Wayne E. Sherman

Wayne E. Sherman 79 of Peru. Left this life to be with our Lord and Savior Wednesday February 16, 2022, at St Margaret’s Health, Spring Valley.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM Saturday February 26, 2022, in St Valentine Church. Abbot Philip Davey OSB will officiate. Burial will be in St Valentine Cemetery.

Visitation will be Friday February 25, from 4-7 PM in the Ptak Funeral Home and Saturday morning in the church from 10:00-11:00 AM.  Ptak Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Masks will be required and provided if needed.

Wayne was born to Edward and Antoinette (Galas) Sherman in 1942 in Peru. He married Bobbie Jean Wilkinson in 1967. They were married for 54 awesome years and resided in the La Salle-Peru area.

Wayne attended St Valentine Grade School where he also played basketball. During his years on the team, he was awarded a Medal for Most Valuable Lightweight. Gene, a teammate, told me that Wayne was the playmaker, and they were Champions of the I.V. Parochial League at St Bede that year. He loved to play basketball with his friends Fred and Gene. He was a proud graduate and faithful alumni of St Bede Academy. He attended LPO and Northern Illinois University.

He taught geography, math and science to 5^th,6^th,7^th and 8^th Grades at St Hyacinth Grade School in La Salle. He also coached the St Hyacinth Boys Basketball Team and led them to a championship in the Oglesby Holy Family Tournament. After teaching and coaching he and his partner Al Cherpeske quit their jobs to start Illinois Valley Business Equipment. They started small and grew over 40 years.

As a young man he loved to play softball. His team couldn’t get a sponsor, so they called themselves “the Orphans”. He played for several years. He also loved the Cubs, Bulls and Da Bears. He and Lee Andreoni attended so many games of Basketball, baseball and football at St Bede Academy that they honored them at a game as “Super Fans”. He served on the St Bede Academy School Board, Hall of Fame committee and was a member of the Bedan Club. He also served on the United Way Board and St Valentine’s Financial Council. He was faithful lifelong member of St Valentine Church. He was very loving, kind and caring husband and I’m so blessed that he chose me to be his life partner. He loved being with his nieces, great nieces and nephew.

Wayne is survived by his wife Bobbie and his cousins.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, aunts and uncles.

Pallbearers will be Al Cherpeske, Gene Wisgowski, Dr Greg Schroeder, Lee Andreoni, Jerry Olson and Bob Pedone.

Memorials may be directed to St Bede Academy or St Valentine Church.

Online condolences and memories may be shared at PtakFH.com