Carolyn (Ferguson) Schermerhorn, 80, beloved wife & partner for 60 love-filled years; loving, devoted & fun mother & grandmother passed away at home surrounded by her family's love on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
Carolyn was born on September 10, 1940, grew up in Springfield, MA, and was a graduate of Commerce High School. She was a dedicated and loving daughter of the late Donald A. and Margaret A. Ferguson. She leaves a brother, William E. Ferguson, and was predeceased by her sister, Susan Ferguson Ellia.
Carolyn was a long-time resident of East Longmeadow, MA, for 48 years who enjoyed many town events and neighborhood parties spent with good friends. She worked for over a decade at MassMutual, as well as held many other full & part time positions in varied industries throughout her life. Her business acumen, attention to detail and organization made her successful in her work and beyond.
Known for her meticulousness in her appearance and her homemaking, she was a woman of many talents and skills including sewing, knitting, craft-making, and baking, to name just a few. A gifted wordsmith, lover of quotes & music, avid follower of news, politics and New England sports teams, Carolyn was also a self-taught genealogist who spent many hours enjoying researching her family ancestry.
She always looked forward to an evening out, spent with family & friends, filled with good food & drink, conversation and lots of laughter. Carolyn enjoyed traveling & adventures, big & small, and made many happy memories with family & friends over the years in Holland, MA, Vermont and Florida. Carolyn loved a game of chance and was often blessed with the luck of her Irish roots in her winnings.
Her strength, courage, faith and positive attitude, particularly while enduring many years of health challenges, were greatly admired & appreciated by her family & friends.
A favorite “Thought for Today” of Carolyn’s truly captures the depth of the love and bonds that she shared with her family:
Family is everything.
It defines you-the heart of your spirit, the heritage of your smile, not only the color of your eyes but how they see the world. You are bound by kinship. You add your own link to the chain, and that is where you strengthen or weaken what you have been blessed-or burdened-with. That is where you use the indefinable quality that belongs to only you, the bit of uniqueness you pass on to your children for good or bad, the part of you that will always be separate from those who share your name, your blood, and your past.~Deborah Smith, from Blue Widow
Carolyn’s love, compassion, kindness and sense of humor will be deeply missed by her family who are blessed and grateful to call her “theirs”. She leaves her devoted husband, Clifton J. Schermerhorn, her 2 loving daughters, Laurie A. (Schermerhorn) Cirillo and Karen L. Schermerhorn and her 2 cherished grandchildren, Ryan M. Cirillo and Casey E. Cirillo.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Gifts of Gratitude, Baystate Health Foundation.
Services are entrusted to Forastiere Smith Funeral & Cremation. Due to COVID restrictions, Carolyn’s family will have a small private gathering to celebrate her life followed by a memorial service next year once COVID restrictions have been lifted. To share a memory or message of personal condolence with the family, please visit www.forastiere.com.