MARGARET (FURSE)

MARGARET (FURSE) ‘FUZZY’ SMITH ELLSWORTH – Margaret (Furse) “Fuzzy” Smith, 100, died Oct. 10, 2003, at an Ellsworth nursing facility. Fuzzy was born June 27, 1903, in Savannah, Ga., the daughter of James and Christianna (Thompson) Furse. She lived in Savannah until age 16, when she moved with her younger sister and parents to Washington, D.C., where she attended many dances at the Naval Academy. Known to the family as Margaret, she again moved, this time to New York City where she attended Vassar College, graduating in 1925 with a bachelor’s degree in English. In the beginning of her freshman year, the girls nicknamed her “Fuzzy,” a nickname she shared with her uncle, John Furse, U.S. Navy, and which followed her ever since. After college she worked for several years as a secretary to a dentist in New York. Fuzzy was married in 1930 to Dr. A.L. Marshall Smith by Harry Emerson Fosdick at Riverside Church in New York City and moved into a 17-room home in New Brunswick, N.J., where she raised her son and daughter. In 1953, Fuzzy and her husband moved to a new, smaller home, designed by her husband, in neighboring Franklin Township, N.J. The family started coming to Surry in 1942, buying property on Newbury Neck in 1945. Fuzzy continued to be a summer resident of Surry until she moved here full time in 2002. While living in New Brunswick, in addition to starting a family and running a huge house, Fuzzy was active in helping her husband start the University Outing Club, made up of faculty and staff of Rutgers University and interested area residents. She was also active in her two children’s PTAs and became president of the elementary school’s branch. During World War II, Fuzzy helped her husband, with his job as director of the Raritan Valley Civil Defense, and in those same years, Fuzzy was den mother for Den 1 of Cub Pack 1, started by her husband. Five of the Den 1 members attended her 100th birthday party. When her children were in high school, Fuzzy began as medical secretary/office manager for her husband until his death in 1969. Fuzzy was a member of the local A.A.U.W. branch for several years, serving one term as president. Fuzzy was a member of the Traveler’s Club for 66 years, writing 65 research papers to read to the club members. She served as treasurer of the Traveler’s Club and of Jersey Blue Chapter DAR for many years. Fuzzy also served as the chaplin of Allah Chapter No. 211 OES in Milltown, N.J. She was a member of the New Brunswick Branch of the English-Speaking Union. The family attended the Livingston Avenue/First Baptist Church. In Surry, Fuzzy was a member of the Surry Garden Club, the Surry Community Improvement Association and the First Congregational Church of Ellsworth. Fuzzy is survived by her son, Marshall and his wife, Marjorie, and daughter, Peggy of Surry; three grandchildren, Jenni Casale and her husband, Bill, of Mundelein, Ill., Greg Smith of Surry and Christi Farinelli and her husband, Chuck, of Lancaster, Mass.; four great-grandchildren, Bobby and Alex Farinelli, Bill Casale III and his wife, Ivette, of Hanover Park, Ill., and Tony Casale of Chicago, Ill.; two great-great-grandchildren, Noel and Michael Padilla; and one dog. A celebration of her life will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at First Congregational Church of Ellsworth, with the Rev. James Wood officiating. Those who desire may make contributions in Fuzzy’s memory to the Handicapped Accessibility Fund at First Congregational Church, 73 State St., P.O. Box 12, Ellsworth, ME 04605. Arrangements by the Jordan Funeral Home, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth.