Harold A. Fischer (1923 – 2014)
HUDSON—Harold A. Fischer of Red Rock passed away Tuesday, April 29 at the Community Hospice at Columbia Memorial Hospital.
He was born October 8, 1923 in Mount Vernon, the son of the late Frederick and Katherine (Fogel) Fischer.
A graduate of Chatham High School, he served with the U.S. Marines Corps in the Pacific during World War II.
He was employed by the B. H. Delson Company in Chatham for many years and was a founding member of the Red Rock Volunteer Fire Company.
Mr. Fischer is survived by: his beloved wife of 63 years, Margaret (Renken) Fischer; son, Donald (Barbara); daughter, Kathleen (Thomas) MacDowell; sister, Jean Sauers; grandchildren, Brian and Matthew Fischer, Jennifer MacDowell and Kevin MacDowell; many nieces and nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by: his brother, Fred and sisters, Katherine Arrighi and Helen Goodrich.
Calling hours will be Friday evening, May 2, 5 to 8 p.m. from the Wenk Funeral Home, Chatham. Interment with military honors will be from the Mountain View Cemetery New Concord. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, May 3, 11:30 a.m. from the St. James R.C. Church, Chatham.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Red Rock Volunteer Fire Company, 401 County Route 24, East Chatham 12060 or Community Hospice of Columbia Greene, 47 Liberty Street, Catskill 12414. For online condolences visit wenkfuneralhome.com.
Salvatore L. Alessi (1971 – 2014)
NASSAU—Salvatore L. Alessi, 42, of Nassau passed away April 30, 2014 at home surrounded by his family following a two-year courageous battle with cancer.
Born November 21, 1971 in Hudson, he was the son of Salvatore and JoMarie (Graziano) Alessi, who reside in Stockport.
Mr. Alessi graduated from Ichabod Crane High School in 1989 and attended Riverside School of Aeronautics, where he received his aircraft mechanics license.
He was employed by Richmor Aviation in Ghent for more than 20 years. He had a passion for motorcycles and enjoyed spending time outdoors.
Besides his parents, he is survived by: his wife, Becky (Scharpf) Alessi; his daughter, Jessica Alessi; one niece; one nephew; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was predeceased by his grandparents, Salvatore and Frances Alessi, Sr., and Joseph and Lena Graziano.
Funeral services will be held Monday, May 5, 11 am. at the Kinderhook Reformed Church, Route 9, Kinderhook, with the Reverend Rudy Visser officiating.
Burial will follow in Kinderhook Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday, May 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, Valatie. Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 295 Valley View Boulevard, Rensselaer 12144 or the Kinderhook Reformed Church.
Philomena M. Peters (1919 – 2014)
HUDSON—Philomena “Fannie” M. Peters, 94, of Philmont passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at Columbia Memorial Hospital.
Born December 1, 1919 in Hudson, she is the daughter of the late Andrew and Michelina (Russo) Scalera.
Mrs. Peters was a homemaker.
Surviving are: two sisters, Frances Kostszewski of Claverack and Josephine Meltz of Philmont; her brother, Nicholas Scalera of Hudson; two sisters-in-law, Nancy Scalera and Ethel Scalera; several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, William K. Peters and eight siblings, Rose Leonetti, Elizabeth DeFile, Caroline Jablanski, Anna Rivers, Generino Scalera, Anthony Scalera, Carlo Scalera and John Scalera.
Calling hours are Monday, May 5, 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Bates & Anderson – Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, Hudson. Services will follow Monday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Athens Rural Cemetery.
Visit www.batesanderson.com to leave condolences.
Patricia C. Morton (1940 – 2014)
ALBANY—Patricia Carney Morton died peacefully surrounded by family on the morning of April 30.
The youngest daughter of the late A. Richard “Dick” Carney and Mildred L. Sipperly, she was a proud native of Valatie, where she was raised on Main Street above the market bearing her family name.
Fiercely independent to her final day, Ms. Morton was a successful single mother at a time when such an accomplishment was thought nearly impossible. She was also a dedicated 35-year employee of Albany Medical Center. She held professionalism and absolute competence as the highest of virtues and scorned retirement in favor of volunteering at the Columbia County Council on the Arts and the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Morton was a naturally gifted, if highly self-critical, artist, and also was a past member of the Valatie Volunteer Rescue Squad. She possessed a quick and occasionally ribald sense of humor and enjoyed a hearty laugh with friends and family more than anything else. She will be greatly missed by all those who enjoyed her company.
Ms. Morton is survived by: her son, Sean Morton (Allison Clifford) of Valatie; sister, Joan (Jack) Kelly of Kinderhook; brother, John Collins (Melanie) of West Taghkanic; nieces, Lisa (Tom) Burke of Maine, Katherine (David) Pesano of Kinderhook and Brittany Collins of East Greenbush; cousins, Nancy Hanley (Albert) Guay, Susan Carney (Harry Paul) Van Alstyne, Richard (Sara) Murray of Virginia and Kevin (Roxanne) Murray of Oneonta; treasured friends, Carol Maxson, Darren Nimnicht, Tom Cicero and Tess Daley, among others in Columbia County and elsewhere.
