Sherman Shelby Shaw

Sherman Shelby Shaw passed away Sunday, April 20, 2025 at the age of 83 at his home surrounded by his family.

Services for Sherman will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, April 25, 2025, at First Methodist Church on Loop Road Monroe, LA under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Monroe, LA. Immediately following the service there will be a Celebration of Life at the home of Sherman and Jean Shaw, 479 Seals Place, Monroe, LA.

Sherman is preceded in death by his parents, Bill Rogers and Doris Sherman Shaw of Coushatta, LA; his brother-in-law , Howard Atkins and his sister-in-law,. Linda Atkins Perrty.

Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Jean Atkins Shaw; his children, Holly Rae Shaw, Abby Teal and Sherman (Shooter) Shaw, Jr. and wife, Lindsey; step-children, Gregory H. Newton and wife, Abigail and Melanie Jean McGough and husband, Keith. He was Poppa to 14 grandchildren, Tyler Mason Boyd and wife, Morgan, Ruth Eiren Mauwong, Jake Douglas Newton, Corbin Grant Boyd, Lilly Elaine Newton, Kabod James Mauwong, Addie Leigh Newton, Anna Elizabeth Mauwong, Ruby Jean McGough, John Cross Boyd, Stella Mae Shaw, Aubrey Atkins McGough, Shelby Lee Shaw and Sherman S. Shaw, III (Cotton); two great grandchildren, Mason Wade Boyd and Brewer Shaw Boyd; two sisters, Paula Shaw Hardee and husband, Hugh and Cristy Shaw McCallum and husband, David; brother, Billy Shaw and wife, Hope; a host of nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews. Almost related are Knottie Jones, John Cain, Elsa Rios, Jacinto Pena and Francisco Pena with a whole slew of people who claim to be kin. Lodi and Hotdog already miss him.

Honorary Pallbearers are his grandsons and great grandson along with Sam Sherman, Harris French, Hayden Hopper, and Edwin Pena.

The family would like to give a special thanks to his awesome caregivers, Chester D. King, Jerome Dixon, LaTasha Rogers and Contersha Wheatley. Also to Dr. Wyche Coleman, Dr. Wyche Taylor Coleman, Dr. Allen Spires, Angela Hamby and Ray Mabile for always being there when we needed you.

The following was written by Sherman for Louisiana Tech University when he was chosen Alumnus of the Year for the School of Agriculture for 2017.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

They said I needed to do a biography or obituary. Hope there’s a difference.

Born 1/24/42 in Haynesville, LA. Oldest of 13 grandchildren of the G. H. Sherman Clan. Moved to Jefferson, TX about ’47 or ’48 and that was home til ’56 when we moved to Coushatta, LA where I graduated from High School in 1960.

Headed to Tech that fall to study engineering. The slide rule and I got cross threaded and I changed to Wildlife Conservation (Biology) and got a good background for something. In the last days I leaned toward agriculture because of connections I thought I had…worked out too.

Graduated in 1965 with a job at Niagara Chemical (FMC). In about two years Eli Lilly joined the ag-chem field and they cherry picked this new industry of all the new talent and got me too. Drug industry training was much more intense, competitive and worthwhile. Good job experience.

In about ’74, N.W. Industries hired me to come back from FL to LA as a sales manager over the Mid South and more dollars. In ’79 a new group took over NWI and I could smell our days were numbered. I had been dabbling in “Rope-A-Dopes” on the side so I had to bear down but made more $ than ever before the balance of the year.

In 1980 I bought Farm Chemical Services and went on my own. Became Farm Chemical Group and began buying out co-ops and buying groups. We expanded to eight outlets at one time. I made us all paranoid about receivables and inventory. All stores took inventory every Saturday and receivables on Monday. We did a better job than the competition in both segments and it showed. We were even accused of being disruptive at one time and I considered that a compliment. Early on we sold stock to the larger farmers to solidify our customer base. We had more than our share of the market. At the end of 2005 the facilities and equipment were all paid for. Our volume that year was 35 million between our stores.

About that time we were approached by a large regional, Jimmy Sanders Co. They thought we would be a good fit for them and it worked out to our liking. I don’t think any of us have had any regrets since.

During the same period ’82-’06 I was buying farmland as it became available. The with some owned and some rented land I focused on farming in Monroe, Madison, Tensas and Collingston. Sometimes it appears to be a zoo but it works for us.

Sherman S. Shaw 2017

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial for Sherman to Nolan Mabile Memorial Scholarship Fund-NSU Foundation, 535 University Parkway Natchitoches, LA 71497 or to the Tarver Braddock Foundation, 2607 Pargoud Blvd. Monroe, LA 71201 or the charity of your choice.