Andrea Zamorski Hampston

— Photo from Edward Hampston

Sweethearts: Andrea Zamorski smiles on what might be her first date with Robert Hampston. She was in seventh grade and he was in eighth.

VOORHEESVILLE — Andrea Zamorski Hampston, a librarian who loved her family, made connections with people, near and far.

In her later years, after retiring to Florida, she worked for Disney at the Animal Kingdom, greeting people in shops. “Her name tag said ‘Voorheesville.’ She loved to find connections to people. She could be overseas or anywhere and she’d find people from upstate New York,” said her son, Edward Hampston.

She died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. She was 75.

Born in Utica, Mrs. Hampston was the daughter of Ladislaw and Sadie Zamorski. Her mother was a homemaker and her father had a job helping troubled youth. She was raised in Poland, New York. Growing up as the oldest of five children, she liked school and her family, her son said.

She went on to get a bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany and then a master’s degree in library science from UAlbany as well. Her first job as a librarian was at the Forts Ferry School in Latham.

She had attended grade school and high school with Robert Hampston. “She stalked him from middle school on,” said her son. After the couple married, they moved to California where Mrs. Hampston was a librarian at the Yuba Junior College in Marysville.

The couple returned to the Capital District to raise their family, moving to Voorheesville in 1968. She worked at the Albany Academy for Girls and then, from 1980 to 1996, at the Voorheesville Elementary School as a school librarian. She was a member of the Voorheesville Retired Teachers Association.

“She loved being around kids but maybe not bringing up kids,” said her son. “She participated in all our activities from school and sports.”

He also said, “She liked books and interesting kids in books … She had us read the classic kids’ books. She encouraged us to read a lot.”

Andrea and Robert Hampston became snowbirds, traveling to Florida in the winter months, their son said. They eventually moved to Florida in 2003. Robert Hampston died in 2004 and Mrs. Hampston continued to live there. She lived in Mt. Dora, Florida until moving back to the Albany area in 2010.

“Her love down there was working for Disney,” her son said.

He said of his mother’s personality, “She was the oldest of five siblings. She liked to be in control and in charge. She liked to have things her way. Everyone joked about it and fondly put up with it.”

He concluded, “She loved family.”

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Andrea Zamorski Hampston is survived by her children, Edward Hampston and his wife, Jennifer, of Voorheesville and Tom Hampston and his wife, Christina, of Hershey, Pennsylvania; by her grandchildren, Emma Hampston, Katie Hampston, Sydney Hampston, and Anna Hampston; and by her siblings, Tosia Sauter and her husband, Bill, Steve Zamorski and his wife, Anne, Mary Ann Hughes, and Andrew Zamorski and his wife, Cindy; and by many beloved nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

Her husband, Robert G. Hampston, died before her.

A funeral will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday morning, Feb. 2, from the Reilly & Son Funeral Home in Voorheesville and at 10 a.m. at St. Matthew’s Church in 25 Mountainview St. in Voorheesville. Calling hours will be Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in the Poland Cemetery in Poland.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Choices Program at St. Peter’s Hospital, Attention: Tanya Schwartz, 315 South Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer

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