Toby Sherry

Note: Due to external circumstances, Toby’s Celebration of life on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at Capitol Lakes Retirement Community has been cancelled.

Madison - Toby E. Sherry, age 92, passed away on Feb. 18, 2020 at Capitol Lakes Assisted Living. He was born on October 30, 1927 to Dora (Sime) and Harold Sherry in Milwaukee, WI. Toby moved to Madison as a child and attended Lakewood School and Wisconsin High. He served in the Navy during World War II, and after his service went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1952, he married Margaret "Peggy" DesRochers, and they raised four children in Madison.

While in Madison, Toby worked for First Wisconsin National Bank (now U.S. Bank) for 37 years, and then served as the Wisconsin Banking Commissioner under Governor Tommy Thompson. Toby served on many boards locally and nationally, among them the American Bankers Association, Nation Mutual Benefit, YWCA, WPS, Private Industry Council, John A. Johnson Foundation, the University Book Store, Natural Resources Board, Hy Cite Corporations, Sand County Foundation, Monona Tube and Welding and Schoeps Ice Cream Company. He was a Trustee of the Village of Maple Bluff and president of Maple Bluff Country Club.

Toby was a member of Ducks Unlimited (DU) for over 70 years. During the 50’s and 60’s, Toby travelled the state sharing the DU story and helping start many of the early DU chapters by providing them with seed money and advice long before DU had any staff in Wisconsin. Toby served Ducks Unlimited in leadership positions from the 1960's to the 1990's. He served as Wisconsin State Chairman, on the DU National Board as Regional Vice President, and on the DU National Finance Committee. Toby’s love for DU never waned. He is one of the reasons Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited has been so successful for so many years. Toby is known as the “Father of Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited”.

Toby loved hunting (especially duck hunting in the Cherokee Marsh), fishing and all outdoor activities. He hunted and fished in Africa, Canada and throughout the United States. He spent much of his retirement time in Adams County at the cabin he and Peggy built by hand out of reclaimed barn wood. There, he would chop and stack wood, hunt and sit on the deck watching birds and other wildlife that gathered by the pond.

Toby and Peggy traveled extensively around the world, many of their explorations would now be labelled “adventure travel”. They trekked throughout Nepal, watched the Grey Whales migrate off the Baja Peninsula and hunted and travelled throughout Africa. Toby was also a volunteer for The Overseas Association. He and Peggy spent time in Poland, Uganda and Kazakhstan where he consulted for a number of banks.

Toby is survived by a son, Timothy Sherry (Jill) of Madison, WI and a daughter Robyn Sherry Davison (Thomas Davison) of Lake Mills, WI. Toby had seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Margaret "Peggy" and sons, Hunter Sherry (Randi) and Todd Sherry.

Toby loved his family, Madison and the outdoors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Toby's name be made to Capitol Lakes, 333 W. Main Street, Madison WI 53703 or to Agrace Hospicecare, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy., Fitchburg, WI 53711.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

2418 N. Sherman Ave.

608-249-8257