Ralph E. Anthony Jr., 87
ADAMS, Mass. — Ralph Edgar Anthony Jr., 87, of 13 West Road died on Thursday, March 31, 2011, at North Adams Regional Hospital. Mr. Anthony was the longest serving member of the Alert Hose Company.
Born in North Adams on June 3, 1923, the only child of Ralph E. and Hazel M. George Anthony, he attended schools in Adams and graduated from the former Adams High School.
An Army Air Forces veteran of World War II, he served with the 92nd Bombardment Group in the European Theater from Jan. 29, 1943, until he received his honorable discharge as sergeant on Jan. 9, 1946.
Mr. Anthony worked as a methods manager in the Power Transformer division of General Electric Co. in Pittsfield, until retiring with 47 years of service. He also operated the former Anthony's Pool in Adams with his late parents, where he taught scores of local children to swim, and operated the former Anthony's Cider Mill in Adams from the 1940's until the 1990's.
He was elected to membership of the Alert Hose Company on Sept. 10, 1946. At the time of his death, he had completed nearly 65 years of service as a firefighter, the longest serving member in the company's history. He had also been chief of the Adams Forest Warden's Department for many years.
He was a member of First Baptist Church of Adams, Berkshire Lodge of Mason, a member of the Shriners, and was a Red Cross certified water safety instructor for many years. He was also a member of the General Electric Quarter Century and Pensioner's clubs.
His wife, the former Margaret A. "Irish" Haggerty, whom he married on July 6, 1946, died 17 days ago, March 14, 2011.
He is survived by three daughters, Linda McDonald of Newtown, Conn., Lucy Czaja of Adams and Virginia Gajda of Adams; eight grandchildren, Heidi McDonald Craigue, Sarah Czaja Sookey, Shannon McDonald Campbell, Angela Gajda, Gretchen Czaja Mahood, Kelly Gajda Martinek, Brian Gajda and Morgan Czaja; seven great-grandchildren, Richard Sookey, William Anthony Lawrence, Summer Sookey, Aiden Deane, Sidney Sookey, Harrison Mathew Craigue and Ada Mahood.
FUNERAL NOTICE — The funeral procession for Mr. Anthony will commence on Tuesday, April 5, at 9:45 a.m. from the Paciorek Funeral Home, 13 Hoosac St., Adams, followed by the funeral service at 11 from First Baptist Church, Commercial Street, with the Rev. Donald E. Gray will officiate. Burial will follow in the Anthony family lot in Maple Street Cemetery, Adams.
Calling hours will be Monday from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Alert Hose Company or the Adams Ambulance Service through the funeral home. To leave a message of condolence, or for directions, please go online to www.apsfuneralhome.com.