Dr. Walter Kenneth Sherwin, Jr.

Walter grew up in Wallingford, PA the son of Walter K. Sherwin, a physician and Reba Sherwin. He attended Archmere Academy in Delaware for high school where he played all sports. He attended the University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate work and was a walk-on basketball player his freshman year. Although he was a math major, he decided to do graduate work in Classics and attended The Ohio State University where he received his PhD in 1966.

He succumbed to pancreatic cancer on January 30th, 2018.

He was one of the original faculty to open UMBC in the fall of 1966. He started what became the Ancient Studies Department, an inter-disciplinary study of Latin and Greek, ancient history and ancient archeology. In 1967, he received a Fulbright grant to study in Rome and upon returning to UMBC, he realized what a magnificent experience it would be for undergraduates and started the university’s first study abroad program that continues today. He solo authored two books and co-authored four books and monographs. He retired in 2011 after 45 years of teaching and was granted Emeritus status. He also taught Biblical Greek for 19 years at St. Mary’s seminary at the Ecumenical Institute where he was named Distinguished Lecturer for 1986-87. He often said that he never worked a day in his life because teaching was pure joy and a privilege. He used to say he started and ended his university career under two of the greatest college presidents, Theodore Hesburgh at N.D. and Freeman Hrabowski at UMBC. He touched many lives over the course of his career.

He began running in 1966 and was often seen running all over Catonsville in the early hours of the morning. He ran several marathons and was a member of Baltimore Road Runners for many years. He always said when he could no longer run, he would walk and that is what he did for many years with his daughter Sarah and his good friend Nick Bogdan .

In 2015 after 48 years he moved from Wyndcrest Avenue in Catonsville to Charlestown retirement community. He was a parishioner at St. Ignatius church in Baltimore for over 30 years.

In 1966, he married Rosalie Levenstein, a law librarian and they had three children, Monica, Christopher and Sarah.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Rosalie, a daughter, Monica of Myrtle Beach, SC and her husband Joe Akin and another daughter, Sarah of Catonsville and her husband Larry Hern. His son, Christopher died in 1995. He leaves behind two grandsons, Cameron and Collin Miller, two step granddaughters Kellie and Katie Hern, three step great-grandchildren, a brother Gerald P Sherwin, a retired surgeon in Allentown, PA and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing and visitation at Candle Light Funeral Home by Craig Witzke on Frederick Road in Catonsville on Friday from 5 to 8pm.

Viewing and visitation at Our Lady of Angels chapel at Charlestown, Saturday, 11:30am - 12 Noon.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday, 12 Noon, at Our Lady of Angels chapel at Charlestown. The interment is private.

For those desiring, donations to the Christopher Sherwin scholarship fund at UMBC are suggested.

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