Smithfield Magazine Article

Jerry was interviewed by Dick Martin of the Smithfield Magazine during June and the article appeared in the July issue.

You can view the 2 page story here

Smithfield Magazine Article July2010 Jerry's Story

The article came out very nicely. There are two factual errors.
(1) The reference to the Marine who is still having shrapnel removed from is body as it rises up to the surface is slightly incorrect. The story was about Del Brouillard and he passed away.
(2) The reference to Jerry's brother Jack fighting in Europe is correct. Jack did survive the war. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 90.

The color version of the photo above can be view on the YourSmithfieldMagazine website here
http://yoursmithfield.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=30388237&event=1034888&CategoryID=51072

I haven't be able to find any links to current issues. They appear to have stopped posting content to this website.

Martina and Jerry

While eating with Martina and Jerry they spoke about getting permission to get into the war effort.
Jerry said that his parents refused to give him permission to join. " Ma said NO"
Martina then related the same thing." Oh, Ma refused to give me permission to go as a nurse."
She turned to me with the trademark Sherlock grin. I appealed to her as a mother. "But Ma if all the mothers of nurses told their daughters no, what would happen? Who would take care of all the boys? What would happen to Jack, Ted and Jerry?" Talk about your Irish guilt!

Mrs. Sherlock relented. Martina did add; " Well I didn't need permission as I was old enough. Times were different though I needed my mothers permission."

Jerry then said that he told the recruiter that his mother wouldn't give permission. The recruiter told Jerry that the Government would be drafting in September of 1943 and you never knew what would happen. She relented and Jerry was accepted for the Marines and went to Parris Island Recruit Depot in October of 1943. I suspect it was a little more complicated then that.

I am reminded after taking Jerry to see "Saving Private Ryan" I spoke to Jerry the next day and we spoke of some things that remain personal. However the one thing that stands out is like the fictional Mrs. Ryan, Jerry said Mrs. Sherlock had a banner with stars for Martin, Jack, Ted, Henry and Jerry. He said it must have been pretty hard on his mother. He considers himself very fortunate. Large families separated with members all over the world defending freedom. They all came home.

We tend to forget in our iPhone, Blackberry driven world of instant communications and take a lot for granted. Jerry and Martina spoke of getting mail from home. Times were different.

So the next time you voice or memory dial, take a moment to think of Mrs Sherlock in the dark days of the War with her children in far flung places. Never knowing.

Have a great day! Thanks Martina, Jack, Ted, Henry, Jerry, Fran, and of course Vin Campbell.

Leora A. Sherlock

Leora A. Sherlock
SHERLOCK, LEORA A., 88, of Robert St., Pawtucket died, Saturday, December 13, 2008 at Rhode Island Hospital. She was the wife of John F. Sherlock, Jr. They had been married 62 years. Mrs. Sherlock was born in Valley Falls, the daughter of the late Percy Delos and Margaret Jane (Crawford) Balkcom. She had lived most of her life in Pawtucket. Besides her husband Mrs. Sherlock is survived by her children, John F. Sherlock, III of McLean VA, Lauren A. Petrucelli of Duxbury MA, Matthew P. Sherlock of Seekonk MA, Mark P. Sherlock of Pawtucket, Moira Walker and Lisa M. Roberts of Swansea, MA, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She was the mother of the late Leora A. Costa. Mrs. Sherlock was a graduate of Cumberland High School and the Rhode Island College of Education. She taught in Cumberland before her marriage. She was a member of the Veridames of Providence College, the St. Joseph's Mother's Club and the Mercy Mount Mother's Club. Mrs. Sherlock enjoyed golfing, painting, and traveling. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. from the MANNING-HEFFERN FUNERAL HOME, 68 Broadway, Pawtucket, with a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary's Church, Coyle Drive, Seekonk at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Mt. St. Mary's Cemetery, Pawtucket. Relatives and friends are invited. The calling hours for Mrs. Sherlock will be Tuesday 4-7 p.m. in the funeral home. For directions and guest book signatures, please visit manningheffern.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leora Costa Scholarship Fund, 593 Eddy St, Providence RI 02903.

Originally posted online at the Providence Journal (Projo) website.

Sherlock Clan

Sherlock Clan, originally uploaded by shersteve.

front row: Martina, Angela, Jack
back row: Henry, Helene, Jerry

If the picture does not show completely in your browser window, click on the picture to view the original in Flickr.

