WRIGHT — Mildred E. Tegiacchi was a homemaker and a mother who supported her children and believed deeply in their abilities.

She died on Saturday, March 7, 2015, at the Ellis Hospital after a brief illness. She was 78.

Mrs. Tegiacchi was born on June 21, 1936 in Wright. She grew up on her family farm on Middle Road — where she was born, worked with the animals when she was younger, and lived most of her life.

She studied at Schoharie School and served as a nurses’ aid at the Guilderland Center nursing home for 10 years until she retired in her 60s.

Mrs. Tegiacchi spent a lot of time with her grandchildren and treated a granddaughter, Rachelle Swiergiel, like another daughter, supporting her after her mother died.

“She always believed I could be the best, and I did have good grades,” said her daughter, Virgilia Tegiacchi. “But she was always pushing me to achieve the best I could do.”

Mrs. Tegiacchi sent care packages to Cornell University when her daughter studied there.

“At that point, she was a single mom,” said Ms. Tegiacchi. “She did what she could do.”

Mrs. Tegiacchi gave her daughter a plaque before she went off to college.

“It says, ‘Don’t quit when your luck is down and your world goes wrong, when all is uphill and the road is long,” her daughter read from the plaque, which has a lucky penny on the back.

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Mildred Elizabeth Tegiacchi is survived by her children, Rufus Varin Jr. of Schoharie, Russell Varin and his wife, Kathleen, of South China, Maine, Roland Varin of Ephratah, in Fulton County, and Virgilia Tegiacchi and her fiancé, Kenn Dittmar, of Athens. She is also survived by three grandchildren, including Rachelle Swiergiel; four great-grandchildren; four brothers, Alfred Schager, Richard Schager, Walter Schager, and Gerald Schager; and several nieces and nephews.

Her daughter, Mildred Swiergiel, and her son, Brian Tegiacchi, died before her, as did her two brothers, Rudolph Schager and Frank Schager Jr.

A graveside service for the immediate family will be held in the Gallupville Rural Cemetery.  Arrangements are by the Langan Funeral Home of Schoharie.  Mourners may go online at langanfuneralhome.com.

— Marcello Iaia