Obituary of Carolyn Rhoda Grosz

Carolyn (Carol) Rhoda Sharp was born October 22, 1921 to Dr. William H H Sharp and Lillian Benscoter Sharp in Bloomsburg Hospital, Bloomsburg, PA. Four weeks after her birth her Mother passed and the infant Carol was taken to Muhlenburg to be raised by her Maternal Grandparents, Issac and Martha Benscoter. Carol's fondest memory was of the close bond she had with her grandfather as well as learning to clean, sew and bake with her grandmother. Carol was also blessed to spend her childhood surrounded by her Mothers' loving and caring sisters who preceded her in death, Marjorie (Wolfe), Alta (Goss) and Eleanor (McCarroll). She loved summers at Patterson Grove and outings at Sylvan Lake with her family. Her least favorite chore was bringing the cows across the road to the barn after grazing on what is now Morgan Hills Golf Course. At sixteen Carol graduated class Valedictorian from Shickshinny High School, class of 1938, and two years later entered Wilkes-Barre General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in the class of 1943. Carol and two of her best friends from nursing school chose to answer the call to serve in WWII by enlisting in the US Navy Nurse Corps. Ensign Carol Sharp served as an operating room nurse in Virginia where she was introduced to and later married Grover Vacher, an enlisted soldier in the US Navy. Because she was an officer and Grover was not she resigned her commission after they married in December, 1946. His assignments took them to live in Puerto Rico, North Carolina and New London Connecticut where Carol worked in the hospital caring for soldiers returning from overseas. In late 1949 Carol learned she was pregnant with their daughter but, unfortunately, Grover was not the same after his ship returned from transporting survivors to the US from German Concentration camps. Carol returned to her childhood home alone to be surrounded by her loving family and await the birth of their daughter, Nanette. Carol returned to W-B General Hospital after her divorce from Grover in September 1951 and in a few years began her career as an OR nurse. In 1970 she was chosen to join the newly formed Anesthology department where she received training under Drs. Wicks and Broben and became a CRNA in June, 1971. Carol experienced the full spectrum of anesthesia beginning with administering ether on gauze up to and including the computer age until 1986 at which time Carol retired with a nursing career that spanned 43 years. In 1979 Carol married Leonard Grosz of Slocum, PA where she created a home for his 4 married children, their spouses and their children to visit and poured her heart into helping raise the four boys still at home. Robert, Albert, Tom and David appreciated her home cooked meals, store bought clothing, trips to Broadway shows and turning their house into a home. After her divorce from Leonard in 1986 Carol delighted in her "second career," helping care for and inspire the "light of her life," her granddaughter, Stephanie. In 1994 Carol moved to Horsham, PA to live permanently with Nanette, Stephanie and her former son-in-law. "Grammie" enjoyed every school event, karate class, and shopping trip as well as attending Stephanie's graduations from Horsham High School and Emily Carr University in Vancouver, BC. Returning to N.E.P.A. in 2015 and residing in Berwick, PA since 2018, Carol was known for her love of African violets, solving crossword puzzles, reading, knitting, crocheting, attending the Benscoter Family Reunions, dinners out with her many neighbors who she adored and appreciated and family who were amazed and appreciative of the family matriarch and her accurate and plentiful memories of the Benscoter family history. Remarkably Carol was able to accompany her daughter and Lloyd Hoyt to winter in the South numerous times over the past 6 years. Carol wished to express a special thank you to Gwen and Dana Wagner for their many visits and quality time spent with her the last couple years as well as the kindness and support of neighbors Dave, Joyce and Matt Laubaugh. Carol exemplified the very meaning of a Patriot. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, cast her vote in every election up to 2024 and volunteered at the American Red Cross. She lived by the motto, "Honor, Service, God, Family, Country."… and a day was special if there was a good cup of coffee and ice cream for dessert. Surviving is her daughter Nanette Vacher and Lloyd Hoyt, who was like a son to her, of Berwick, PA, her granddaughter Stephanie Vacher and fiancé Simon Wistow of San Francisco, CA, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, and numerous members of the Grosz Family. A Celebration of Life will be held at the convenience of the family. Interment will be at the Benscoter Cemetery, Muhlenburg. Arrangements are by the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc. center of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospitals For Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.