PLAINFIELD — Emma R Towne Mosher passed away Nov. 8, 2018. She was born in Meriden, Feb. 17, 1918, daughter of Elmer C. and Stella I (Kimball) Towne. She grew up and attended school in Meriden and enrolled at Kimball Union Academy in 1932. The family moved to Lebanon in 1933 and she finished high school there. In 1936 she married Fredus L. Shepard. They had six children and later divorced.
In 1937 she started working at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Windsor, Vermont as a heel trimmer. Over the years she held a variety of jobs including heel inspector, scale operator, nurse’s aide, cafeteria assistant, labor trainer, and time keeper. She was a member and officer of the United Rubber Workers AFL-CIO and was a member of Vermont Labor Council. During this period she attended classes at the University of Rhode Island, focusing on public speaking, labor relations, and political science. She also attended classes at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.
On Oct. 4, 1952 she married Carroll N. Mosher. They moved to Plainfield and bought the Will French property on Stage Road. Emma was a member of Plainfield Community Baptist Church where she served on the diaconate and as president of Plainfield Church Women. She held weekly Bible study at her home for about three years. She was an active member of Plainfield Historical Society; served as docent at the Maxfield Parrish Museum under direction of Alma Gilbert; and was a life member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 25 in Windsor, Vermont. In 1964, she became a charter and life member of the Towne Family Association a genealogical research organization and served as president and VP program director.
In 1972 she and Carroll started spending winter months in Anna Maria, Florida. They also made several trips across the United States and Canada. In 2017, she received the Boston Post Cane, presented to the oldest living citizen in Plainfield. She was the third person in her family to receive this award. In 2018, her daughters and families surprised her with a “100th birthday party” held at Windsor Mansion Inn in Windsor, Vermont. Four generations of family attended along with friends and neighbors. She received over 250 birthday cards.
She is survived by daughters Joan Poland of White River Junction, Vermont, and Linda and son-in-law Ralph Stone of Brownsville, Vermont; 12 grandchildren and two stepgrandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Carroll, daughters Gladys Evans and Charlotte Wagner and sons Arthur Shepard and Fredus L. Shepard, Jr., and sister Dorothy Towne McNamara.
Visiting hours will be held at the Knight Funeral Home in Windsor , Vermont on Friday, Nov. 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at the Plainfield Community Church in Plainfield on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. with fellowship following burial in the Plainfield Cemetery .
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to: Plainfield Community Church , Human Crisis Fund, PO Box 84 , Plainfield , NH 03781; Plainfield Senior Luncheon Program c/o Stephanie Schell PO Box 380, Meriden, NH 03770; or to Plainfield Historical Society, PO Box 107, Plainfield, NH 03781 .
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