Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper
Stephentown -Donald R. Sweet went home to be with the Lord on Friday, August 21, 2015.
Don was born in Rochester, NY on March 7, 1935 to John and Gertrude Sweet. Not long after, the Sweets moved East and settled in South Bethlehem, NY, their family growing by one with the addition of Don’s sister Jackie. [Read more…] about Donald Sweet
Stephentown, NY – Richard Michael Griffin, 79, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, August 31, 2015 after an extended battle with cancer.
Born in East Lee, MA to parents Francis and Agnes Griffin, he resided in New Lebanon, NY. A talented athlete, he graduated in 1954 from New Lebanon High School. [Read more…] about Richard Michael Griffin
Sand Lake – Gertrude “Judy” Rowe 85, a long time resident of Sand Lake died on Sunday August 30, 2015 at the Samaritan Hospital after a brief illness. Born in North Adams, MA, Judy was the daughter of the late Floyd L. and Gertrude M. Rock Spencer and wife of the late Chester F. Teal and Henry “Bub” Rowe. [Read more…] about Gertrude “Judy” Rowe
Hoosick Falls – Mr. John (Jack) Cramer, 82, of 1 Nixon Street died on August 31, 2015 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. Jack was born on December 16, 1932, he was the son of the late Henry and Helena (Regan) Cramer. He is survived by his two daughters Maria (Brian) Rousseau, of Hoosick Falls and Lisa (Glen) Johnson Cramer of Rhode Island and daughter-in-law Lynn Cramer of Hoosick Falls. He was preceded in death by his son Gary Cramer. [Read more…] about John Cramer
Hoosick Falls – Brian J. Hall, 53, passed away suddenly on Sunday August 23, 2015 at his residence on Spring Street in Cambridge, NY. He resided there with his wife Pam (Nolan) Hall and their children Brian and Carly Hall.
Brian was born on January 13, 1962, in Troy, New York, son of the late Robert and Wilhelmina (Tschumi) Hall, Sr. He graduated from Hoosick Falls Central School in 1980 and SUNY Oswego with a BS in Business in 1986. At the time of his death he worked at General Electric in Schenectady, NY, in quality control, after a 26 year career with Kent Industries.
Brian was very involved with youth sports in both Cambridge and Hoosick Falls for many years. He also coached Little League, Pee Wee Football and soccer. He could always be seen on the sidelines at Hoosick Falls football games keeping the stats and cheering on the team. Most recently, Brian was helping to organize his 35th class reunion.
Survivors other than his wife Pam, son Brian and daughter Carly include his sisters Karen R. (Mike) Hall Otero of Greenwich, NY and Kathi Carknard of Hoosick Falls, brother Robert “Chuck” (Cathy) Hall, Jr., of Woodsville, NH, and in-laws Robert and Marilyn Nolan of Cambridge, NY. Brian is also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services were held Thursday August 27, at 2 pm, from the Cambridge United Presbyterian Church, 81 East Main Street in Cambridge, NY.
Relatives and friends called at the Mahar Funeral Home in Hoosick Falls, NY on Wednesday evening. Memorial contributions may be made to the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry of the Cambridge United Presbyterian Church, the E C Youth Fund or the Alzheimer’s Association through the funeral home.
Eagle Bridge – Roy W. Moses, 89, of Eagle Bridge, passed away peacefully Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington surrounded by his family.
Born December 25, 1925 in Cambridge, he was the son of the late Lloyd and Alice (Brown) Moses. Roy graduated in 1944 from the Walter A. Wood High School in Hoosick Falls and enlisted in the U.S. Army serving during WW II.
He operated the family dairy farm in Eagle Bridge for many years until he retired from farming. He then worked for Corcoran-Cowan Agway in Stillwater and then at Mor-Con in Cambridge.
Roy enjoyed hunting at his son’s camp at Raquette Lake, reading, and was known to joke with people. He attended the Eagle Bridge United Methodist Church.
