Norman Stanford Short Norman Stanford Short

Norman Stanford Short, Captain USN Retired, died on Thursday, April 22, 2010, aged 94, in Irvington, Virginia.

Captain Short, a longtime resident of Garden City, was a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, alumna of West Philadelphia High School, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1939. After his North Atlantic tour, he received a Master in Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering.

His 22 year Navy career included postings in Boston, Massachusetts; Portsmouth, Virginia; San Diego, California; Washington D.C.; Newport News, Virginia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After his Navy retirement in 1961, he and his family moved to Whitehall Boulevard, in Garden City, and he worked for Sperry Gyroscope on Long Island, for Grace Line, and for R. W. & R. C. Morrell, maritime consultants, New York, New York.

He was a longstanding member of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, a member of Cathedral’s vestry, and active in the annual Every Member Canvass. He and his wife were founding members of the Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer.

Captain Short was an avid reader, especially of archeology and history, loved a challenging chess match, and bridge. Outdoors, he enjoyed sailing and was Commodore of the Hempstead Harbor Yacht Club on Long Island; he regularly played golf and tennis.

He and his beloved wife of 54 years, Anne Stuntz Short, moved from Garden City to Columbia, SC, and traveled the world together before her death in 1995. Captain Short moved to Vinson Hall, McLean, Virginia, and most recently lived at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury retirement community in Irvington, Virginia. He is survived by six children; Anne Ruffino, San Pablo, California; Betsy Douglas, Wicomico Church, Virginia; Emily Short, New York, New York; Laura Steenburg, Elizabethtown, New York; Norman Short III, San Diego, California; Stephen Short, Garden City, New York, a grandson, Scott Douglas, residing in Tucson, Arizona, and two granddaughters, Samantha Short and Faith Short, of Garden City, New York.

A graveside memorial service will be held at Flint Hill Cemetery, Oakton, Virginia. Details may be found at www.curriefuneralhome.net or by calling 1-888-548-3876.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury Foundation, which provides fellowship assistance to deserving seniors. Checks may be mailed to the RW-C Foundation, 132 Lancaster Drive, Irvington, VA 22480.

Sharon Lynn Gehl

Sharon Lynn Gehl, age 67 of Wayzata, Minnesota, died peacefully at home on Wednesday April 21, 2010 with her family by her side. She was a former resident of Garden City.

She was born on Long Island and graduated from Garden City High School. She was a graduate of Indiana University and a member of the Kappa Delta sorority.

She was a woman of strong Christian faith who has touched the lives of many through her kind giving spirit. She will be truly missed by all. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Tree House Youth Outreach, Edina, MN (952) 238-1010 and Feed My Starving Children, Chanhassen, MN (952) 937-2329.

She is survived by Larry Gehl, her husband of 45 years; their three daughters Lisa (John) Wing, Jan (Chad) Gniffke and Kelly (Jamey) Dunlap; mother, Jane Armstrong; brother, Keith Armstrong; sister, Robb Rice and seven grandchildren, Paige Gniffke, Jack Wing, Luke Wing, Jake Gniffke, Mason Dunlap, Kate Wing and Mackenzie Dunlap.

A memorial service will be held on May 2nd at 1:30 PM at Faith Presbyterian Church, 12007 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55343.

Geraldine Wagner

Geraldine Wagner, beloved wife of Garden City school music teacher and band leader Thomas Wagner, died peacefully in her sleep at her Franklin Square home on April 20 th . Gerry, as she was known to her friends, was born in Benton, a little coal mining town in Illinois, but left for NYC as a young woman to live with her aunt and uncle while working in J.C. Penneys. Chance brought her and a group of girlfriends to a restaurant where she met a handsome young WWII soldier on leave from the army. It was love at first sight, and after a whirlwind courtship, Tom and Gerry Wagner began their 65 year marriage as loving sweethearts. As Tom built up his career in the music field, Gerry helped raise their two sons, Gary and Paul, served as a Cub Scout den mother, worked in the PTA, helped out in her church, provided Meals on Wheels with Tom, and enjoyed her bridge club. Her greatest joy, however, was always her family, which increased to include two daughters-in-law (Linda and Kathie), grandchildren (Ellen and Christopher plus their spouses, Michael and Angela, and Michael and David with the loves of their lives, Amyra and Kathleen), as well as three great-grandchildren (Corinne Michele, Anna Sophia, and Scarlett Grace), all whom she had the pleasure to be with this Easter Sunday. Gerry was a never-ending source of support to her loving husband Tom and could always be seen with him at his Garden City gazebo performances and other functions he played at in town. Her warmth and sense of humor, as well as her integrity and plain old-fashioned down-to-earth American wisdom, made her a remarkable role model for family and friends. Gerry will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed by everyone who knew her.