Obituary of Mabel Brate

VOORHEESVILLE - Mabel (Salisbury) Brate, 90, beloved widow of August William Brate, died July 25, 2012 after a long illness. Mabel was born in Clarksville, NY, on July 12, 1922 to the late Oakley and Carrie Adeline (Way) Salisbury. She spent most of her childhood in Clarksville and graduated from Bethlehem High School. On January 1, 1944 Mabel married Gus Brate at St. Lucy's Church in Altamont; they were married one week short of 60 years before Gus passed away in 2003. After moving from Clarksville in 1951, Mabel and Gus raised their eight children in Voorheesville. Mabel was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Mabel is survived by her sons, August (Mary Ann) Brate of East Worcester, Ronald Brate of Schenectady, Thomas (Wendy) Brate of Clarksville and John Brate of Voorheesville and her daughters, Beverly Meacham of Altamont, Ann (Donald) Dieckmann of Voorheesville, Mary (Carl) Armer of Ballston Spa, and Mabel (George) Porpeglia of Asheboro, N.C.; also survived by her brother, Leland Salisbury of Clarksville. Mabel was predeceased by her brothers Clinton, Oakley, and Earl Salisbury. Mabel was the proud grandmother of 19 grandchildren: James and John Meacham, Carol Ann Rapp, Katie Maurer, Vicki Mockler, Christine Davis, Emily and Elizabeth Dieckmann, Gregory Roman, Christopher Porpeglia; Allen and Linda Rarick; Jessica Hallock, and Jeffrey, Ronald, Nikki, Mark, Andy and Joseph Brate. Her 17 great-grandchildren included: William and Jessie Rapp; Amanda, Hannah, Taylor and John Meacham; Alex Sleasman; Quinlan and Chloe Davis; Isabele and Hunter Witzenburg, Faith Brate; Connor Ingraham, Stephanie and Sarah Mauer, Christopher (CJ) Mockler, and Landon Roman. Mabel and Gus owned and operated the Voorheesville Food Market from 1952 until the late 1960s. Mabel also worked at the Power and Light Company, Montgomery Wards, J.J. Newberry's and the NYS Tax Department. Mabel served on the Town of New Scotland's Election Board for 50 years and was a member of the Town's Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Mabel loved to travel and vacationed in many parts of the US, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. Her trip to Belgium was her favorite adventure. The family will receive friends and relatives to remember her at Reilly & Son Funeral Home, Voorheesville on Sunday, July 29, 2012 from 1-5pm. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the Voorheesville Area Ambulance, PO Box 238, Voorheesville, NY 12186 would be appreciated.