Sherrell T. (Ted) Myrick Jr., age 79 of Newark, DE passed away unexpectantly on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 of complications from Parkinson’s which he fought for 23 years. He was born in Vincennes, IN on April 15, 1944 to Sherrell T. Myrick Sr. and Mary Leila (Barber) Myrick. At an early age, they moved to Seaford, DE and then Chattanooga, TN. He graduated from Chattanooga High School, the University of Tennessee (B.S. & M.S. Mech. Engg.) and from the University of Texas at Austin (PhD). Ted served in the U.S. Army Reserve. Ted’s 34-year career at DuPont started at the Experimental Station. He spent part of his career at in Beaumont, TX and the rest at various sites in New Castle County (Louviers, Beech St., & Chestnut Run) when he wasn’t traveling to various states, Asia and Europe. He rose to Principal Consultant, the highest technical rank. When he talked about his specialty in vibration, he would say that he was a doctor of machines. If the machine shook and wasn’t supposed to or didn’t shake and should, he would gather the measurements and solve the problem. At the time of his passing, he was writing a book about everything Engineers needed to know but didn’t learn in college. Ted was an artist and a poet. Everyone wanted him on their team when we played Pictionary. He was famous for his family Christmas poems and his retirement speeches to fellow DuPonters. He was also famous for his margarita recipe (the secret is a splash of beer in the blender!). Helping in his fight against Parkinson’s where his instructors, Katie and Mandy, at his twice weekly “boxing classes” at Rock Steady Boxing Cornerstone.
At Brainerd Jr. High School, Ted went out for the baseball team, but he wasn’t big enough. So he tried golf and received lessons from his Uncle, Sam Myrick, who was quite good. They used a slow motion camera to analyze his swing and he read many books about golf. Four years later, he won the Chattanooga Jaycee Junior Championship and placed 3rd in the 1960 Sandy Summer’s Tournament. By the time he moved to Delaware he was a TWO handicap and sought after by many to be their teammate. He even beat his DuPont supervisor! He was married briefly in college to Cathey Eves, who remained lifelong friends. Cathey’s father, Roland Eves, taught him to identify and photograph birds and his bird book is filled with the date and location of special sightings. From Cathey, he met his second wife, Glenda who brought along a daughter, Lara Tatman, that was such a joy in his life. He met his current wife, Laura, at the DuPont Louviers Building (nicknamed the “Lovers Building”) in 1986 and they had two sons together.
Over the years, he was a member of the Clear Lake Area Ski Club in TX and the DuPont Country Club. More recently he golfed at the Newark Country Club in DE, where he last played on May 27, 2023.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Laura Mackey, his daughter, Lara Tatman (Kris Wempa), sons, David Myrick and Kevin Myrick, granddaughter Danielle, brothers, Jerry (Cheryl) Myrick, and John (Tammy) Myrick, sisters Jane Myrick and Becky (Kenneth) Heard, and sister-in-law, Linda Minor, former wife Cathey Eves and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, mother-in-law Margaret (Larry) Wang, father-in-law, Stanley (Millie) Mackey, sister-in-law, Lois Mackey Neese Cuadrado, brother-in-law, Ken Minor and former wife Glenda Myrick. A celebration of Ted’s life will be held at noon on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at Newark Country Club, 300 W. Main St. Newark DE 19711.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ted’s honor may be made payable to “Rock Steady Boxing Cornerstone” and sent in care of McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes, 3924 Concord Pike., Wilmington, DE 19803 or to the MJ Fox Foundation (www.michaeljfox.org).
