Chapter Eternal - Gerald Sherratt (Utah State)
Updates from Lexington
Brothers, a Mighty Oak has Fallen...
Brother Gerald Sherratt (Utah State) entered Chapter Eternal on July 8, 2016. The former Cedar City mayor and Southern Utah University president was 84.
After earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State, Brother Sherratt accepted an appointment to the Sigma Nu Headquarters staff as assistant to Executive Secretary Richard R. Fletcher. Sherratt served as editor of The Delta for three years; during this time the magazine earned national recognitions from Fraternity Editors Associations. During his staff tenure Brother Sherratt created the recognition program that now honors the Scholar, Athlete, Talent, and Man of the Year awards.
In 1970 Brother Sherratt was elected to the High Council, the Fraternity’s national board of directors. His service on the Council culminated with his term as Regent for the 1976-78 biennium. Among other achievements, Brother Sherratt’s term as Regent was marked by historic updates to some of the Fraternity’s most important publications.
A 1982 Delta article described him as “a man of untiring energy and creative genius — a man with a flair for innovation, journalism, spontaneous wit, and excellence in all that he pursues.” Nearly 20 years earlier, a 1963 article recognized Sherratt’s contributions to The Delta as he departed the General Fraternity staff for a post with Utah State: “We believe that he made The Delta a star exemplar of the pursuit of excellence in the field of the men's fraternity magazines. He set an example which has helped us all more than we know."
Brother Sherratt was named to the Sigma Nu Hall of Honor at the 50th Grand Chapter in 1982 at Snowbird Resort near Salt Lake City.
The past Regent and Hall of Honor inductee was known as a Renaissance man throughout his life. A scholarship student at Southern Utah, he directed a musical comedy and worked as a writer on the newspaper staff. At Utah State he was art director of the yearbook and captain of the cheerleading squad. After graduation Brother Sherratt entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant and became commander of a basic training squadron.
After leaving the General Fraternity staff Brother Sherratt became assistant to the president of Utah State University, where he continued his role as director of development and alumni affairs and instructor in the college of education. During his nine years in this role he made speaking appearances around the country and is also credited with establishing the university’s first endowment fund.
Sherratt later became the 13th president of Southern Utah University, a post he held for 16 years. Under his leadership the school experienced dramatic growth, with enrollment increasing from 1,800 to 5,500 students, according to a story by Deseret News. During his time as university president the campus added 16 new buildings and elevated the profile of its athletics programs. The current university library is named after him. In 1974 Sherratt received the USU Distinguished Alumnus Award.
"The SUU family mourns the loss of a great leader, mentor, friend and visionary," Stuart Jones, vice president of advancement at SUU, said in a statement. "Jerry left an indelible legacy upon our campus, community and state. He will be dearly missed."
Brother Sherratt had a long track record of commitment to public service. As a junior member of the Chamber of Commerce in Logan, Utah, he chaired committees for county pageant competitions and held leadership positions in civic organizations while living in Lexington, Va.
As mayor of Cedar City, Sherratt is remembered for founding public events and initiatives, including creation of the ‘Festival City USA’ tagline. A community Facebook page remembered him as "true giant in our community” and credited him for making Cedar City” a wonderful community.”
Funeral services were held on Sunday, July 17, 2016, with scores of his Sigma Nu brothers in attendance.