Robert Howard Sherman

Robert (Bob) Howard Sherman passed away peacefully on July 18th, 2025, following a brief illness. Bob lived a very full life and remained active and vigorous throughout his life. Born on November 18th, 1929, Bob always had a keen interest in science and loved conducting chemistry experiments in the basement of his childhood home in Chicago. He spoke fondly of attending Lane Technical High School. Bob graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology and earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Following his graduation, he was hired at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he worked as a staff scientist from 1951-1992. Bob’s work involved low temperature physics, and he was proud to have been part of a cryogenics team that reached the world’s lowest temperature recorded at the time. Toward the end of his career, he worked at the lab’s tritium test site facility. In 1960, Bob married Ruth Joffe and together they raised three children, Gary, Bernice Sue and Gail. In 1981, Bob was blessed to marry Julianne Jones with whom he shared 44 years of marriage. Bob loved the outdoors, which fueled his interest in skiing, back packing, and nature photography. His children recall long hikes, with him hunched over one flower or another, angling for the best shot, which he later developed into beautiful prints. Bob was also active throughout his life in many civic organizations. He was a member of the Pajarito Mountain ski patrol, he was a Boy Scout scoutmaster (and was recognized with the award of Silver Beaver); he also taught first aid for the Red Cross and served on the national board of Hadassah. He had a keen interest in archeology and continued to attend meetings of the Archeological Society until the end of his life. Proudly Jewish, Bob was also a member of Congregation Beit Tikva in Santa Fe. His greatest civic commitment though was as a Mason. He was a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and the master of his lodge in Los Alamos for three years. Bob was also the Grand Marshal for the Grand Chapter of Eastern Star of New Mexico. Throughout their many years, Bob and Julianne enjoyed traveling around the world, attending opera and spending time in the company of their Masonic and Eastern Star communities. Bob loved his large family of children and grandchildren, often speaking proudly of them. Even into his final days he actively kept up with the recent accomplishments of each of them. Bob is survived by his wife, Julianne Sherman brother Harvey Sherman (Deborah) children, Gary Joffe (Claudia), Bernice Sue Behar (Sam), Gail Lalk (Dennis), grand children Daniel (Naomi), Hannah (Zachary), Jordan (Shania), Ellen (Kyle) and Rebecca (Rephayah) step children Pam Harris, Leslie Crockett, Barbara Frank (Duane), and Kristina Hughes Finch, and numerous step grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Max and Emily Sherman, sister, Marcia Fox, step children Keith Finch, Richard Finch and Carolyn Forrester, grandson Neal Apodaca Joffe and step grandchild Samantha Crockett. Graveside service will take place on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at Santa Fe Memorial Gardens Cemetery located at 417 Rodeo Road Santa Fe, NM 87505.