Obituary of Marjorie A. Connors

MARJORIE A.  CONNORS

COHOES – Marjorie “Marge” A. (Santor) Connors, 92, of Cohoes, NY, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 15, 2024, at the Schuyler Ridge Residential Healthcare in Clifton Park, NY. She was born in Keeseville, NY on March 9, 1932, the daughter of her predeceased parents Alfred and Isabelle (Garrant) Santor. In addition to her parents, Marge was predeceased by her loving husband of almost 29 years, William “Bill” T. Connors and her 3 brothers, Carman, James “Jimmy” and Thomas “Tommy” Santor.

Left to cherish the memory of Marjorie are her 6 nieces and nephew Lynn O’Brien and husband Christopher of Troy, NY; Bryan Santor and wife Tracey of Glastonbury, CT; Cathy Merrill and husband Hardy of Cohoes, NY; Susan Santor of Rensselaer, NY; Beth Stevens and husband Brian of New Boston, NH; Margot Santor of Plattsburgh, NY. She also had 7 great nieces and nephews as well as 8 great, great nieces and nephews.

Marjorie also had 4 stepchildren, Susan, Nonnie, Anna, and Howdy. In particular, special thanks and appreciation to stepdaughter Susan Fiacco and husband Anthony for their support and devotion to “Aunt Marge”.

While growing up in Keeseville, Marjorie attended St. John the Baptist grammar school and Keeseville Central School, graduating in 1949. Marjorie graduated from Plattsburgh State University in 1953 with a degree in Elementary Education. She obtained her Master’s Degree in teaching in 1967. Marjorie taught primary grades in the East Greenbush Central School District retiring in 1987. Throughout her 34-year career, Marjorie was a very dedicated and highly motivated professional who also tutored and schooled children in their homes. Marjorie actively engaged her students and created a successful and fun learning environment for them.

Marjorie enjoyed her camp on Hadlock Lake in Fort Ann, NY where she met her husband (to be), Bill Connors, a WWII navy veteran who happened to own the camp next door. They married on January 7, 1978. Marjorie and Bill loved to bring their families together, hosting many large family gatherings at their camps. Marjorie fondly referred to her camp as "Mushroom Inn" because of all the people she used to "squeeze in" and the abundance of mushrooms growing there. Marjorie’s large extended family enjoyed spending time both at their camps and at their home in Cohoes, NY.

Marjorie always enjoyed outdoor activities such as swimming, canoeing, sailing, and hiking. She was an avid skier and enjoyed teaching her nieces and nephew how to ski. Marjorie also loved to travel, taking ski trips out west and to Europe. She went on an extended vacation (6 weeks) one summer traveling across Europe with friends and even traveled to Cuba. She and Bill vacationed in Florida, Myrtle Beach, and Cape Cod. Reading and gardening were among her favorite hobbies. She also loved her pet cats “Ivan Ho”, “Ivy”, and “Misty” over the years, often carting them to the “Mushroom Inn”.

Majorie had an astounding Catholic faith and loved sharing her teachings with others. She especially loved going to her Catholic masses, regardless of inclement weather and her physical difficulties. She was a communicant of the St. Ambrose Parish in Latham where she had been a eucharistic minister and delivered communion to parish members who couldn't make it to church. In her younger years, Marjorie was involved in other religious groups such as St. Ambrose’s Circle of Mary Group as well as the local Catholic Young Adult League where she met some of her closest, lifelong friends and participated in various religious outings and local trips with them. She kept in touch with her teacher friends and had lunch with them when she could at the Purple Pub. Marjorie had a wonderful sense of humor and a passion for helping people.

Many thanks and appreciation to the caring staff at Schuyler Ridge, Peregrine and to all her special caregivers (Kelly Vickers) that brought her many comforts, smiles and laughs.

Relatives and friends are invited to call at The Dufresne & Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 149 Old Loudon Rd, Latham, NY on Friday, March 22, 2024 from 4-7pm.

Funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 23, 10:30am at St. Ambrose Church, 347 Old Loudon Rd., Latham, NY, with Reverend Brian Kelly, celebrant; followed by interment at St. Agnes Cemetery, 79 St. Agnes Hwy, Cohoes, NY.

The funeral mass will be livestreamed and may be found at the following link. https://www.facebook.com/dufresneandcavanaugh/. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers online at https://maryknollsociety.org/how-support/help-where-most-needed/ or by mail to P.O. Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0302 or to St. Ambrose Church at https://stambroselatham.com/donate or by mail to 347 Old Loudon Rd., Latham, NY 12110

For further information or to offer a message of condolence to the family please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com.