Sherman DeForest Falconer, 57, passed away peacefully Feb. 23, 2002, in Everett from kidney failure after a long battle with diabetes.

He was preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Ivy Falconer, and two brothers, Earl and Seymour Francis.

He is survived by his wife, Dolores “Doe”; his former wife, Robyn Looff Esler and their children, Jeffrey DeForest of Bothell, Renata Lynn Cantrell (Rick) of Oak Harbor, and a stepdaughter, Caryn King Yost (Rusty) of Alta Loma, Calif.; and Dolores’ children, Maria Henderson of Nevada, and Patricia Trout of Buffalo Grove, Ill.

Sherman also leaves behind his sister, Ivy Van Antwerp (Jim) of Crokett, Va.; and three brothers, Ralph (Pat) of Sacramento, Calif., Ryan (Peggy) of Carmel, Calif., Byron (Margaret) of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

“Papa” Sherman will be greatly missed by his eight step-grandchildren, Allison and Benjamin Yost, Carmen Cantrell, Brittany and Jonathan Resler, and Symba Lucas and Dimitry Trout.

Born April 10, 1944, in Culver City, Calif., Sherman spent his youth in the Santa Monica area, graduating from Santa Monica High in 1962. He excelled in shop, displaying a real gift with machines.

In 1964 he went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and worked with the Andy Granatelli Race Team crew. He toured with Carroll Shelby and the Ford Cobra Team in 1966 with a memorable stop in Le Mans, France. That same year he also traveled with a nationwide exhibition of the Ford GT, which was a top finisher in the 24-hour race at Le Mans.

Sherman worked for eight years at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif., before moving to Oak Harbor in 1975 where he made his home for over 25 years.

He was a convert (1974) and an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through the years in Oak Harbor he served in various church callings. He often recalled that, when the church burned down in 1975, the members worked together to rebuild it. Sherman played a lead role in a church musical which surprised many who did not know of his other talents, because he liked to hide them whenever he could.

Sherman will always be remembered for his indomitable humor and steadfast faith. Both were his strongholds and he was able to use these up to the very time he left this earth and found his final resting place in the arms of his beloved Savior.