GUILDERLAND — Alice Corcoran has knitted hundreds of teddy bears for Guilderland kids and, at 96, she has no plans to stop.

Corcoran, who lives within walking distance of Lynnwood Elementary School, began to visit Jocelyn Zimmerman’s classes there and also opened her home to students each year, who walked over on class “field trips.”

“The children loved our visits,” said Zimmerman, “and always left having learned and experienced more than you can ever imagined.”

When she was transferred from Lynnwood to Westmere Elementary, Zimmerman was “devastated” at the prospect of not being able to collaborate with Corcoran any more. But then Corcoran offered to come to Westmere to visit her old friend’s classes.

“For many years,” Zimmerman said, “she has knitted every student I have had a teddy bear. We are talking hundreds of teddy bears!”

“She is just an example of how I want to be when I grow up, and I’m 78,” said friend Jean M. Dean.

Corcoran grew up in Homer, New York, south of Syracuse, and later married and lived in California for two decades. She came back east alone 45 years ago and settled in Guilderland, to be near her brother. She worked at the State Education Department, “doing calculations,” she says.

Her hobbies include golfing, bowling, reading, doing watercolor and oil paintings, and writing haiku. Her paintings are of flowers and scenes from nature.

The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair

Alice Corcoran has knitted hundreds of teddy bears over the years. She gives one to each student in the classes that she visits. She estimates that it takes about six hours to make a bear. 

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An example of her haiku:

 

                        Winter in New York

                        No snow, crocuses in bloom

                        It’s February?

 

And another:

 

                        The road less traveled

                        Has a lot of rocks and ruts

                        I’ll take the highway.

 

A party for her 96th birthday was held recently in Corcoran’s honor at the Lynnwood Reformed Church. It was organized by Corcoran’s daughter, Grace Thedinga, who lives with her. Dean estimates that 65 friends and family members gathered for the festivities.

Asked the secret to healthy aging, Corcoran said, “I don’t know, luck?” She added, “I usually say, ‘Good genes, good doctors, and good habits.’”