Philip Sherrod

Philip Wright Sherrod, a resident of Waco, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 13 with his daughters by his side. Family Visitation will be 4-6pm on Friday, February 15 in the Glass Room at First Woodway Baptist Church. Graveside services will be 10:30am on Sunday, February 17 at Evergreen Memorial Park in Crockett, Texas. A memorial service and celebration of Philip’s life will be 3:30pm in the worship center at First Baptist Church in Woodville, TX.

Philip was born in Timpson, Texas, on August 26, 1935 to Thomas and Thelma Williams Sherrod. When he was 2 years old, the family moved to Crockett, Texas, where he graduated from Crockett High School in 1953. Upon graduation, he attended Draughon’s Business School in Dallas, pursuing a degree in Electronics with plans to return home to work with his father in the family shoe and gun repair shop on the square in downtown Crockett. Plans changed when his life-long friend, Bobby Potts, introduced him to Margaret Barr, who was beginning her college education at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. He soon decided that college might be a good choice for him as well. The couple married after their sophomore year and both graduated from Wayland in 1959. Philip earned a B.A. in Christian Education and then continued his education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, simultaneously earning a second Bachelor’s of Church Music and a Master’s of Religious Education. While in seminary, he began his lifelong church music ministry in Irving and Alvarado, worked repairing televisions and added to the family with the birth of daughter, Cherisa. Upon graduation, he accepted a call to Brownsville Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tennessee, where daughter Rebecca was born. In 1969, the family returned to Texas to the First Baptist Church of Woodville where he led the music and education programs for 14 years. These years included some of his most treasured times working with pastor, Dr. Raymond Parker, leading youth choirs performing numerous musicals and traveling on many mission trips. During this time, he also became a pioneer in the Senior Adult choir area. His life of music and senior adult ministry then continued at First Baptist of Levelland and Central Baptist in Carthage. After retiring and moving to Waco in 1997 to be near daughter Rebecca and help out with her busy young family, Philip continued to serve several churches on an interim basis in Teague, Mound, and Crossroads Baptist Church in Lorena. After Margaret’s health began to fail, the couple moved into Stoney Brook Assisted Living Center in Hewitt, where he helped organize a weekly church service and aided with the music until his own health prevented him from doing so only a few weeks prior to his death. Philip was known for his unwavering dedication to being a follower of Christ, his strong baritone voice, a humble and easy-going disposition - always with a ready grin and a corny joke. He loved garage sales - especially finding things he could fix and resell - repairing guns, and anything else friends brought to him. He enjoyed watching wildlife, especially birds and imitating their calls, fishing and hunting.

Philip was preceded in death by his wife Margaret; his parents, Thomas and Thelma Sherrod; and brother Alan.

He is survived by sister Sharon Gosper Lesyk of Austin; daughters Cherisa York (Sammy) of Kilgore and Dr. Rebecca Guess (David) of Waco; grandchildren Colin York (Cynthia) of Kansas City, Barrett York of San Antonio, Braden Guess of Austin, Natalie Guess of Fort Worth; and great-grandchildren Sarah and Caleb York of Kansas City.

The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff at Lake Ridge Healthy Living, Stoney Brook Assisted Living, Bluebonnet Home Health, and Interim Health Care hospice for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Youth Group Travel Fund at First Baptist Church of Woodville, Texas.

202 S. Charlton St.
Woodville, TX 75979
(409) 283-2588
http://www.fbcwoodville.com/give

Visitation

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM ,Friday, February 15, 2019
First Baptist Church Woodway
101 Richie Road Waco, TX 76712
Notes: Glass Room

Graveside Service

10:30 AM ,Sunday, February 17, 2019
Evergreen Cemetery
Crockett

Celebration of Life

3:30 PM ,Sunday, February 17, 2019
First Baptist Church Woodville