Obituary of Marie E. Pletenik

Marie H. Pletenik, 82, of Schenectady, passed away on Thursday, October 21, 2010. She was born in Schenectady, the daughter of Anthony Hoadley and Elizabeth Little Hoadley. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and her Masters from Oneonta State Teacher's College. After graduation, she began her career in elementary education in the Schenectady School System. She married Andrew Pletenik in 1956 and had two daughters, Betty and Jeanne. After several years of teaching, Marie decided to devote herself entirely to family and community service. She served as a board member of the Mental Health Association and was an avid supporter of mental health services. For more than forty years she has played the piano for a sing-a-long at the Ellis Hospital Department of Psychiatry, recently adding the Ellis Hospital Nursing Home Unit to her itinerary. She was involved with numerous organizations, including the United Way, Human Services Planning Council, Family and Child Services, the Junior League, Carver Community Center, Niskayuna Conservation Advisory Council, Adirondack Research Library, Planned Parenthood, and the AARP 55 Alive Driving Program. Marie was an avid curler and member of the Schenectady Curling Club. She has also been an active member of the First Reformed Church of Schenectady, serving as deacon, Missions and Benevolence Chairperson, choir member, and Stephen Minister. All these activities are but threads in a larger fabric, a life rich in love and perseverance, a passion for music and learning, and devotion to the well-being of family, friends and community. We will miss her but we know her works will be carried on. She is survived by her daughters, Betty Castle and Jeanne Shoulder, her brother, Hugh Hoadley, and two grandchildren, Rachael Shoulder and Daniel Shoulder, and a number nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Andrew and her sister, Dorothy Lawrence. A memorial service will be held at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady on Saturday, October 30 at 2 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice of Schenectady http://www.communityhospice.org or Northeast Parent and Child Society http://www.neparentchild.org.