Carol Joyce Sperry, 85, of Vero Beach, passed away peacefully at VNA Hospice House on May 4, 2015.
She is survived by her husband Leavenworth of 61 years; four sons, James (Abigail) of Madison, Conn., Charles (Lisa) of Woodbury, Conn., Edward (Holly) of Denver, Colo., and Grant (Lynn) of Houston, Texas; and 12 grandchildren: Nina, Ben, Blake, Brooks, Chase, Sarah, Hiller, Conner, Taylor, Parker, Caroline, and Adrienne.
Sperry was born in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 25, 1929. She was the daughter of the late Howell P. Skoglund and Margaret H. Skoglund of Edina, Minn.
She was a graduate of Northrop Collegiate School (now The Blake School), of Minneapolis, and Smith College, of Northampton, Mass.
After graduating from Smith College in the Class of 1951, she resided in Washington, D.C., where she worked first for the Armed Forces Security Agency and then for American Security and Trust Bank as an investment research analyst in the Trust Department.
On April 24, 1954, she married Leavenworth P. Sperry, Jr., and moved to Waterbury, Conn. In 1958 the couple moved to Middlebury, Conn. where Mrs. Sperry spent most of her married life.
Her favorite sport was golf, at which she excelled, winning many tournaments over the course of the years. She was a member and Treasurer of the United States Senior Women’s Golf Association, where she made many close friends and was a member of the Highfield Club of Middlebury, Conn., where she won the ladies’ club championship many times over the course of four decades. She was also a member of the Connecticut Women’s Golf Association and played in many tournaments throughout the state.
Sperry was a member of the John’s Island Club of Vero Beach from 1992 until her death. She was also a member of the Mill Reef Club of Antigua, West Indies, for more than 40 years.
During her married life, Sperry engaged in many philanthropic activities in Connecticut. She was the Treasurer of the Connecticut Child Welfare Association and the Elisha Leavenworth Foundation and was very active on behalf of the Mattatuck Museum, the Waterbury Hospital Auxiliary, and the Junior League.
She thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Vikings Football Club, of which her father was one of the founders.
A Graveside Service will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Waterbury, Conn., at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John’s Island Foundation Inc., 6001 Highway A1A, PMB 8323, Indian River Shores, FL 32963 or VNA Hospice House, 901 37th Street, Vero Beach FL, 32960.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and online condolences may be made at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.
