Thursday, January 30, 2014

Muriel (Herrick) Karolides (1913 - 2014)

Muriel Herrick and John Karolides
and their children


Obituary, Salem News 30 January 2014

Danvers, MA — Muriel (Herrick) Karolides, Pastor Emeritus of The First Spiritualist Church of Salem, passed peacefully to the spirit side of life on January 24, 2014.

Born in Salem on September 27, 1913, she was the daughter of the late Moses S. and Maybelle (Hitchings) Herrick.

She was the wife of the late John Karolides. She was a homemaker and briefly worked at Leader Baby Shoe and Hotwatt.

Mrs. Karolides dedicated 70 years serving her church as Secretary, Vice President and President. A Certified Medium and Licentiate Minister, she was Assistant Pastor and then Pastor until her retirement in 2004. She served as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Association of Spiritualists for 20 years. In 2005, she was elected Pastor Emeritus and honored with a Life Time Achievement Award by the National Spiritualist Association of Churches.

She was a member of the International Order of Eastern Star, Tontoquan Chapter, and formerly the Mt. Burnett Chapter 119.

Pastimes included composing inspirational songs and poetry and caring for many feline friends.

She leaves two daughters, Elizabeth (Sue) Gehling and Priscilla M. Herrick of Danvers, and her daughter-in-law, Nancy Karolides of Florida.

In addition to her children, she leaves 16 grandchildren, William Karolides, Debbie Karolides, Tracey McNichol, Robert Karolides, Candy McGann, Dawn Karolides, Jay Karolides, Tyra Karolides, Robyn Picillo, Matthew Karolides, Mark Karolides, Heidi Gehling Adams, Timothy Gehling, Shawn Gehling, Elisabeth Lemp Cheney and Rebecca Lemp Matthias; 25 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Along with her many nieces and nephews, she also loving remembers foster nephew, David LeClair and his wife, Debbie, of Danvers; niece, Barbara Mahoney of Beverly, and former son-in-law, Herman Lemp.

She was predeceased by sons, Joseph, James and William; her brothers, Charles and Frank; and her sisters, Hilda Patterson and Eleanor Trask.

ARRANGEMENTS: A Memorial Service will be held at the First Spiritualist Church of Salem, 34 Warren St., Salem, MA, on Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 11 a.m. All are invited.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The First Spiritualist Church, 34 Warren St., Salem, MA 01970 or to PALS Animal Life Savers, c/o Kristina Wheeler, PALS Treasurer, 10 Turner Street, Salem, MA 01970.

This obituary is from the Salem News website 


Muriel Herrick was almost 101 years old when she passed away.  She was my grandmother's first cousin, and is the last known person in her generation.  My grandmother Gertrude (Hitchings) Allen died in 2001, at the age of 95. The Hitchings side of the family had some members who lived until their 80s and 90s even in the 1600s, which is quite an achievement! Our immigrant ancestor Daniel Hitchings was born about 1632 in England and died 14 April 1731 in Lynn, Massachusetts.  He deposed on 11 April 1722 that he was 90 years old. 

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Copyright (c) 2014, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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