Roy is survived by his wife, Janet Eddy Moses whom he married December 18, 1955; his children, Laurie Moses, Leonard (Diane) Moses, both of Eagle Bridge and Valerie (Larry) Courville of Moreau; a brother, Harry Moses of Eagle Bridge. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Jessica Moses, Rebecca (Dan) Lvov, Carli Courville and Rylie Courville; two step-grandchildren, Lauren Perry and Aron Courville; two step- great-grandchildren, Ethan Perry and Lilliana Perry as well as many cousins.
He was predeceased by his brother, Robert J. Moses in 1969.
Calling hours will be from 11 am until 1 pm Friday, August 28 at the Ackley, Ross & Gariepy Funeral Home, 73 West Main St., Cambridge. A funeral service will begin at the conclusion of the calling hours at 1 pm.
Interment with military honors will be at the Center White Creek Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in memory of Roy may be made to the Eagle Bridge United Methodist Church, 3930 State Route 67, Eagle Bridge, NY 12057.
The Moses family thanks the staff of the Fairwinds Residential Care in North Bennington and the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington for the wonderful care given to Roy and his family.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.ackleyrossfuneralhome.com
Hoosick Falls – Eleanor A. (Green) Fairbanks, died on Friday, August 21, 2015 at the River’s Edge Community Care Home in Bennington, Vermont. Eleanor, the daughter of James J. Green and Eleanor A. (LaMar) Green, was born in Troy, New York. She was a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy in Hoosick Falls, and for a number of years, the proprietor of a shopping center and gas station in North Hoosick. Eleanor was a life-long member of the Immaculate Conception Church.
Eleanor served as a “grey-lady” volunteer at the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center for many years and was a member of the Hoosick Falls Health Center Auxiliary as well. She was also a very proud member of the Ondawa Cambridge Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution where she served a term as a Chapter Officer. Eleanor’s interests were many. She particularly enjoyed her winters in Florida, the beach, socializing with new friends, as well as those northern friends also spending the winter in southern sunshine. She was a great racing enthusiast and, with her sister Catherine, spent many happy hours at the track. Eleanor loved traveling and tried very hard to visit as much of her country and the continent of Europe as possible. She was a very kind and generous person who loved animals and contributed greatly to their welfare throughout her lifetime.
On February 8, 1956, in Hoosick Falls, Eleanor married John R. Hewson who predeceased her on March 20, 1968. On November 17, 1972, Eleanor married Leo J. Fairbanks, who died on February 5, 1994.
Survivors include her step-daughter Mary A. Hewson Goldman of Port St. Lucie, FL, her step-sons Richard Fairbanks of North Hoosick, NY and Dr. Donald Fairbanks of Pittsfield, MA as well as her siblings, Barbara and Elizabeth Green, of Bennington, VT and Daniel and William Green of North Hoosick, NY. Eleanor was predeceased by her brothers John, James and George Green and her sister, Catherine Steele.
Eleanor’s siblings are extremely grateful to Whitney, Elizabeth and Laura of the VNA and Hospice of Southwestern VT for their wonderful care and support throughout her last illness. The family also wishes to thank Maria, Lois, Tina, Jackie, Erin and Helen and all the staff at River’s Edge, who treated Eleanor with such attention, care and kindness throughout her stay with them.
The Liturgy of Christian Death and Burial was offered on Wednesday August 26, at 10 am, from the Immaculate Conception Church on Main Street in Hoosick Falls, NY. Burial followed the mass at Woodlands Cemetery in Cambridge, NY.
Relatives and friends called at the Mahar Funeral Home in Hoosick Falls on Tuesday evening.
If desired, contributions in Eleanor’s memory may be made to either the Second Chance Animal Shelter, the VNA and Hospice, or the Immaculate Conception Church through the funeral home.
Hoosick Falls – William Mackey Peckham, age 91, born May 3, 1924, was the son of the late William Mackey Peckham and Elizabeth Stewart. He was educated in Troy, NY and in Lansingburg schools. After joining the USN Seabees in WW II, he served in the Pacific on Oahu, Johnston Island, and Saipan. After the war, he earned a B.A. degree at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA. Later, he was assistant credit manager at Montgomery Ward in Menands for a short time but then decided to continue his education, obtaining an M.A. in English from State University of NY at Albany. He taught junior and senior English at Hoosick Falls Central School from 1954 to 1984.
