Obituaries Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, March 20, 2008
Ronald N. D. Brittell
GUILDERLAND CENTER — Ronald N. D. Brittell, of Guilderland Center, died peacefully at his home in the presence of his wife and family on Thursday, March 13, 2008 after a long battle with cancer. He was 69.
He was born in Albany, on Aug. 8, 1938, son of the late Guy and Florence (Schuff) Brittell. He was a graduate of Albany High School, a veteran of the United States Air Force, and was employed by the United Parcel Service for 28 years until his retirement in 1992.
He was a long-time member of St. Boniface Episcopal Chur- ch and a past member of the Great North Eastern Rail Road Association. Mr. Brittell devoted much of his energies as a very active member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks in Guilderland. He is a Past Exalted Ruler, served as House Chairman, and was involved in major projects for many years.
Mr. Brittell spent much of his leisure time at his family’s summer residence at Thompson’s Lake and devoted himself to his many grandchildren.
He is survived by and will be sadly missed by his wife of 46 years, Nancy L. (Lang) Brittell; along with their five children and families: Mark Brittell and his partner, Kathy Brogan; Karen Tassone and her husband, Sal; Dawn Wier and her husband, Greg; Valerie Howard and her husband, John; and Julie Baldes and her husband, Fred.
He was greatly proud of his 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He is also survived by his siblings; Creighton Brittell, Owen Brittell, Karl (Chubby) Brittell, Elaine Murray, and Virginia (Jinnie) Dobiel. Three of his siblings died before him: Harry June, Betty Dobies, and Chester June.
A funeral mass was held at St. Boniface Episcopal Church in Guilderland on Tuesday March 18, with interment afterward, at the Knox Cemetery.
Arrangements are by the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home.
The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Stratton Veterans Administration Medical Center and to the staff of The Community Hospice for their loving care of our husband and father.
Memorial contributions may be made to BPO Elks Guilderland Lodge 2480 — Major Projects, 3867 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303 or to The Community Hospice, 315 South Manning Blvd, Albany NY 12208.
Richard L. Goodrich
GALLUPVILLE — Richard L. Goodrich, a dairy farmer who served as an assessor and highway superintendent for the town of Wright, died on Saturday, March 15, 2008, at his home with his family by his side. He was 78.
Born on May 19, 1929 in Milford, Mass., Mr. Goodrich was the son of the late Harold S. and Ruth Catherine (Roderick) Goodrich.
He attended the Upton High School. On Aug. 15, 1949, he married Mary (Hebb) Goodrich.
In 1962, Mr. Goodrich moved to Knox Road in the town of Wright. He was a self-employed dairy farmer for most of his life until he retired in 1998.
Mr. Goodrich was a member of the Gallupville Evangelical Lutheran Church and also served on the church council. He was also a member of the Gallupville Fire Department and the Schoharie County Farm Bureau.
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Richard L. Goodrich is survived by his wife, Mary (Hebb) Goodrich, and three sons, William S. Goodrich, and his wife, Joan, of Gallupville; Dudley L. Goodrich of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Charles G. Goodrich, and his wife, Lisa, of Gallupville. He is also survived by four grandchildren — Valerie, Christopher, Erik, and Lacey — and four great-grandchildren.
His son, Robert L. Goodrich, died before him in 1985 as did his daughter, Cathy Willsie, in 2005.
Calling hours were held Tuesday and a funeral service was held Wednesday with burial in the Gallupville Rural Cemetery. The Langan Funeral Home in Schoharie made the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to Catskill Area Hospice, 327 West Main St., Suite #3, Cobleskill, NY 12043.
— Tyler Schuling
Florence E. Kniskern
GUILDERLAND — Florence Kniskern, master of all things domestic, died on March 13, 2008 at Kingsway Arms Nursing Center. She was 99.
Born to the late Oliver A. and Etta Gray Moore on Oct. 11, 1908, Mrs. Kniskern grew up in Carlisle N.Y., where, at the tender age of 19, she married a childhood classmate, George J. Kniskern on May 17, 1927.
“They went to the same little one-room schoolhouse,” said Gladys O’Brien, the only child of Mrs. Kniskern, who was herself an only child.
On the dairy farm in Carlisle where the young couple settled, at the Kniskern family homestead, Mrs. Kniskern’s work centered around the house. “She did things like baking, making her own bread,” said Mrs. O’Brien of her mother.
“I don’t think I had a store-bought piece of clothing until I went to college,” she said, adding that her mother had even made her wedding dress.
In her youth, Mrs. O’Brien said, her mother led the 4-H group, teaching the girls to knit and sew and bake pies.
After Mrs. Kniskern’s husband died in 1968, she moved to Guilderland in 1970, to live with her daughter. She started to bring her knitting to area craft shows, where a fondness quickly grew for the knitwear and the knitter. “People used to call her the Mitten Lady,” said her daughter.
She recently unearthed a pair of her mother’s mittens that had won a first-place prize at the Altamont Fair, Mrs. O’Brien said.
Every year, the two would bake pies for the Lynnwood Reformed Church bazaar, her daughter said. “We had a whole crew of women,” she said, but Mrs. Kniskern always made the iconic, double crust, apple pies.
Mrs. Kniskern was also active in the Home Bureau, part of the cooperative extension, where industrious women would gather to work on sewing projects and the like, Mrs. O’Brien said, and she was also a member of the Cobleskill Hospital Auxiliary.
She and her husband also spent some time in Florida — the pair liked to travel, their daughter said. Mrs. Kniskern did quite a bit of traveling after she joined a seniors group, Mrs. O’Brien said — she once took a cross-Canada rail trip.
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Mrs. Kniskern is survived by her daughter, Gladys O’Brien, and her husband, Gillen, of Guilderland, and by her grandson, Timothy O’Brien, and his wife, Cynthia, as well as her great-grandson, Noah O’Brien.
Her husband, George J. Kniskern, died before her.
A funeral was held on Tuesday at the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont, with burial in Carlisle Rural Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Carlisle Presbyterian Church, Post Office Box 103, Carlisle, NY 12031 or to the Lynnwood Reformed Church, 3700 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303.
— Saranac Hale Spencer
John Kossman
John Kossmann, formerly of Middleburgh, died Saturday, March 8, 2008, in Florida, where he lived, following a brief illness. He was 45.
He was born in Brooklyn, on Sept. 29, 1962. Mr. Kossmann graduated from Middleburgh Central School in 1980 and served in the United States Air Force.
He had lived in Milton, Fla. for the last 26 years and owned and operated the concession stand at Bingo Magic.
“His greatest pride was his family and he will be fondly remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,” his family wrote in a tribute.
His mother, Jean Kossmann Ahlbach, died before him as did his brothers, Thomas and Dominick Kossmann, all of Middleburgh.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy, and by his daughters Tina Kossmann, Jennifer and Jessica Hyler, and Meagin Gaston; and his sons Thomas Kossmann, and Robert Wolfe; and his grandchildren Ryleigh Hyler, Brittney Sampson, and Jamarion Futch, all of the Milton, Fla. area.
He is also survived by his sisters Frances Miller of Schoharie, Tina Cunningham and her husband, Eric, of Raleigh, N.C.; his brothers, Anthony Kossmann and his wife, Barbara, of Altamont, Michael Kossmann of Schoharie, Lawrence Kossmann of Breakabeen, and Kenneth Kossmann and his wife, Lisa, of San Diego, Calif.
He is also survived by nine nieces and nephews, two great nieces, and a great-nephew.
At the family’s request, a memorial service was held on March 12, at the Lewis Funeral Home in Milton, Fla.