William E. "Bill" Sherman, 47, of 212 E. Hillcrest Ave., New Castle, died Wednesday afternoon at his home.

Born Oct. 31, 1959, in Weirton, W.Va., he was the son of Margaret McGinty of Sanford, N.C., and the late Paul Sherman. He was the stepson of Mary Lee Sherman of Chester, W.Va., and the late, Ward Dexter.

A 1978 alumnus of New Castle High School, he was a graduate of the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and was a state certified Level 1 firefighter and an assistant state instructor.

Mr. Sherman was an arson investigator for the U.S. Investigation Services in Boyers.

A volunteer fireman since he was a teenager, he was a junior firefighter for the Union Township, and from 1981 to 2002 he was with the Neshannock Township Fire Department, where he served as captain and lieutenant and president. This past year he was with the Hickory Volunteer Fire Department.

He enjoyed riding motorcycles and 4-wheelers and camping.

He was a member of the Third Presbyterian Church, New Castle.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara Sherman, whom he married Sept. 9, 1989; a daughter, Amber N. Sherman of New Castle; five brothers, Ralph Sherman of Ashboro. N.C., Jeffery Sherman with the military in Montana, John Polokas of Nashville, Tenn., and James P. and Joe Polokas, both of Chester; and two sisters, LeeannHuff of Chester and Pam Jones of Sanford, N.C.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Rebecca Sherman.

<B>SHERMAN </B>— Friends of William E. "Bill" Sherman, who died Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the <B>R. Cunningham Funeral Home</B>, Wilmington Road, New Castle. Services will be at 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Douglas Hughes, his church pastor, officiating. Donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Pittsburgh Office, Suite 602, 300 Penn Center Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15235.Online condoleces may be submitted at cunningham@cunninghamfh.com.