Lee Woodrow Sherrill Jr.

Mr. Lee Woodrow Sherrill Jr., 72, resident of High Point, died February 20, 2017 at High Point Regional Hospital.

Lee was born August 29, 1944 in Guilford County, a son to the late Lee Sherrill Sr. and Julia Elizabeth Coe Sherrill and grandson to the late Dr. Samuel and Verta Coe of High Point and Mary Della Sherrill of Statesville.   Lee was a resident of this area most of his life where he attended High Point City Schools and later and graduated from High Point High School (now High Point Central) in 1962.  While there he started at quarterback on their “one loss” football team and achieved unanimous all-conference as well as all-state in basketball.   He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served as Sigma Chi Fraternity President, graduating in 1966 with a BA in English/History.  He continued his football and basketball career there until injury ended his career.  He remained a lifelong Tar Heel fan, holding football season tickets and being a lifetime member of the Rams Club, Alumni Association and the Carolina Club.  Lee also supported the University’s Educational Foundation many years. 

Lee’s leadership in the printing industry spanned 35 years, beginning with 3M Company and ending with PBM Graphics.  During his career he managed production departments in Greensboro and the Research Triangle and also managed divisions in Charlotte and the Research Triangle, specializing in rebuilding troubled departments.  He founded and managed the PBM Interdivisional Manufacturing Operation, PBM Fulfillment Center and Park Communications and PBM’s digital printing division.  He also was active in many trade associations, was a member of the Printing Industry of the Carolinas and president of the Carolina Craftsmen’s Club. 

Lee was a U.S. Army veteran, enlisting in Times Square in October of 1966.  He served in the Infantry OCS in Ft. Benning, GA, was Post Adjutant at Ft. McClellan, AL, USARV Cam Ranh Bay Support Command in Vietnam and was a Bronze Star recipient.  In 1969 he was honorably discharged as a 1st Lieutenant.

Lee’s passion was the Civil War and recently, his life’s work was realized when his book, “The 21st North Carolina Infantry, a Civil War History with a Roster of Officers”, was published.  He dedicated 20 years researching the 21st North Carolina’s role in the Army of Northern Virginia and later stated, “I wrote this book not only to create a permanently accurate record of the 21st North Carolina, but on behalf of the estimated one and a half million living descendants of these 2,000 citizen soldiers.”  This passion led to involvement with several different organizations, including, but not limited to: the North Carolina Museum of History, the High Point Museum Guild, past president of the North Carolina Civil War Roundtable, charter member of the Raleigh, NC, Civil War Round Table and Bennett Place Round Table in Durham, NC, former member of Sons of Confederate Veterans, former member of the Military Order Stars and Bars, member of the Civil War Trust, Washington, DC, the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Fredericksburg, VA, Richmond Battlefields Association, Richmond, VA and the Wachovia Historical Society.

Lee is survived by his significant other, Charlotte Margolis of Charlotte; as well as five children, Lee Sherrill III and wife Karina of Brevard, Lisa Compton Delin and husband Michael of Flemington, NJ, Cathryn Fraley Sherrill of Middlesex, William Compton and wife Elizabeth of Pennington, NJ and Sarah (Sally) Sherrill Elliott of Wilmington; a brother, John Sherrill and wife Susan of Fernandina Beach, FL; and nine grandchildren, Langley, Maggie, Jordan, Katherine, Julia, Ethan, Woody, James and Olivia.  In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his first wife, Neal Armfield Sherrill, his second wife, Lynn Martin Sherrill and a brother, David Sherrill.

Lee’s memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church in High Point with Rev. John Fitzgerald officiating.  A reception will immediately follow in the church fellowship hall.  A private inurnment will precede the service in the church columbarium.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, P.O. Box 3417 Fredericksburg, VA, 22402.

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