Bellows Falls, VT – Madeline Sherman, 87, died Saturday evening, August 27, 2011, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, after a brief illness. A long-time resident of Brattleboro, she made her home for the last three years at McGirr Nursing Home in Bellows Falls. Ms. Sherman was born October 3, 1923 in Boston, MA, daughter of Homer Sherman and Lillian (Johnston) Sherman. She grew up in Charlemont, MA. She attended Charlemont High School for two years and graduated from Northfield School for Girls in Northfield, MA. She attended Smith College in Northampton, MA, graduating (Phi Beta Kappa) in the class of 1946. In 1950 she obtained a Masters Degree in English also from Smith College. While at Smith, Ms. Sherman won the prestigious Elizabeth Babcock Poetry Prize for her poems, many of which were published in literary magazines, and received other awards and scholarships for her writing. She undertook additional graduate study at Columbia University, Adelphi Center of Creative Arts, Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English and Colgate University. Ms. Sherman taught English for many years at independent secondary schools including: St. Margaret's School for Girls in Waterbury, CT, the Dwight School in Englewood, NJ, Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT, and Cathedral School of St. Mary in Garden City, NY. She loved teaching and the opportunity to expose young women to the subject she loved. A trip around the world as a young woman sparked what would be a life-long interest in world events and world leaders. She maintained her passion for English literature throughout her life, and continued to write about topics of interest to her, keeping up an active correspondence. She loved animals and always had pets in her home. She actively followed and contributed to a number of animal rescue charities. At her death she had no immediate family surviving, both parents having predeceased her, but was survived by her close friends, who were beside her during her last days. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be conducted on Saturday, September 10th at 11:00 A.M. at St. Charles Roman Catholic Church in Bellows Falls. Burial will follow in Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro. There are no calling hours at the funeral home. Memorial donations in Mrs. Sherman's name may be made to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302-0397.