Thomas Lincoln Sherer II

Thomas Lincoln Sherer II
Thomas Lincoln Sherer II, 86, of Rochester, NY, died November 7, 2010, at Unity Hospital, Greece, NY. Tom was born in Allentown, PA, on September 2, 1924. Mr. Sherer entered World War II after graduation from Allentown High School in 1942, serving in the Burma-China-Indian Theater until the end of hostilities. Tom served as a mechanic performing maintenance on antiaircraft batteries and military vehicles. He was extremely proud of his war service. Upon his return from the war, he attended and was graduated from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and received masters degree in chemistry from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1950. Tom was married to Miss Francess Weida the same year. Tom began employment with the General Electric Company (GE) in Pittsfield, MA, in 1951, where he spent his entire career, retiring in 1987. He rose to the position of Senior Wire Magnet Engineer and earned a number of patents that are still in force. Tom and Francess lived in Richmond, MA, for 45 years where they raised five children. Tom was extremely athletic and spent many hours cross-country skiing, skating, bicycling and swimming with his children. Tom and Francess were avid gardeners. You would often find them during the summer months on their knees, he weeding the vegetables and she weeding the flowers. They also had a love of animals, the family having numerous pets. They were members of First Church of Christ Congregational in Pittsfield for 35 years and were very active in the church. He was a deacon, sang in the choir, and for years performed in special oratorio performances. They were also active in a local theater group for a number of years. Tom sang with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the Berkshire Choral Society, and was also a volunteer usher at the Tanglewood Music Center. He served as Moderator for the Annual Richmond Town Meeting for a number of years. After his retirement from GE, he served on the Richmond Board of Health before relocating to Rochester in 1999, not long after Francess death in 1998. Tom spent the past eight years as a resident of the Rochester Presbyterian Home. Tom is survived by his five children, Abigail (Randy) Mazzeo of Martinsburg, WV; John (Deanna Trefry) Sherer of Coudersport, PA; Peter (Sue) Sherer of Rochester, NY; James (Doris) Sherer of Roseville, CA; and Rebecca (Linda Scott) Sherer of Northampton, MA. Tom is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and by his sister Elizabeth Betz Freas, who still lives in the Allentown area. Services:A memorial service will be held in Pittsfield, MA on Saturday, November 20, 11:00 a.m. at First Church of Christ Congregational, 27 East Street, with a reception following. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated with New Comer Funeral Home on 2636 Ridgeway Avenue in Rochester, NY and by Wellington Funeral Services on 220 East Street in Pittsfield, MA. Burial services will be on November 20 attended by immediate family in Richmond at the Center Cemetery. Contributions: Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Rochester Presbyterian Home, 256 Thurston Road, Rochester, NY 14619 and to Unity Hospital at Parkridge, 1555 Long Pond Road, Rochester, NY 14626.