Richard Paul Sherman

Richard Sherman of Stow, MA died unexpectedly, but peacefully, of a heart attack on January 25, 2023. His beloved family includes his wife of 38 years Andrea Harris, his son Josh Sherman of Stow, and his son Jake Sherman and partner Emily Meade of Seattle, WA.

Rick was the founder and managing partner of Athena IT Solutions, a business intelligence consulting firm. He truly loved his work and had no plans to retire. Earlier employers included PwC and Digital Equipment Corporation, but he especially loved telling stories about his first job out of college as an industrial engineer in a Bubble Yum factory.

He was generous in sharing his knowledge of data management. In 2015 he authored the Business Intelligence Guidebook, which continues to be used as a textbook in universities all over the globe. He spoke at numerous industry conferences, published over a hundred articles, and spent 16 years as an adjunct professor at Northeastern University’s Graduate College of Engineering. He was a hugely popular professor whose classes would fill up five minutes after registration opened for students. He routinely hired his best students to work on Athena projects as co-ops, one of whom recently referred to him as her most impactful mentor and a treasure in her life who always made the co-ops laugh.

His expertise with numbers and business extended to investing, which he taught himself by voraciously reading business publications. It became one of his favorite hobbies.

Rick was quite proud to call himself a nerd, but he was also passionate about rock music and sports. A devoted cyclist, he rode in the Assabet River Wildlife Refuge daily, accumulating several thousand miles a year. He also adored biking in Martha’s Vineyard. During a recent hospitalization he made sure every caregiver heard about his biking mileage. He counted the weeks until he would be cleared to get back on his bike.

Skiing with his family brought him much joy. For many years he brought Jake and Josh to Wachusett every weekend for lessons and race team training. February school break meant trips up north or out west to Colorado and Utah. He also determinedly mastered cross country skiing so he could traverse his favorite bike trails when they were covered in snow. In addition to nurturing his sons’ love of skiing, he coached their Stow soccer teams for 10 years.

Rick was known for his wonderful sense of humor, charming those around him with his dry wit and laughing at his own jokes with a memorable chuckle. His expertise in teasing flourished at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (BS in industrial engineering and MBA) where the former altar boy joined the SAE fraternity and discovered his wild side. He loved to mention he was on two Dean’s lists in college: the one for students who partied too much but then, ultimately, the one for those with good grades.

Rick also leaves his mother Dolores Surdyka of Anderson, SC, his brother Paul Sherman of Erwin, TN, his half-brother Michael Surdyka of Anderson, SC, and many nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law who all loved him and admired him greatly. He also leaves his beloved Portuguese Water Dog Zelda, who he taught to high-five when she was only eight weeks old.

A Celebration of his life will be held at the First Parish Church, 353 Great Rd. (Rt. 117) STOW on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 2:00PM.

Donations may be made in Rick’s memory to the Friends of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge at P.O. Box 27, Hudson, MA 01749 or farnwr.org.