Jones Funeral Home, Inc.

09/17/2025

Maureen E. Topping

NISKAYUNA - Maureen Elizabeth Topping, 87, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 surrounded by the love of her family. She was born in Albany on August 23, 1938 to the late Kathleen and William Wydrakowski. Maureen was predeceased in 2018 by her husband of 57 years, Russell L. Topping.

She graduated from the Academy of Holy Names, Class of 1956. Maureen received a BS in Nursing from the College of St. Rose in 1960 and an MS in Medical Surgical/Nursing Administration from Russell Sage College in 1985. She began her nursing career at Albany Memorial Hospital as a staff nurse. During the eleven years at memorial, she held positions as Head Nurse and part time evening Supervisor, eventually accepting a position as Medical-Surgical Nursing Instructor at the Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She became an Instructor at the Ellis Hospital School of Nursing from 1975 until he retirement in 2006. At EHSON, she taught Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing in the classroom and clinical areas of ICU, Interventional Cardiology and, during summer clinical experiences, Psychiatric Nursing. Maureen served as Senior level course coordinator, Admissions and Evaluations Chairperson and school Catalog co-chairperson.

She was a certified Catechist for many years in the Faith Formation Program at St. Kateri Parish Church enjoying the enthusiasm and joy of the second graders preparing to receive the Holy Eucharist. She was elected to serve on the Saint Rose Alumnae National Board of Directors and participated on the Advisory Board of the Visiting Nurses Association of Schenectady for many years.

She enjoyed music, especially classical piano and Chopin, old movies, Broadway plays, gardening, sewing, baking, decorating almost anything, anywhere, oil painting among other crafts, traveling, reading, Siena basketball with Russ and contemplating finishing her novel. Luncheons with AHN and CSR alum were always a highlight of each month. She loved Martha’s Vineyard vacations where the family gathered for 20 years. She treasured memories of her grandparents, aunts and uncles from Albany, Castleton and Brookview; memories which were dearly kept alive during visits with her cousins. At the center of all enjoyment were her special and talented grandchildren.

She is survived by her children, Sheila M. Wagner (Eric) of Glenville, David A. Topping (Claudia Mills Topping) of Ballston Spa, Andrew R. Topping (Michelle Kyzer Topping) of Virginia and six grandsons, Zachary Anderson (Emily) of Rotterdam; Ryan Topping of Albany and Nicholas Topping (Heidi) of Guilderland; Matthew Topping of Virginia; Sean Topping of California, and Alex Topping of Arizona. One great granddaughter Maddison Emery Anderson. She is also survived be her best friend of 74 years, Kathy O’Connor with whom she shared many great adventures and stories with.

The family would also like to thank Carol Renna for her kind and compassionate care.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Maureen’s family on Sunday from 2 to 5 pm at Jones Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave. Colonie. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday morning at 9:00 am at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Rosa Rd. Schenectady. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Schenectady (www.communityhospice.org) or Academy of Holy Names (www.ahns.org). To leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.jonesfuneralny.com

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09/11/2025

Today marks 24 years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Though time has passed, the weight of that day and the emotions it carries remain just as strong. We hold close in our hearts the memory of those we lost and extend our love to all who continue to feel the pain of that loss. We will never forget.

09/06/2025

Faye A. Minard

Schenectady – Faye Minard, age 79, of Niskayuna passed away on September 4, 2025 at Ellis Hospital after a brief illness.

She was born on March 1, 1946 and was a lifelong resident of Schenectady NY. She was the daughter of the late Bertha L. Silverman and H. Kamien Silverman. Faye and her family were instrumental in the founding of the Schenectady ARC (became part of Liberty ARC in 2024), where Faye participated in both day, residential and clinical programming throughout her life.

Faye was a very social woman who loved to greet everyone she met with an exuberant handshake! She never forgot your name once she met you! She also loved to take pictures of her friends and staff, keeping them in photo albums that she spent many hours looking through and reminiscing about. As technology changed, she even kept up with the times and enjoyed many digital photo frames and learning to use her iPad. Her other favorite pastime was watching cooking shows on TV – especially Rachel Ray, who she and a friend had the honor to meet!

A sincere thank you to all of the staff at ARC, especially at Westfall House where she lived for over 30 years, who helped Faye live a full and happy life.

She is survived by her sister, Marguerite Borchers of Santa Barbara California.

Funeral services will be at 12 noon at Jones Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave Colonie on Monday September 8, 2025. Visitation will be Monday morning from 11am to 12pm at the funeral home. Burial to be at a later date at Albany Rural Cemetery. To leave a message of condolence, visit www.jonesfh.net

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09/04/2025

Marianne Helene Hustedt

Niskayuna, NY – Marianne Helene (Blaffer) Hustedt of Niskayuna, Cherry Plain, and Bellmore, New York, passed away at the age of 100 on September 2, 2025 at the Teresian House, Albany, NY.

