SARATOGA SPRINGS — Marian F. Zwijacz passed away peacefully on August 6 with her family at her side. A graveside service was held on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 115 Cemetery Rd. in Schuylerville. For online condolences, please visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Eloise “Lee” Casertino, age 93, passed away August 5. A celebration of her life was held on August 10 at Compassionate Funeral Care, 402 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs. A graveside service was held in Greenridge Cemetery. For online condolences, please visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mary Lucetta Kirsty “MaryLu,” passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at Wesley Heath Care Center. A graveside celebration of life was held on August 11 at Riverside Cemetery, Elizabethtown, NY. For online condolences, please visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com
BALLSTON SPA — Duncan Blackwood passed away August 10. A funeral service and calling hours were held on August 16 at Compassionate Funeral Care, 402 Maple Ave. Saratoga Springs. A private graveside service was held in Malta Ridge Cemetery, Route 9, Malta. For online condolences, visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com
STILLWATER — Mary Louise (Farnan) Gilgallon, 88, a lifelong resident of Stillwater, passed away Friday, August 6, 2021 at Saratoga Hospital.
Born July 21, 1933, in Mechanicville, she was the daughter of the late Thomas “Tim” and Bertha Farrell Farnan.
Survivors include her children, Mary Ann Gilgallon (Thomas Sharkey) of Anchorage, AK, Donna P. (James Nichol) Gilgallon, Edward T. (Meg Pitney) Gilgallon, and Louise A. (late William O. Smith Jr.) Gilgallon Smith, all of Saratoga Springs; grandchildren, Dylan and Erin, Kate Gilgallon of Saratoga Springs, and Ellen M. Sharkey of Anchorage, AK; brother, Thomas Farnan of Johnstown; sisters, Joan Campbell of Salem and Carol Reynolds of Scotia; countless nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Donald R. Gilgallon and her sister, Anne F. Butler.
Mary Lou was a 1950 graduate of Schuylerville Central School and a 1953 graduate of Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing. She worked as an RN for 10 years at numerous locations including Miami, FL, at the VA Hospital in Albany, Samaritan Hospital in Troy and was a Visiting Nurse for the Saratoga County Public Health prior to getting married and raising her family.
Mary Lou was a faithful and active lifetime parishioner of the St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Stillwater. She took an interest in others, especially her children. She was a 4-H leader, a church school teacher and an enthusiastic fan cheering for her children and their teammates playing sports in school. She was an avid reader, homemaker, a great listener and conversationalist. Mary Lou was the family historian due to her excellent memory and
accurate recall.
Mary Lou also enjoyed country and western music, playing cards, camping, RV-ing and travelling all 50 states and many foreign countries. She was a member of the Adirondack Good Sam’s RV Club. Mary Lou and Don enjoyed many winters in their vacation home in Arizona.
Mary Lou and her beloved husband enjoyed socializing with their many friends and family members celebrating important occasions as well as everyday pleasures of life. Growing up and raising her family on a small farm she had a lifelong curiosity and interest in farming, the change of seasons and the beauty of wildlife.
Mary Lou will be remembered for her intelligence, her keen sense of humor, her caring nature and her passion for life.
A funeral mass will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, August 13, 2021 at All Saints Church on the Hudson North, 881 Hudson Ave., Stillwater, NY 12170. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Schuylerville. The family requests that masks be worn by everyone at the church and cemetery services and practice social distancing when possible.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in memory of Mary Lou to the Stillwater Food Pantry, PO Box 480, Stillwater, NY 12170 or the Stillwater Public Library, PO Box 485, Stillwater, NY 12170.
Arrangements are under the direction of Flynn Bros. Inc. Funeral Home, 13 Gates Ave., Schuylerville, NY 12871. Online remembrances can be made at www.flynnbrosinc.com
Lillian Mae Hopkins LaVigne, 96, a resident of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, NY for the past seven years, passed away on July 30, 2021.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ambrose LaVigne, who passed away in 2011; parents Bernard and Mary Pyke Hopkins; sister, Gertrude Kannegeiser; brothers, Richard, James, Thomas and Bernard Hopkins; and daughter-in-law Kay LaVigne.
Survivors include her children and spouses: Robert LaVigne, James LaVigne and wife Mary Gavin, Diane Pinakiewicz and husband Bill, Dawn Trodden and husband Bill, her thirteen grandchildren Kelley Sturman, Lisa LaVigne, Wendy LaVigne, Tim LaVigne, Jarod LaVigne, Lindsay LeDoux, Jaimie Delaney, Ashley Smallwood, Thaddeus Pinakiewicz, Melissa Corrado, Christine Ackerman, Jessica Apel, and Kyle Trodden, as well as nineteen great-grandchildren.
Lillian was a devout Catholic, and a communicant of the Church of St. Peter in Saratoga Springs. She was a proud registered nurse who dedicated over 50 years of her life giving compassionate care to others, and she multiplied that talent by teaching other nurses and even creating her own curriculum for LPNs so they could pursue careers helping others.
She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt, adding great memories and food to all family occasions.
She loved her husband Ambrose for over 60 years, unconditionally and faithfully, and worked relentlessly with him as a team to give her four children all the things she did not have.
Her children will always remember that she worked throughout their childhood, but they were always the kids who awoke to a mother’s breakfast, had lunch sandwiches on home-baked bread and enjoyed great family dinners every night. Their home was always spotless. Their friends were always welcome.
