Obituary of Ethel O. Relyea

Ethel Owen Relyea, 94, of Wappingers Falls, NY, passed away peacefully in her sleep, on June 17, 2021. She was born on January 20, 1927 to Herbert and Ella Blackburn Owen.

On May 25, 1946, she married the love of her life, Ralph R. Relyea, at Zion Episcopal Church, who predeceased her on November 19, 2003. They were married for 57 years. She was a homemaker until her children were grown. She then worked at IBM and as a Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Wappinger, where she retired from after many years of service. She was also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and The American Cancer Society. She was a life member of Zion Episcopal Church where she served as a Sunday School Teacher and member of the Altar Society.
 

Ethel is survived by her six children and their spouses Michele and Larry Haynes, Michael and Gay Relyea, Susan and Michael Reed, Judith and Robert Durland, Jeffrey Relyea, Steven and Rosanna Relyea. She is survived by her twenty-one grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, her brother and his wife Herbert and Shirley Owen, her sister Maude Murray, several beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and her childhood friends Ken Folster and Gloria Haydasz.
 

Family will receive friends at Straub, Catalano, Halvey Funeral Home, 55 East Main Street in Wappingers Falls on Wednesday, June 23 from 4-8pm. A funeral service will be held at Zion Episcopal Church, Satterlee Place in Wappingers Falls on Thursday, June 24 at 11am. Interment will be at the convenience of the family.
 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ethel’s memory to Zion Episcopal Church, 12 Satterlee Place, Wappingers Falls, NY, 12590 or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tn., 38105.

To send the family a personal condolence or for directions, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.