Remembering family and friends

A roundup of notices and services. Look for additional recent obituaries on this newspaper’s website.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Grant Van Patten passed away peacefully on May 9th, 2018 at Saratoga Hospital after coping with cancer for several months. He received wonderful comforting care at the hospital and was attended by his loving family. Grant was born on March 7, 1925 in Albany, NY and graduated from Bethlehem High School in 1943. During World War II he served in the Special Services Unit of the United States Marine Corps. During his service, he managed the USMC theater at Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he worked with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jerry Colonna and other entertainers. Grant received a B.A. Degree from Michigan State University in speech and communications, and a Master’s Degree from Syracuse University as part of the first sequence at the Syracuse TV/R Master’s program. Grant was one of the very early pioneers in television broadcasting, starting in 1950, working for almost 20 years at WRGB in Schenectady where he was a producer/director of a variety of programs, including live music programs, news, and documentaries. Grant was also the host of the daily “Trader Van” program. While at WRGB, Grant won the outstanding achievement award for TV medical documentaries in 1962, when he worked closely with Albany Medical Center hospital to produce several films on various surgical procedures. While working with Ernie Tetrault at WRGB, Grant had the opportunity to direct many interesting and famous people including Mary Martin, Maria von Trapp, Pete Seeger, Dave Garroway, Nelson Rockefeller, Isaac Stern, and Robert Kennedy. Leaving commercial television in 1968, he became Director of the Educational Communications Center at the State University of New York at Albany, retiring in 1986 when he then worked for several years as a consultant with the State University of New York’s educational television network. In retirement, Grant was a volunteer for nearly 40 years in the emergency department at Saratoga Hospital. He was an elder at the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs and served in many capacities on Boards and committees for the Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks on Lake George, NY. He was also President of the Terrace Water Company in Silver Bay, NY for 10 years. Since 1976, he has enjoyed summers at the family cottage at Silver Bay on Lake George. Grant is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, the former Martha C Robinson, and by his four children Christine Van Patten of Clifton Park, NY; James Van Patten and his wife Kathryn of Healdsburg, CA; Peter Van Patten and his wife Sonnet of Roy Utah; and Julianne O’Toole of Greenfield Center, NY. He is also survived by six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, James Grant Van Patten, Sarah Van Patten Greiwe and her husband Brad and their son Jack; Renee O’Toole, Kevin O’Toole, Brogan Van Patten Stampick, and her husband Jacob; and Haille Van Patten. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Thomas Robinson and his son John. A funeral service will be conducted at 10am Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church, 24 Circular St., Saratoga Springs. Burial with military honors will be at 1:30pm at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Duell Road, Schuylerville. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Grant’s name may be made to Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks, Silver Bay, NY, 12874 or the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs (518-584-5373). Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.