In Memoriam: Allison Sherman

The Department of Art History and Art Conservation mourns the loss of our colleague Dr. Allison Morgan Sherman, who passed away on 26 April 2017 after a courageous and spirited battle with cancer. Flags were lowered on campus Tuesday, May 2 and Wednesday, May 3, 2017 in her memory.

Known to her friends as Allie, Dr. Sherman was a highly regarded and much loved member of the Queen’s community. She is sorely missed by friends, colleagues, and students, who were moved and inspired by her kindness, her contagious passion for the art history she so loved, and the joy that she brought to life and to those around her.

She is remembered at length in an obituary posted online by her family and a touching In Memoriam post was contributed to the Renaissance Society of America website by her friends, mentors, and colleagues Dr. Sharon Gregory, St Francis Xavier University, and Dr. Sally Hickson, University of Guelph.

A photographic tribute to her work in Venice was created by her good friend and architectural historian Dr. Peter Coffman, who writes:

"I had the wonderfully good fortune to spend time with Allie in Venice on several occasions. She shared her favourite place on earth the same way she shared everything else: with passion, joy, warmth and superhuman generosity. People are often most palpably present through the things they most love. I hope that seeing Venice through Allie’s eyes evokes something of her radiant spirit."

Allison Sherman's spirit will forever be linked to the Venice Summer School, which she attended as an undergraduate in 2000 and which she directed and co-taught since 2011.