Eileen R. Kronsberg — “the best mother and Mimi anyone could have,” her family said — died on Saturday, July 4, 2020, at the age of 82.

She was born on Feb. 8, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York to the late Harold and Ruth Smyth. “We are sure she was welcomed by all her friends and family who passed before her including her brother William Smyth, sister Joan Chilcott, and brother Michael Smyth,” her family wrote in a tribute.

Her family relocated to Altamont and she graduated from Guilderland High School in 1957. After getting married in 1960, she moved to Catskill, New York and then became a long-time resident of Leeds, New York.

“To know her was to love her; she was one of the kindest, sweetest souls that walked this Earth, often offering pearls of wisdom, advice from her experiences, and a helping hand no matter who needed — and for those that knew her best, pointing to things with her toe,” the tribute said.

“Eileen could always be counted on to have a witty comeback or funny saying with the ability to make you laugh no matter the situation …,” her family wrote. “The most important things in her life were her children.

“She always devoted all her energy into her family and was the best mother and Mimi anyone could have asked for. From volunteering as school chaperone to helping with fundraisers or just attending every function they were a part of, Eileen showed her devotion to her family with every action she took.”

She worked for many years at Joe’s Food Market & Discount Beverage Center, and then became employed at the New York State Thruway. Upon retirement from the Thruway, she and her husband purchased a home in Florida to spend their winters in the sunshine and by the ocean.

“One of her favorite things to do was to call her children when the temperatures were freezing here in New York,” her family wrote, “and put her phone in the air and say, ‘You know what that is? That’s the sound of the ocean; I’m at the beach!’

“She later started painting with her good friend Trudy Felt, and became very good at watercolor. She also enjoyed doing cut stained-glass work, completing many tables, lamps, and stepping-stones.

“She enjoyed taking many trips (or as she would say, adventures) with her long-time friend Barbara Holden. We always knew there would be a story or two (or three) when they returned, and we were never disappointed.

“She was never afraid to try new things or explore places to learn about them. She was always a busy woman with lots of patience and a huge heart who could always make you smile. While truly missed here on Earth, heaven has gained the most precious angel.”

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Eileen R. Kronsberg is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert H. Kronsberg, her daughter, Karen Russell, and her husband, Denis; her son, Kurt R. Kronsberg; and four grandchildren — Sarah E. DeCicco, Amy (née DeCicco) VanDenburgh and her husband, Justin, Kayla J. Kronsberg, and Daniel Russell and his fiancée, Ciara. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren — Jace VanDenburgh, Joseph VanDenburgh, and Emery DeCicco.

Visiting hours will be held Thursday, July 9, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Traver & McCurry Funeral Home, 234 Jefferson Heights, Catskill, NY 12414. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, July 10, at 11 a.m., followed by burial service at the Town of Catskill Cemetery, 27 North Jefferson Ave., Catskill, NY 12414.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.