Obituary of Mary H. Renison

Mrs. Mary Harbow Renison, 99, formerly of Arkell Hall, Canajoharie, New York died, Wednesday, April 8, 2015 following a short illness. She had been a local area resident for the past 10 years, previously residing in Baldwin, Long Island, NY. Born on August 2,1915 in Desloge, MO, (the Show-Me State), she was the daughter of Basil Harbow and Tillie Russin Harbow. She was a graduate of Union Endicott Public Schools in Endicott, NY, with the enviable honor of earning a 100 in Regents Geometry, a unique distinction in a factory town. She was also a graduate of NYS College for Teachers at Albany, Class of 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Mrs. Rension was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. Postgraduate work continued at Nassau Community College and Hofstra University. She was married to Thomas Renison on January 21, 1939 in Watertown, NY. He preceded her in death on March 19, 1982. She was also predeceased by her sisters and brothers in law, Olga Sukup (Milton), Elizabeth Sissenstein (Robert) and nieces Sharon Vernaci and Carol Turner, and nephew Robert Sissenstein. Mrs. Renison began her teaching career at State Normal School Potsdam, NY, as a teacher of American History and Registrar. She was an honorary member of the Agonian Sorority. After starting a family and moving to Baldwin, NY, Mrs. Renison became a textbook braille transcriber for the Industrial Home of the Blind, PTA President of Milburn Elementary School and Baldwin High School, respectively. In 1955 she began substitute teaching in the Baldwin public school district for grades 7-12. Her primary subject areas were Regents Math, Russian, English, Social Studies, and History. Concurrently, she was Assistant to the Head of the Government Documents Repository at Swirbul Library, Adelphia University, and Garden City, NY, at which time she supervised international work-study students. Later she served as Senior Connection Consultant for Baldwin Public Library. She was invited to participate in two guided academic trips to the Soviet Union. In the latter trip, her daughter, Bonnie, and grandsons Kevin Young and Andrew Renison accompanied her. She was Church Lector and President of St. Anne's Guild, All Saints Episcopal Church in Baldwin, NY. And later she was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Canajoharie, NY. Mrs. Renison is survived by her daughter, Bonnie Y. Kerr of Fort Plain, NY; sons, Stephen J. Renison (Ellen) of Bay Shore, NY, Bruce T. Renison (Tracy) of St. Louis, MO; 7 grandchildren, Kevin Young (Jessica) of New Bedford, MA, Paige Young of Fort Plain, NY, Stephanie Young of Herndon, VA, Andrew Renison (Amy) of Bay Shore, NY, Tara Allen (Robert) of Islip, NY, Dawn Metz (Michael) of Holbrook, NY, Gretchen Renison (Marcus Love); 12 great-grandchildren, Deo and William Young of Kenosha, WI, Gavin and Olivia Renison, Cody and Cole Allen, Michael Jr. and Nicolas Metz, Terrance, Devan, Jasmine, and Janessa Love of Bay Shore, NY. Also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 2:00pm at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 26 Moyer Street, Canajoharie, NY. Burial will take place in Greenfield Cemetery, Hempstead, NY at the convenience of the family. Arrangements have been entrusted to Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home, Inc., 20 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, NY 13317. In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Mrs. Mary Harbow Renison may be made to Memorial Funds of the Episcopal Churches: All Saints Episcopal Church, 2375 Harrison Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510, Church of the Good Shepherd, P.O. Box 118, Canajoharie, NY 13317or Arkell Hall Activity Fund, 55 Montgomery Street, Canajoharie, NY, 13317.