Marianne was born in Bremerhaven, Germany on July 5, 1925 to Heinrich and Frieda Blaffer. She trained as a clerk in a mercantile store, but was sent to work on a farm in Elmlohe during the war years. There she met the love of her life, Hans Hustedt. They were married in 1946 and in 1957 emigrated to Bellmore, NY, where they raised their family. In 1983 Hans and Marianne retired to Cherry Plain, NY, where they built a home, and spent happy years enjoying the beauty of their surroundings in the Taconic Mountains. Marianne enjoyed caring for her beautiful flower gardens, preserving the bounty of their vegetable gardens, embroidering, crocheting, knitting, keeping fit with aerobics, and reading. Marianne was a member of the Berlin, NY Garden Club for many years. Hans and Marianne were able to travel extensively during their retirement years. In 2012 they moved to Niskayuna to live with their daughter and son-in-law. Marianne attended the Niskayuna Reformed Church where she belonged to the Book Club and the Women’s Fellowship Group.

Marianne was a devoted mother to her five children, a loving “Oma” to her eight grandchildren, and was delighted to become “Omama” to six great grandchildren. She has passed along her love for gardening and making special family dishes, and created many cherished memories of times together on the Cherry Plain homestead.

Marianne was predeceased in 2013 by her husband of nearly 67 years, Hans H. L. Hustedt; also by her sisters Elfriede Mangels and Gerda Helmke, and by her brother, Heinz Blaffer. She is survived by her five children, Wolfgang Hustedt (Carol) of Hertford, NC; Doris Kessler (Richard) of Santa Fe, NM; Hans Hustedt (Micki Carpenter) of Lexington, SC; Traute Lehner (John) of Niskayuna, NY; and Marianne Barker (David) of Saratoga Springs, NY; and by eight grandchildren, Paul Hustedt-Krasnove (David) of Portland, OR, Erik Hustedt (Kristin) of Patchogue, NY , Gail Alexander (Sean) of Ft. Myers, FL, Sarah Kessler (Karen Tongson) of Los Angeles, CA, William Kessler (Jordan) of Santa Fe, NM; Nicholas Lehner (Ana Maria) of Powell, OH, Stephanie Rowe (Alan) of Indianapolis, IN, and Christine Hustedt (Michael England) of Chesapeake, VA; and by six great-grandchildren, Jacob Rowe, Ethan Hustedt, Robert Lehner, Samuel Kessler, Elijah Kessler, and Stephen Alexander. She is also survived by her sister, Helke Stickan (Horst) and three sisters-in-law, Thea Blaffer, Meta von Glahn (Helmut), and Henny Satzinger, all of Germany, along with many friends and loving nieces and nephews in both the US and Germany.

The family offers their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the staff at Teresian House for their compassionate care of Marianne during her final years.

Calling hours are scheduled at Jones Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave., Colonie, from 4 – 7 pm on Friday, September 19. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 20 at the Niskayuna Reformed Church, 3041 Troy-Schenectady Road, Niskayuna, with burial in the church cemetery immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Marianne’s name may be made to the Niskayuna Reformed Church, 3041 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Niskayuna, NY 12309, or to the Teresian House, 200 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany, NY 12203. To leave a message of condolence please visit www.jonesfh.net.

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09/01/2025

Today, we pause to honor the hard work, dedication, and compassion that shape our communities. Wishing everyone a meaningful Labor Day—may it be filled with rest, gratitude, and appreciation for the difference you make every day.

08/27/2025

The more we try to push grief away, the longer and more painful the journey becomes. By welcoming grief with openness, we create space for true healing. As strange as it may feel, try to invite grief in like a friend—you can be mad, you can be sad, but at its core, every feeling is rooted in deep love.

08/05/2025

These words remind us that shedding tears is not a sign of weakness, but rather a natural and necessary part of the healing journey. Mourning through tears can help ease the weight of sorrow and guide us towards a sense of peace.

07/31/2025

William P. Van Patten

AMSTERDAM – William P. Van Patten, 55, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

He was born at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady on May 8, 1970 to Kristine Ruth Barbuti. Bill graduated from Linton High School and Schenectady Community College.

He was in the food service industry from age 16 to the present. He worked at Glens Falls Hospital and presently at Saratoga Hospital.

Bill is survived by his mother Kristine Barbuti and his girlfriend Corinne Ferrarin. He also has three stepsisters and one stepbrother. Many aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.

