Obituary of Caleb Paine

Schenectady- Caleb Paine, of Parkland Garden Apartments, Schenectady, NY, died Friday, January 27, 2012, at the age of 94. A son of the late Ernest T. and Louise C. Paine, he was born on March 30, 1917 in Ithaca, NY and attended the Ithaca Public Schools, The Hill School in Pottstown, PA, and Cornell University, where he graduated in 1938. He entered the broadcasting industry that year as a program assistant at CBS Station WEEI, in Boston, MA. In 1941 he was appointed Program Director at Station WCSH, Portland, ME, a post he held until 1944, when he was named Manager of Station WFEA in Manchester, NH. Mr. Paine joined the Army the spring of the following year, and was subsequently named Program Director of AFN-Munich, the Armed Forces Radio station in Munich, Germany. Following release from the Army in 1946, he joined the General Electric Company as Program Director of the FM station in Schenectady, and for the next 20 years held various posts at GE Stations WGY and WRGB, including Director of Science Broadcasting, Supervisor of Programs, Director of Public Service, and Manager of Station Services. In April, 1967, he joined the staff of educational station WMHT, Channel 17, as Assistant General Manager, serving there for ten years until his retirement. Active in civic affairs, Mr. Paine was past president of the Schenectady County TB & Health Association, former chairman of the Salvation Army advisory Board, and past president of the United Fund of Schenectady County. He served for over 13 years on the Board of Trustees of the Mohawk-Hudson Council on Educational Television, retiring in 1977 as Vice President of that organization. Over the years he was a member of the Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce, the Schenectady Civic Players, the Schenectady Rotary Club, the Mohawk Golf Club, the Adirondack League Club, the Mohawk Club, and the Fortnightly Club. He also served as a Deacon and Elder of the First Reformed Church. He was predeceased by two brothers, Arnold and Gilbert C. Paine, a sister, Elizabeth Paine Schabtach, and his beloved wife of 64 years, Elizabeth"B" Paine, the former Mary Elizabeth Brown. He is survived by their two children: C. Lawrence Paine of Fairfield, CT, and Corinne L. Freake, of Woburn Sands, England; four grandchildren: Keith, Cameron, and Tucker Paine, and Helen Freake, and a great-granddaughter, Lily Paine. A private memorial service will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a memorial gift are invited to send it to First Reformed Church of Schenectady, 8 North Church St., Schenectady, NY 12305, or to the Schenectady Theater for Children, P.O.Box 2376, Scotia, NY 12302.