By By Lydia Grimes – features reporter
Former Brewton mayor Ray Madison Sherer, who served 18 years and is remembered for leading the city through a gas explosion downtown, died Thursday.
Sherer was born in Flat Creek in Walker County. He was a veteran of World War II and when he returned from active duty, he attended Auburn University. He graduated in 1948 from Auburn University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He served as president of Kappa Alpha while at Auburn. He came, along with his brother, John, to Brewton in 1954, where they opened Sherer Brothers department store on Deer Street. The business was in operation for 40 years until it was closed in 1994.
Sherer was active in the City of Brewton government for many years. He served on the water board and was a member of the Brewton City Council for six years. He was serving as mayor pro tem in 1970 when Mayor Philip T. May resigned to run for the Alabama House of Representatives.
Sherer was appointed mayor of Brewton by the other members of the City Council to serve out the rest of May's term. He subsequently ran for the office and was elected and served as mayor for 18 years before resigning in 1988.
After his retirement, Sherer did some of the things he loved best.
Graveside funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m. at Union Cemetery, with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.
For more details, see the obituary on page 3A.