Sherwood Dees, 81, of Springfield died Monday, September 29, 1997 at Lewis Memorial Christian Village. He was born April 1, 1916, in Medford, Mass., the son of Rev. Jesse Walter and Frances Sherwood Dees. He married Edna Bear in Leipsic, Ohio, in 1941.

Mr. Dees was involved in education for 36 years, serving as classroom teacher, coach and administrator in Washington, Metamora, Fairbury, Olney and Dixon, and in the State Office of Education in Springfield.

At the time of his retirement in 1976, he was director of vocational and technical education for the State of Illinois.

He was a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and did advance studies at the University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University. In 1966 he received the Loyalty Award from the College of Education Alumni Association at the University of Illinois. In 1968 he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Survivors: wife, Edna; two sons, Sherwood Dees of Mapleton, and James Dees of Chatham; a daughter, Susan Fiege of Glendale Heights; eight grandchildren; two brothers, Rev. David Dees of Bloomington, and Lloyde Dees of Urbana; and a sister, Frances Foster of Champaign.

Services at Boardman-Smith Funeral Chapel, the Rev. David Dees officiating. Burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Published in State Journal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) – October 1, 1997