Pearl Mary Rhoades

NORTH CANAAN — Pearl Mary Rhoades, 98, of Southfield, Mass., died March 13, 2009, at her home.

Born on Oct. 29, 1910, in North Canaan, she was the daughter of Edith Elizabeth (Lawrence) and Jarvis Collar   Stevens.  She was the widow of George Rhoades.

Pearl grew up on the Stevens family farm in the Canaan Valley in East Canaan. She attended the one-room schoolhouse in Canaan Valley and was a 1929 graduate of North Canaan High School.

Following high school, Pearl moved to New Marlborough, where she began working at the former Walnut Grove Farm. While working at the farm, she met her husband, George Edward Rhoades. The couple was married Oct. 27, 1945.

Pearl was known as “Mom†to many and as “Grandma†to all others who knew her. She was also a great-grandmother and over the years she was a foster mother to numerous children.  She enjoyed knitting and always made an afghan for the baby when a new member of the family arrived.

She was a member of the East Canaan Congregational Church of Christ. She was a past master of the Umpachini Grange and was a member of the Mill River Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational Church.

She is survived by her daughter, Marsha Johnson Sarno and her husband, Dominic, of Southfield; her sister, Gladys (Stevens) Grytzell, a resident of Geer Village in North Canaan; her grandchildren, Robin Richardson of Gilmanton, N.H.,Vincent Sarno of Southfield, John and Jessica Sarno of Monterey, Mass., January Pearl Sarno of Southfield and Dominique Sarno of Tucson, Ariz.;  her great-granddaughter, Madeline Sarno; her nieces and nephews, Janette (Stevens) Richardson and her husband, Allen, of Laconia, N.H., Lawrence “Butch†Stevens, Joan (Stevens) Thitcher and Catherine (Stevens) Washburn, all of West Cornwall, and Phillip Ostapko of Canton, Daniel Ostapko of Mahopac, N.Y., Linda Ostapko Jenkins of North Granby; and many other nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by three sisters, Florine (Stevens) Wetmore, Edith Stevens and Ruth (Stevens) Ostapko; and two brothers, Holbrook Stevens and Lawrence Stevens.

Funeral services were held March 17 at the United Church of New Marlborough in Southfield, conducted by the Rev. Brian Care. Burial will be in the spring in the Mill River Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the care of the Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home in Great Barrington.

Memorial contributions may be sent  to HospiceCare in the Berkshires or to Elder Services through Finnerty & Stevens, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230.  Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family  at finnertyandstevens.com.

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