Buskirk – Louis G. Reyman of Buskirk, NY, passed away Monday, January 13, 2014, surrounded by his daughters and family. He was born May 23, 1925, to Louis and Rufina (Michels) Reyman, in the Hague, Netherlands. He immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands in 1934 to New York City as a young boy and lived in Manhattan and the Bronx. He became a naturalized citizen on March 8, 1949, at the age of 23.
Louis held many positions in NYC as a young man and was a member of a local electrical contractors union prior to meeting and proposing to the farmer’s daughter, Arlene G. Sherman.
Louis and Arlene were married on April 24, 1954, and settled in Buskirk. He was a loyal and dedicated 23 year employee of the Ford Motor Company in Green Island, NY, and a proud member of the United Auto Workers union. He also drove a local paper route for the Troy Record for many years. After retiring from the Ford Motor Company in 1975, Louis wrote a weekly column for The Eagle newspaper known as “Tilting at Windmills.”
Louis was a founding member of the United Taxpayers Association for Cambridge Central School and was a member of the restoration committee for the Buskirk Covered Bridge.
Louis and Arlene built a beautiful life together during their 37 years of marriage that produced four courageous and loving daughters and many adoring grandchildren. Sadly, Louis lost Arlene on April 27, 1991.
After the loss of his wife, Louis found love again via his pen pal Jane Allyn Ross. They enjoyed a very intellectual relationship sharing many conversations relative to history, culture and the arts. Jane brought laughter and gourmet cooking and showed him that real men do eat quiche! Jane cared for Louis and was a loving companion – Mum to his daughters and Grandma Jane to their grandchildren until her death on January 6, 2011.
Louis was known for his ability to fix anything with a soldering gun and duct tape. He was known as Mr. Fix It and The Wizard of Buskirk because he could fix anything from toys to a Model T Ford. As a father and grandfather he could even fix a broken heart. He was born with disabilities and overcame many medical issues to make a life for himself and his family.
Louis is survived by his daughters, Rufina Reyman and Jeffrey May, Patricia Gangloff and Scott Pearson, Jacqueline Reyman, Ellen Redden and Dorothy Marcoux and husband Michael Marcoux, his sister, Dorothy Holland, his brother, John Reyman, and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Louis is pre-deceased by a brother, William Reyman.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, January 18, at 11 am from St. Patrick’s Church on South Park Street in Cambridge, NY. Burial will follow at Island Hill Cemetery in Buskirk.
Relatives and friends may call at the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street in Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090, on Friday evening from 5 to 8 pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to either the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad or the Rensselaer County Community Hospice through the funeral home.