HUDSON FALLS – On Saturday, November 12th, 2022, Fred Quackenbush, passed away peacefully at the age of 90.
Fred met his wife, Mary Jane Kryszczak, while she was vacationing in Lake George with friends. They were married on April 9, 1961. Eventually they made Hudson Falls their home where they raised their children, Mark, Barry, and Sherri. Before meeting his wife, he was in the Army during the Korean War and later supported his family with employment at Ciba Geigy.
Fred was active in the community as a volunteer firefighter, coaching local sports teams, and as a school crossing guard.
To say he was an avid hockey fan is an understatement. He is best known to the locals for his love of hockey. He was inducted to the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 as a “builder of the game of hockey in the Adirondack region.” He was a season ticket holder for over 30 years and over the course of six different franchises. He could always be found in section A at the Civic Center rooting for the local team. He was a member of the Adirondack Hockey Booster Club since its inception in the 1980s and was on the Booster Club’s board. Fred collected hockey memorabilia from around the world and enjoyed giving a tour of his collection which was once even featured in the Post Star.
In the hockey offseason, he could be found working as a Box Seat Usher at the Saratoga Racecourse. He took his position as Box Seat Usher quite seriously and in August 2012, The Saratogian wrote an article on his passion for being an usher and stated, “If they ever made a Mount Rushmore for racecourse ushers, Quackenbush’s likeness would probably be on it.”
Amongst Fred’s other hobbies were NASCAR and hunting with family and friends.
Fred was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jane and best feline companion, Charlie.
He is survived by his children; Mark (Deborah), Barry (Donna), and Sherri; his grandchildren, Kristy (Louis), Sean (Tara), Jonathan (Leah), and Derek (Jesse); and his great-grandchildren, Lucian and Holden.
Friends may call on Thursday, November 17, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main St., in Hudson Falls.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m., on Friday, November 18, 2022, at St. Mary’s/ St. Paul’s Church in Hudson Falls.
The Rite of Committal will take place 1:30 p.m., at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in the town of Stillwater, with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Parkinson’s Foundation (https://www.parkinson.org/).
R.I.P.
I’m often asked if I’m related to Fred. The Kuackenbousch now spelled Quackenbush family name (which roughly translates to the croak of frogs in the marsh) arrived here in the new world thanks to Peter who came to New York’s Hudson river valley in 1635 from the Netherlands. In which case we are all related.