Elizabeth D. Sherburne
April 30, 1931 – Dec. 28, 2023
IN THE CARE OF Beach Memorial Chapel
Biffy and her husband Don sailed Lightning's for years and in 1994 was the the first female Commodore of the Harbor Island Yacht Club on Old Hickory Lake, Fleet 262 in Old Hickory, TN.
Elizabeth Darling Sherburne was born in Huntington, Long Island, New York on April 30, 1931. She passed away in St. Petersburg, FL on December 28, 2023 at the age of 92. She was the daughter of Helen Elizabeth Statesir and Harold Darling and sister of Marjorie Darling Taylor, all of whom predeceased her. In 1955 Elizabeth (Biffy) married her college sweetheart, Donald W. Sherburne, whom she met at Middlebury College. They were married for 65 years and had three children, Kevin D. Sherburne, Nancy E. Sherburne and Lynne D. Sherburne-Benz and five grand children, David B. Sherburne, Karl S. Benz, Helene S. Benz, Catherine E. Benz-Jackson and Christopher S. Brace as well as one great grandchild, Leo F. Benz.
Those who met Biffy learned quickly that she was a very astute, capable, caring, down to earth woman with a deep love of music who shared that passion with others in a variety of creative ways. As a young woman she taught vocal and instrumental music at Toaz Junior High School in Huntington, Long Island. Throughout her life she was a staunch supporter of public education and spent years creating music programming for the Nashville Public School system, particularly students from underserved communities. In 1976 Biffy received the Tennessee Volunteer Activist award for her work in that capacity. She was also a competitive athlete and great lover of the outdoors who instilled a deep appreciation of nature in her children, which they cherish to this day. Biffy cared deeply about her family and was the rock on which her close family grew and thrived. It was her insight and guidance that led Don to take up sailing, which became a foundational family love. She enjoyed her summers at Lake Dunmore in Vermont, which reminded her of her many years as a camp counselor at Songadeewin of Keewaydin on Lake Willoughby where she developed a love of archery and canoeing. However, her happy place was definitely walking the beach looking for shells with the sound of the surf, the smell of salt water and the breeze in her hair.
Throughout her education Biffy focused her studies on languages, fine arts and music. She earned her B.A. degree from Middlebury College and her M.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At Middlebury she played varsity hockey, lacrosse and basketball and became certified as a National Basketball referee. She played clarinet in the college band and directed the band on the football field during games. She was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority and led their triple trio as well as wrote and arranged music for that and other groups on campus. While at Harvard Biffy sang with the Radcliffe Choral Society, a tradition she continued in Nashville singing with the Nashville Symphony Chorus for the 35 years she was there. From 1980 to 1985 she co-edited an Interdisciplinary Journal called Soundings with her husband, Don Sherburne. And in 1994 she became the first female Commodore of the Harbor Island Yacht Club where she and Don sailed Lightnings for many years.
In retirement Biffy was an active member of the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC) in St. Petersburg, FL where she was the leader of the ASPEC Singers. She was a talented pianist as well as organist and drew great pleasure from accompanying the singers, playing piano four hands with friends and performing in music concerts at Westminster Suncoast, the retirement community she and Don joined in 2015. While at Westminster, she lead the community singers, played in the hand bell and chimers groups and co-edited the Westminster Suncoast Journal.
In lieu of flowers, we would like to request donations to “The Sherburne Scholarship Fund” at Middlebury College. You can donate online using the following link: http://www.middlebury.edu/giving/ways. In the “Give To” box select “Other” and then type in “The Sherburne Scholarship Fund” on the line provided to direct the funds to that account