TURNER CENTER – Sherman Varney, 82, died Sunday, May 23, at his home in Turner Center. He was active to the end, getting his garden planted, visiting his extensive family, driving a tractor to help his grandson Jason landscape his new home, and teaching his great-grandchildren to put a worm on a hook and fish in the river.

Born March 19, 1922, the son of George William Varney and Etta Berry Varney at the farm in Keens Mills on the Androscoggin River. The middle child of seven children he was schooled in Turner and graduated from Leavitt Institute in 1941. He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II and came home to marry Shirley Avis Prince April 6, 1946. He and his brother George farmed in Turner Center as Varney Brothers’ until he and Shirley started their farm Shermirley Farm’ in 1960 at the old Knight Farm, where his son William and grandsons Troy and Caleb continue to farm and milk 90 to 100 Holsteins.

He served on the Turner School board and was a Trustee of Leavitt Institute. He was a past master of Nezinscot Lodge AF & AM of Masons in Turner. He was a director and later president of New England Milk Producers Association, director of Yankee Milk and later director of Agri-Mark. He served on the Maine Milk Commission and the governor’s council of agricultural advisors. He served on MPSI a New England milk promotional organization, and he served on the 16 member National Milk Federation board and met once a month in Washington, D.C. for many years. He served as president of the park where he resided winters in Zephyrhills, Fla.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley; children, Susan Varney of Fairfield, William Sherman Varney Jr. and wife, Vicki of Turner, Valerie Dunn and husband, Chuck of Greene and Brad and wife, Paula of Turner; brothers, Charles of Greene and George and wife, Dorothy of Turner; sister, Hilda Caldwell and husband, Lawrence of Turner; 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister Hazel Sennett and his brothers Warren and Paul of Turner.