the Indian Hill land northwest of Beeler in 1988. This property was reported to have been a lookout for Native Americans to see any enemy coming into the area. Five years later in 2003, he decided to have a life-sized figure of an Indian sitting on a horse at the top of Indian Hill. He asked local metal smith Brad Dinges to sculpt the figure, who recruited his daughter to be the model. This work soon became a local attraction and is currently listed under the Wonders of Ness County. Warren really enjoyed seeing newspaper articles and comments from drivers who saw the artwork.
Warren was a member of Buda Sunday School and assisted when needed, was baptized at the Beeler UMC where he became a member and later attended the Scott City UMC. He also served for many years on the Board of Directors for the Beeler Cooperative. In 2019, he was a recipient of a Kansas Honor flight, because of his service during the Korean War. He enjoyed a quick trip to Washington D.C., visiting historic sites.
Warren was proceeded in death by his first two wives, both parents, and his three siblings.
Survivors include Norma Binns Sherwin of Scott City, KS; Rhonda (Steve) Ashworth of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brenda Sherwin of Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Shelly Sherwin of Douglas, Arizona; Karen Sherwin of Garden City; and Scott Sherwin who lives and manages the family farm near Beeler. Warren also has three grandsons: John Ashworth, Richard (Alena) Wheeler and Nathan Wheeler; and two granddaughters, Sarah (James) Heatley and Marie Ashworth. He recently welcomed his first great-grandchild, Luna Wheeler. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Joyce Sherwin of Wichita, and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.
Funeral service will be on Friday, November 10, 2023 at 10:30 a.m., at the Ness City Methodist Church, Ness City, Kansas. Burial will be in the Buda Cemetery, Beeler, Kansas. Friends may call at Fitzgerald Funeral Home on Thursday, November 9, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Beeler Volunteer Fire Department or the Buda Cemetery.
Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family at www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com.