Geleta, Walter T.

HALFMOON — Walter Theodore Geleta passed peacefully from this life on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, one day short of his 91st birthday.

Born and raised in Cohoes, Walter was the son of the late Theodore and Tekla (Haszczyc) Geleta. He was a 1947 graduate and salutatorian of Cohoes High School and furthered his education at Siena College where he obtained a B.B.A. degree in accounting, cum laude, class of 1952.

Walter attended officer candidate training school, in Newport, R.I. and graduated as an ensign USNR-SC. He was assigned as a Navy exchange officer at the United States Communications Station in Guam and later assigned to the Navy Communications Station in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Walter was honorably discharged in October of 1955 with the rank of lieutenant junior grade, USNR-SC.

Walter was employed by Cluett, Peabody and Company in Troy as an accountant for many years.

He was an active member of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Cohoes where he served as treasurer for over thirty years, implementing numerous beneficial changes for the parish and subsequently was an active chairman on the board of trustees. He was honored by the Bishop for his service to the church.

Walter enjoyed times spent at Indian Lake and in Florida with his family, league bowling, camping, traveling and family vacations. For a person of his generation he was very computer literate. Walter will long be remembered for his dry sense of humor and his devotion to his family.

He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Patricia; his daughter, Susan; his son, David; his granddaughters, Marissa and Sarah; and lastly his close companion and favorite feline friend, Tessa. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Antoinette Sterling.

Walter’s funeral will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Cohoes. Friends are invited to attend and may also visit with Walter’s family at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church on Sunday from 3 until 6 p.m. The Parastas service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Interment, with military honors, will take place on Tuesday at 12 p.m. in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Face masks and social distancing will be required at all venues.

For those who prefer to express their sympathy in a special way, contributions may be made to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church, 67 Saratoga St., Cohoes, NY, 12047 in memory of Walter T. Geleta.

Please visit parkerbrosmem orial.com to leave a message of sympathy and for driving directions.