Sherrill Cleland passed away October 26, 2015, of natural causes at age 91 in Sarasota, Florida. He was born in 1924 in Galion, Ohio, to Fred and Doris Cleland. Sherrill is survived by his wife of 27 years, Diana Drake Cleland, and children, Ann Feldmeier, Doug Cleland, Sarah Allen, Scott Cleland, Cynthia Rush, Allison Abizaid, Linda Wiener, Carol Abizaid, Amanda Abizaid Plonsky and Richard Abizaid. He is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Sherrill was widowed by his first wife of 39 years, Betty Chorpenning Cleland. Sherrill and Diana owned a home in Waitsfield.
Personally Sherrill was known for his optimism, encouragement, curious mind and his interest in others and in the world. Professionally he was known for his creative ideas, commitment to mentoring others and promoting equal rights and opportunities for women. He was an outstanding teacher and educator, a leader and innovator in higher education and an accomplished economist. A decorated WWII veteran with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, Cleland earned a Ph.D. and MA in economics from Princeton University and a BA from Oberlin College. In his distinguished career, he served as president of Marietta College from 1973-89, dean of academic affairs at Kalamazoo College and as a board member of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, Cincinnati branch. Internationally, through the Ford Foundation, Dr. Cleland served as an economic adviser to Jordan helping create the country's first infrastructure development plan in Amman, 1963-64. Later he led the creation of the world's first master’s program in development economics at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, 1967-69.
Active in retirement, Dr. Cleland served as chairman of the Student Loan Funding Corporation and on the board of directors of KnowledgeWorks, Tuition Exchange and AMIDEAST.
Memorial services are planned in the Washington, DC, area and Marietta, Ohio (dates to be announced). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sherrill and Diana Drake Cleland Leadership Award for Experiential Learning Fund, at Marietta College, 215 Fifth Street, Marietta, Ohio 45750.
