MARENGO, Ill. — An Illinois man who was one of the better-known atheists in the country and an activist for keeping religious and government affairs separate died in a plane crash last week, officials said Monday.

The McHenry County coroner said an autopsy Monday revealed that Robert I. Sherman, 63, of Poplar Grove, died from multiple crash injuries. Authorities said Sherman was piloting a small plane that crashed into a cornfield either Friday night or Saturday morning. The crash is under investigation. Sherman was an outspoken atheist and critic of using state money for religious purposes and having religious displays in public spaces. He also hosted a radio show and ran for public office several times.

“He was a proud fighter for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He was a great activist and a great person,” David Silverman, president of American Atheists Inc., said in an email to the Chicago Tribune. “I’ve flown with him in that very plane when he gave me a tour of Chicago. He loved that plane and loved flying it.”(nydailynews.com)…[+]