MILESTONES SILVER BAY

William “Bill” Birdsall

Passed on October 4, 2022

Age 82

Bill Birdsall was raised near the then small, quiet Delaware River town of Yardley, Pennsylvania. Though plagued by allergies and illnesses, Bill thrived with the support of his loving sister and brother, Bette and Jim, and his caring mother, Helen, who always gave of herself for the benefit of her children.

As a youth, Bill loved exploring the area on his bicycle and spent all too brief a time at his grandmother’s farm in Ulster County, New York. In later years, he came to believe in the old saying, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.”

Bill’s career as a CPA led him to work at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Price Waterhouse & Co. and the New York Life Insurance Company, where he rose to serve as Vice President in the Investment Department.

While working in Philadelphia, Bill met, fell in love with and married (1966) Marge Willis. It was with Marge that Bill came into the fullness of his life. Over the following years, they welcomed their three wonderful children, Jon, Lyn and Jim; and eventually, eight grandchildren.

Jane Ergood

Passed on September 22, 2022 Age 87

Dr. Jane Ergood passed away peacefully after suffering Parkinson’s and related health issues.

Jane was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Yale School of Nursing and the University of Pittsburgh where she received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She taught nursing at Clark County School of Nursing in Ohio, the University of Florida, and the University of Toledo, and was the first female director of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Ohio. Jane continued her career as a Clinical Psychologist in the area.

Jane enjoyed the Quaker meetings and the strong friendships she developed. Jane was accomplished at playing the piano, was involved with the Society of Friends (Quakers) and the Church of Epiphany in Nelsonville.

Some of her favorite places were Ocracoke Island, NC and their cottage at Sabbath Day Point, NY on Lake George.

Ned Farrar

Passed on October 10, 2022

Age 75

Ned was born in Ann Arbor, MI, to Howard and Frances Farrar, the next-to-last child in a brood of five. He began his musical training at home and in the church choir under the direction of his father. Ned completed his musical studies at the University of Michigan and University of Kentucky.

As Ned liked to say, he took his retirement up front, crushing aluminum cans and taking cross country cycling trips with his brother.

In 1982, he had the good luck to meet his future wife, Lu-Ann Dunn. After happily marrying in 1984, they began their family. Rachel Elizabeth came first, followed soon by Byron Rutledge. They are the greatest joy of LuAnn and Ned’s lives.

Ned was an active member of the Lexington musical community beginning in 1967. As a singer, he performed with UK Opera, Christ Church Cathedral Choir and was a founding member of the Lexington Chamber Chorale. He was a violist in the LeMay String Quartet and the Ashland Trio and a violinist in the Lexington Philharmonic for 50 years. Ned taught elementary orchestra in the Fayette County public schools from 1996 until his second retirement in 2016.

Carole Itjen Haller

Passed on February 10, 2022

Age 90

Carole was born on January 25,

1932 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Richmond Hill High School, she attended Bucknell University and graduated in 1954 with a A.B. degree in Mathematics & Psychology. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority and the Pi Mu Epsilon Honorary Math Society.

While working at a summer job in Martha’s Vineyard, she met a chef, Henry Haller, and they were married on November 13, 1954, in Queens, New York. Henry’s career took them from New York to the Maryland/Washington DC area, when Henry became the Executive Chef at the White House in 1966. Carole became a stay at home mother, supporting Henry’s career, and raising four children. She volunteered as a book keeper for her church, Geneva United Presbyterian in Potomac, Maryland, and later used her accounting skills at various companies.

Carole was an avid reader and was always up to date with current affairs from sports, politics, international events, and the stock market. She also enjoyed sewing and gardening and was a frequent donor to many charities.

Henry Haller

Passed November 7, 2020

Age 97

Henry was born in Altdorf, Switzerland and apprenticed as a chef and completed his chef’s training in several prestigious hotels in Switzerland. He then immigrated to Canada to work and ultimately moved to New York where he developed a successful culinary career.

Henry was happily married to his wife Carole Haller for 66 years. Henry’s career took them from New York to the Maryland/ Washington D.C. area when Henry became the Executive Chef at the White House in 1966 where he remained through five administrations, from President Johnson through Reagan. After retirement Henry wrote The White House Family Cookbook and toured the US and Europe giving speeches, presentations, and attending book signings.

Mary Louise James

Passed on March 12, 2023

Age 89

Mary was born July 1,1933 in Utica, NY. She graduated from Manlius High School in 1951 as the salutatorian and then secretarial school. She worked for Syracuse University and belonged to the International Folk Dance Club where she met her future husband, Robert Evan James IV. Dance became a part of their lives for many of their 65 years together.

