Vernon Short

Vernon Stewart Short, age 91, entered into Heavenly rest on December 30, 2010. Born in Wilbur, Washington on July 30, 1919, he was the second son of Margaret DeCamp Short and Paul Roland Short.

At age 4, his family relocated to Santa Monica, California where he and his brother Roland were schooled and resided into adulthood. During World War II, Mr. Short was stationed with the Army (Battery B, New Hampshire National Guard) for 4 years in New Guinea and Australia.

After the War, Mr. Short became a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Southern California Local #11 where he worked primarily in Supervision on some of the largest commercial projects in the Los Angeles area.

Upon retirement Mr. Short chose to leave a crowded Southern California and relocate to Newberry, S.C. to enjoy his hobby of home renovation, oil painting and woodworking. An avid woodworker, he created many pieces of furniture and tall clock cases to coincide with his antique clock collecting hobby. A number of his clocks with antique faces and works are in private collections. He was a member of the National Watch and Clock Collectors Association, and a reproduction Clockmaker oil canvas painted by Mr. Short is in the NWCCA Museum in Pennsylvania.

During his life in Newberry, Mr. Short was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and Central United Methodist church and the Newberry Dance Club. He enjoyed dancing and had a very smooth and elegant style. He was proud to have been able to dance to all the great Big Name Dance Bands and Orchestras during his young adult years while living in Los Angeles.

Surviving his wife of nearly 35 years, Karen L. Short; daughter, June Waters-Short of Queensland, Australia; sons, Kenneth Short of Northridge, California; Brian Short with wife, Janie, granddaughter, April, great-granddaughter, Leigha all of Mohave Valley, California; step-daughters, Sue Donaldson of Mission Viejo, California and Lynn Romano of Reston, Virginia; and niece, Catherine Gabriel of Santa Monica, California. He was predeceased by his brother, Ronald.

Interment will be in the family plot in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Short did not wish to have a formal funeral. Family will receive friends in the Newbery home on Sunday, January 2, 2011 between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Remembrance memorials can be made to Vern’s favorite Talking Books Services, PO Box 821, Columbia, South Carolina 29202; or Newberry Opera House, PO Box 357, Newberry, South Carolina 29108; or Central United Methodist Church, PO box 67, Newberry, South Carolina 29108; or the very fine Lutheran Hospice, 1505 Blanding Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.

A memorial message may be written to the family by clicking the "Add Condolence" link below.