Custer, Patricia (Owens)
hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 7, at Cannon Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave., Colonie. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, The Wounded Warrior Project, or your favorite local animal shelter.
CORTLAND — Patricia (Owens) Custer, 74, passed away Thursday, December 24, 2020, at Cortland Park Nursing Center, Cortland, after a brief illness.
She was born on August 17, 1946, in Cortland, N.Y. to Charles and R. Ruth Owens. A 1968 graduate of Harpur College, she worked at Cortland Family Counseling Service, before moving to the Albany area, where, she worked as a senior court clerk with the Unified Court System until her retirement in 2002. She married Richard Custer on November 26, 1969. She and Richard returned to Cortland in 2018.
Always a feminist, Patti was active in Planned Parenthood, NARAL, Feminist Majority, and other women’s rights causes. She was an avid genealogist and scrapbooker, working as a Creative Memories Consultant for seven years after her retirement, and teaching adult education classes. She loved cats, friends, and family, and enjoyed traveling around the country visiting people she loved.
She is survived by her husband Richard; two brothers, three sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A private memorial service will be planned for the spring.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation of the State University of New York at Binghamton Inc, PO Box 6005, Binghamton NY 13902.
Sharon (Lanphear) and Lawrence French.
He moved to Schenevus with his family where he attended Schenevus Central School, distinguishing himself as a standout scholarathlete, competing in soccer, baseball and basketball. He was equally active in music, where he played trombone in the school music group, Freedom, and the jazz ensemble.
Tyler attended Hartwick College and SUNY Albany where he achieved a B.A. in anthropology. He later earned a master’s degree in public health from the SUNY School of Public Health. He worked for a decade as a program research specialist for the AIDS Institute, N.Y.S. Department of Health, during which time he published numerous articles pertaining to HIV treatment and adherence. Always an adventurer, Tyler took a brief hiatus from state work in 2008 to travel with his family to South Africa where he worked as a consultant in public health. After returning to the states, he finished his 20-year career as an evaluation specialist for a different division of the AIDS Institute.
Tyler was known for his quick and playful wit, infectious laugh, and love of music, family and friends. He enjoyed time with his devoted wife and best friend, Teresa, and their two daughters, Maizey and Jemma. He was passionate about politics and progressive causes, often spending hours every day absorbing the latest news and events. His love of music included numerous Grateful Dead shows and many other live events. In his 20’s, he played drums for the band, 100 Acre Wood.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Teresa O’neill; and his daughters, Maizey and Jemma of Albany; parents, Lawrence and Sharon French of Schenevus, N.Y.; brothers, Tony (Patty) of Earlville, N.Y., Todd (Maria) of Albany and Tim of Nashua, N.H.; lifelong best friend, Karl Oberacker, of Albany; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Ty was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Due to COVID-19 concerns, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
For those of you who wish to donate in his memory, please send donations to the Schenevus-maryland Emergency Squad, PO Box 80, Schenevus, NY 12155.
Expressions of sympathy may be made at hellerskinne rfh.com. Arrangements are with Heller & Skinner Funeral Home, 155 Main St., Worcester, NY.