SHERWIN, Peter Ritchie

Brattleboro (VT) Reformer Tuesday, December 4, 2012 West Townshend--Peter Ritchie Sherwin, 74, died on November 20 at Grace Cottage Hospital. Pete was born March 26, 1938 in Boston, Mass. His parents were Louis Sherwin (Hugo Louis Sherwin Goerlitz) and Jeanette (Berry) Sherwin. He grew up in Red Bank, NJ, and attended St James School until the age of 12 when his family moved to Winhall, Vt. where he went to the Bondville School and then to Burr & Burton Academy High School. He graduated in 1955 and enlisted in the Air Force where he was honorably discharged due to illness. In 1956 Pete enrolled at Rhode Island School of Design where he studied illustration. Pete worked many jobs in his life, starting with a Greeting Card Co. in Providence, RI but because of his love of the land and outdoors he spent most of his life working on farms, carving signs, landscaping and doing portrait sketching. Life for Pete was all about music (all kinds) and art and dancing and reading and the woods. He was also an avid letter writer and a builder of cairns. Pete was interested and knowledgeable in most any subject. Known as 'Dancing Pete' at the Mole's Eye, many a night was spent helping bands with equipment and tearing up the dance floor. Pete also entertained hundreds of people throughout the years with his yearly dancing at the Peru Fair. He shared himself with everyone he met and loved to 'jabber'. Pete also loved to hitchhike; always an adventure for him, meeting new people and on occasion reuniting with long lost friends. An eccentric, brilliant and talented man. He had what he needed and needed what he had. Pete, you are greatly missed and loved! Pete is survived by his daughter Amanda Clark Sherwin Corbett of Wickenburg, Ariz., his son Oliver Sherwin, his wife, LeeAnne (Tomasko) Sherwin and granddaughter, Elizabeth Helen Sherwin of Idaho Falls, Idaho, his daughter Rosemary Nash Modry of Wolcott, Vt. and his step-grandsons David and Kyle Galaske of Whitingham, Vt. and his life-partner, Michele McNamee of West Townshend, Vt. A son, Thomas Peter Sherwin, predeceased him in 1966. A Memorial will be held at a later date which will be announced in the paper. Memorial contributions may be sent to set up a scholarship fund in Peter Sherwin's name for kids taking workshops at Vermont Family Forests, PO Box 254, Bristol, VT 05443.