Sherman Thomas Shifflett

Mr. Shifflett was born in Charlottesville, VA, on April 13, 1942, at the University of Virginia Hospital. He was the youngest of 11 children born to Nelie Florence Shifflett and George Harvey Shifflett of Albemarle County, who along with siblings Ferrell, Beulah, Chellie, Randell and Edward, preceded him in death. Sherman is survived by his sister Ruby Scruggs of Charlottesville; his brother Ralph Shiflet of Cookeville, Tennessee; a sister Thelma Widener (Ben) of Stony Point; and sisters Nancy Thomas and Linda Shifflett of Charlottesville. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and his longtime friend and companion, Ava Pippin, of Mineral.

Sherman, a native of Charlottesville and a 1960 graduate of Albemarle High School, was inducted into the AHS Hall of Fame in 2013. He also attended Rock Hill Academy as a post-graduate, and as a high school athletic standout, attended Ferrum Junior College from 1962 to 1964, where he excelled in both football and track. He was inducted into the Ferrum College Alumni Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. From Ferrum, he transferred to East Tennessee State University, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1972, Sherman received his Masters degree in Education from the University of Virginia.

The United States military called, and Sherman proudly served two years in the U.S. Army before beginning a 53-year career as an educator in Louisa County, Virginia. He began teaching and coaching at Louisa County High School in 1968 and forged his own legacy by founding and coaching the school’s track and cross country teams, leading his harriers to five district titles and one regional championship over an 11-year period. He subsequently moved into administration as an assistant principal, vocational director, athletic director and visiting teacher until his retirement in 1997.

In 2004, Sherman ran for the first of his five terms as the Mineral District representative on the Louisa County School Board. In November 2021, he was successful in his bid for re-election to his fifth term on Louisa’s school board.

Mr. Shifflett is also remembered for being very active in his 53 years as a Louisa County resident, serving in a number of different capacities. They include both membership and leadership roles on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee; Louisa County Crime Solvers; a court-appointed position on the Community Diversion Incentive Program; Mineral District representative to Louisa’s Industrial Development Authority; Mineral Historic Foundation; Vestryman at Mineral’s Church of the Incarnation; and School Board Liaison to the Louisa Education Foundation.

In 2018, he authored his first book, “Remembering A Blue Ridge Mountain Father”, a collection of short stories about growing up in the foothills of Albemarle County with a father who, with his young family, was displaced from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the 1930’s to make way for the Blue Ridge Parkway, but never abandoned the mountain lifestyle to which he was accustomed. Both he and Ms. Pippin have been avid collectors and have enjoyed sharing their vintage memorabilia at the Mineral Mercantile in Mineral, VA.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, February 23, from 6-8 p.m. at Belmont Baptist Church, 830 Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville. The memorial service will also take place at Belmont Baptist at 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 24th, with interment at Holly Memorial Gardens. The family requests that attendees wear a mask at visitation, funeral and gravesite.

Floral tributes are welcome. Any monetary contributions in his memory may be made by check payable to the Louisa Education Foundation, P.O. Box 130, Mineral, VA, 23117, and designated for the LCHS Fieldhouse Fund.