Mary Sarvis

Mary E. Sarvis

1920-2010 SHAFTSBURY Mary Elizabeth Sarvis, 89, of Shaftsbury, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, Feb. 4. Mary lived a long and fulfilling life and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Born in Detroit, Mich., on Aug. 12, 1920, daughter of Roscoe and Mary Smith, she graduated from West High School in Akron, Ohio and also attended Akron University. She married George Sarvis on Dec. 22, 1940.

Mary traveled all over the world with her husband when he was a Vice President of Lever Brothers in New York and also after he started his own business in 1967. Among the many countries and cities she visited were Paris, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Budapest, Vienna, Romania, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Morocco, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.

During the 1960s she took numerous classes in the arts at Hunter College in New York City. She was an avid reader, an active member of the Great Books Society and loved discussing politics with her family and friends. She became an active jogger in her 60's and collected dozens of age group trophies well into her 80's. Shaftsbury locals knew her as the elderly lady they would see every morning jogging up and down Cleveland Street after taking her granddaughter Portia to school. Mary was a very compassionate person and a supporter of many local, national and international charitable organizations.

Mary leaves her daughters, Mary Jane of Shaftsbury, Susan Crook of Tenafly, N.J., and sons, Richard and Robert of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. She also leaves six grandchildren, Portia Wassick and Katie Sarvis of Shaftsbury, Scott Sarvis of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Pascale Bernstein of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Jason and Keridy Crook of New York City, and one great-grandchild, Gianni Bernstein of Atlantic Beach, Fla. In addition, she leaves her daughters-in-law, Barbara Sarvis and Nalini Sarvis of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and sons-in-law, Steve Wassick of Shaftsbury, James Crook of Tenafly, N.J., and Jeremiah Bernstein of Altantic Beach, Fla.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any or all of the following charities: Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Bennington, Food Bank; Doctors without Borders; Public Broadcasting Service through the office of THE MAHAR AND SON FUNERAL HOME, 628 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201. Guest book condolences may be made at www.maharandsonfuneralhome.net or at BenningtonBanner.com.