| Obituary | Jul 8, 2004 | Rutland Co., VT, USA,
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Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - Jul. 6, 2004
* Indicates a paid obituary
Earl Joseph Sharrow
Earl Joseph Sharrow, 94, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2004 in the Rutland Regional Medical Center after a very brief illness.
He was born April 26, 1910 in Monessen, Pa., the first of five children of Franklin Earl and Jane Saphira (Blackburn) Sharrow. Upon high school graduation he followed his Blackburn uncles to work as a laborer in the Cleveland steel mills.
With the stock market crash in 1929 he found himself unemployed, which ultimately set a new course for his life when he discovered that he could work his way through college-a first for his family.
In 1936 he graduated from Ohio State with a degree in foreign trade and married his next door neighbor and childhood friend, Marjorie Lou Kidney. Starting out as a field rep for H.J. Heinz selling canned goods and condiments to saloons and CCC camps, he later worked for food brokerages in Columbus and Cleveland.
In 1947 he and Marge moved to her family's home community, Angola, Ind., where they spent the majority of their married life. Here he operated two businesses, one of which was a self-service laundry, at the time an utterly new idea. In 1961 he was hired as Director of Placement and Extended Services at Tri-State College in Angola where he worked until his retirement, establishing new programs and enhancing the prestige of the institution.
He and Marge then became travel agents and began traveling worldwide. For their last adventure in 2002 they moved from Angola to Rutland to be near their son Greg. Earl continued to cook, clean, drive, and shop until his final illness.
Earl will be remembered by all who knew him as the consummate gentleman, always gracious, dignified, and charming. He and Marge made a striking couple. They loved to entertain and their parties are legendary. To his dying day he had an open and inquisitive mind; he read widely and was always eager to talk about ideas, especially religion and politics.
Earl was a great animal fancier, commenting once that he hoped to be reincarnated as a cat.
He enjoyed boating, golf, bridge, and gardening. He had a fabulous sense of humor and was an engaging storyteller with a keen eye for human frailty and the absurdity of everyday experience. His life-affirming toasts were the highpoint of every holiday meal.
Throughout his lifetime Earl was involved with the Congregational Church, serving in every capacity from church moderator to Sunday school superintendent. He was also active in the Masonic orders including the Scottish Rite and the Pokagon Shrine Club of which he was a charter member. He was a longtime Rotary member and was president of the Angola Rotary Club in the 1950s. During his years at the college he took a leadership role in the Midwest College Placement Association serving for many years as officer and committee chair.
Earl is survived by his wife Marjorie of Rutland, Beth Sharrow of Sterling Heights, Mich., widow of his son Douglas, and by his son Gregory and Gregory's civil union partner Robert Hooker of Pittsford. Also by grandchildren Amy Joyce, Eve Kaltz, Scott Sharrow, Kathryn Line, Madeline Sharrow, Olivia Sharrow, Siobhan Henry-Hooker, and Elizabeth Henry-Hooker; 14 great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his son Douglas. Of his siblings, Lois Hagan and Ethel Phillips of Cleveland are still living; he was predeceased by his brother Robert and sister Nelda San Jule.
Calling hours will be at the Sharrow home at 239 Grove St. in Rutland on Friday, July 9, from 6 until 8 PM. A memorial service will be held at the Pittsford Congregational Church on Saturday, July 10, at 10 AM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made for nursing scholarships addressed to the Rutland Health Foundation, c/o RRMC Nursing Education, 98 Allen St., Rutland, Vt. 05701. *
Elizabeth A. Center
Elizabeth A. Center, 93, of Rutland, died July 6, 2004, at the home of her nephew, Richard Gallagher, in Lakeland, Fla.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Clifford Funeral Home.
The Rev. W. André Houle, pastor of St. Peter's Church, will officiate.
Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
Friends may call from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of the Rutland Herald.
Gordon E. Garvey
MOUNT DORA, Fla. - Gordon Earl Garvey, 83, died June 5, 2004, in Mount Dora.
He was born April 4, 1921, in Rutland, Vt.
He was a salesman for Foremost-McKesson, a pharmaceutical company.
Mr. Garvey served in the Army Air Force during World War II with the 492nd Bomber Group as a pilot flying B-24s out of England.
After the war, he married Shirley Shangraw. They were later divorced. In 1979, he married Lois Brophy and retired to central Florida.
He enjoyed playing golf and sailing on Lake Champlain. He served as president of the Burlington Country Club and was the club champion a number of times. Mr. Garvey also enjoyed tennis, hunting and skiing.
Survivors include his wife, Lois Garvey of Mount Dora; his daughter, Sue Aquilino of Gambrills, Md; his son, Gordon Garvey of Waterbury Center, Vt; grandchildren and great-grand children.
An open house memorial reception for family and friends will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 18, at the Burlington Country Club.
Geraldine Wood
RANDOLPH - Geraldine "Gerry" Wood, 91, died July 1, 2004, at Rowan Court Nursing Home in Barre.
She was born Dec. 20, 1912, in Randolph, the daughter of Fred and Mae (Dumas) Smith.
She received her education in Randolph schools.
She married Stanley Wood on Jan. 31, 1932, in Randolph. He died in 2002.
Mrs. Wood worked at Savage's Mill, Claflins Market and Hills Department Store.
She was a member of United Church of Randolph, where she sang in the choir, the Women's Relief Corps, Daughters of the American Revolution, American Legion Auxiliary, 3-1 Club, and the United Guild.
She enjoyed music, snowshoeing, cooking and watching the Red Sox.
Survivors include two daughters, Beth Wood of Salem, Ore., and Karene Burrell of Barnard; a brother, Robert Smith of Rutland and Melbourne, Fla; a sister, Joyce Charouhis of San Antonio, Texas; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by two brothers, George Smith and Fred Smith; and a sister, Eleanor Bolduc.
The memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at United Church of Randolph.
The Rev. Ronald Rilling will officiate.
Burial will follow in Pleasant View Cemetery in Randolph.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial contributions may be made to United Church, Randolph, 05060.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Day Funeral Home in Randolph.
Lucy G. Houghton
WOODSTOCK - Lucy G. Houghton, 89, died July 5, 2004, at Mount Ascutney Hospital in Windsor.
She was born Oct. 3, 1914, in Far Rockaway, N.Y., the daughter of Hugh and Mary (Titus) Greene.
She grew up in South Royalton, attended South Royalton High School and later moved to Woodstock where she graduated from Woodstock High School in 1931. She graduated from Peirce School of Business in Philadelphia in 1933.
She married Everett Houghton on June 11, 1939, in West Woodstock. He died in 1988.
Mrs. Houghton worked for Woodstock Electric Company, as secretary to Dr. Albert Eastman, and at the Vermont National Bank in Woodstock for nearly 20 years, retiring in 1976.
She was a member of Christian Church and First Congregational Church of Woodstock. She was also a member of the West Woodstock Women's Club, Friendly Circle of the First Congregational Church, King's Daughters and the Woodstock Area Senior Center. She was a volunteer at the Woodstock Historical Society.
She enjoyed participating in the Woodstock High School alumni day celebrations for more than 55 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Houghton and Janet Houghton; her caregiver, Bonnie Carr; three nieces and five nephews; and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
She was predeceased by her sister, Ruth Aberle in 1996.
A private committal service will be held at the convenience of the family.
Burial will take place in Riverside Cemetery in West Woodstock.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to King's Daughters, Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society, Planned Parenthood of Vermont or a favorite charity.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock.3 |
Robyn Ashford1
Lucy Helen Greene1,2
Major Daniel Francis Houghton1