Laura M. Beebe
May 24, 2011
ALBANY – Laura M. Beebe, 89, of Albany, died Monday, May 23, 2011 at the Avenue Nursing Center in Schenectady. Mrs. Beebe was born in Altamont, and lived for ten years in Hendersonville, TN, but lived most of her life in the Capital District. While living in the Capital District she was a chaperone of a 4H Square Dance Club, a member of an Adult Square Dance club, and a member of the Altamont High School Alumni Association. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Altamont, and First Lutheran Church of Albany. She also was a member of chapter 1607 of the AARP.
Mrs. Beebe is survived by her beloved husband Theodore J. Beebe; her loving children Arnold K. Beebe (Diane) of Schenectady, James R. Beebe (Donna) of Delanson, Theodore J. Beebe, Jr. (Susan) of Saratoga Springs, and Faith M. Beebe of Albany; her sister Janet K. Simons of Albany; her grandchildren Nicholas (Michele), Jarrod, Heather, Shane, and Katlyn; two great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held in the Hans Funeral Home, 1088 Western Ave., Albany, Friday morning at 9:00, and from there to the First Lutheran Church of Albany, 181 Western Ave., Albany at 10:00. Relatives and friends are invited, and may call at the funeral home Thursday from 4-7 p.m. Interment will be in Fairview Cemetery, Altamont. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to First Lutheran Church of Albany, 646 State St., Albany, NY 12203; or to the Altamont High School Alumni Association c/o Doris Neese, 11 Gail Ave., Albany, NY 12205. To leave a message of condolence for the family, send a sympathy card, or obtain directions to the funeral home, please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com.
Jennie A. Siy
May 17, 2011
ALBANY – Jennie A. Siy, 83, died peacefully on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. Born in Albany on February 8, 1928, she was the daughter of Lucas and Sofia Siy. Jennie was a graduate of the College of St. Rose, and earned two Masters Degrees from the State University at Albany. For many years she taught and served as a librarian in the North Colonie School District. She also enjoyed travel, and traveled extensively to Europe and also to Russia.
Jennie was predeceased by her brother John on April 8th. She is survived by her brother Louis Siy and Louis’ loving wife Mary, both of Delmar; and by several extended family members.
The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses of St. Peter’s Hospital and Community Hospice of Albany for the wonderful care they provided to Jennie; and also thanks to Joyce Galvin for all her help to Jennie over the past few years.
Family and friends may call at the Hans Funeral Home, 1088 Western Avenue, Albany on Friday, May 20th from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. The funeral service will follow at 1:00 pm, followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery in Glenmont. To leave a message of condolence for the family, send a sympathy card, or obtain directions to the funeral home, please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com .
John W. Randall
May 17, 2011
ALBANY – John W. Randall, 84, of Westmere, died Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Mr. Randall was born in Albany, and lived in the area all his life. He graduated with a B.A. from Siena College, and worked for the State for 20 years, retiring as First Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Substance Abuse Services. Later, he was employed as Executive Director of the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI). Prior to State service, he was employed for ten years by Oneida Markets. He was a board member and past president of Hospitality House, served as chairman of the Joint Institutional Review Board (IRB) of NDRI, and was chairman of the Methadone Maintenance Task Force in the 1990’s.
Mr. Randall was a loyal member and past president of the Hudson-Adirondack Daylily Society (HADS), a board member and treasurer of his church, Trinity United Methodist, and served as a board member of the Guilderland Community Center and Community Theater. He was an avid reader, and enjoyed gardening, golf, playing bridge, watching the Giants, and having breakfast with his high school buddies whom he still met each week. He was devoted to his wife and soulmate, Avis, and loved his daughters, his extended family, the Femias and the Gaynors, his neighbors and large network of friends. He loved life, was an optimist, and was kind and helpful to everyone he knew. He will be missed more than words can say.
Mr. Randall is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Avis Gibbs Randall; his devoted daughters Cheryl Randall (William Carpenter), Debra Randall; his sister June Gaynor; his grandchildren Evan, Robert and Emily La Pann; his step granddaughters Megan Carpenter and Amber Carpenter LaGattuta; and by many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Jinny Femia.
Funeral services will be held in the Hans Funeral Home, 1088 Western Ave., Albany, Friday morning at 10:00. Relatives and friends are invited, and may call at the funeral home Thursday from 4-7 p.m. Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery, Albany. The family suggests that any memorial contributions be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 235 Lark Street, Albany, NY 12210-1150. To leave a message of condolence for the family, send a sympathy card, or obtain directions to the funeral home, please visit http://www.hansfuneralhome.com/.
Brother Aloysius Myers, F.S.C.
