Greta M. F. Russell (1929 – 2016)
ALBANY—Greta Marie Fredriksen Russell, 86, of Nassau slipped quietly and peacefully off to heaven Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at the Hospice Inn of St. Peter’s with her daughters by her side.
Leaving a legacy of faith and unconditional love, she taught her children to honor God, and served her family and others sacrificially.
Mrs. Russell was a master gardener and a skilled artist and craftsperson with an eye and hand for home décor and painting. She was deeply loved and family gatherings were not complete without her.
Born in Brooklyn in 1929, she spent much of her life in Mount Vernon, where she met and married her husband, John Kenneth Russell. Following high school, she worked as a dental assistant. Later she and her husband moved to Stormville, where together they raised their children. There she was a homemaker and foster parent to several children.
Mrs. Russell was predeceased by her parents, Frank Fredriksen, Inez Eliasson Fredriksen, and her sister, Doris Crown.
She is survived by: her husband of 65 years, John Kenneth Russell of Nassau; her sister, Mildred (Bob) Trahnstrom of Wellsboro, PA; brother, Len (Judith) Fredriksen of Davenport, FL; her daughters, Lynn Thornton (Todd) of Guilderland, Laura (David) Churchill of North Chatham and Jeannette Kravic of Red Hook. She is also survived by six grandchildren Jillian Thornton, Melissa Churchill Critton, Megan Churchill Griffin, John Kravic, James Kravic and Johanna Kravic; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Viewing hours will be Sunday, July 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, Valatie. A memorial service and celebration of Mrs. Russell’s life will be held Monday, July 18 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Stuyvesant.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make donations in Mrs. Russell’s memory to John Kravic and Emily Fahey’s Pan Mass Challenge, a 192-mile bike ride which raises money for research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute…”until we find a cure!”
Kelly Genito (1979 – 2016)
KENNEBUNK, ME—Kelly E. (Finck) Genito, 36, of Claverack passed away suddenly Wednesday, July 13, 2016 in Kennebunk, Maine.
Born December 30, 1979 in Hudson, she was the daughter of Thomas and Sharyn (Kitsock) Finck.
She attended Chatham High School. She was a loving wife and mother and devoted to her children. She loved Maine and enjoyed hiking.
Surviving are: her husband, Marco; four children, Caitlynn, Hailey, Mackenzie and Kayden; her parents, Thomas and Sharyn Finck; her sister, Ashley Finck; her brother, Robert Finck; her paternal grandmother, Geraldine Finck; her husband’s parents, Linda and Ronald Genito; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Calling hours are Monday, July 18, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bates & Anderson – Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, 110 Green Street, Hudson. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Cedar Park Cemetery.
Donations may be made to Animalkind Inc., 721 Warren Street, Hudson 12534. Visit www.batesanderson.com to leave condolences for the family.
Albert L. Wassenhove (1936 – 2016)
GHENT—Albert Louis Wassenhove, 80, of Ghent passed away Thursday, July 14, 2016 at his residence.
Born on Long Island, June 4, 1936, he was the son of the late Victor and Carrie (Hingle) Wassenhove.
He served in the United States Army. Mr. Wassenhove was a personnel recruiter for Norman Technical in Kingston.
He was a community activist and member of the Tax Payers Association, dedicated to his community and the peoples’ voice, and passionate about his country. Especially with regards to veteran’s issues, paying tribute to those who serve, and served the United States of America.
Mr. Wassenhove was the beloved husband of Joan (Cardis) Wassenhove; devoted father of Kimberly (Brian) Dolin and Deborah (Kevin) McCarthy; father-in-law of Gerald Coons and loving grandfather of Casey Dolin, Kaitlin (McCarthy) Sullivan, and Debbie Ann Coons.
He was predeceased by his daughter, Linda Coons, and his brother, Robert Wassenhove.
