The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Katherine R. Wells

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Berlin – Katherine Ruth Graves Wells, 85, of Hilltop Road, Berlin, NY, died on Friday, December 10, 2010, at her residence under the care of Community Hospice of Rensselaer County.
Born in Albany, NY, on July 3, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Reuben and Alice Palmer Graves. She was the devoted wife of the late Robert F. Wells, who died on October 22, 1968. They were married in the Petersburgh Methodist Church on July 7, 1945. A resident of Berlin since 1945, she had been a member of the First Baptist Church of Berlin since 1948.
A 1943 graduate of Watervliet (NY) High School, Katherine attended Albany State College for Teachers until her marriage. She and her late husband owned and operated Stony Acres dairy farm. She also drove a bookmobile and worked as a telephone operator. In 1956 she began to substitute at the Berlin Post Office and was appointed Postmaster in 1973. She retired in 1985. She was a former substitute librarian at the Whitehouse Memorial Library (now the Berlin Free Town Library) where she is Trustee Emeritus. Among the many civic organizations and positions she served in are the Upper Hudson Library System, the Taconic Valley Historical Society, the Women’s Service League, First Baptist Church clerk following the explosion and burning of the Church in 1962, tutor with Literacy Volunteers in the valley, adult leader with the Berlin Campfire Girls, matron of the Berkshire Star Chapter #500 O.E.S. in Petersburgh, NY, and organizer of Sarah’s Circle in the First Baptist Church.
Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Jane Hegeman Fonda of Utica, NY, several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. She is pre-deceased by a sister, Mary Alice (Harrison) Bonesteel, and a brother, William J. Graves.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 14, at 11 am in the Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home, 66 Armsby Road, Petersburgh with Rev. Jay Witham and Rev. Peter Snide officiating. Interment followed in the Meadowlawn Cemetery.
Relatives and friends were invited to the funeral home for visitation on Monday from 5 to 8 pm.
Memorial contributions in Katherine’s name may be made to the Upper Hudson Library System or the Taconic Valley Historical Society in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 361, Petersburgh, NY, 12138.