Bradley Jerome Sherman

Bradley Jerome Sherman

May 22, 1943 - April 03, 2024

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Obituary

A recording of Brad's memorial service is available until May 14th in the Special Events section at https://holywisdommonastery.org/monastery-without-walls/streaming/.



FITCHBURG - Bradley J. Sherman was born in Eau Claire, Wis., on May 22, 1943, to Betty and Jerry Sherman. He graduated from Chippewa Falls High School in 1961 and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1966, then moved to Wild Rose to teach history and coach at the high school there. The second day on the job, Brad went weak in the knees upon meeting the school’s art teacher, Jean Brownlow. He worked up the nerve to ask her out for a date, which she accepted. He and his date soon found out they were both born May 22, 1943; a sign, perhaps, that this was meant to be. On Aug. 19, 1967, at the Camp Lucerne chapel in Neshkoro, Jean became Brad’s life partner and best friend.


After teaching and coaching for five years, Brad was hired as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1978, Brad decided he wanted to see athletic training services provided to high school athletes and returned to teaching and coaching, this time at Lakeland High School in Minocqua.


In 1981, an opportunity presented itself at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics to help develop a sports medicine program. Along with Dr. William Clancy, administrators Gordon Derzon and Gordon Ridley, and a dedicated staff of wonderful, passionate professionals, Brad and his colleagues transformed a fledging program of two orthopedists, a physical therapist, and an athletic trainer into one of the top sports medicine programs in the country. In 1995, the program moved into a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary facility that included sports medicine, spine, and family medicine clinics and cardiac rehabilitation, fitness, and aquatic centers.


Along with his career in sports medicine, Brad was active in the United Methodist Camping Ministry. He began as a summer counselor at Camp Lucerne in 1962 and over the next 50 years served in a variety of roles within the program, including serving as site director at Camp Lucerne from 2002-2004.


Like his father, Brad was a grounded man who valued life’s simple gifts: a house wren nesting in his backyard pine, prairie wildflowers in bloom, floating on his back out beyond the raft at Stratton Lake. He treasured time spent with his faith community, his friends, and his family. Above all, he loved Jean deeply and was an exemplar of “to have and to hold, in sickness and in health.”


Brad is survived by his wife, Jean; son, Paul (Teresa Perez); daughter, Amy Kortbein (Thad); son, Eric (Melissa Rosenkranz); three grandchildren, Jonathan, Pearl and Indigo; sisters, Peggy Sherman and Jane (Dennis) Klapoetke; and brothers- and sisters-in-law, David and Mary Werth, Charles and Sherry Brownlow, and Debbie and Jim Brownlow. He was preceded in death by his daughter-in-law, Linda Sherman.


A celebration of life will be held at HOLY WISDOM MONASTERY, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 15, 2024.


Memorials may be made to the UW-Madison Athletic Training Program Scholarship Fund-112304368, Lake Lucerne Camp, or Agrace Hospice Care.


Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson West

Funeral & Cremation Care

7435 University Ave.

(608) 831-6761



Events

15
Celebration of Life
Mon Apr 15, 2024 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Holy Wisdom Monastery • 4200 County Rd M, Middleton, WI 53562
Get Directions
15
Livestream
Mon Apr 15, 2024 @ 10:01 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Holy Wisdom Monastery • 4200 County Rd M, Middleton, WI 53562
Get Directions

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Memories

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Bradley
JT
Jill Thein-Nissenbaum
Other •
Oh, my heart! Brad was like a father to me (and others): stern but kind, pushed you to your limits to make you a better person (and health care professional) I am eternally grateful to him for his vision of collaborative care in sports medicine. I would not be where I am today without him. Thank you Brad, you will be missed, but your influence and passion lives on in many! Wishing the family and all friends peace.
IN
Isaac Nadeau
Other •
It was Day 2 of the President’s Cup indoor soccer tournament in Madison, and I had twisted my ankle. Eric brought me to his dad's house. Brad disappeared into a closet and came out with tape and gauze. Gave me the best ankle tape job of my life. I was able to play. Scored a goal with the taped ankle to put us into the finals. We lost, but that wasn’t Brad’s fault. With love Brad’s family, Isaac
PM
Pat McBride
Other •
When Brad found out we were buying a property in central Wisconsin he said “Where?!?” I said “South of Waupaca”. He said “Where south of Waupaca?!” I said “On Lake Stratton- the big red barn”. He said “we are moving!” He would of course never move from the family paradise, and he and Jean would canoe over and show us much of the area. I met Brad through my work in dreaming of expanding our programs in sports medicine and prevention into our new facility, and he and Peter Hanson and I would negotiate with Gordon Derzon and Tommy Thompson and the dream became reality. Two old athletic trainers - we had a ball! He’d put on this grumpy act and soon he’d be laughing and his shoulders shaking and he’d have some wise crack. I’ll miss that and our great conversations on anything from birds to politics to sports to life. Miss you my friend
KM
Kevin McMahon
Other •
Brad was one of the most decent people I ever met. This is very sad news. He worked in a tough business and came through with a calm demeanor and rarely was negative about his bosses, coworkers or docs he worked with. I learned a lot from him when I came to Madison. My condolences to Jean and his family. A very good man was Brad.
TK
Todd Kuckkahn
Other •
As an incoming student manager with the WI basketball program, Brad was an incredible mentor for me. We also reconnected through Facebook recently and he continued where he left off. Blessings to the family!
BN
Bill Nitzke
Other •
Brad and I were friends and colleagues at UW Hospital in the formative years of the Sports Medicine program and for many years and years thereafter. He cared deeply about his work and those he worked with but magnitudes more about his family. He was there for me during my wife's long illness and was as sincere and loving a person you would ever have the privilege to know and I will miss him greatly.

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