GUILFORD – Pershing Schlafer, 93, of Guilford, passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012 at home.
Pershing was born on Oct. 1, 1918 on the family farm in Guilford, son of the late Frank and Edith (Stevens) Schlafer. Perk started school in a one room school house and graduated from Guilford Public School in 1935. Through his brother, Donald, and his wife, Millie, Perk met Millie’s sister, Vida B. Gamwell. On Nov. 27, 1948, Perk and Vida were married in the Guilford Center Presbyterian Church. They shared 61 wonderful years of marriage before Vida predeceased him on Feb. 24, 2010.
With Vida by his side, Perk was a second generation farmer on his family farm which he loved dearly. He was a lifetime member of the Guilford Center Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the American Dairy Association and served on the Metropolitan Dairy Board. He was the longtime president of the Rockdale Milk Producers Cooperative. He was a Town Councilman before serving as the Town of Guilford Supervisor and on the Chenango County Board of Supervisors. He was also very active with the Chenango County Cooperative Extension and was a 4-H Leader for many years.
Perk loved to be outdoors and especially enjoyed driving his tractors. In his younger years, he spent many nights coon hunting with his dog, Tiny. After Vida’s passing in 2010, Perk was able to continue living at home with the wonderful care from his family, friends, special homecare aides and Hospice. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Pershing is survived by his son and daughter-in-law: Daniel and Jean Schlafer, Guilford; two daughters and sons-in-law: Nancy and Theodore Call, Valatie, and Susan and George Smith, Sidney; seven grandchildren: Karen and Todd Williams (Waverly), Julie and Ramesh Sharma (Medford), Lisa and Oliver Briscoe (Chester, England), Melissa and Andrew Welcome (Valatie), Thomas Call (Valatie), Christianna Bonin (Williamstown, Mass.) and Zachary Smith (Houghton); three great-granchildren: Oscar, Sophie and Finn Williams, all of Waverly; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his beloved wife, Perk was also predeceased by his brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Mildred Schlafer; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Helen and Robert Race and Wilma and Nelson Abeel; and half brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth Sr. and Grace Kenyon.
Friends are invited to call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St. Sidney. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral chapel with Rev. Dr. Barbara Renton officiating. Burial will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Sidney.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Perk’s name may be directed to Hospice & Palliative Care of Chenango County, 21 Hayes St. Norwich, NY 13815.
Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.landersfh.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, Sidney.