William Farrar Sherman

William Farrar Sherman, September 12, 1937 – March 11, 2020. "Loved you yesterday, love you still, always have, always will." Brigadier General (Ret) William F. Sherman, who practiced law 53 years in Little Rock, died Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee at Barton House Memory Center. Bill's anchors were family, faith, and public service. He had a deep and consuming commitment to assisting others through his law practice. Bill's formative years were spent in the nurturing community of Mountain Home, Arkansas, where his father, Lincoln, was an engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the construction of the Norfork and Bull Shoals Dams. Bill graduated from the Tennessee Military Institute, and was awarded a BA in history from the University of Arkansas (distinguished military graduate) and an LLB from the University of Virginia. To his very core, Bill loved his family, his historic home, his Hillcrest neighborhood (and its many parks), his church, his state, and his country. Bill had a rich and varied career as an attorney, public servant (Assistant U.S. Attorney, Arkansas Securities Commissioner, State Representative, Member of State Constitutional Convention), and as a 32-year service member of the U.S. Army's Reserve and National Guard. He served as special assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Army, holding the rank of brigadier general from 1987 until 1990. Bill was also a tireless public advocate for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities, including his son, John. With his wife, Carole, he was greatly influenced and informed by John, who from birth has lived with profound cognitive disabilities. During his career, Bill worked with parents and guardians to protect the homes and services for persons with cognitive and developmental disabilities in Arkansas and throughout the country. In 2017, Bill closed his law office after 53 years of practice. Bill was honored and recognized in each of his careers. In 1990, following his services as assistant to the Judge Advocate General, Bill was the recipient of the Legion of Merit award. In 1991, the National Association of Superintendents of Public Facilities for Persons with Cognitive and Developmental Disabilities awarded him its Humanitarian Award, noting that Bill "through untiring effort and tenacity challenged in court and reversed the trend of the past 20 years to close institutions through class action litigation." He also received the Winthrop Rockefeller Memorial Award (1970). Bill was a deeply loyal husband, father and friend. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carole Lynn Williams; sister-in-law, Mary Ann McKuin (Bob); his children, John; Anna and Lucy; his sons-in-law, Ian Billington and Bart Kempf and grandchildren: Alex and Laura (Oxford, England), Helen and James (Nashville, Tenn). He is also survived by nephews Andrew McKuin and Joel McKuin and cousins Carl Sherman, Betsy Sherman Shelton, Bill Keas Sherman, Priscilla Lowe Dahlen, Kath'oleen Lowe Nutt, Walt Lowe, Nancy Jane Lowe and Chester Lowe. The family acknowledges with gratitude the love and constancy of families and friends and the work of professional staff at Arkadelphia Human Development Center, UAMS Center on Aging, the Barton House Memory Center and Avalon Hospice. Memorials may be made to a favorite charity, or to: First United Methodist Church, 723 Center St., Little Rock, Ark 72201, or Arkadelphia Human Development Center Volunteer Council, P.O. Box 70, Arkadelphia, Ark. 72110, Families and Friends of Care Facility Residents, c/o Alan Fortney, treasurer, 9308 Brentwood Loop #B, North Little Rock, Ark. 72113. A visitation will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday March 13, at First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall. The funeral will take place on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church. Services will be live streamed at https://fumclr.org/watch-live/. Arrangements are under the direction of ruebelfuneralhome.com.