Longtime Owasso Physician and Renaissance Woman Dies at 96
Dr. Harriett C. Sherrill, 96, of Owasso, died Saturday, March 3, 2017 at Evergreen Care Center.
Dr. Sherrill was born November 3, 1920 to Shannon and Averil Calvert in Tulsa, OK. Harriett studied art, played piano and took voice lessons growing up. As a teenager, Harriett was scheduled to audition before Lily Pons of the New York Metropolitan Opera. She maintained a love of the arts.
On June 19, 1938, Harriett married C.B. Sherrill of Tulsa and they had three children, Gary, Sharon and Tom. While living in Tulsa, Harriett worked as the first female draftsman, working on oil field maps. In 1948, C.B and Harriett left Tulsa for Owasso, OK, and opened Sherrill and Sherrill Real Estate. Together, they helped develop and promote the small town. They were custom home builders and built many commercial properties. In addition, they operated Prairie Moon Ranch, raising cattle and breeding beautiful Collies.
Harriett attended Tulsa University and earned her B.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1963. While applying to medical schools, she also obtained her pilot’s license in 1963 and flew her own plane.
On June 6, 1968, Harriett became a Doctor of Osteopathy from the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Des Moines, IA. She completed her internship in Dallas, TX at East Side Hospital.
Dr. Sherrill returned to Owasso, where she designed her own clinic and had a general practice for 25 years.
In 1972, Dr. Sherrill married George Garrett of Owasso. Together they developed many acres of prime land, while Dr. Sherrill continued to practice medicine and retired in 1991.
Among her other accomplishments, Dr. Sherrill was known for being a compassionate physician and animal lover, civil rights advocate, medical mission trips and extensive travel, and she received the Service to Mankind Award from the Owasso Sertoma Club for 2003-2004. Dr. Sherrill was a member of Discovery Bible Fellowship church.
Dr. Sherrill was preceded in death by her parents, her brother S. W. Calvert, her first and second husbands, step-children Peggy Blunt, Pam Elliott and Dale Garrett, grandson Paul Collins, and two great grandchildren, London Durr and Jordan Sherrill. Survivors include her three children Gary Sherrill, Sharon (Ed) Collins and Tom (Pat) Sherrill, all of Tulsa, 11 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren.
Visitation for the public is Friday, March 10, from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Dighton-Moore Funeral Service at 116 N. Main St. in Owasso, OK. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 11, at BibleChurch, 201 N. Main St., Owasso at 1:00 P.M. The burial will be at Rose Hill in Tulsa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gift cards from PetSmart may be mailed to the Owasso Animal Shelter at 500 S. Main St., Owasso, OK 74055.