She blessed her friends with the same caring she gave her husband, children, and patients. Wherever she lived she went out of her way to help others, always ministering to their ailments and pitching in with a kind word, a good deed or a delicious meal. People who met her loved her for her kind heart and generous friendship.
At her request there will be no services. She will be cremated and her ashes joined with her husband’s at the Gerald B. Solomon National Cemetery at a later date. Those wishing to remember Lillian may make donations to the Wesley Community, 156 Lawrence St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
GANSEVOORT — Nancy McCarroll Scanlon, 73, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on August 4, 2021.
Nancy was born in Suffern, NY on July 24, 1948, to Edwin and Dorothy McCarroll and lived and raised her family with her husband Francis Xavier Scanlon in Wilton, NY.
While working for Planned Parenthood as an RN, Nancy obtained her Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare at The University of Buffalo and later her Master of Social Work from SUNY Albany. Nancy then followed her calling by spending over 25 years in various positions with The St. Anne Institute, a job she was passionate about and loved. Her co-workers were her second family, and she will be missed.
Her love for family and friends, along with deep passion for helping others, were the core to who Nancy was. Being a grandmother to Adriana Grace was the highlight of her life. She loved to travel, garden, and float in her pool. Her collection of Christmas ornaments and Willow Tree figurines is unmatched. Happy Hour was always Friday Nights at the Darcys.
She is predeceased by her parents, Edwin and Dorothy McCarroll; her husband, Francis Xavier Scanlon; and her sister, Marilyn Weimar.
Nancy is survived by her two loving sons, Brenden Scanlon and Bryan Scanlon (Kathy); cherished granddaughter, Adriana Grace; her sister, Virginia Griffen (Paul); sisters-in-law, Nancy Sutherland and Kathy Beaury (Jack); her nieces and nephews, Kim, Kristin, Jessica, Erin, Catherine Rose, Geoffrey, Kenny Jr, and C.J.; as well as her bonus grandson, Johnathan and many, many grand-nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends gathered to remember her Thursday, August 12, 2021, at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Home, 628 N. Broadway in Saratoga Springs. A funeral home service will be held on Friday August 13, 2021, at 10 a.m. with burial in Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at 11 a.m. Following services, friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Nancy’s Life to be held at Nancy’s home from 1 p.m. until the last Miller Lite is gone.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made “In Memory of Nancy Scanlon” to The St. Anne Institute Foundation to be dedicated to the Nancy Scanlon Scholarship Fund.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Marianne H. Knapp, 75, passed peacefully after a courageous, battle with colon cancer. Calling hours 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, 8/16/2021 at Burke Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, 8/17/2021 at Church of St. Peter, burial to follow at Saratoga National Cemetery. Memorial donations to Saratoga County Animal Shelter. www.burkefuneralhome.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Maryellen (Luce) Biggie Thompson Celeste, 96, passed away peacefully July 31, 2021. Funeral services were private, and burial followed in the family plot in Maplewood Cemetery. Memorial donations to Gurtler Brothers VFW Post 420, 190 Excelsior Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Please visit www.burkefuneralhome.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Augustus “Gus” E. DeMatteo, age 93, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 02, 2021, at Saratoga Hospital with his son by his side.
He was born on July 28, 1928, in Saratoga Springs, son of the late Gus and Anna DeMatteo.
Gus served in the US Army from 1950 to 1951 as a private.
Gus was a teamster for Local 294, then worked as a boilermaker at West Milton Nuclear for several years. He worked for the City of Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works for 30 years and retired as a motor equipment operator.
Gus belonged to the Italian American Club for many years and enjoyed the numerous cookouts and social events the club held. In his free time, he would go fishing and hunting with his friends and family. As a born and raised Saratogian, he had a passion for horse racing and could be found at the track most days in July and August. But most of all, Gus loved spending time with his son Tony, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who were the light of his life and kept him going all these years. They all knew him and cherished him as their “Pop” or “Pop-Pop.”
Gus was truly one of a kind. He was a man who would do anything for anyone. He loved helping people and prided himself on that. Whatever anyone needed, he was always first in line to help, with no questions asked. Whether it was plowing people out during snowstorms, running errands for people in need or checking in on his family, Gus was always there, no matter how big or small the task was.
Gus is survived by his son, Anthony DeMatteo (Patricia); grandchildren, Erin Dahlstrom (Jerad), Julie DeMarco (Tom), Maria DeMatteo (Taylor Morris), step-daughter, Rose Downing; great-grandchildren, Aubrey, Aidan, Hadley Dahlstrom; Owen, Gavin, Griffin DeMarco; step-grandchildren, Sarah Downing, Jessica Winney (Darion), Ryan Smith (Jill), PJ Pierce (Stacy), Grant Pierce, and Skylar Pierce; step-great-grandchildren, Lawson Smith, Mihla Smith, Lola Smith, Kaylin Solari and Lena Goldman; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Florence DeMatteo; His brother and sister-in-law, Jeremiah and Alice DeMatteo.
A funeral service will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021, at Compassionate Funeral Care, 402 Maple Ave, Saratoga Springs. Family and friends may call from 4 to 5:45 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service.
Arrangements are under the direction of Compassionate Funeral Care, Inc, 402 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs. For online condolences, please visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com
