WW II Veteran, W1TTY
East Sandwich. Horace “Skid” Schermerhorn, formerly of Wellesley, died at the age of 92 on June 23, 2017. Skid was the husband of Jocelyn “Jos” M. Schermerhorn for 68 years. He was the son of the late Horace “Skimmie” and Louise (Spear) Schermerhorn, and the brother of Peggy and her husband Don Sears of Yarmouth Port, MA and of Joan S. Whoriskey of Newton, MA.
Skid attended Newton High School and Chauncy Hall School before applying to become a Midshipman USNR at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Hyannis, MA. He graduated in sixteen months in January 1945, with a Third Mate License and was commissioned as an Ensign in both the United States Naval Reserve and the United States Maritime Commission. He applied for, and was accepted to active duty in the United States Navy and assigned to the USS Corvus (AKA-26) logging some eighty thousand miles in the Pacific Theater. A memorable event was the delivery of one of the two A-bombs to Tinian Island. Also, becoming a Shellback by crossing the equator. He later served on the USS Winston (AKA-94).
Upon being released to inactive duty August 1946, he enrolled in Boston University General College and in the third semester transferred to Boston University College of Business Administration (Finance). He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He met Jos at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church and they married in June of 1949.
Upon graduation, Skid went to work at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as a trainee bank examiner and then moved to John Hancock Life where for four and a half years he worked as a bond and stock analyst. He then transferred to the Data Processing Department and became a computer consultant. During this time he was active in civic pursuits. In Wellesley, he served many years as Assistant Civil Defense Director and later as Director; one three year term on the Advisory (Finance) Committee where he was its chairman; four three year terms as an elected Wellesley Town Meeting Member; and two three year terms plus six months filling an unexpired term on the School Committee where he was chairman one year. He was a member of the Wellesley Club, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church where he served one year as Clerk; Wellesley Amateur Radio Society; and a director of Wellesley Human Relations Services. He was a licensed Master TV Technician and a licensed Construction Supervisor. During summer vacations and on weekends he built two houses and a number of additions and renovations. He took early retirement after nearly thirty years John Hancock.
In 1985, he moved to East Sandwich where he and Jos had a summer cottage. He has served in many capacities in the Sandwich Downs Association. He is a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, was the webmaster of the original web site and helped on the Golf Committee with computer records. As a licensed amateur radio operator holding the call sign W1TTY, he was a member of the Cape Cod and Islands Amateur Radio Association, the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club, and the Falmouth Amateur Radio Association. Skid was a member of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Alumni Association and was webmaster of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Parents’ Association web site. He managed e-mail list servers for both of these organizations and also for St. John’s Church. He was a big fan of the Red Sox and New England Patriots.
He is survived by his loving wife Jos; his son, Bud Schermerhorn of East Sandwich and his wife Tricia and their daughter, Jenna; his son, the late Rick Schermerhorn of East Sandwich and his wife Karen and their son Dan and daughter Leslie; his daughter Hope S. Aldrich of Natick and East Sandwich and her sons Rich and James; and his son Tom Schermerhorn of Holliston and East Sandwich and his wife Jill and their daughters Kayt, Jossie and Melanie; and five great grandchildren, Olivia, Brycen, Evelyn, Ryan and Alexander, plus one additional great grandchild due in August. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Funeral services will be at St. John’s Church, 159 Main Street, Sandwich on Saturday July 8th at 11AM. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in his memory to St. John’s Church 161 Main Street, Sandwich MA 02537
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