Cromwell H.W. Schubarth, Sr., of Reading, passed away at his home after a short illness on Sunday, June 28. He was the loving husband of Ruth E. (Smith) Schubarth.

Born and raised in Boston, he was the son of the late Cromwell M. W. Schubarth, and the late Dorothy (Schermerhorn) Schubarth. "Crom" as he was known to family and friends, grew up in Dorchester and Roxbury sections of Boston. Cromwell was Salutatorian of his class at Boston Trade School.

Mr. Schubarth was a United States Air Force Veteran, serving with the 405th Air Police Squadron during the Korean War. Following his Honorable Discharge form the Air Force, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Photographic Science from Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating in 1961. While at RIT, he was President of the Theta Gamma fraternity, which became the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity while he was in it.

After graduation he worked at Polaroid in Cambridge and Waltham for 24 years, until 1985. He later worked at Copycop in Boston for nine years.

Cromwell was an avid photographer and painter, and he was a member of the Reading Art Association, as well as the Society of Photographic Scientists & Engineers. He was also a former President of the Reading Kiwanis Club and Lt. Governor of the New England District of Kiwanis. He was President of both the Alice M. Barrows Elementary School PTA and the Walter S. Parker PTA. Crom was a member of the Good Samaritan Lodge AF&AM in Reading; and Past Patron of the Priscilla Lodge No. 52 Order of Eastern Star; and he was an active parishioner at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Reading.

In addition to his wife of 64 years, Ruth, Mr. Schubarth is survived by one son, Cromwell Schubarth Jr. and his wife Nancy of San Jose, CA; and three daughters, Karen Ricker of Lee, NH, Alyssa Teves and her husband Stephen of Woburn, and Nancy Anderson and her husband Everett of Reading. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Meghan, Adam, and Christa Ricker; Richard Teves and his wife Chelsea, Ryan Teves and his wife Adrienne, Jillian and Kyle Teves; and Casey, Troy, Jason, and Brady Anderson; and two great grandchildren, Julia Teves and Evan McGartlin. In addition to his parents, Crom was preceded in death by one brother, the late Ross E. Schubarth.

A funeral service will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 95 Woburn St. (Cor. of Chute St.) Reading on Thursday, July 2 at 10:00 am. Visiting hours will be at the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, 25 Sanborn St. (Cor. of Woburn St.) Reading on Wednesday from 4-8 pm. Burial with military honors will be at the Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Memorial Donations may be made to the Reading Scholarship Foundation, Inc., in memory of Cromwell Schubarth, Sr., P.O. Box 492, Reading, MA 01867.