Archive » October 2025 » Obituaries

Barbara Louise Wolfe

Barbara Louise (née LaForge) Wolfe, age 69 years and 339 days, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, at Albany Medical Center, while under hospice care, following a short illness.

Joanne Marie Lauster

Joanne Marie Lauster

Joanne Marie (née Salisbury) Lauster, who was passionate about her family’s genealogy, died on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Chesapeake, Virginia. She was 78.

She was born in Albany on Oct. 25, 1947 — the same date as her passing.

Shirley A. Giguere

Shirley A. Giguere, who was passionate about her family and her home, died peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the age of 95.

“The accompanying photo is of Shirley being ‘Queen for a Day’ on her 95th birthday,” her family wrote in a tribute.

Zachary Gerdsmeier

RENSSELAERVILLE — Zachary Gerdsmeier died on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, surrounded by loved ones and friends, from complications following a recent heart attack. He was 40.

Barbara Collett

Barbara Collett

WATERVLIET — Barbara Collett, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister, died Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, surrounded by her family.

A long-time resident of Watervliet, she was the wife of the late James E. Collett Jr. and the daughter of the late Francis and Mary Bracken Sheehy.

Robert P. Burton

Robert P. Burton

Robert “Bob” P. Burton, formerly of Altamont and Guilderland Center, was an entrepreneur who ran Burton’s Dairy and was a lifetime member of the Guilderland Center Fire Department.

He died on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, after a long illness. He was 82.

Patricia Avril Moreland Blakeborough Ewald

Patricia Avril Moreland Blakeborough Ewald, known as Trish, was a nurse and Air Force captain who devoted her life to nurturing others.

She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on April 21, 1944 and died on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at the Livingston Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Livingston, New York. She was 81.

Mary M. Miller

NORTH BETHLEHEM — Mary M. Miller, an encouraging special-education teacher and devoted community member, valued family above all else.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, she “went home to be with the Lord,” her family wrote in a tribute. She was 95.

Ashley Heacock

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Ashley “Lee” Heacock, a logistics engineer, had unconditional love for his friends and family and a constant willingness to help others.

Formerly of Altamont, he died on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, after a brief but remarkably fought battle. He was 74.

Donna Jean Tork

Donna Jean Tork died on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, at the home of her niece Donna-Jean Feathers, surrounded by her family in Parrish, Florida after a short illness. She was 80.

Born in Warrensburg, Missouri on Feb. 15, 1945. She grew up in South Berne, graduating from Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District in 1963.

George B. Coffey

DELMAR — George B. Coffey, a man of faith and service, died peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at Shaker Place in Colonie with his family at his side. He was 105.

Carol Ruth Guilz

ALTAMONT — Carol Ruth (née Bradt) Guilz, who married her high school sweetheart and was a generous friend, died peacefully at home with her family on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

She was the daughter of the late Edwin and Dorothy (née Mattice) Bradt, formerly of Altamont.

Theodore Mark Klarsfeld

ALBANY — Ted Klarsfeld, who ran the family business, had a zest for life and found the greatest joy in his daughter.

He died peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at Ellis Hospital. He was 71.

Mary Anne Ross

Mary Anne Ross, a long-time Guilderland math teacher and her family’s matriarch, died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. She was 77.

She was the beloved wife of the late Victor G. Ross and cherished partner of Mark Bremser. 

Gary Spencer

ALTAMONT — Gary Spencer was a man of few words but the words he spoke or wrote mattered. He chose them carefully. He read widely, collecting first editions of books he loved even when he could ill afford them.

Pages