Loudonville, NY – Carol J. Sherwin, 76, died on Friday, April 22, 2016 at home after a brave and valiant struggle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on April 23, 1939, she was the daughter of the late John and Margaret (Evensen) Rasmussen. Carol often regaled her family with stories of her flashy career in her younger years as assistant to an executive at Philip Morris in Manhattan (she even drove a convertible). She was blessed to meet and marry Thomas J. Sherwin of Troy, NY who was crazy about her, and together they had two boys. Unfortunately, Tom died in 1984 after only a few years of marriage and she became a single mom to their two small boys. Throughout it all and for all these years, she remained a model of strong and faithful motherhood and womanhood.

Carol worked at Gallo Associates in Albany for over 25 years, reluctantly retiring this past fall as her health worsened. She cherished her friendships there and was sad to leave. She was also devoted to her church, Redeemer Church of Albany, and spent many years helping to serve coffee and refreshments after Sunday services. Carol enjoyed the small group she was part of through the church and looked forward to their weekly meetings. She was famous within her family for her daily hour- long private prayer time and bible reading, which helped sustain and bless her and all she prayed for.

Carol was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis during an exam she had after a second story fall off her ladder in which she broke her shoulder. Until that time she was quite the opposite of frail, being amazingly strong and healthy and regularly getting down on the floor or the grass to play with her grandchildren. She was the youngest seventy-something grandmother ever seen. Carol also had a great eye for style and was very chic. She loved to socialize and entertain and had scads of binders with fancy recipes she had collected over the years. Any recipe involving chocolate was her favorite.  Carol loved to laugh and was always up for fun and adventure. She spent some of her last healthy summers fulfilling items on her bucket list, like parasailing and kayaking (yes, in her 70's) and going on her cruise. Her younger son was always her enthusiastic companion for anything she wanted to do.  Sunday's were spent with the whole family at the home of her older son and his wife, where she delighted in her six grandsons. Each summer Carol hosted the whole family at her home for an overnight of junk food, fun TV, slip-n-slid in the back yard and much to the adults' delight, a never ending supply of coffee. She was totally selfless and always sought to make others comfortable and happy. Carol will be greatly missed by her loving and devoted sons, her daughter-in-law who always appreciated her kindness and love, and her adoring grandsons who loved every single bit of their "Gammy"

Survivors include her sons Stephen (Kate) of Saratoga Springs and Mark of Albany; her grandson Thomas, Gabriel, John Dominic, Xavier, Thaddeus and Charles (who was named for Carol); brother Harold Brenna of Brooklyn; her beloved aunt Jean Carlsen of Brooklyn; treasured  sister-in-law Betty Sherwin of Mahwah and her daughters Elizabeth Sherwin, Patricia (Tony) Ferraro, Linda Sherwin and Susan (Rich) Allen along with their children; her dear friends Sue Gardner (who helped care for her in her last weeks), Joyce Hopmeier, Gloria Wells and Jean Licari; the members of her church group and her coworkers; and many other friends that she knew and loved from all areas of her life and whom she surely remembered in her prayers.

Relatives and friends may call from 4 to 7pm Thursday, April 28, 2016 at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs (584-5373). Funeral services will follow at 7pm and burial in St. Peter's Cemetery will be private at the convenience of the family.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.