Nora Woodward, 99, musician, witnessed history
CLAVERACK—Nora Anna Woodward, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at her home in Claverack.
Born February 1, 1912, Mrs. Woodward saw the automobile, airplane and several machinery gadgets come into use; saw men land on the moon; went through five or six wars; and saw 17 presidents take office.
She is survived by four children, Joseph (Doris) Woodward, John (Marian) Woodward, Carol Woodward and Eleanor (Peter) Marzahl; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Woodward was preceded in death by her husband, Peter; a son, Robert; a daughter, Bonnie Coelho; a brother, Thurlow Hoffman; a sister, Marion Kopper; a great-granddaughter, Jennifer Marzahl; and her parents, William and Jane Hoffman.
After raising her three sons and three daughters, Mrs. Woodward was very active in teaching religion and music. She joined the Salvation Army and was a member for 27 years. In the beginning, she was the leader of the Senior and Junior Songster Brigades in the Salvation Army and played in their band.
She was also the director of the Hudson Boys Club Choir and St. Patrick’s Junior Choir, the musical director of St. Patrick’s School, and taught her family how to sing and play musical instruments.
Mrs. Woodward was a member of the Treble Choraliers, Hudson Community Chorus, Hudson Valley Summer Chorus, and the senior choir at the First Reformed Church.
A calling hour will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 3 at the First Reformed Church, 52 Green Street, Hudson. Services will follow at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Cedar Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army or to Community Hospice of Columbia-Greene.
Arrangements are with the Bates & Anderson-Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, Hudson. To leave online condolences, go to www.batesanderson.com.
Anna Riozzi, 80, pocketbook factory and school kitchen worker
GHENT—Anna M. Riozzi of Hudson and Stottville died Thursday April 28, 2011 at Whittier Nursing Home. She was 80.
Born in Hudson, September 10, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Anthony, Sr. and Hazel (Finn) DeLuke.
Mrs. Riozzi was a machine operator at the Kadin Brothers Pocketbook factory and later a kitchen aide at the Hudson Middle School. She was a member of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Hudson and St. Joseph (Holy Family) Church in Stottville.
She was a longtime member and volunteer with the Columbia County Sons and Daughters of Italy in Greenport.
She will be greatly missed by her son Michael A., Sr. (Colleen) Riozzi of Claverack; one brother, Anthony DeLuke, Jr. of Hudson; grandson, Michael A. Riozzi, Jr. and his fiancée, Nikki Cruz; and great-granddaughter, Aubriana Nicole Riozzi.
She was predeceased by her husband, Cosmo L. Riozzi, Jr. in 2005 and one sister, Caroline Ellsworth.
Calling hours will be Sunday, May 1, 2 to 6 p.m. at McDonald-Valenti-Richards Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport.
A funeral Mass will be conducted Monday, May 2, 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Stottville with Fr. Winston Bath officiating.
Burial will be in Cedar Park Cemetery.
Edward Balli, Jr., 54, manager, sports fan
ALBANY—Edward W. Balli, Jr., 54, of Kinderhook, passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Hudson in 1956 and graduated from lchabod Crane High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Clarkson University and moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area 30 years ago.
For 28 years, Mr. Balli was logistics manager at Norcom, Inc., a manufacturer of notebooks and loose-leaf paper in Griffin, GA.
Before his return home to Kinderhook upon becoming ill, Mr. Balli lived a full and active life in Georgia and enjoyed hiking Stone Mountain. An avid sports fan, he liked NASCAR and continued to support the New York Giants while he lived in Georgia. He treated his brother John to the thrill of a lifetime, when they attended the Atlanta Braves 1995 World Series, clinching Game 6.
His Norcom coworkers were like his second family. They sent him many good wishes and visited him after his return to Kinderhook.
Mr. Balli was known for his unending generosity, even disposition and gentle mannerisms and was especially close to his nephew and nieces who always received positive encouragement from Uncle Ed.
The Balli family extends special thanks to the warm and exceptional nurses, therapists and staff of St. Peter’s Hospital, sixth floor Oncology Unit and third floor Acute Rehab, who treated him as family and vice-versa.
Mr. Balli was predeceased by his mother Arlene (Quinn) Balli and is survived by his father, Edward W. Balli, Sr.; his adoring siblings, Lorraine, Glenn, John (Catherine) and Virginia; close family friend, Adrienne Hart; beloved nephew, Quinn; and nieces, Maria, Christina and Andrea, who will forever recall their uncle with fondness and warmth.
Friends and relatives are invited to celebrate Mr. Balli’s life by calling at the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, Valatie, Saturday, April 30 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
A funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 11 a.m. that day followed by interment in the Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery, Albany Avenue, Kinderhook.