May 12, 2011
ALBANY – Br. Aloysius Urban Myers (born John Francis Paul Myers) died on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, NJ. He was born on August 16, 1930, in Manchester, New Hampshire to Arthur J. and Gertrude Boyle Myers. His early education was at St. Joseph’s in Manchester, and he entered the Juniorate of the Brothers of the Christian Schools on August 30, 1947 in Barrytown, New York. Brother entered the Novitiate in 1949 and professed First Vows on September 9, 1950. He received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Manhattan College in 1951.
Br. Aloysius began his teaching career as a Prefect at Hillside Hall in Troy in 1951. He then was a teacher-prefect at La Salle School in Albany for one year, and assigned to Christian Brothers Academy in Albany beginning in 1952. In 1957 he was appointed principal of the junior high at CBA, and remained in that position until he moved to the high school division in 1967. In 1969 he was assigned to Bishop Bradley High School in Manchester, NH where he taught and directed the Brothers Community until 1974. In September, 1974, he returned to CBA Albany where he was Director of Guidance until March of this year, when he retired to De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, NJ.
Besides his parents, Br. Aloysius was predeceased by four brothers and one sister. He is survived by one brother, Robert Myers of Manchester, NH, and 19 nieces and nephews; his religious community, The Brothers of the Christian Schools; and the many students he worked with over his 60 years in active ministry.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Brother Al Scholarship Fund, Christian Brothers Academy, 12 Airline Drive, Albany, NY 12205.
Viewing will be held on Sunday, May 15 and Monday, May 16, 2011 from 5 pm until 8:00 pm, at the Christian Brothers Academy, 12 Airline Drive, Albany, NY, 12205. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Church of St. Pius X, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville, NY at 10:30 am on Tuesday, May 17. Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hans Funeral Home, Albany. To leave a message of condolence or view or print a prayer card please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com .
Edward J. Gibson
May 2, 2011
ALBANY – Edward J. Gibson, 89, of Slingerlands died peacefully on May 1, 2011 at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland, where he had been cared for lovingly by members of his family, Our Lady staff and hospice for the last seven months. Born in Buffalo on February 24, 1922, he was the youngest son of Helen Jones Gibson and William Walker Gibson. Along with his brothers Walker and Charles, he lived as a boy in Albany and Glenmont, New York, graduating in 1939 from the Albany Academy and from Yale University in 1943.
In 1943, he joined the 15th Army Air Corps, becoming a First Lieutenant and a bombardier on B-24 missions in Austria and the Brenner Pass. On his return to civilian life, he married Martha Taylor on August 31, 1946. He and Martha celebrated their 64th anniversary in August of last year.
He attended Harvard Law School and graduated from Columbia Teachers College in 1947 and joined the English Department at Old Forge High School in Old Forge, NY, where he taught for a year.
His long career in investments began at Betts & Morris in Troy, New York in 1949. He then joined the newly established firm of First Albany Corporation in 1953, becoming Vice President for Research until his retirement in 1987.
He led a life of service: service to his country during World War II; service to his immediate and extended family; and service to his community. Because of his commitment to public education, he served on the Board of Education of East Greenbush Central Schools for ten years, advocating tirelessly for teachers and quality education. He read the Declaration of Independence aloud each July 4th, and was active for years in Democratic politics, volunteering for many local, state and national campaigns. His love for the environment, fostered by childhood trips to the Adirondacks, led him to volunteer for many years for the Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, including serving on its Board of Directors. He served on the Board of the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, and received the Escort of the Year award in 1994. Because of his commitment to a peaceful world and issues of social justice, he was involved for years with American Friends Service Committee.
He was a bread baker and wood craftsman. He and Martha loved traveling together and made many trips in Europe and the U.S. They took up walking and bicycling in retirement, and together wrote and illustrated a book on country walks in Columbia County, NY.
He was an organic gardener long before it was fashionable, keeping a garden at his home in East Greenbush where he and Martha lived for nearly 50 years, and gardening into his 80s at the community gardens at The Beverwyck Retirement Community in Slingerlands where they moved in 2003.
One of his deepest loves was music. He began studying piano as a young boy, and continued throughout high school and at Yale. He accompanied his daughter Sarah and her friends playing chamber music, gave concerts at The Beverwyck with friend Marguerite Schaefer, and played virtually every day until his blindness prevented him from playing any more.
He is survived by his much loved family: his wife Martha; his daughter Ann Gibson of Conway, MA and her partner Annie Cheatham; his daughter Sarah Gibson of Cambridge, MA and her husband Steve Halpern; his sister-in-law Nancy Gibson; numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.
A public gathering to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 in the Community Room, The Terrace at Beverwyck, 41 Beverwyck Lane, Slingerlands. A private ceremony will be held later in the year on his beloved Lake Champlain. Contributions in his memory can be made to American Friends Service Committee, 15 Rutherford Place, NYC NY 10003; Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, 855 Central Ave., Albany NY 12206; or The Nature Conservancy, ENY Chapter, 195 New Karner Rd., Suite 200, Albany NY 12205. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hans Funeral Home, Albany. To leave a message of condolence for the family or send a sympathy card please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com.