Sherman Allen Hope

Sherman Allen Hope, 93, of Lubbock, TX (formerly of Brownfield, TX) died peacefully on May 12, 2025, in Dallas. He was born on February 23, 1932, in Lubbock, to Sherman Howard Hope and Edna Ruth Mosby Hope. After living in several places in Texas and Oklahoma, his family eventually settled in Oklahoma City, OK, and he graduated from Northeast High School in 1950. He received a B.S. degree from Baylor University in 1953.

At Baylor, he met Ann Dobyns from Clarksdale, MI. They married on June 2, 1953, and were married for almost 69 years until Ann’s death in 2022. The couple lived in Oklahoma City for four years while Sherman completed his medical school training, graduating in 1957 from the University of Oklahoma. They then lived in Denver, CO, and in Panama City, FL, where he served in the U. S. Air Force until 1960.

After spending a year in Pryor, OK, Sherman and Ann settled in Brownfield, TX, in 1961. They lived in Brownfield for 56 years, raising their large family of seven children. Sherman practiced medicine (Board Certified, Family Practice) in the community until he retired in 2000 at age 68. To enhance the medical facilities in the town, he initiated the drive to build a new hospital in Brownfield, and he built the Brownfield Medical Clinic in 1972, in which he practiced medicine with several other doctors. The modern clinic facility and the new hospital in town enabled him to recruit other doctors (badly needed) to the rural area.

Besides practicing medicine, Sherman was also involved in many community organizations such as the Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts. An active member of First Baptist Church, he served as a deacon and taught Sunday School the entire time he lived in Brownfield, first for teenage boys and then for older adults. Spirituality was a life-long interest for Sherman, and he always sought ways of growing closer to God as his faith guided his life. He served on the board of Buckner International (formerly Buckner Baptist Benevolences) from 1974 until 2008, traveling faithfully to Dallas for board meetings and working hard to fulfill Buckner’s mission of helping children and families. Buckner was the organization through which he and Ann adopted their twin sons in 1969.

Sherman enjoyed a multitude of hobbies during his lifetime. When he designed the permanent family home in Brownfield (built in 1966), he included a woodworking room where he pursued his interest in woodworking with his collection of tools of all kinds. He enjoyed painting (with oils, pastels, and acrylics), growing fruits and vegetables, camping, flying airplanes (for a period), and hunting and fishing.

A life-long learner, he was a copious reader of all kinds of books and loved playing all types of games with anyone who would engage. The family always enjoyed playing a variety of board games, cards, dominoes, marbles, etc., at family gatherings. A further interest of Sherman’s, which he shared with Ann, was writing. The couple wrote lengthy, detailed accounts of their lives as well as entertaining stories and poetry. What a gift these writings are to their family.

Probably because of his children, Sherman’s favorite sport was tennis. Many family activities revolved around tennis, and Sherman loved playing. He took lessons and played until he was well into old age, and he became a beloved mascot on the courts among younger players. They nicknamed him “the Shermanator.” His eightieth birthday celebration was held at a tennis center where many attendees (including him!) had fun competing.

Sherman and Ann enjoyed traveling and were able to visit many interesting places, both in our country and abroad. Besides being fun, they felt that travel really broadened their minds and expanded their worldview. When their children were young, there were family vacations that included lots of driving, camping, and seeing national parks and beaches. They would often take a child with them whenever they attended medical meetings in interesting cities. In later years, they were able to travel internationally. Included among their foreign destinations were such exotic places as India, Russia, China, and Antarctica.

In 2017, Sherman and Ann moved from Brownfield to Carillon Senior Living Center in Lubbock.

Family was always of primary importance to Sherman, and spending time with his loved ones was his greatest joy in life. He was a devoted father, grandfather, and great-grandfather as well as a loving friend to many. His humor, compassion, generosity, and wisdom endeared him to scores of people throughout all stages of his life. His sense of adventure was contagious.

Sherman is survived by his children, Mary Ruth Keller (Kenton) of Dallas; Allen Hope, (Rose) of Riverside, CA; Judy Whisenant (Danny) of Levelland, TX; Sue Ann Kimberling of Levelland, TX; Richard Hope of Lubbock, TX; and Jimmy Hope (Melissa) of Brownfield, TX. He is survived by fourteen grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren.

Sherman is preceded in death by his parents and brother; Howard, Edna Ruth, and Ronald Hope; his wife, Ann Hope; his son Timothy Hope; his grandson, Chad Whisenant; and his daughter-in-law, Karla Hope.

A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Neil Chapel, Carillon Senior Living Center, 1717 Norfolk Ave., Lubbock, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Buckner International for work with children and families (U. S. domestic ministries) or to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

For those who would like to view the service, it will be livestreamed on Mary Keller's Facebook page.