The photo was taken during the reception at Rhode Island College following the funeral for their sister M Francis Campbell. RIC President John Nazarian stopped in to the reception to extend his condolences to the family and friends gathered there. He said that he will miss Fran. No matter what he said, she always had something else to add. She is probably looking down upon us all now and commenting.

Fran Campbell

M. Frances Campbell

CAMPBELL, M. FRANCES 'FRAN', 93, of Walcott Street, died Saturday at Memorial Hospital. She was the wife of the late Vincent J. Campbell, Sr.

Born in Pawtucket, she was a daughter of the late John F. Sr. and Mary Agnes (King) Sherlock and was a lifelong resident of the city. She was educated at Sacred Heart Grammar and High Schools in Pawtucket and graduated from Rhode Island College of Education in 1935. She began her 40 year teaching career at Oakland Beach School in Warwick followed by periods at Samuel Slater Jr. High School, Pawtucket, John W. Horton School, and later at Parkview Jr. High School both in Cranston. She was a critic teacher for many years guiding numerous student teachers toward academic excellence. She was a Past President of the RI Retired Teachers and the Blackstone Valley Teachers, Past Secretary & Treasurer of the RI Social Studies Association, a member of the Central Retired Teachers, A.F. of T. Retired Teachers, American Association of Teacher Educators, Delegate to the Annual Teacher Educators Convention for RI, a member of the Legislative Committee of the RI Teachers Association and the AARP Community Participation Person of the RI Teachers Association.

She was a Lecturer and Eucharistic minister at St. Joseph Church, Pawtucket as well as Past President of its Senior Citizens Club and Past Vice President of its Woman's Club. She was Past President of Mercy Mount Mothers Club, Past President of Sacred Heart High School Alumni. She was Treasurer of Catholic Woman's Club of RI and former member of the Ladies Auxiliary of St. Raphael Academy and Recording Secretary and Treasurer.

Mrs. Campbell was a Charter member of Providence College Veridames, and member of the RI College Alumni Association. She was a Regent of the Pawtucket Circle of the Daughters of Isabella and Recording Secretary of the State Circle.

On the Community level, she began her service with the American Red Cross Motor Service from 1941-1945 as a driver. She was a member of the Memorial Hospital Guild, the Pawtucket Women's Club, the Pawtucket Public Library, Deborah Cook-Sayles since 1983 and served as a Chairperson and later a Vice Chairperson there, and was a member of the Visiting Nurses of Blackstone Valley. She was a 2003 inductee of the Pawtucket Hall of Fame.

She was great advocate for Elderly issues and rights and testified at the RI State House Hearing and Committees. She was appointed a Delegate to the US Representative Fernand St. Germain White House Conference in 1981. She was Past President of Pawtucket Senior Citizen's Council, a Board Member of the Leon Mathieu Senior Center, and an Advisory Board Member of the Home and Community Care Board of the Department of Elderly Affairs. She was Elected State Democratic Woman for District 62.

She is survived by two sons, Vincent J. Jr. and his wife Patricia Campbell of Rehoboth, MA, Kevin P. Campbell of Pawtucket; three sisters, Martina Higgins of Bristol, Angela Brousseau of South Kingstown, Helene A. Mainor of North Kingstown; three brothers, John F. Sherlock, Sr. of Pawtucket, Gerald F. Sherlock of Smithfield, Henry J. Sherlock of Providence; four grandchildren, Shawn C. and his wife Holly Campbell of Rumford, Todd R. Campbell of Pawtucket, Honey H. Campbell of Pawtucket, Roseanna C. and her husband Brian Cavanaugh of Franklin, MA, and one great-grandson, Connor J. Campbell of Rumford. She was the sister of the late Rep. Paul Sherlock and Edward 'Ted' Sherlock. She was the former mother-in-law of Jann Campbell of Arlington, VA.

A funeral will be held on Friday at 8:30 a.m. from the CHEETHAM MORTUARY INC., 1012 Newport Ave., Pawtucket with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, 193 Walcott St., Pawtucket. Burial will be in Mt. St. Mary Cemetery, Pawtucket. Relatives and friends are invited and may call on Thursday from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Donations may be made to RI College Foundation, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Prov., RI 02980, in 'Fran's' memory.

Published in The Providence Journal on 10/30/2007.

You can't call him Jack

Jerry tells the story of his grandmother objecting to the family calling John Francis Edward Patrick Sherlock the second "Jack".

Time: 53 seconds



MP3 File