Winifred Dixon Garrity

Winifred D. Garrityof Sudbury, Sept. 4, 2011. Born July. 9, 1920 in Melrose, MA, the last of eight children born to Henry and Frances Turner. She was educated in the public schools of Melrose, graduating from Melrose High School in 1938. Winifred enrolled in the New England Hospital for Women and Children and graduated in 1941. In 1942 she joined the Army Nurse Corps and was sent to Australia as a nurse at a U. S. Army Hospital. She volunteered for assignment to the army hospital ship Tasman. In the following 3 ½ years the Tasman followed the progress of the war from New Guinea to the Philippines. In 1945 Winifred was discharged, then recalled in 1950 and sent for two years to a large army hospital in Germany during the Korean conflict . Subsequently, Winifred received a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from The University of Connecticut and a Masters Degree In Nursing from Yale University. In 1962 Winifred and Frederick Garrity were married. She delivered a son Stephen in 1963 and a son, Thomas, in1966. While living in Sudbury. Massachusetts since 1964 she remained in the Army Reserves and was retired from the Army Nurse Corps at the Rank of Major in 1980. Winifred enjoyed the outdoors, particularly biking, hiking, canoe trekking, and photography. She also volunteered at the Sudbury Public Schools speaking about women in the military, nursing and health matters. In addition to her husband, Frederick and sons, Stephen of Berlin, MA and Thomas and his wife, Suzanne, of Princeton, she leaves her granddaughter, Samantha Garrity of Berlin and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter in law, Susan Garrity. Funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 10, at 11:00 am at St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church, 1 Morse Rd and Concord Rd., Sudbury. The Reverend Barbara Williamson, Rector, officiated. Interment was in New Town Cemetery, Sudbury. Visitation was held Fri., Sept 9, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Duckett-J.S. Waterman and Sons Home of Memorial Tribute, 656 Boston Post Road, Rt. 20, Sudbury. Donations in memory of Winifred Garrity should be made to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202. .

Additional reflections by granddaughter Samantha, and son Stephen about Winifred were the following thoughts: she was a lifeguard and loved to swim; enjoyed spending time with her family; liked bird watching ; signed up for the army the day after Pearl Harbor; had scarlet fever; loved cooking, especially bread and dinner; was festive at Christmas and Thanksgiving; loved homemade gifts and ornaments; spoke French and German; liked botany (plants and trees); loved making theme cakes for family birthdays, making icing by hand; bred Poodles in the 1960’s and 70’s; camped in Canada with family; loved taking and showing pictures. Loved everything about gardening (tomatoes, radishes, green beans, carrots, squash, turnips, snap peas, those little red beans) even those damn raccoons. She also had blueberry bushes, grapes, and corn.