Obituaries

ALBANY – Regina Nisch, 96, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 24, 2023 at the Teresian House Nursing Home.  Regina was born in Albany, the daughter of the late Harry and Anna Samycia.  She married George H. Nisch in 1956 and they settled down in Albany and raised two children, Christina and Eric, who they adopted.  They loved them as...

TROY – Susan G. Blais, 71, of Troy, passed away after a long illness on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at Samaritan Hospital with her family by her side.  First and foremost, Susan loved the Lord. She served Him with all of her heart, especially as she spent 30 years serving as a member of a worship team, first at the...

ALTAMONT – James Edward Bunkoff, 75, of Altamont, entered eternal life on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at St. Peter’s Hospital with his loving family at his side. Jim was born in Albany and lived in the area all his life, eventually settling in Altamont, NY.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1970, and upon returning home, joined...

CLIFTON PARK – Lucille Rosa Calsolaro Gutto was welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven with open arms on Sunday, February 5, 2023 after a brief illness.  The eldest of three children, she was born in Albany, NY on February 17, 1928 to Dominick Calsolaro and Angela Rose Yavonditte Calsolaro.  In 1946 she graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names...

GUILDERLAND – Virginia C. Collins, with her daughters by her side, died peacefully on Monday,  January 31, 2023 at the Teresian House. Born on November 28, 1928, the daughter of the late Neil and Anna Childs, she was a lifelong resident of Guilderland. A graduate of Vincentian Institute and an enduring parishioner of All Saints (St. Margaret Mary’s) Parish. She...

ALBANY – Helen Ann Mooney, 87, of Albany, passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at home surrounded by family.  Helen was born and raised in the Bronx and Manhattan, the daughter of the late Thomas J. and Mary A. Cahill Neeson.  Helen was a graduate of Fordham University.  With her beloved husband, Harry Mooney, she lived in Saugerties and,...

VOORHEESVILLE – Mary Catherine “Cathy” Lawler, 78, of Voorheesville, passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at St. Peter’s Hospice.  Cathy was born in Ogdensburg and raised in Rouses Point, where she became a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy.  She moved to Albany to attend Albany Business College and was employed for many years by the New York State Dept....

ALBANY – Patricia C. Hammann Rhodes, 95, of Albany, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at St. Peter’s Hospital.  Patricia was born in Albany, the daughter of the late Harold C. Hammann and Cleta G. O’Heaney Hammann.  She was a graduate of Vincentian Institute, and was employed for many years by Maria College as Placement Director.

Patricia was predeceased...

ALBANY – Philomena M. DeFlorio Russo, 98, of Albany, passed away on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, with her loving family at her side. Philomena was born in Albany, the daughter of the late Nicola and Domenica DeFlorio.  She was employed for many years by the New York State Division of the Budget. For over 40 years, she also was a...

ALBANY – Maria Giovanna Paonessa, 83, of Albany, passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2023.  Her own story is one full of love, family, passion, pride,and some of the best Italian cooking you’ve ever tasted.

Maria would be the first to tell you, “I am from Rome,” and say it with such pride you couldn’t help but wish you were...

GUILDERLAND – Garrett Augustus “Gus” Shover, Jr., 96, of Guilderland, passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Samaritan Hospital.  Gus was born in Albany, the son of the late Garrett A. Shover, Sr. and Mary Kenenger Shover.  He lived in the area all his life, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, as well as in...

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – We are devastated to announce that Debra A. Randall, 67, passed away on January 9, 2023 after a courageous fight against an aggressive cancer.  She was in the loving presence of her family until the end.

Deb was born in Albany on May 4, 1955 to John W. Randall and Avis Gibbs.  Her early years were spent...

ALBANY – R. David (Dave) Kissinger, Ph.D., FAClinP,  of Delmar, New York, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, surrounded by his three children.  Born May 12, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois,  Dave was the son of the late Doris (Winegar) Kissinger and Richard D. Kissinger.  His wife of 62 years, Martha Rasch Kissinger, died in 2019.  He is survived...

GLOVERSVILLE – Dr. Arthur K. Brelia, a retired, long-time Gloversville NY obstetrician – gynecologist, died at the Albany Stratton VA Hospital on December 29, 2022 following a long illness. Dr. Brelia served in the Navy during WW II and the Air Force during the Korean War. From 1953-54 he was the Chief of Obstetrics- Gynecology at the U.S. Air Force...

ALBANY – Berta Glas Berdar, 96, of Albany, passed away on Friday, December 23, 2022, at Schuyler Ridge Residential Healthcare in Clifton Park.  Berta was born in Germany, and emigrated to the United States with her husband in 1952.  She was employed for many years by the New York State Education Department, and outside of her work she dedicated herself...

CLIFTON PARK – Mary E. Dudla went home into the loving arms of her husband Paul on Wednesday, November 30, 2022.  She is now free to do all of the things with Paul that  she enjoyed most, like  gardening  and traveling to new and beautiful places.  Mary lived life to the fullest. She loved spending time with her sisters. Sundays...

ALBANY – Catherine Mary Davis died on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, after a long battle with cancer. She was a lifelong resident of Albany and Rensselaer counties. Catherine graduated from Mercy High School. She also received 2 degrees from Hudson Valley Community College, a BS degree from SUNY at Plattsburgh and a MS from the University of Arizona. Catherine worked...

ALBANY – Joseph T. DiMura, 94, of Albany, passed away Sunday, November 20, 2022 at Albany Medical Center.  Joe was born in Albany, one of ten children of Joseph and Josephine Scuderi DiMura.  He was a 1946 graduate of Albany High School, and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  After the war he joined the Bricklayer and...