Obituaries: DeConti, Pinkowski, Whitbeck
Carl DeConti, 89, meat cutter
COPAKE—Carl DeConti, 89 of Taconic Shores, Copake passed away on Tuesday January 25, 2011 at his residence.
He was born on April 5, 1921 in Yonkers, the son of Vincent and Luisa (Frego) DeConti.
A part-time resident of Copake since 1958, he moved here with his family full-time in 1983.
Mr. DeConti was employed as a meat cutter at the Washington Meat Marker in Yonkers and also by the A & P Grocery Store. Upon moving to Copake, he worked as a meat cutter at the Copake General Store and later as an attendant at the Copake Transfer Station. Earlier employment included working for the Otis Elevator Company.
On May 8, 1949 in Yonkers he married Margaret (Colacurcio) DeConti.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret “Mickie” DeConti of Copake; a daughter, Lisa DeConti also of Copake; a son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Priscilla DeConti of Kingston. He also leaves his grandchildren, Maria DeConti Nguyen of Chester, VA and James DeConti of Wappingers Falls.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Rev. George Brennan, Saturday January 29, 2011 at 10 a.m. from Our Lady of Hope Parish in Copake Falls.
Private interment will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Columbia-Greene, 47 Liberty Street, Catskill 12414. Arrangements are with the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 State Route 22 in Copake.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Elizabeth Pinkowski, 76, housekeeper, loved her cat
VALATIE—Elizabeth Ann Pinkowski, 76, of Golden Acres, Valatie, died Monday, January 24, 2011 at her home.
Born in Poughkeepsie, November 19, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Leopold and Alice (Cahill) Gress.
Mrs. Pinkowski was the head housekeeper at the Payn Foundation in Chatham for more than 20 years. She enjoyed spending time with her husband at their other home in Gray.
She was an avid gardener and loved her cat, Bojangles. Her tremendous faith was an important part of her life as well as all of her family, who she was extremely proud of and who her life revolved around.
She is survived by her husband, Theodore “Ted” Pinkowski of Valatie; four children, Nancy Hicks (Burt) of Poughkeepsie, John Corey (Debbie) of Highland, Luann Zadora (Bob) of Danielson, CT, and Donald Corey, Jr. of Poughkeepsie; four stepchildren, Linda Pawlik (Joseph) of Valatie, Patricia Ditschler (Randy) of Nassau, Tracey Lyons (Thomas) of Warwick, and Todd Pinkowski (Kathleen) of San Diego, CA; 12 grandchildren; six great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her sister, Margaret Fitzpatrick and her brother Leo Gress.
Funeral services and burial will be private at the convenience of the family. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 260 Osborne Road, Loudonville 12211 or the American Heart Association, Mid-Hudson Region, P.O. Box 3117, Kingston 12402. Arrangements are with the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, Inc., Route 9, Valatie.
Catherine Whitbeck, 62, counselor and advocate for students
HUDSON—Catherine Kane Whitbeck, 62, of Hudson passed away Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at Columbia Memorial Hospital after a courageous 10-year battle with breast cancer.
She was born May 16, 1948 in Hudson to the late Cornelius H. Kane and Marguerite (Alonge) Kane, who survives.
She was a graduate of Hudson High School (Class of 1966), Skidmore College (BA English, 1970) and Colgate University (MAT 1971). At Colgate, Mrs. Whitbeck was in the group of the first women students to attend the university.
She was a beautiful person, who loved her family and friends unconditionally and lived her life with a rare passion for the many causes that interested her. During her 30-year career with Questar III, she touched the lives of thousands of high-school-aged students, who knew that they could always look to her as a counselor and advocate. Mrs. Whitbeck was instrumental in establishing a permanent college scholarship fund for Columbia and Greene county graduates of Questar with the financial help of Paul and Judy Grunberg and the T. Backer Community Fund.
She also was a member of the board of the Hudson Opera House, lately serving as secretary. She devoted much of her last years toward fund raising efforts and programming for children and young adults at the Opera House. Mrs. Whitbeck believed in her community and was very proud of the contribution that the restoration of the Opera House had on the rejuvenation of the downtown area in Hudson. She was also a trustee for the Hudson Children’s Foundation and was formerly a member of the Columbia County Parole Board.
She was inspired by the changing landscape of the Hudson Valley and cherished her beloved Mount Merino home and her picture perfect river view where she spent endless hours entertaining family and friends. During the summer months, she would trade her Hudson Valley comforts for days spent relaxing on the beaches of Popponesset, an Irish community in Cape Cod, where family was paramount.
She was the beloved wife of Carl G. Whitbeck, Jr.; devoted mother of Carl G. Whitbeck, III, (Gabriella Thiele) of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Caitlin H. Whitbeck (David Fisher) of Manhattan, John V. Whitbeck, II, and Charles L. Whitbeck of Albany; loving sister of Cornelius H. Kane, Jr. (Ellen Mahoney) of Hull, Massachusetts; George Kane (Laurie Clark) of Scituate, Massachusetts and Guy L. Kane of Lenox, Massachussetts . She was the loving grandmother of Alexandra Grace Whitbeck and Jackson Kane Whitbeck. Also surviving are many cousins, nieces and nephews.
As an exceptional role model, Mrs. Whitbeck worked tirelessly to instill appropriate values for her children and grandchildren. She will live on in their memory.
Funeral services will be conducted at St. Mary’s Church in Hudson, Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Interment will be in Cedar Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hudson Opera House, 327 Warren Street, Hudson 12534, or the Columbia-Greene Hospital Foundation, 71 Prospect Avenue, Hudson 12534.
Arrangements are with the Bates & Anderson—Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home.