Calling hours are Tuesday, July 19, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bates & Anderson – Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, 110 Green Street, Hudson. Services will be conducted at noon Wednesday, July 20 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 555 Joslen Boulevard, Hudson. Interment will be in Cedar Park Cemetery in Hudson.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Columbia County Veteran’s Agency, 401 State Street, Hudson 12534. The funds will be directed to support the operation of the veterans’ transport bus.
Visit www.batesanderson.com to leave condolences for the family.
Elisabeth Kersten (1922 – 2016)
PITTSFIELD, MA—Elisabeth Kersten, formerly of Hillsdale and more recently of The Village at Laurel Lake in Lee, MA, died at Berkshire Medical Center, July 12, 2016 surrounded by her loving family. She was 94 years of age.
Mrs. Kersten (nee Reiter), known to all as “Elly,” was born January 29, 1922 to Georg Reiter and Auguste Wilhelmine (nee Petzold) in Essen, Germany. The family moved to Cologne, where her father was a labor leader who spoke out against the National Socialist movement. She lost her mother at an early age, and then her father at the hands of the brutal Nazi regime, as well as her two brothers, Georg and Hans, spending the war years as an international telephone operator. Following the war, June 5, 1949 she married Henry George Kersten whom she knew since childhood in Paris, France. Eager for a new life, they immigrated to the United States in July of that year, living in New York City and Yonkers prior to moving to Hillsdale in 1972 where they operated an architectural woodworking business and then established Hillsdale Country Realty in 1985, a firm that continues to be operated by the family.
Mrs. Kersten was educated in Europe and the United States and was a trained dietician. She and her husband Henry struggled mightily in their adopted country and fully embraced its ethos of freedom, equality and opportunity for those who immigrate and work hard. Steadfast in her approach to life, she always placed family above her own interest. She especially valued awareness of the world and was a strong proponent of education, enabling her sons, Christian of Hillsdale and Ralph of Reno, NV, to graduate from college and have the opportunity to launch productive and satisfying lives and careers. Their sons survive them, as do Christian’s wife, Mary Lou and their children, Michael of Oakland, CA, James and his wife Lindsey and their son, and Mrs. Kersten’s great-grandson, Henry, all of Worcester, MA, and Hilary of New York City, all of whom loved their “Oma” and will miss her daily. Mrs. Kersten is also survived by her loving family in Cologne, Germany: Helga Kersten Frings, Gisela Kersten Wienand, Dr. Stefan Frings, his wife Britta and their sons Henri and Carl, Sabine Wienand Wulfrath and her husband Helmut, their daughter Linda, and Rolf Klein, his wife Krista and their son Sven.
Memorial services will be private and a celebration of her life will be announced at a later time.
Memorial contributions may be made to Columbia County Habitat for Humanity, the Roe Jan Community Library or the International Rescue Committee.
John DeWitt (1922 – 2016)
LAKE KATRINE—John “Jack” DeWitt, 93, of East Kingston died July 15, 2016 at Ten Brook Commons.
Born July 21, 1922 in Cheviot (Germantown), he was the son of the late Sherman and Beatrice (Miller) DeWitt.
Before his retirement he was employed for many years as a well driller with the Hugh McLean and Sons Well Drilling Company in Germantown.
He was an avid sportsman, a well-known duck hunter, shad and herring fisherman.
He was an honorary member of the Germantown Fire Company.
Surviving are: his long-time companion and her daughter, Marie and Cheryl Miller; daughter, Valerie Farley of Stottville; three sisters, Elizabeth Takacs of Wappinger Falls, Sylvia DeWitt Brown of Warrensburg and Sally Ross of South Carolina; several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his sister, Carolyn Livingston; two brothers, Elmer “Sonny” Moore and Edgar DeWitt.
There are no calling hours.
Graveside funeral services will be held Saturday, July 23, 11 a.m. at the Cheviot Cemetery in Germantown.
In lieu of flowers donations are requested to the Germantown Fire Company.
Arrangements are with the Yadack-Fox Funeral Home, 209 Main Street, Germantown. Condolences may be expressed at yadackfox.com