NORWICH – Sarah A. Fleming, 88, of Norwich, passed away unexpectedly early Wednesday morning, March 12, 2008 in the Wilson Regional Hospital of Johnson City.
The only child of Clarence and Mildred (Ward) Knapp, Sarah was born in the Town of Butternuts in March of 1919. She attended school in South New Berlin and Norwich, and married William “Bill” Fleming in Plymouth on Dec. 12, 1940. Over their years together, Sarah and Bill owned and operated two farms, living first in Kirk and then moving to Wells Road in Norwich. A feisty, hardworking, and independent person, Sarah balanced being a busy housewife with working out of the home for various employers, including the W.T. Grant Company, Fishman’s, and Victory Markets in Norwich, and she and Bill cared for over 35 foster children. They owned and operated Fleming’s Restaurant (the former McGarity’s on North Broad St.), and Sarah did home health care until she was well into her 80s. She loved camping, going to the casinos, and playing bingo; enjoyed snowmobiling until she was in her 70s, and took great pleasure in family jaunts to Darien Lake or Six Flags. Some other fondest memories were of a specific trip to New York City and her one trip to Florida with her family. At frequent family get-togethers, Sarah always wanted to do the cooking, and she was renowned for her fabulous homemade doughnuts.
Sarah is survived by her husband of 67 years, William Fleming of Norwich; by her children and their spouses: Beverly and Charles Cornell, Barbara and Donald Maynard, Richard and Sharon Fleming, David and Lynn Fleming, and Nancy and Mason White, all of Norwich. She is also survived by her grandchildren and their spouses: Darlene and Robert Walling, Edward Maynard, Christopher and Tracy Maynard, and Rick and Michelle Fleming, all of Norwich; Thad Fleming of Syracuse; Brandy and Donald Badger, Chad Fleming, and Sean, Chelsey, and Luke Wahlberg, all of Norwich; Pamela Periard and companion David Vidler of Sherburne; Terri Ann Aikins and Lisa and Laverne Fitch, all of Norwich; and Susan and Kevin Kohout of Davenport; and by several great- and great-great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her granddaughter, Tammy Periard, in March of 2007.
Funeral services for Sarah will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Stephen Reese, pastor of the Columbus Community Church, will officiate. Burial will be in the spring in the Norwich Quarter Cemetery.
Friends are invited to call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home on Saturday from 11 a.m. until the service at 1 p.m.
Those wishing to remember Sarah with a memorial contribution are asked to send it to the Alzheimer’s Association, Suite 2, 140 Co. Hw. 33W, Cooperstown, NY 13326; or to the American Heart Association, Hearts Gifts Processing Center, P.O. Box 3049, Syracuse, NY13220-3049.