Brendan Murray, Supervisor

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OBITUARIES

Obituaries » Corrine L. Follmer (Pentecost)

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May 29, 1935 - November 27, 2018

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Corinne L (Pentecost) Follmer, 83, of Honesdale, passed peacefully
surrounded by Love, at Wayne Memorial Hospital, on Tuesday November 27,
2018 from complications of a stroke and fall. She was preceded in death in
June, 2016, by her husband of 59 years, Rod C Follmer. The couple was
married on May 18, 1957.

Born on May 29, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Thelma A (Bryant)
Stookey.

Corinne attended Honesdale Schools and was a 1953 graduate of Honesdale
High School. She was very active in her high school years, spending her
time working on the Yearbook, writing editorials for the school paper as
Co-Editor, Co-captain of the Cheerleaders, National Honor Society, etc.

She continued on to Bloomsburg State Teachers College (now Bloomsburg
University) where she and Rod met. Due to illness she wasn’t able to
continue her studies, but she found her future nonetheless.

Ever the wordsmith, Corinne enjoyed writing and crafting poems for various
situations and occasions. Her writing career began with Highlights for
Children, and continued to the Scranton Tribune and the News Eagle
newspapers. Her next position was as an administrative assistant for Rod
at Weidner Construction, and then for Robert Stanton at American
Manufacturing, retiring eventually from Arbor Abstracting.

The written word captured her attention and she read anything her eyes
beheld, starting her days with reading The Scranton Tribune or Sunday Times
from front to back (mastering, in ink, each crossword puzzle in her path)
and always finding time for The Wayne Independent, Weekly Almanac and
shoppers through the years. She had often been a long distance “Phone a
Friend” for her granddaughter Steph, to help complete a complicated puzzle
of her own or game question, be it from Boston, New York, England, or
Australia, which pleased Corinne greatly. Countless books also passed
through her hands, and she was seldom without reading material in one form
or another.

Over the years, she poured her love into many handcrafted items by sewing
(including a lovely wedding dress for her daughter), knitting and
crocheting, and quilting. Creativity then found a new outlet for her as
she took up the brush and produced beautiful paintings, primarily in
watercolor.

Habitat for Humanity was the recipient of many volunteer hours for both
Corinne and Rod. They held a strong belief in the opportunity provided by
Habitat and worked to further the cause.

Corinne is survived by her daughters: Kim Follmer of Honesdale, Bonnie
Reining and husband David of Beach Lake, son: Mark Follmer and wife Pam of
Bethany, eight grandchildren: Taryn Follmer, Dan Reining, Sara (Eric)
Smith, Stephanie Reining, Michael Follmer, Rebecca (Travis) Prendergast,
Josh Follmer, and Samuel Follmer, a sister: Judy Pentecost, of Honesdale,
and a brother: Fred Stookey and wife Kay, of Monroeton, nieces, nephews and
cousins.

As per Corinne’s requests and wishes, there will be no calling hours,
funeral or memorial services.

One of her many favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

To laugh often and much; To win respect of intelligent people and the
affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and
endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the
best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy
child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one
life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

She has certainly succeeded, and she will be missed beyond words.

Special thanks are extended to the caring staff at Wayne Memorial Hospital
and for the compassionate and comforting services of the Wayne Memorial
Hospice unit.

Donations, in lieu of flowers, and Memorial contributions in her name, may
be made to:

Habitat for Humanity

P.O. Box 407,

Honesdale, PA 18431

Or

Wayne County Library

1406 Main Street

Honesdale, PA 18431

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hessling Funeral Home, 428 Main Street,
Honesdale, PA.

The following is Corinne’s eulogy, penned by Taryn Follmer, included at the
request of the family:

I have often heard the phrase, “You’re your parent’s child.” I hear it
about my friends, their families, and complete strangers. I have often been
told I am my mother’s child, and that she is in turn her father’s child.
The same could be said of skipping generations. I am certainly my
grandmother’s grandchild. Naturally, similarities can always be found among
family members, and my family is no different, but in my case, outside of
the immediate circle of my mother and myself, I find that most of my
similarities are shared with my grandmother. Out of all of the lessons I
have learned throughout life, the lessons she has taught me have had the
most impact, both directly and indirectly… More indirectly though, which in
itself speaks to the nature of her person and our relationship.

“Objectivity!” she would say, “It will help you throughout life!”

On the face of it, one might think, sure, it teaches you to sit back
and observe your surroundings, it teaches you critical thinking. But I have
learned so much more from this simple pearl of grandmotherly wisdom. I
think objectivity held a substantial role in her life. It’s quite helpful
when working for newspapers and publishing companies, to sit back and read
carefully the thoughts of others and draw conclusions, and connect the
dots, and critique when necessary. In some way, I think this one word
contributed quite a bit to the person I envision when I picture my
grandmother. Quiet, observant, wise, a lover of books and the written and
spoken word, analytical and sharper than a ceramic knife.

I say these things with a tint of retrospect, because I’ve noticed
these things in myself. Since I was little, I’ve held her words in my mind,
trying always to remain objective. I would describe myself as a typical
introvert: quiet, observant, a lover of books and anything else that might
draw me into another world, analytical… and I would like to think myself as
sharp as my grandmother, but she had much more practice than I have. One
might argue that these similarities are simply a genetic predisposition
toward introversion. One wouldn’t necessarily be wrong, but there’s more to
it than that. I have learned to look around me, to see the world for what
it is, and what it might become, and whether I picked it up along the way,
or it was dropped in the proverbial gene pool, I’ve learned to love
language and all that stems from it. Reading, writing, semantics, inspiring
quotes, inspiring jokes… I give my grandmother credit to this entire facet
of my personality.

Without my Grandma, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I shudder to
think what the alternative might have been. Her words will live on forever
in my being. Her words of advice, her words of love, her words of support,
even her occasional words of critique, will forever flourish in my heart.
When I finally get around to publishing something, her words will flourish
in my words. Though she may not have molded my life as actively as some,
and was more subtle in her influence, the influence was just as profound,
and I actively seek to embrace it and share it.

I may be my mother’s child, but I am also my grandma’s grandchild. I
will never forget this.

For well over a century, Hessling Funeral Home has offered traditional and non traditional services. We provide funeral services to all cultures and religious faiths. Making this difficult time a little easier for our families is our primary concern. In this spirit, we created our website, in which you will find information about our services and facilities, useful items such as directions, obituaries, and monuments. Please browse through our website and feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have.