Obituaries Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, March 11, 2010

She died on Saturday, March 6, 2010, at home with her family by her side. She was 86.

“She was generous to a fault,” her daughter, Laurel Bohl, recalled. “There were times where we had to slow her down,” she laughed.

Norma Bohl was born on Nov. 17, 1923, the daughter of DeForest Deitz Sr. and Irene Deitz. Mrs. Bohl grew up on a farm in Berne with her extended family, and was always family-oriented.

“She was very outgoing, and she loved her kids very much,” her daughter said. “And she loved animals; she would take up any cause for any animal that was in danger.”

Mrs. Bohl also loved reading and playing cards, and was one of the first women to join the Guilderland Elks Club.

She and her daughter would go out to lunch together as often as possible, but, sometimes, Mrs. Bohl just wanted to go for a drive through the Hilltowns.

“She grew up on a farm up there, and sometimes, she’d just want to go up and drive around because she just loved that land up there,” her daughter said.

When she was 17, she joined the United States Army, as World War II raged. She eventually worked as an inspector of aircraft parts being manufactured by General Electric. After the war, she lived in New York City for a time before returning to Berne.

Mrs. Bohl later became postmaster for Guilderland Center.

“She and my father were both postmasters at one time,” her daughter said. “He was postmaster of Guilderland, and she was postmaster of Guilderland Center. I think they were the only couple to be postmasters like that at the same time.”

Mrs. Bohl met her husband, Daniel C. Bohl, when she worked at the old Dutcher’s ice cream parlor in Guilderland.

“It was a hotspot for teenagers then,” her daughter said. Mr. Bohl, the star pitcher of a local baseball team, often went out for ice cream with his teammates after games.

“She kept score for the baseball teams back then, too; her brother was on the baseball team, and they would compete with my father’s team,” her daughter went on. “It’s like a real old-fashioned American love story: She was working at the parlor, and he was playing baseball.”

The two were married on May 13, 1950.

Over the course of their 48-year marriage, they raised four children. They also cared for many dogs and cats.

“Many people will remember Norma as the Guilderland Center postmaster,” her family wrote in a tribute, “as well as a gracious hostess, a competitive card player, and the life of the party.”

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Norma Bohl is survived by her children: Daniel DeForest Bohl of Boston; Melody Bohl of Boston; Laurel Bohl and her husband, Grant Miller, of Niskayuna; and Charles Bohl and his wife, Lisa, of Coral Gables, Fla.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Zachary, Sawyer, and Madison Bohl of Coral Gables, Fla.

Her husband, Daniel C. Bohl, formerly of Guilderland, died before her, as did her brother, DeForest Deitz Jr., who had lived in Berne.

Friends and family gathered on Wednesday, March 10, at the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont to celebrate her life.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society, Dept. MEMIT9, 2100 L St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20037, or to the Guilderland Public Library, 2228 Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY 12084. 

Christina J. Tallman

WESTERLO — Christina J. Tallman was quiet, giving, and never had a bad thing to say about anyone.

She died on March 8, 2010, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany. She was 55.

“Chris was the type of person who would do for others without expecting anything in return,” said her sister, Margaret Tallman. “If you needed her, all you had to do is pick up the phone, and she would be there.”

Mrs. Tallman was born in Albany to the late Huyler and Marie (Snyder) Tallman.

She graduated from Greenville Central School, and went on to graduate from Maria College.

“She treated her nephews like they were her own,” her sister recalled. She loved photography, her sister went on, as well as the ocean.

“Her hobby was lighthouses,” said her sister. “If you look around the house, you see little lighthouses everywhere.”

Mrs. Tallman worked for McNamee, Lochner, Titus, and Williams, and was employed at Hiscock and Barclay. She was also a very active and devoted member of the Dormansville United Methodist Church.

She leaves behind many dear friends.

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Christina Tallman is survived by two of her sisters: Margaret Tallman of Poestenkill, NY; and Mary Lou Nutbrown and her husband, William, of Lenox, Mass.

She is also survived by her nephews: Wayne Oliver and his wife, Lisa; Richard Oliver and his wife, Tina; and William Nutbrown. She is survived, too, by her great-nephew Patrick, and her brother-in-law Raymond Oliver.

Her stepfather, Malcolm Tompkins, died before her, as did two of her sisters: Alice T. Oliver and Elizabeth Tallman.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 13, at the Cunningham Funeral Home, 4898 Route 85 in Greenville. Condolences may be left online at www.ajcunninghamfh.com.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will take place this spring in the Westerlo Rural Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Dormansville United Methodist Church.

ALTAMONT — Olive (Burke) VanAuken, a devoted wife, homemaker, and mother, died on March 3, 2010, at Albany Memorial Hospital, after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 79.

Born on Jan. 24, 1931, to the late Augustus and Mildred Burke, Mrs. VanAuken lived most of her life in Altamont. She was the beloved wife of the late Harry A. VanAuken, and, in addition to taking joy in raising her children, she worked as a bookkeeper for a family business, and was a 35-year member of the Altamont Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary.

She enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, taking day trips, and most of all, caring for her family.

Mrs. VanAuken is survived by her sons, Harry “Al”, and his wife, Victoria, Clifford, and his wife, Linda, Thomas and Terry of Altamont, and William, and his wife, Marianne, of Arizona; and, 11 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Her son, Robert, died before her, as did Robert’s wife, Barbara.

A funeral service was held on Sunday, March 6, at the Fredendall Funeral Home, in Altamont, followed by interment in Prospect Hill Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Dr. Gart, the staff at Memorial Hospital, and Community Hospice for their care and support.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice of Albany, 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205. 

WESTERLO — Francis “Frank” White, who served as a detective for the Albany Police Department for 31 years, before retiring in 1992, will be remembered, his family said, as a man that was a friend to all he met.

He died at his home on March 8, 2010 at the age of 70.

Mr. White was born in Albany on July 9, 1939 and is the son of the late Gorman and Catherine (Hughes) White.

“He was a devoted husband to his late wife Marjorie (Lounsbury) White and a loving father and grandfather to his stepchildren and step-grandchildren,” his family wrote in a tribute.

He is survived by his stepchildren: Luann Mead, and her husband Eric, of Albany, Henry Manss Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of California, and Ruth Ann VanTassel of Glenmont; his step-grandchildren Jason Kocienski, Trista, Jessica, and Jacqueline VanTassel, Andrew, Bridget, and Christian Manss; and his step-great-grandchildren Skyler VanTassel, Faith Manss, and Kiara Dugan.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held today, March 11, at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in Greenville. Spring interment will be in the Westerlo Rural Cemetery. Arrangements are by the A.J. Cunningham Funeral Home in Greenville. Mourners may visit ajcunninghamfh.com online.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice of Albany County, 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205.

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