John R. Sherwood III ’58
John R. Sherwood III ’58, an urban planner and competitive sailor, died of complications of a stroke on April 12 at his residence in Annapolis, Maryland. At Dartmouth John majored in economics, was commodore of the yacht club, sang in the Glee Club, and was a brother at Sigma Phi Epsilon. After four years in the U.S. Navy he did graduate work in urban planning at the University of North Carolina and then worked in land use and planning. In the late 1970s he was deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning. John and his wife also owned a business that sold dinghies and he worked in real estate development until retiring in 1996. Family members said his true calling was sailing, an interest that began when his father taught him to sail at age 5. Through many years John competed in regattas in Chesapeake Bay; Nantucket, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; San Diego; Miami; Europe; South America; and elsewhere. A sailing friend said, “He was a tremendous sailing talent. He wanted to win, and he made it look easy.” John was a prominent figure in Annapolis, Maryland, and Nantucket yachting circles and was inducted into the Annapolis Maritime Hall of Fame in 2000. Lisa, John’s wife, survives, along with a daughter and stepson.
