Caryl M. Skow

Caryl Miriam Palmgren, known all through her early years as Miriam, was born in Jamestown NY on August 2, 1927 to Rev. Gerhard W.A. Palmgren and Esther C. Blomquist Palmgren. Her brother, Carl, and sister, Anita, were almost a generation older, so she in effect grew up as an only child. When her father was called to Emmanuel Covenant Church in the Bronx in the late 1930s, she came to love New York City, graduated from Bronx public schools and valued New York's educational and cultural resources her entire life. Her father gave her a lifelong love of baseball, beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers. She cherished her Swedish ancestry and traditions and passed them on to her own family.
Caryl began using this name at the suggestion of her husband Harold A. Skow whom she married in 1946 at Emmanuel Covenant Church. They shared the same Scandinavian roots and church background. Harold was from Cambridge, MA but during the war was stationed as an Ensign in the Navy at Ft. Schuyler in the Bronx. When he attended Rev. Palmgren's church, Mrs. Palmgren invited him to dinner after church, her custom for all newcomers.
Caryl and Harold began married life in Norfolk VA and Charleston SC as he finished out his service. They moved to Thompsonville, CT for his first position as a mechanical engineer. Subsequent job transfers took them to Amsterdam, NY and Albany, NY. Their three children, Beverly, Karen and Timothy, were born in their first 12 years.
Always an avid reader and always interested in children, Caryl found her niche as a library aide in the Ichabod Central Middle School, Valatie, NY, once Timothy started school. She later worked in Kinderhook, NY Memorial Library for many years. The family were longtime members of the Kinderhook Reformed Church where their two daughters were married.
Upon Harold's passing in 1995, Caryl maintained her library, church and civic work for several years. She leaves many friends from that time who still remember her fondly. When she turned 80, she decided to move to northeastern MA, closer to her daughters and where her mother's family originally settled after leaving Sweden.
In this last chapter of her life she made friends in Ipswich and Beverly and as a faithful member of the Magnolia, MA Congregational Church. Caryl's long life, her love of literature, music, art, travel and cooking, her devotion to the Red Sox, her, enduring faith and her beloved presence will ever be remembered by her family.
She is survived by: her three children and their spouses Beverly and John Shank (Swampscott MA), Karen and Paul Rogati (Essex, MA), Timothy and Cheryl Andreasen (Norcross, GA); her five grandchildren and their spouses Jonathan and Keosha Shank, Carolyn and Aaron Solo, Colin and Jodie Shank, Seth and Melissa Rogati, Jill Rogati and David Ells; her nine great grandchildren Caleb Shank, Phoebe and Iris Shank, Trixie and Juliet Rogati, Penelope, Emery and Mallory Solo, Calvin Ells
To God be the Glory.
A celebration of Caryl M. Skow's life is planned for later this summer at the Magnolia, MA Congregational Church. Contributions may be made in Caryl M. Skow's memory to: Wellspring House, 302 Essex Street, Gloucester MA 01930. www.wellspringhouse.org. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbelfuneral.com