Peter Sherrill
a communications expert and longtime technical director of the Field Poll, died at his Sausalito home on April 9.
Mr. Sherrill, who had been ill for three years with pulmonary fibrosis, was 70.
An expert in statistical mathematics and market analysis, Mr. Sherrill was vice president of the Field Research Corp. for 20 years, where he was regarded as an innovator in survey methodology. In 1983, he co-founded the SL Corp., a computer software firm in Corte Madera.
He held a doctorate from Stanford University, where he was a guest professor at the Graduate School of Business. He was also a guest professor at the Institute for Communications Research. In 1977, he was named Distinguished Professor of Business atSan Francisco State University.
Born in Washington, D.C., Mr. Sherrill was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Korean War. A patron of the arts, he served on the boards of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Ballet.
Survivors include his son, Nathaniel H. Sherrill of Los Angeles; a daughter, Martha L. Sherrill of Washington, D.C.; a sister,Susan Cary of Tucson, Ariz.; and a brother, Stephen Sherrill of Pasadena. A private funeral service is to be held today.
