Gary Thomas Sherrill, 85, formerly of Statesville, N.C., died Wednesday, June 11, 2024, at Autumn Care of Shallotte, N.C.
Born in Iredell County on September 9, 1938, he was a son of the late John T. Sherrill and Pearl Munday Sherrill.
Gary graduated from Scotts High School, attended Mitchell College and Erskine University and graduated from Appalachian State with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and history in 1962. He received his M.A. degree and Principal’s Certification from NC A&T State University. He began teaching at Troutman High School and then moved to South Iredell High School when it opened in 1966. He coached freshman and varsity basketball for 37 years at Troutman and South Iredell. His teams won 11 conference championships and he was named Conference Coach of The Year eight times by the North Piedmont Western Piedmont, Foothills and Central Piedmont conferences. In addition to basketball, he was the head golf coach at South Iredell for 25 years. His teams won seven conference championships and he was named Coach of the Year seven times. He was also the assistant football coach for 30 years and the track coach for eight years. In 2011, he was inducted into South Iredell’s Inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2019, South Iredell’s new gym was named the Mayhew-Sherrill Gymnasium in honor of Bill Mayhew and Gary’s longtime contributions. He was inducted into the Iredell Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
Gary was a Carolina Dogwood Festival founding member and past president. He was also a member of and past president of the Statesville Kiwanis Club. He was a lifetime member of the Statesville Jaycees, was the Iredell County Junior Miss Pageant founder, Miss N.C. Pageant field director and pageant judge and a lifelong member of Monticello Methodist Church. He very much enjoyed playing and watching golf, attending college sporting events, doing community service work and judging pageants.
Survivors include his wife, Dreisa Jordan Sherrill; two daughters, Lisa Sherrill Gannon (Terry) of Los Angeles, Calif., and Salem Jordan Sherrill (Cody Garner) of Denver, Colo. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Madeleine “Maddie” Gannon and James “Jake” Gannon; a brother, Jim Lawrence Sherrill (Sue) of North Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and two nieces, Dr. Kimberely Sherrill (Todd Maney) of Tempe, Ariz., and Tiffany Sherrill Brown (Brian Yarbray) of Brown Summit, N.C.
Services celebrating Gary’s life will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 17, 2024, at Monticello Methodist Church with Rev. Dave Cash & Rev. Dr. Robert Lee officiating. The family will greet friends at the church beginning at 11 a.m. Entombment will follow at Iredell Memorial Gardens. A floating reception will follow at The Sharpe House from 4 to 6 p.m.
Condolences may be sent online to the family to www.nicholsonfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to: Monticello Methodist Church, 308 Island Ford Road, Statesville, N.C. 28625; The Carolina Dogwood Festival, 1180 Chase Drive, Statesville, NC 28677; The Miss NC Educational Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 5263, Pinehurst, NC 28374, or the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (Hospice), Horry County, 1314 Third Avenue, Conway, SC 29524.
Nicholson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
Rest In Peace, Coach Sherrill. Thanks for being tough on me and making me accountable for my actions and making me a better person. Thank You for coaching both of my sons and being as equally tough on them in molding them. You will be missed by so many.
Tracy Ramsey
My thoughts and prayers are with your family. I remember Coach Sherrill from South Iredell High School. I had his brother Jim in the 7th grade.
Gary dedicated his life to the youth of Iredell County and touched the lives of thousands. He made the world better and was a first-class example of a life well done.
Coach Sherrill will be missed. He was a good and fair man. I was a student of his from the 8th grade at Troutman in at least one class throughout high school at South Iredell. I played Jr. high football and track for him at Troutman High. He was quick to hand out discipline but he was always fair. We had lots of fun. I considered him my friend and leader. RIP, COACH SHERRILL. Ray Shoaf
Gary became part of our family. He and my Mother judged many pageants and they strived to make differences in the lives they came in contact with. They succeeded. I was always in awe of the many facets of Gary’s life. He always gave 200% in each of his endeavors. Good night, my friend.
Vicki Ransom, daughter of Florence Ransom