Lawrence Michael Sherrod, Ph.D.

Michael Sherrod’s life began in Oklahoma City, born to a gentle John Wayne lookalike and devout mother on June 28, 1942. His early days were spent in catholic school, followed by hard work at the family owned Makins Concrete Company, which eventually became The Ready Mix Concrete Company we all know. Michael began his extensive education at St. Louis University, followed by the best of times at Oklahoma University, where he met his lifelong wife and companion, Peggy. They were married on June 12, 1964.

These golden days were financed by singing and playing his guitar around town. He was also a drummer in various bands. After his first child and a lot of college, Michael began to feel a pull toward public service, and served in the National Guard for almost a decade. A few more years of hard work at the concrete company gave way to knowing his calling was going to be in leadership and service, so he went back to school at Texas Tech for his doctorate in psychology. There, he and Peggy had their second child, and he knew he had found his calling.

This is the point at which the whole family left Oklahoma and Texas and moved east, to North Carolina and Duke University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Psychology. Fully equipped with his higher education, Michael picked up one last time, and headed for the mountains of Maryville, Tennessee, and a long stint at a very young Peninsula Psychiatric Hospital. These days were a tapestry of family, work, music, and the great outdoors, and gave birth to his deep love for the mountains and people of East Tennessee and Appalachia.

After the death of his parents, Michael used his inheritance to establish his own private practice, Child & Adult Clinical Associates, in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he spent the next forty years giving everything he had to his patients and colleagues. During these years, he served as president of the Psychological Association of Tennessee and discovered his second home at Saint Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, where he served as an elder and brought his vocals back to anchor the choir. One of the family’s favorite smiles came from his constant bass humming to literally anything with a tune. One of Michael’s many superpowers was the ability to navigate any situation with an utterly fair and neutral point of view and respond with thoughtful poise and the perfect response and advice. He absolutely loved a good joke but could never seem to get through telling one without laughing and starting over. A quiet and observant man, you know you had delivered comedy when he would come out of his shell and part the clouds with a bout of boisterous laughter. He loved cars, boats, music, dogs, football, an amazing view, and anything clever. He was driven to feel that ‘aha’ moment as often as possible.

A master of balance, Michael was not just a doctor, but an oak of a husband and father as well. Loyal and loving through almost six decades of marriage, he helped raise two boys into wildly creative and successful men. This resolve and love of life followed him to the end, where even after defying the odds (and advice of the doctors), he defeated multiple cancers to see out his final intentions. His wife and both sons were able to make it to him on his last day, November 4, 2021. He was 79.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Betty Sherrod, his sister, Judy Phelan, and his infant nephew, Ryan Phelan. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Peggy Irby Sherrod; son Scot Sherrod and his wife Christa Sherrod, and daughter Hannah Sherrod; and son Drew Sherrod and family, Gayle and Petal.

A celebration of Michael’s life will be held at 3:00pm, on December 4th, at Saint Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church. https://stelizchurch.org.