HUDSON FALLS – Jane Y. Rinfret, 98, formerly of North Oak St., died Tuesday January 2, 2017, at Hillcrest Commons in Pittsfield, MA.
Born on January 17, 1918 in Amsterdam, she was the daughter of the late Anthony J. (d. 1957) and Lillian A. (Weatherwax) Rinfret (d. 1925).
From 1927, Jane made her home with the Edward J. Shanahan family in Hudson Falls.
She graduated from Hudson Falls High School and NYS University at Cortland, where she received a BA, MA and 15 additional post graduate credit hours.
Jane’s teaching career in Hudson Falls began at St. Mary’s School, where she taught second grade for two and a half years. For 38 and a half years, she taught at Margaret M. Murphy Elementary School in Hudson Falls. For the first 25 of those years, Jane was a kindergarten teacher, and then a first grade teacher for the remainder of her teaching career.
Jane was an active member in many professional associations, throughout her career and after her retirement, including: the Tri-County Teacher’s Association, The NYS Retired Teacher’s Association, The N.E.A., the AARP, the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma and the Hyde Collection’s Volunteer Council.
She was a communicant of St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s Church in Hudson Falls, where she was a charter member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Mater Dei Council # 1442.
Her enjoyments included traveling, baby-sitting and reading.
Survivors include her cousin, James McColl and his wife, Candance of Ballston Spa; their son, James McColl and his wife, Lynn of Saratoga Springs; Barbara Shanahan of Syracuse; Robert Shanahan and his wife, Linda of Cumming, GA.; and her longtime companion, Connie Dodge of Hartford.
Friends may call on Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main Street in Hudson Falls.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday at St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s Church, on the park in Hudson Falls.
The Rite of Committal will be in the spring at St. Mary’s Cemetery on Burgoyne Ave. in the town of Fort Edward.
Jane’s family suggests that memorials be made to the Fort Edward Rescue Squad, Inc., P. O. Box 226, Fort Edward, NY 12828 or the St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s Church, 11 Wall St., Hudson Falls, NY 12839.
My sincere condolences to Miss Rinfret’s family and friends. She was my kindergarten teacher and I lived next door to her and the Shanahan’s at the time. My Aunt Irene Thompson Stone was born the same year as Jane and lived next door to the Shanahan’s also so she and Jane were friends for many years.
I remember her well.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jane’s family, Connie, and the many lives she touched. ~ Roland & Mary