Obituaries Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, August 5, 2010

Fred Fredrickson

DELMAR — Fred Fredrickson, a loving father and grandfather who was active as a Mason, died on Thursday, July 30, 2010, at Albany Medical Center. He was 67.

Mr. Fredrickson was born on Jan. 25, 1943 the son of Fred and Annabelle Fredrickson in McKeesport, Pa.

He was a longstanding active member of the Berne Masonic Lodge. He also served as past District Deputy. “He was dedicated and proud of his Masonic affiliation,” his family wrote in a tribute.

He is survived by his daughters: Jennifer Anetzberger and her husband, Frank, and Heather Kanoza and her husband, Steven.

He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren: Frankie (his best friend) and Macy Anetzberger, and Gretchen Kanoza.

He is survived, too, by his sister, Arda Pitchford, and Elmer, and his stepsister, Irene Racko.

His beloved stepdaughter, Stacy Miller-Zounes, died before him.

Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday morning, Aug.4, at the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont with interment following at Woodlawn Cemetery in Berne. 

He grew up in East Berne, N.Y. His interests included ventriloquism, riding a unicycle, art and music.

 His show business career began at the age of 12 when he studied ventriloquism with a friend of Edgar Bergen, Dick Bruno. His early performances were between sets when his parents’ country western band, “The New Arkansas Travelers,” was playing. He was billed as “Teddy and Eddy.” He later resurrected Eddy to entertain at various functions.

 Growing up in a musical family, his next venture was forming a rock band, “Purple Haze,” and later “Enticer.” He played guitar and sang vocals as well as setting up special effects with his cousin, Randy Overbaugh, on drums. “They had quite a following including the usual groupies,” his family wrote in a tribute.

“Tattooing captured his interest when he began work at New Scotland’s Spaulding and Rogers, a manufacturer of tattoo equipment,” his family wrote. “He saw an opportunity to take his art in a new direction. He practiced this art as a sideline for many years before turning to it full-time after retiring from the Air Force.”

He entered Air Force training in 1985 for broadcasting. He produced many public service announcements for recruiting, performed as a TV commentator, radio show entertainer, writing, producing songs, and graphics. Some of the many people he met and interviewed were: former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Dan Quail, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Jerry Reed, Lee Greenwood, and The Orange County Choppers.

Among the many first-place awards he received for television and radio spot production, the Air Force Broadcast Journalist of the Year award for 1999 stands out as an honor on a world-wide level as it is the military’s equivalent of the Oscars or Emmys.

 “Anyone who has ever worked with, for or supervised Ted knows he is one of the most talented broadcasters the Air Force has to offer,” said TSgt. Ron Prysucha.

His career took him many places including Greenland, Italy, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, and Korea.

“The tour of the Philippines brought him his lovely wife and the beginning of a dedicated and loving marriage,” his family wrote. “Mary Ann grew up in the Philippines and they started their family there.”

Leaving the Air Force after 20 years of service, he retired in Converse, Texas where he had been stationed since 2000. He conceived the idea of a family friendly tattoo shop: Spur Addict, the name of a pun on local sports enthusiasts. “Everyone was welcomed with a warm, homey atmosphere by Ted and his mother who ran the front desk,” his family wrote.

“On a personal note,” the tribute said, “he was a devoted family first-man; a kind, concerned, loving husband and son, making a place in his home for his widowed mother. Ted always got up early to make breakfast for his children and their friends before school.

“He was quiet spoken and his positive attitude showcased a never-ending sense of humor. He had been heard to say, ‘I never could resist a microphone.’ He had many ideas in the planning stages for television and other types of shows. We can only imagine where he could have gone with them.”

His family ended the tribute with these words, attributed to “Ted”; “...God has taken me. If so... it’s his will. My faith is strong.”

***

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; his children, Stan, Anna and Kenneth; his mother, Bobbi; brother and wife (Florida), Tim and Mary; nephew, Gregory.

His father, Reid Northrup, and brother, Terry Northrup, died before him. 

Robert J. Raynor

Robert J Raynor was a steady man, a patriot, and a lover of nature. He died on July 27, 2010 at the age of 89.

Born in Freeport, Long Island, Mr. Raynor was the oldest of six siblings. His father moved the family to where work could be found during the Depression, said his sister, Arlene Raynor. Their father worked as a barber, a policeman, and an employee of Borden’s Milk, she said.

When World War II enveloped America, Mr. Raynor joined the Coast Guard. “In those days, everyone joined up,” she said. “I guess he just thought it was patriotic.”

Mr. Raynor might have chosen the Coast Guard because “we like the water,” Ms. Raynor said. The family spent time near the ocean in a cabin that was in her mother’s family, she said.

During the war, her brother served on a cutter in the Atlantic, ridding the water of German submarines, she said.

