Robert William Sherman died April 29. He was 85.

He was born Jan. 17, 1921, in Saginaw, Mich.

He served with the Army as a radio operator in the South Pacific during World War II.

He married Joan Crecelius in 1953, and he and his family lived in South Carolina, Georgia and New Mexico after he took teaching positions there. He also taught at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., where he was head of the music department.

After retirement, he and his wife settled in Florida. They were living in Tacoma at the time of his death.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Becky Dorsett of Federal Way; sons John Sherman of South Bend, Ind., Tom Sherman of Washington, D.C., Joe Sherman of Spokane, Michael Sherman of Tybee Island, Ga. and Jim Sherman of High Springs, Fla.; and nine grandchildren.