Roscoe W. Conklin, 92
HANCOCK, Mass. — Roscoe Wells Conklin, 92, of Hancock died Saturday, July 16, 2011, at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, after a short illness.
A lifelong resident of Hancock, he was born on the family farm in the Goodrich Hollow section of town on Sept. 4, 1918, to Charles Wells and Isabel B. Hicks Conklin. He graduated from New Lebanon (N.Y.) High School in 1938.
A decorated Army veteran of World War II, he enlisted in 1942 and saw heavy combat throughout 1944 in New Guinea and then landed with MacArthur's invasion force at Leyte Gulf in the Phillipines with the 149th Infantry Division in January 1945. He was honorably discharged in November 1945.
Mr. Conklin worked at the former GE in Pittsfield, mostly in Power Transformer Division, retiring in 1982 with 44 years of service.
He joined the Hancock Volunteer Fire Department in the 1950s and was very active in building the fire station, maintaining the alarm system and its annual ski sale. He served as president for many years. He regularly attended meetings and kept up with anything related to the department until his death. During retirement, he kept very active cutting firewood and maintaining the home he built in 1948 and the property he loved.
He and his wife, the former Priscilla Stuart, were married in First Baptist Church of Pittsfield on Dec. 1, 1945. He remained a member there for the rest of his life. Mrs. Stuart died in 2004 after 59 years of marriage.
He leaves a son, Peter Conklin and his wife, Susan, of Williamstown; a daughter, Bonnie Conklin of Salem; a sister, Geraldine Jassak of McLean, Pa.; cousins Anita Radke of Havertown, Pa., and Margaret Weckesser of Baltimore; an aunt, Peg Conklin of Russell, and several nieces and nephews and greatnieces and grandnephews.
His brother, Kenneth Conklin, died in 1993.
FUNERAL NOTICE — Mr. Conklin will be cremated and a memorial service will be held at a later date. There will be no calling hours.
Donations can be made to the Hancock Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 1149, Hancock, MA 01237, in his memory. Paciorek Funeral Home, Adams, is in charge of arrangements. To leave a message of condolence, go to www.apsfuneralhome.com.