Bill was a board gamer, Geocaching and a steampunker. He was also a huge Star Wars fan.

On Saturday August 2nd there will be a visitation at Jones Funeral Home, 2020 Central Avenue, Colonie from 2 pm to 6 pm for family and friends. A short service will follow at 6 pm at the funeral home. Burial will be private at a later date.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Saratoga Hospital Foundation www.saratogahospitalfoundation.org. To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit www.jonesfuneralny.com.

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07/23/2025

Grief can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. Many have walked this road of loss, and in that shared experience, there is comfort and connection. Lean on those around you; you are not alone.

07/21/2025

Helen R. McCary

Schenectady - Mary Helen Rucker McCary died on Thursday July 17, surrounded by family.

Helen was born in 1926, in Denton, Texas, to George Rucker and Kennie Dazey Holt Rucker. Her father died not long after her birth; because Helen was a sickly child not expected to live long, the doctors told her mother to take her home and let her enjoy what life she might have by allowing her to eat whatever she wanted. That saved her life: Although it was not diagnosed until she was in her early 30s, Helen had celiac disease; because her family didn’t make her eat the bread, cake, and biscuits she disliked, she lived.

She adored Ruby Keeler as a child, loved to roller-skate, and liked the word “gumption.” Her mother taught school to support them, and they lived with her grandparents, Irby Bennett Holt and Allie Lay Holt, who provided care for Helen when Kennie was at work. Kennie had to take continuing education courses to maintain her teaching certification, so she traveled in the summers with other female teachers, and they took Helen with them. Through this experience Helen gained, at an early age, exposure to many places, and a deeper understanding and love of U.S. and world history. Later, Helen and Kennie lived during the school year in nearby Kilgore Texas, where Kennie was Dean of Girls at Kilgore High School, and there Helen met and fell in love with Richard Oscar McCary, whom she married in 1947. She aspired to be a housewife and mother par excellence, and succeeded—using her Bachelor of Business Administration degree to administer the household. Having been raised as an only child by a widowed mother, she delighted not only in raising her own four children but in discovering a much larger extended family later in life. She believed with conviction, and was comfortable when her views departed from orthodoxy or the accepted wisdom of the time.

She, Richard, and their children were long-time congregants of First Reformed Church of Schenectady, where for 25 years she sang in the Chancel Choir, and helped lead the adult bible class. A life-long friend of theatre, especially community theater, she was an active subscriber to the Schenectady Civic Players, where she volunteered in the box office. In 1978, when the restoration of Proctors Theatre was begun, she, Richard, and children Brian and Eileen were actively engaged in that work. Helen was also a consistent booster of downtown Schenectady, Literacy Volunteers of America, the Onrust Project, and much else in the area.

Helen loved to cook; once her medical problem had been identified, she joyed in finding recipes that she could eat with her family. An avid gardener, she found relaxation and fulfillment caring for her yard. She also loved to sew and do craft projects, and she traveled, danced, read and talked with Richard throughout their 54 years together. She and Richard enjoyed square-dancing, and were for many years members of the Helderberg Twirlers square dancing club. She restarted roller skating, then roller dancing, in her 50s, recapturing the magic feelings of her youth. She and the family also enjoyed canoeing and cross-country skiing.

A loving daughter and wife, beloved mother and grandmother, friend to many, and enthusiastic citizen of Niskayuna and Schenectady, Helen was kind, optimistic, open, caring, and strong. She made friends in any group she was a part of; in any community she joined, or endeavor she started, she engaged fully, contributed actively and left it better than she found it. In her quiet way, she impacted lives of countless people and was loved and respected by all who met her. She was preceded in death by Richard, and their eldest daughter Sharon. She is survived by children Brian (Faye) McCary, Eileen McCary Terrell, and Kathryn McCary, and by grandchildren Scott McCary and Rachel Camille Eickelman (Anthony). She will be missed, but not forgotten.

A memorial gathering will be held at Jones Funeral Home 2020 Central Avenue in Colonie on July 31 at 5:30-6:30; another will be held, on a date to be announced, in Texas when her ashes are laid to rest next to Richard’s. Memorial contributions may be made to Proctors Theatre https://www.atproctors.org/ or the Schenectady Civic Players https://www.civicplayers.org/. To leave a message of condolence for the family visit www.jonesfuneralny.com

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07/16/2025

Grief has no roadmap, and the path forward isn't always clear or easy. But with each step, we honor their memory by continuing to live, love, and heal. We move forward—not because we forget, but because we carry them with us.

07/04/2025

Wishing you a happy and safe Fourth of July! 🎆

Whether you're celebrating with family and friends or staying indoors, we hope you have a wonderful day.