Mr. Peckham had served on the Board of Trustees of the Cheney Library in Hoosick Falls since 1957 and was president of that Board for 30 years between 1958 and 1998.
Mr. Peckham is survived by his wife Dorothy (Becker) Peckham, a son, William Stewart Peckham of Howard, OH, and grandchildren Sara and Ian Peckham and Brian Richard. He is also survived by a brother Stewart L. Peckham of Santa Fe, NM. He was preceded in death by a brother, John M. Peckham in 2001, and by his daughter, Lisa Richard, in 2009.
In following his wishes, Mr. Peckham’s body was donated to the Ohio State University Division of Anatomy. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, it is asked that donations in his name be made to either the Cheney Library of Hoosick Falls, PO Box 177, Hoosick Falls, NY 12090 or to the Nature Conservancy (www.natureconservancy.org)
To share a memory or leave the family a condolence, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com
– Anne W. von Schilgen, 91, died Sunday, August 9, 2015 at her home at St. Jude’s Apartments in Wynantskill. Born in Washington, DC on December 4, 1923, she was the daughter of the late Robert Craighead Walker and Dorothy van der Veer Walker. Anne was raised and educated in Scarsdale, NY and was a 1942 graduate of Scarsdale High School.
She worked as a secretary in Washington, DC before moving with her husband to Bronxville, NY where she raised her family. Anne moved to Petersburgh, NY in 1968 and later moved to Williamsburg, VA in 1986 and then to Berlin, MD in 2001. She has resided in Wynantskill for the past year.
Anne was a homemaker and enjoyed knitting, rug hooking and was an avid reader. She enjoyed genealogy and family history and was an excellent cook.
She was the wife of the late Robert J. von Schilgen; beloved mother of Christopher J. (Sandra) von Schilgen of Grafton, Elizabeth A. (Gary) Becker of Williamsburg, VA, Robert C. von Schilgen of Cherry Plain, NY, Frederick J. von Schilgen of Berlin, MD and the late Richard C. von Schilgen formerly of Berlin, NY who died in 2011; sister of Katherine Tenore of Pine Plains, NY and the late Francis, Robert and Donald Walker and Virginia Pfeiffer. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are private at the convenience of the family. Her ashes will be interred in the Meadowlawn Cemetery in Petersburgh later this fall.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Grafton Library, PO Box H, Grafton, NY 12082.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com. Arrangements are by the Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home in Petersburgh.
Stephentown – Louise “Kate” Pfisterer Shyer, 96, died peacefully Sunday, August 9, 2015 at her son’s home in 
Stephentown. Born in Manhattan, NY on June 14, 1919, she was the daughter of the late George and Louise Cejka Pfisterer. Raised and educated in Manhattan, she was employed by Purpac Drug Company in New York before her marriage. Following her marriage, her husband was drafted and Louise moved with him to the Orlando, FL Army Air Base. During World War II, Louise was employed repairing the sheet metal on planes used during the war effort.
After the war, Louise returned to the Bronx where she raised her family. After her kids were raised, she moved to Putnam Lake in Patterson, NY where the family had a summer home. From 1974 to 1989, Louise lived in Century Village in Deerfield Beach, FL. She moved to Stephentown in July 2014.
Louise was an avid gardner, enjoyed painting and reading and had a love for antiques which she passed on to her family.
She was the wife of the late John Thomas Shyer, beloved mother of Eric B. (Candace) Shyer of Stephentown, NY and Janet A. (Mark) Fried of Blue Ridge, GA; adored grandmother of Allyson (Daryl) Tucker, Jason Magoon, Dan Shyer, Margaret Louise (Eric) Barie and Kimberly Ann Antal; great grandmother of Brionna and Joshua Tucker, Josephine and Jocelyn Barie, Doug and Cole Antal; sister of the late George Pfisterer and Lucille Bollinger. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Community Hospice of Rensselaer, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY 12144 or to the Stephentown Memorial Library, 472 NY State Route 43, Stephentown, NY 12168, attn: Treasurer.
Louise was cremated and services are private at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are by the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home in Stephentown, NY. Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.