Mary worked a variety of jobs including bank teller and receptionist in Danbury, CT. However, her most favorite job of all was at Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks. For over 30 summers she rekindled friendships made in the 1960’s as well as many new and lifelong friends. Over the years, she ran the mimeograph machine in the auditorium tower, assisted the accountant, worked at the concierge deck and her all-time favorite of all… The Store. She made crepes, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, counted newspapers, and chatted everybody up within a 50foot radius.

June Kaiser

Passed on November 25, 2022

Age 95

June Kaiser passed away at her home in Canajoharie, NY where she had resided for the past 60 years. She married Ferdinand Kaiser in 1954 and they had 58 wonderful years together up until Ferd’s passing in 2012.

June was a loving mother and grandmother and is survived by her two sons, David Kaiser and his wife Tamara of New Jersey, and Clifford Kaiser and his wife Laurie of South Carolina, and her four grandsons.

June was a member of St. John and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Canajoharie. Over the years, she sang in the church choir, was a church council member, and had been the church’s financial secretary.

June’s Silver Bay story began in 1960 as the Kaiser family began making annual trips to Silver Bay as cottagers and expanded to include four other families of relatives and friends in the following years. This instilled their love and appreciation for Silver Bay over all these decades and has now extended to new generations.

Terry Stokes McConaughy

Passed on January 3, 2023

Age 89

Terry was a well-loved member of her communities at Newbury Court in Concord, MA and Silver Bay on Lake George, NY, where Terry resided seasonally for more than 50 years.

Terry received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in speech therapy from SUNY Albany. Following graduation, she worked as a speech therapist in the public school system.

She was born into a family of professional musicians, which instilled in her a lifelong love of classical music. Terry was a member of various choral groups throughout her life and listening to her favorite symphonies and hymns soothed her, especially in her final days.

Terry took pride in creating a nurturing home for her family and had a lifelong love of books and learning. Her passion for history endures in the creation of the archives at Silver Bay YMCA.

Jean File Melby

Passed on February 5, 2023

Age 92

Jean was born in Cedar Rapids, IA and attended Rutgers University for two years, finishing her degree at Ithaca College (’53) in Physical Education. She spent summers working at The Silver Bay Association on Lake George where she was known for her performance dance and choreography skills. In Ithaca, she married Dr. Edward Melby, Jr. and began her career teaching physical education. Upon Ed’s graduation from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, she and Ed moved to Cornwall, VT where together they raised a family and ran a veterinary practice. In the early ‘60s following Ed’s career move, Jean and family moved to Baltimore, MD. While in Baltimore, she devoted her time to raising four children, taught physical education, and volunteered her time in various school activities. In 1974 the family moved to Ithaca, NY. Along with raising her children, she carried on the various roles of Dean’s wife, learned and transcribed braille for the blind, and pursued her interest in watercolor painting. From Ithaca, Jean and Ed moved to Villanova, PA and finally back to Vermont where they lived until their passing. In Vermont, Jean volunteered as a proofreader at The Charlotte News, developed a community of friends, and enjoyed her summers at the family camp on Lake Champlain spending many enjoyable hours playing mixed tennis doubles.

Lila Anne Mitchell

Passed on February 17, 2023

Age 77

Anne was active with the Elmira Garden Club and had a strong interest in history, genealogy and astronomy. She took delight in creating beauty in her surroundings, whether through gardening, renovating, and furnishing her house, or coordinating and sewing clothes. Anne started coming to “Family Conference” at Silver Bay YMCA with her family in 1948. As an adult, Anne valued her time at Silver Bay as a refuge from the busy-ness of working, whether early on in New York City or later in various locations around the country. Part of that was making annual pilgrimages to Jabe Pond.

Patricia Louise Squire

Passed on January 3, 2023

Age 82

She was an amazing 3rd/4th grade teacher in the Springfield Township, Montgomery County schools. Pat began in Wyndmoor School and then upon its closing she taught at Enfield Elementary School until her retirement after 33 years of teaching. Pat was a traveler throughout her life both in the United States and abroad. She visited England and Scotland many times and Wales. She toured much of Europe, Scandinavia, spent time in Russia, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and on safari in East Africa. She was always a storyteller so not to slow down in her retirement, she established a funny, entertaining, interesting and continuously changing and up to date book review program. She gave her presentations of book reviews for 18 years to many local organizations and some in New Jersey and, her most popular of all, at Silver Bay YMCA, Lake George, NY. Pat, with her family, had spent 72 continuous summers at Silver Bay YMCA, N Y. Her story telling, her faith and her life experiences as a PK (preacher’s kid) inspired her to write sermons which she delivered through the years at her own church and her father’s church in Red Bank, N.J. She was very active in the First United Methodist Church of Germantown teaching Sunday School, adult Bible courses and was a member of the worship committee.

Pat loved to sing and she was a member of The Philomusica Chorale for many years. Pat was the founder and President of The Tabitha Foundation that had a two-fold focus of grants for organizations that provided healing, support and care for children and organizations for the protection of the environment.