Sherman Willard Tribbitt (November 9, 1922 – August 14, 2010) was an American merchant and politician from Odessa in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a World War II veteran and a member of the Democratic Party who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as the 17th lieutenant governor of Delaware, and as the 67th governor of Delaware. Early life and family Tribbitt was born in Denton, Maryland, the son of Sherman L. and Minnie Thawley Tribbitt. He married Jeanne Webb in 1943. They had three children, James, Carol, and Sherman "Tip", and were members of the Presbyterian Church. He studied accounting at Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware and briefly worked at the Security Trust Company in Wilmington. During World War II he served in the United States Navy. In early 1945 he was aboard the destroyer USS Frost in the North Atlantic when his unit received a Presidential Citation for sinking five U-boats. Professional and political career Following World War II, he and his father-in-law operated the Odessa Supply Company in Odessa, Delaware, where they lived. In 1956, Tribbitt was elected to the first of four terms in the Delaware House of Representatives, where he served from 1957 to 1964. He was Speaker from 1959 to 1964. Tribbitt prevailed in a difficult convention contest for the nomination and was elected lieutenant governor of Delaware in 1964, defeating William T. Best, a State Representative from Rehoboth Beach. He served from January 19, 1965 to January 21, 1969. Surprised to find Governor Charles L. Terry Jr. wanted to serve two terms, Tribbitt had no choice but to run for a second term himself. Like Terry, he was narrowly defeated in the 1968 Republican landslide by Eugene Bookhammer, a State Senator from Lewes. Governor of Delaware Patiently planning a political recovery, Tribbitt was elected again to the Delaware House of Representatives in 1970 and was immediately elected minority leader for the 1971–72 session. When Governor Russell W. Peterson stumbled over the state's finances, Tribbitt had another opportunity for the governorship and was elected governor in 1972, defeating Peterson. Tribbitt nearly made an appointment to the U.S. Senate. Future president Joe Biden was elected to the Senate in same year Tribbitt was elected. On December 18, 1972, Biden’s wife and daughter died in car crash which injured Biden’s sons. Biden contemplating on resigning his Senate seat, but decided to stay in the Senate