Margaret Phelps

Margaret (Putman) O’Grady Phelps

Age 93, of Burdett, NY, passed away peacefully while surrounded by her loving family, on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at Seneca View Skilled Nursing Facility in Montour Falls, after an extended illness.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 6-8pm at the Royce-Chedzoy Funeral Home, 212 E. 4th St., Watkins Glen, on Sunday, January 2, 2011. A funeral service will be held at 10:00am on Monday at the Burdett Presbyterian Church, Church St., Burdett; Pastor Richard K. Evans officiating; burial at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Margaret was born in Gloversville, NY and is predeceased by her parents, James and Flossie Putman; first husband George Waller O’Grady and second husband Donald Phelps; brother Frank Putman and sister Doris Putman Robbins.

She is survived by her daughters, Mary Jo O’Grady (Leo) Marks of Dansville; Kathleen O’Grady (Richard) Chiacchierini of Gaithersburg, MD; Maureen O’Grady (Ronald) Updike of Trumansburg, Martha O’Grady (Richard) Evans of Burdett; step-daughters, Lois Phelps (Richard) Brown of Burdett, and Donna Phelps Voss of Dryden; sister-in-law Mary Ann O’Grady Ritzenthaler of Rochester; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Margaret was a member and deacon of the Burdett Presbyterian Church and a long time communicant of St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church. She was a graduate of the Eastman Dental Dispensary of Rochester in 1938 and later received her B.S. from SUNY Cortland in 1974. She was a co-owner with her late husband, Waller O’Grady, of the Burdett Hardware Store and formerly Dental Hygienist and Health Education teacher for Watkins Glen Central School from 1956-1976. Margaret was a 4-H Leader for 20 years, Director of RSVP for Schuyler and Yates County; a 60 year member of the Burdett Wednesday Afternoon Club; and a charter member of the Beta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Honor Society of Women Teachers.

Memorials may be made to the Watkins Glen Public Library, Burdett Presbyterian Church or Burdett Fire Department. Our family extends their special thanks and love to Mirla Hall, Mila and George Whiting and the many caring staff of the Seneca View Skilled Nursing Facility, Unit 2.

You may view her memorial or sign a guestbook online at www.Royce-Chedzoy.com.