Flora Sherin

Flora Jean (DiBenedetto) Sherin was born Feb.25,1930 in New York. She was the beloved daughter of Mary Forlenza and George Di Benedetto. As the first grandchild of a large, multigenerational family, she was an adored child. She grew up in a brick two family attached home in Jackson Heights, Queens with her parents, grandparents, four uncles and two aunts all under one roof. With their limited resources combined, the family managed to hold on to the house through the Depression and “nobody ever went hungry.” Limited space meant she had to share a bed with a beloved aunt until her teens when family members moved on to their own homes.

She was a bright and dutiful student (with a proud, lifelong record of perfect attendance) whose academic record and keen intelligence earned her admission to the highly competitive, Hunter College High School. After graduating with honors, she began a series of secretarial jobs with advertising firms on Madison Avenue. She rose to become an executive secretary at J. Walter Thompson where she met her husband, Art Sherin. Together they enjoyed city life until retirement when they moved to Hopewell Junction, NY where they built a new home and took up gardening. They vacationed annually at Quimby’s, a fishing resort in rural, Northeastern Vermont famous for trout fishing. (Born and bred a city girl, Flora could never manage to bait or cast a line, but she always enjoyed the tranquility of time spent on the scenic lake.

Following the loss of her beloved husband, Flora made the bold decision to pick up roots and move to Madison, Connecticut in 2000 to be close to family. There she found good friends among the residents of her condo association at Legend Hill, where she initially served as activities coordinator. She was an avid participant in the book club and mahjong group there and a faithful congregant at St. Mary’s church in Madison.

She is survived by stepdaughters, Bonnie (Sherin) Kollman, Sue (Sherin) Lopiano, Debbie (Sherin) Pell, and cousins, Peter McMahon, Barbara (Forlenza) Kleutsch, Dorothy (Forlenza) Ille, Janet (Forlenza) Lochridge, Geraldine (Forlenza) Tebeau, Joan (Forlenza) Dixon, Michele (Forlenza) Williams, Michael Forlenza, Diane Forlenza and Robert Forlenza. Though childless herself, she treasured the photos and stories of all their children and grandchildren that they had shared with her over the years. Having been a lifelong supporter, donations in her honor can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.