Barbara Arzt (1937 – 2012)
BATON ROUGE, LA—Barbara Towart Arzt passed away July 13, 2012 in Baton Rouge, LA.
She was born November 25, 1937 in the Bronx, the daughter of the late Frances and James Towart.
She was a 1955 graduate of Chatham High School.
Mrs. Arzt retired from J.C. Penny’s in Baton Rouge, LA, where she worked for many years.
She is survived by: her children, John R. (Shelly) Zimboski, Catherine M. Zimboski and Louis C. (Michelle) Arzt, III; her sisters, Mary P. O’Connor of Chatham and Elizabeth D. (John) Barden of Spencertown; 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Mrs. Arzt was predeceased by her loving husband, Louis C. Arzt, Jr., and her sisters, Ann Elizabeth and Ruth Ann Towart.
Services were held in her hometown of Denham Springs, LA.
Contributions in Mrs. Arzt’s memory may be made to the St. Joseph Hospice Foundation, 17732 Highland Road, Suite G Box 241, Baton Rouge, LA 70810. To send an online condolence visit www.frenchblasl.com.
Gabriel Currin (2003 – 2012)
ALBANY—Gabriel Cole Currin, 9, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, August 22 at St. Margaret’s Center. At his bedside were his mother, Eden Marie Kane, and his grandmother, Julie Kane, both of Hillsdale and his best friend and loving nurse, Marguerite Hickey of Stillwater.
Born in New York City, May 8, 2003, Gabe was also the son of Lawrence E. Currin, Jr., of Henderson, NC.
Born with the more severe form of myotubular myopathy (MTM), a rare condition that results in very weak muscles, Gabe surprised and delighted all his caregivers with his intelligence, determination, cheerful disposition and mischievous sense of humor. In 2008, he attended Camp Inspiration at the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, where with the help of dedicated counselors and staff, he was able to swim in the pool and swing on the high ropes course.
Earlier this year, Gabe was granted his wish to ride in a fire truck by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeastern New York and on March 12 was sworn in by Mayor Jerry Jennings as an Albany firefighter and welcomed by Fire Chief Robert C. Forezzi, Sr. Gabe took his role as a firefighter seriously and, when very sick, wore his badge to help him be brave. He later received a personal note of congratulations from President Barack Obama, delivered by Congressman Paul Tonko.
Gabriel is also survived by his grandparents, Jim Huste of New York City, George and Lisa Kane of Raleigh, NC, and Elaine Currin of Henderson, NC; and his great-grandmother, Ellen Kane of Raleigh and Henderson, NC.
The family will be at home to accept visitors on Monday evening, August 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. at 33 Maple Street, Hillsdale. A funeral service will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Albany, Tuesday, August 28, at 2 p.m.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Joshua Frase Foundation, which is funding the search for a cure for MTM, 222 Forbes Road, Suite 207, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184, www.joshuafrase.org or to St. Margaret’s Center, 27 Hackett Boulevard, Albany 12208. Arrangements are with the Peck & Peck Funeral Home, Route 22, Copake. To sign the online register visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Susan Verenazi (1962 – 2012)
GHENT—Susan Krabisch Verenazi, 50, of Ghent, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, August 21, 2012 in Ghent.
Born in Hudson, she was the daughter of Herbert Krabisch and Claire Gilbert Krabisch.
Ms. Verenazi was a graduate of Plattsburgh High School, SUNY Cobleskill, and Delaware Valley College, where she received her BS in ornamental horticulture. She worked for Callander’s Nursery as a greenhouse manager for Cornell University’s Department of Entomology and Schultz’s Garden Center. She started up and ran a highly-successful and well-respected greenhouse business in Spencertown, Butternut Creek Growers for 17 years. She used her business expertise in volunteering with many agriculture-related organizations including Columbia County Cooperative Extension and Columbia County Bounty to County.
Ms. Verenazi was an amazing horticulturist and floral arranger extraordinaire. Though she suffered no fools, her warmth and wicked good sense of humor gave her the great ability to connect deeply with people. She will also be remembered for her fun-loving nature and talent at telling great jokes. She was a loving mother and aunt.
Survivors include: her children, Glenn, Esther and Katherine Verenazi of Spencertown; her stepmother, Irene Krabisch of Ghent; her sister, Sarah Krabisch Salatino and her family of Essex, VT; several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Herbert Krabisch and her mother, Claire Gilbert.
Ms. Verenazi’s life will be celebrated Saturday, September 8 at 11:30 a.m. at the St. James Church in Chatham.
Those wishing to remember her in a special way may send a donation to the charitable organization of their choosing. Arrangements are with the Wenk Funeral Home, Chatham. To send online condolences visit wenkfuneralhome.com.
Diana Baccaro (1944 -2012)
HUDSON—Diana Baccaro passed away August 23, 2012 at Columbia Memorial Hospital.
She was born February 2, 1944 in New York City, the daughter of the late John and Rose DeStefano Sirani.
Mrs. Baccaro is survived by: her husband of 50 years, Nicholas; her children, Nicholas, Jr. (Kelly) Baccaro, Dawn (Mark) Elbert, Kenneth (Christine) Baccaro and Brian (Kelli) Baccaro; her five grandchildren, Jennifer and Jonathan Elbert, Madelyn, Jacob and Brandon Baccaro; her sisters, Frances (Forrest) Ellis and Florence (Melvin) Sweet; her brother, John (Joyce) Sirani; several nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Baccaro was employed as a teacher’s assistant at Chatham High School for 25 years until her retirement.
There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, August 27, 10 a.m. at St. James Church, Chatham. Interment will follow at St. James Cemetery, Ghent.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Baccaro’s memory to the Chatham Area Silent Pantry, 77 Main Street, Chatham 12037.
Arrangements are with the French, Gifford, Preiter and Blasl Funeral Home, Chatham. For directions or to send an online condolence visit www.frenchblasl.com.
Lois Goldman (1932 – 2012)
HUDSON—Lois Mary Goldman, 79, of Greenport, passed away Friday, August 24, 2012 at Columbia Memorial Hospital with her family by her side.
Born November 24, 1932 in Albany, she was the daughter of the late Russell Harry and Charlotte (Holcomb) Barton.
Mrs. Goldman was a homemaker and devoted to her family. She graduated from Hudson High School in 1951. She was a 4-H leader, a member of the Mount Pleasant Reformed Church and a member of the Greenport Pumper #2 Ladies Auxiliary.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Phillip “Red” Goldman.
Mrs. Goldman is survived by: her devoted children, Rebecca (Geoffrey) Shea, Donna (Roland “Bo”) Berzal and Holly (Leonard) Craig; her loving grandchildren, Brandis Lynn Berzal Smith (Brandon), Dr. Sarah Rebecca Shea, Bethany Ann Berzal and Phillip Barrett Shea; two siblings, Daniel Barton and Sister Christine Marie Barton; many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Richard Barton and a sister, Shirley Diel.
A calling hour will begin at 1 p.m. Monday, August 27 at the Bates & Anderson-Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home. Services will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Cedar Park Cemetery.
To leave a message for the family visit www.batesanderson.com.