Nelson “Ed” Varney

HUDSON FALLS – Nelson “Ed” Varney, 83, of Lower Allen Street, passed away on January 5, 2015, at Glens Falls Hospital.

Born on April 21, 1931 in Fort Edward, he was the son of the late Nelson E. Varney and Lillian (Roberts) Varney Norman.

Ed was a Korean War Veteran, serving with the U. S. Air Force from 1950 to 1954.  He was a Communications Specialist attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.

On April 22, 1956, he married Shirley M. Phillips at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fort Edward, where both he and Shirley were communicants.  Shirley passed away on November 28, 2013, after 57 wonderful years of marriage.

He was an employee of Western Union Telegraph Company from 1954 to 1972 and was office manager when the Glens Falls office officially closed. Ed then went to the New York State Department of Corrections until he retired, as a principal clerk, from Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock.

He loved listening to music and was an avid reader.  Ed enjoyed spending summers at his camp at Lake Hadlock with his family and friends.  Auto trips, with his wife around the Adirondacks and area countryside were very special to him. Ed also cherished the time he spent with his grandsons, Brian, Scott and Ryan.

Ed was well known as a singer in the area and was very proud to have directed the Fort Edward Knights of Columbus Minstrels for several years. He loved people and people loved him. It was easy for Ed to make friends and he had many, wherever he went. Ed was an outgoing, social person who enjoyed being around his family and friends.  He was a member of the Fort Edward/Kingsbury Senior Citizens, where last year he was recognized as Senior Citizen of the Year.

Besides his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by his brother, John R. Varney.

Survivors include his son, Nelson “David” Varney and his wife, Lola of Angier, NC; his daughter, Linda Walzer and her husband, Edward of Fuquay-Varina, NC; his three grandsons, Brian Varney of Hudson Falls, Scott Varney of Lake George and Ryan Walzer of Fuquay-Varina, NC; his two brothers, Floyd R. Varney and his wife, Cindy of West Fort Ann and Robert K. Varney and his wife, Wilma of Fort Edward; his sister in law, Patricia Varney of Fort Edward; and several aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Friends may call on Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main St. in Hudson Falls.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday at St. Joseph’s Church in Fort Edward, with the Rev. Thomas Babiuch, pastor,officiating.

The Rite of Committal will follow at Union Cemetery in the town of Fort Edward.

Memorial donations, in Ed’s memory, may be made to Fort Edward/Kingsbury Senior Citizens, 78 Oak Street, Hudson Falls, NY  12839.