“When he got back, we were living in Ravena,” Ms. Raynor said. He did a number of different jobs in the area, including working as a milkman and doing manual labor cutting tree limbs.

“He was a jack-of-all-trades,” she concluded.

Mr. Raynor later attended college, first at the State University of New York at Geneseo and then at Syracuse University, his sister said.

From there he got a job at Western Electric, which he held until her brother retired in 1983.

“He always loved being outside,” Ms. Raynor said, explaining that he loved the parks in Syracuse, where he lived much of his life. For a time, he had a cabin on Skaneateles Lake where he kept a sailboat.

He was “someone that you could always depend on,” she said. He “would always help.”

Later in his life, she said, he “had a big beard, a white beard. Kind of a Santa Claus character.” But, when he was a young man, she said, “He was a handsome devil.”

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Mr. Raynor is survived by his wife, Virginia Raynor, and his daughter, Linda Greenow. He is also survived by his siblings: Edwin J. Raynor, of Melbourne, Fla.; Donald E. Raynor, of Kenitra, Morocco; June I. Kolb, of Castle Rock, Colo.; and Arlene L. Raynor, of Altamont.

His sister, Dorothy C. Blenis, of Ravena, died before him.

Services were held at the Loretto Health Center.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850.

GUILDERLAND — Carolyn B. Rudesheim, a loving wife and mother, died on July 31, 2010, in Fish Creek Pond Campsite at Upper Saranac Lake. She was 69.

Mrs. Rudesheim was born in Albany, the daughter of the late Fred and Emily Marshall Rudesheim. She was a lifelong resident of Guilderland, and graduated from Guilderland High School in 1958.

She was employed by the Guilderland School District for 33 years, and was a life member of the Hudson Mohawk Pioneer Gas Engine Association. She was also a member of Tri-County Power Association, the Southern Tier Gas Engine Association, and the Christ Child Society at St. Madeleine Sophie Church.

Mrs. Rudesheim enjoyed camping with her family, and collecting angels. Her hobbies included reading, arts and crafts, and Saturday morning garage sales.

She loved her dogs, Harley, Diesel, and Moose, which she considered her “canine grandchildren.”

She is survived by her beloved husband of 49 years, Walter J. Tryon Sr.; her children, Walter J. Tryon Jr., and his wife, Jamie Percuoco, and Diane Tryon LaForte, and her husband, Thomas; her granddaughter, Amanda LaForte; her brothers-in-law, William Gates and George E. Tryon, and his wife, Florence; and several nieces and nephews.

Her sister, Catherine Gates, died before her.

Funeral services will be held this morning, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m., at New Comer Cannon Funeral Home, art 343 New Karner Road in Colonie. Interment will follow in the Hannacroix Rural Cemetery.

Anne M. Townsend

BERNE — Anne M. Townsend was a dependable mother, a loving housewife, and a calm and outgoing person.

“She wouldn’t say much, but she’d give you some good advice,” said her son, Charles Townsend. “She wouldn’t get into your business, but she would talk to you about it.”

Mrs. Townsend died on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, at St Peter’s Hospital in Albany. She was 94.

She was born on April 2, 1916 in North Adams, Mass., to the late Robert and Virginia Williams. She moved to Berne in 1940, where she lived for the rest of her life.

Her son remembers her as someone who took friendship very seriously.

“She loved people,” said Mr. Townsend. “I can never really say that she said anything derogatory about anyone. She never got involved with neighborhood gossip; she only judged a person by their character.”

Mrs. Townsend was also very strong-willed, her son went on.

“She went through the Depression,” he said. “That’s what hospice said — people that go through those hard times are so strong-willed inside.”

He recalls their recent trips to Wal-Mart.

“She liked her bottled water, so she would grab two cases,” her son said. “Seeing a 94-year-old woman throwing cases of water into a cart, it was pretty impressive.”

Mrs. Townsend worked as a cook at the Cate Marcey Nursing Home until it closed, and then went to cook at the Rensselaerville Institute of Man and Science.

She also enjoyed being a homemaker.

“She liked vegetable gardening, crocheting, hanging wallpaper; she loved lilacs,” her son said. “She’d basically do gardening for flowers and stuff like that.”

She married her husband, Clinton Townsend, in 1940. Though he died some years ago, her son said that it brought the two of them together.

“I moved into her house after my father died,” he said. “She always cooked my meals, and she became my friend.”

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Mrs. Townsend is survived by her daughter, Ruth; her son, Charles; and her brother, Robert Nichols.

She is also survived by seven grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Her husband of 58 years, Clinton Townsend, died before her, as did her daughter Arleen.

A funeral service will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Berne on Saturday, Aug. 7, at 9:30 a.m.

Arrangements are by the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont.

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