Services are planned for Harvard junior hit by car in Harvard Square

A memorial service is planned for a Harvard undergraduate student who died in December. Twenty-year-old Shira Palmer-Sherman ’02 suffered irreversible brain damage after being struck by an automobile while crossing a street in Harvard Square.

Palmer-Sherman, a Pforzheimer House resident who was studying history and literature, was from Englewood, N.J. She was active in Harvard Hillel, theatrical productions, and served as a tutor in a House program.

“She was passionate about drama, religion, friends, and family,” said Benjamin Galper ’02, Palmer-Sherman’s close friend. “She was one of the most energetic, vibrant people I’ve ever met. She really lit up a room.”

“We have lost a wonderful friend, a playful spirit, and a person of enormous promise,” said Rabbi Shai Held, member of the United Ministry at Harvard/Radcliffe. “There is nothing to do now but mourn and try to find a little bit of comfort in each other.”

Harvard Hillel will hold a memorial service for Palmer-Sherman on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. A private service for residents of Pforzheimer House will be held at a later date.