Obituary of Ralph E. Sherwood

Ralph E. Sherwood, Jr., 72, of Reservoir Road, passed away Thursday evening at his home with his loving family at his bedside. Born August 30, 1938 in Patterson, NY, he was the son of the late Ralph E. and Irene Griffin Sherwood SR. He attended Brewster Central School and at the age of 17 worked at braking and training thoroughbred horses for racing on the Tilley Foster Horse Farm in Brewster. Also during this time he worked with Billy Botge on his stock car #97 which was raced in Danbury Speedway in Connecticut. Later he entered the U.S. Army and was assigned as a Sergeant to the 1st Armored Division during the Cuban missile crises. Ralph was employed as a truck driver for G.T.I. Green Trucking in Amsterdam for a number of years until retiring in 1997. He loved to work around his home and garden. He was of the Roman Catholic faith. On January 18, 1964 he married the former Sandra J. Jennings. Besides his wife of 47 years he is survived by two sons, Robert J. Sherwood and his wife Kandy of Fonda, and William F. Sherwood and his wife Danielle of Rotterdam, NY; a daughter, Paula Hayes and her husband Teo Camporeale of Brooklyn, NY; a sister Barbara A. Chirasello and her husband Anthony of Bedford, VR; five grandchildren, Rylan, Andrew, Katrisha, Tyler and Lillianna; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 6, 2011, at 1:30 pm at the Jackkson & Betz Funeral Home, 15 Main Street, Fonda, NY with the F. Patrick Gallagher OFM Conv. officiating. Burial will follow with Military Honors at the Evergreen Cemetery, Sand Flats, Fonda. Calling hours will be held on Sunday from 2 to 5 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in Ralph's memory to Mountain Valley Hospice, 108 Steele Avenue, Gloversville, NY 12078.