Gloria Neve, sister of Francine Neve Sherman, says Francine was a true Nightingale “Lady with the Lamp.” She was dedicated to the alleviation of suffering and the restoration of health. She also took great comfort in her religious beliefs.

Francine died on May 22, 2018, after a short battle with cancer. She graduated from Howard City High School and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ferris State University. She was a 1961 graduate of the Butterworth School of Nursing and provided over twenty-five years of caring and skillful work as a pediatric and “charge” nurse at Butterworth. After retiring from Butterworth she was an adjunct professor at Davenport University, where she helped create numerous course documents for EMT/Paramedic classes. She also taught Basic Life Support.

Both Francine’s mother and grandmother shared in the love of nursing. Although neither was given the chance to get an advanced degree, Francine’s grandmother was a midwife. Francine grew up in Pierson, MI, a small farming community where hard-work and simple pleasures defined family life.

To honor her memory and her good work at Davenport, Gloria provided a generous gift to Davenport that establishes the Francine (Neve) Sherman Memorial Endowed Scholarship, which will assist a deserving female student pursuing a RN-BSN degree and who attends the W.A. Lettinga campus in Grand Rapids.

If you’d like to support this scholarship gifts can be sent to:
Davenport University
Office of Alumni and Development
6185 Kraft Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Checks should be made payable to Davenport University with a designation to support the Francine (Neve) Sherman Memorial Scholarship.