James Weston Sherbon, Ph.D., passed away Thursday, January 2, 2020 at his home in Lenexa, Kansas. He was 83 and will be remembered as a highly respected and loving husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor, and friend.
The son of Ora J. and Bessie (Coulter) Sherbon, James (Jim) was born August 3, 1936 in Arkansas City, Kansas. He grew up helping his dad in the garage at the family O.J. Sherbon Motor Company Desoto-Plymouth Dealership. He graduated from Arkansas City High School with the class of 1954 and from Arkansas City Junior College in 1956. Jim received a Bachelor of Music Education in 1959 and a Master of Science in Music Education in 1960 from Emporia State University. He then received a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education with Minors in Statistics and Research from the University of Kansas in 1973.
On May 27, 1959 Jim and Glenda J. Steward were united in marriage at Holton Methodist Church, in Holton, Kansas. They moved to Kansas City, Kansas where Jim taught band & orchestra at Argentine Jr. Sr. High School for twelve years while working on his Ph.D. and serving as Principal Trombonist in the Kansas City, Kansas Symphony Orchestra. They had two daughters, Gina and Juli. Following a post-doctoral one-year Research Appointment at the University of Kansas in 1974 and a subsequent one-year Assistant Professorship in Graduate Music Education at the University of Texas at Austin, Jim moved the family to North Carolina and taught for twenty-seven years as Professor of Graduate Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). While in Greensboro, Jim and his family were active members at Christ United Methodist Church. Jim enjoyed playing his trombone for special music at the church, singing with the choir, and being the musical director and conductor in the Music Man and Oklahoma productions.
At UNCG, Dr. Sherbon advised doctoral dissertations and held multiple positions including: Director of Graduate Studies in Music for fifteen years, an interim position as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Director of the University Summer Session, Director of Continuing Education, and Chair of the Division of Music Education. He also refereed and consulted on over thirty publications including textbooks and research published in state, regional, and national journals, provided extensive lectures, and served on editorial boards for publications. Dr. Sherbon's publications were included in journals such as the Journal of Research in Music Education, the Music Educators Journal, the Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning, Buros Mental Measurements Yearbooks, Southeastern Journal of Music Education, the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education and the Second Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning. His principal research focus was in hearing acuity; hearing conservation; diplacusis; pitch perception and discrimination; psychoacoustics; testing, assessment, and evaluation; and musical achievement and aptitude.
Dr. Sherbon retired in 2002 at the age of 65, was promoted to Professor Emeritus and moved to Lenexa, Kansas. His hobbies upon retirement continued to include teaching courses through distance learning and advising doctoral dissertations. He adjudicated and guest conducted secondary school bands and orchestras and free-lanced on trombone throughout the Kansas City area, primarily in summer theatre pit orchestras and church performances. He was also a substitute teacher with the Kansas City area public schools. In 2007 Dr. Sherbon was appointed to Visiting Professor Emeritus in the School of Music at The University of Oklahoma in a full time graduate teaching and Ph.D. advising role. Outside of academics his hobbies included working with automobiles, wood-turning, and a renewed interest in the railroad including gaining a conductor certificate from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway National Academy of Railroad Sciences. He also enjoyed visiting his grandchildren in North Carolina and following their activities.
Dr. Sherbon was a devoted teacher who loved his students and held them accountable to be their best. In total he taught for over fifty years and advised and completed over sixty-five doctoral dissertations. He was an active member of the North Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma and National Associations for Music Educators. He was also a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Xi Phi and received an Outstanding Tiger Alumni award from Cowley County Community college.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of sixty years, Glenda, and two daughters, Gina Sherbon, of Lenexa, Kansas and Juli (Michael) Trexler of Raleigh, North Carolina, and two grandsons; Josh Trexler and Grant Trexler. Jim was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be held at 11am Thursday, January 9, 2020 at Lenexa United Methodist Church, 9138 Caenen Lake Rd, Lenexa, Kansas, with Rev. Ezekiel Koech officiating. The family will receive friends at the church immediately following the service. A graveside service will be held the following day at 11am Friday, January 10, 2020 at Riverview Cemetery in Arkansas City, Kansas with Rev. Sally Bates officiating. The family will receive friends at Bible Christian Church, 2411 N 8th St, Arkansas City, Kansas 67005 following the service. A soup lunch will be provided. Porter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Dr. Jim Sherbon's name to Lenexa United Methodist Church, 9138 Caenen Lake Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215.