Obituary of Alice M Kelder

Alice M. Kelder, a longtime resident of Grahamsville, NY entered into rest on August 22, 2016. She was 92. Alice was the daughter of Norman E. and Laura L. Williams, born in Brooklyn, NY on March 18, 1924 and raised in Queens County. She was the widow of Gilbert Kelder who passed away on January 10, 1997. She retired from the Denman Agency, Inc. in Grahamsville, NY after 25 great years. Prior to that she had worked many years at the N.Y. Telephone Co. Alice is survived by two daughters, Karen Curry and husband Robert of Neversink, NY and Kathleen Cuccia and husband Frank of The Villages, FL; her stepdaughters Judith O’Sullivan and husband Jim McGowan of Rosendale, NY and Eulalia Priest of Kingston, NY; stepdaughter-in-law Nancy Kelder of Statham, Georgia; sister-in-law Mildred Williams of Belton, TX; her 27 grandchildren; 57 great grandchildren; several great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was pre-deceased by her son Leslie Kelder; her sister, Harriet Mulligan-VanKleeck; 3 brothers, Arthur Williams, Norman E. Williams, and Leslie A. Williams who was lost at sea March 19, 1945 while serving aboard the Aircraft Carrier – U.S.S. Franklin when it was bombed off the coast of Japan; and 2 stepsons, Ernest Kelder and Gilbert Kelder Jr. She was very proud of her ancestors on her father's side, some dating back to 1789. Alice was an avid reader and when she lost some vision listened to books on tape. History, World War II and Biographies were some of her favorites. Alice loved poetry and even wrote some of her own. Other interests over the years included singing with her family, listening to music, bowling, and going hunting and fishing with her husband. She kept in touch with all the family by mail and telephone and was never lonely while she had her books, the telephone and her favorite PBS television channel. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother and aunt. She will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. In lieu of flowers, donations in Alice’s name can be made to The Daniel Pierce Library, P.O. Box 268, Grahamsville, NY 12740, the Grahamsville Fire Dept., P.O. Box 331, Grahamsville, NY 12740, or the Tri-Valley Lions Club, 6351 State Rt. 42, Woodbourne, NY 12788. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 26th from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm at Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Route 52, Woodbourne, NY 12788. A funeral service will be held at 10am on Saturday, August 27th at the funeral home. Burial to follow at Grahamsville Rural Cemetery. Rev. Paul Ansbro will be officiating.