In addition to her parents, Ms. Morton was predeceased by: her beloved uncles, John R. Carney of Albany, George C. Carney of Valatie and F. Donald Carney (Madalyn) of Kinderhook; aunts, Loretta M. (Harold) Hanley of Connecticut and Kathryn E. (James) Murray of Valatie.
A public celebration of Ms. Morton’s life will be held at Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home in Valatie, Friday, May 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to the Columbia County Council on the Arts, www.artscolumbia.org or the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, cghs.org.
Judith L. Walsh (1964 – 2014)
SCHENECTADY—Judith L. Walsh, 50, of Schenectady passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at Ellis Hospital.
Born January 31, 1964 in Hudson, she was the beloved daughter of Eleanor (McNaughton) Walsh of Chatham and the late Richard Walsh.
Ms. Walsh was a bank teller for the Hudson River Bank and First Niagara Bank. She enjoyed crafts and sewing.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by: her devoted husband, Nicolas Flores of Schenectady; her loving sister and brother-in-law, Coleen and Jeffrey Steward of Valatie; three nephews, Jeremy (Janette) Steward of Harleysville, PA, Timothy (Chrystal) Walsh of Virginia, and Jason Walsh of Valatie; her niece, Amberly Steward of Arlington, MA; four great-nieces and great-nephews, Adam and Annabell Steward and Grace and Samuel Walsh.
Besides her father, she was predeceased by her brother, Stephen Walsh.
A calling hour will begin Saturday, May 3, 11 a.m. at the Bates & Anderson – Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, Hudson.
Services will follow at noon Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Mellenville Union Cemetery.
Visit www.batesanderson.com to leave condolences.
Frederic “Fred” G. Dennis (1944 – 2014)
COPAKE LAKE—Frederic “Fred” G. Dennis, 69, of Copake Lake passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at his residence in the presence of his loving family.
He was born October 18, 1944 in Burlington, VT, the son of Hilda M. (Warren) Dennis and the late Napoleon R. Dennis.
Mr. Dennis attended Cohoes High School and later served with the United States Navy. He was a long distance tractor trailer operator, worked for Capital Tractor in Hillsdale and most recently worked in the shipping and receiving department of Herrington’s Lumber in Hillsdale.
He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing and hunting. Mr. Dennis loved to travel but most of all he loved being with his family, especially during his illness when he spent special time reading to his great grandchild, Leonardo.
Surviving Mr. Dennis is the love of his life and best friend, Helen Clough; his mother, Hilda M. Dennis; his children, James Clough, Brenda Marchionne, Patricia Leonard, Victoria Loring and Frederic Dennis, Jr.; his grandchildren, Stephanie Marchionne, Anthony Marchionne, Devin Leonard, Samantha Leonard, Johnathon Loring, Kimberly Loring, Madeleine Dennis and Benjamin Dennis; his great-grandchild, Leonardo Marchionne; his siblings, Richard Dennis (Diane), Rose Gordon (Harold Dowen), Sarah Dennis (Patricia Wofford), Robert Dennis, Susan Piper (Peter);several nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited and may call at the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 State Route 22 in Copake, Sunday May 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. Services and interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 327, Copake 12516 or to Community Hospice of Columbia – Greene, 47 Liberty Street, Catskill 12414. To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Walter C. Morris (1937 – 2014)
Walter C. Morris, 76, of Philmont, passed away suddenly Tuesday April 29, 2014.
He was the son of the late John and Evelyn Morris. He was born and raised in Columbia County until September 1954 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
He attended basic training, advanced infantry training, and bridge construction specialist training throughout the U.S. before being stationed in Germany. It was there that Mr. Morris met and married his beloved wife, Doris and then became the proud dad of his daughter, Susan. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the states to finish his military enlistment. Mr. Morris was honorably discharged in 1960. His received U.S. Army Commendation Medal for his dedication and service to his country. He also received the U.S. Army Expert Badge with Rifle Bar. He considered this to be the best time of his life and he told everyone so.
Mr. Morris continued serving his community at the Columbia County Veterans Service Agency as the van driver and was instrumental in transporting area veterans to their medical appointments. He received several awards for his volunteer work at the VA Hospital in Albany.
Before driving the veterans van, Mr. Morris worked for more than 30 years for Harder’s Express mostly driving tractor trailers.
He was a member of Minkler-Seery American Legion Post 252 in Philmont and the Korean War Veterans Association of Columbia County.
Mr. Morris is survived by a daughter, Susan Budlong; his grandchildren, Andrew Budlong and Olivia Budlong; a brother, Alfred (Helen) Morris; a sister, Dorothy (Steve) Pfeiffer; several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Morris’ family thanks his companion, Sandra Green, for her love and compassion throughout their time together. And also to Ms. Budlong’s companion, Carl Judd for his help and friendship to Mr. Morris.
He was predeceased by his parents, an infant daughter, and brothers, John and Richard.
Calling hours will be at the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, Friday, May 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. Services will be held at the funeral home Saturday, May 3 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at the Ghent Union Cemetery.
For directions or to send an online condolence visit fenchblasl.com.
