Edward J. Sherman, 86, of Marlborough, formerly of Duxbury and Wilton, Conn. died May 12 at Marlborough Hospital surrounded by family. He was born Oct. 31, 1924 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Edward and Helen Sherman. 

In 1942, Mr. Sherman enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served as a B-24 Bomber Pilot stationed in Foggia Italy completing two Atlantic crossings and 22 combat missions throughout Northern France, Germany, the Balkans, North Apennines, Po Valley and Central Europe. He was decorated with six Bronze Battle Stars, the Air Medal and two Bronze Clusters as well as the Good Conduct Medal. He was a 1946 graduate of Manhattan College and went on to earn a masters degree in chemistry from Fordham University. He began his career as a chemist at the GE Laboratories in Pittsfield where he was credited with several patents in solid-state technology. He spent the last 20 years of his career at RCA Corporation in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City as director of business planning. His interests included his children and grandchildren as well as a lifelong passion for astronomy and physics.

Mr. Sherman leaves his  wife of 61 years, Laura (Gritz); his eight children and their spouses, Peter Sherman of Houston, Tex., Lauren Sherman of Marlborough, Virginia Neff of Groton, Mark Sherman of Boxborough,  Michael Sherman of Wilton, Conn., Christopher Sherman of Duxbury, Carolyn Singer of Seattle, Wash. and JR Sherman of Wilton, Conn.;  his sister Florence Cunningham of Phoenix, Az.; and 19 grandchildren.  A Mass celebrating his life will be held on Thursday, May 19 at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Duxbury. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, May 18 from 4-8 p.m. at Shepherd’s Funeral Home in Kingston. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Collings Foundation P.O. Box 248, Stow, MA 01775 for the support of “living history” events involving the last operating vintage B-24 Bomber.