Obituary of Mary E. Houseknecht

Mary E. Houseknecht, a resident of Wappingers Falls, entered into rest Saturday, November 28, 2015 at Lutheran Care Center in Poughkeepsie. She was 85. Daughter of the late Harry and Agnes Armstrong McKelvey, she was born May 22, 1930 in New Paltz. On July 23, 1955 at St. Joseph's Church in New Paltz, she married Karl Houseknecht. Mr. Houseknecht preceded her in death on April 18, 2009. Mary loved gardening and being outdoors. She enjoyed traveling, especially with her husband after his retirement. Survivors include her children, Patricia Gierloff and her husband, John of LaGrange and Karl J. Houseknecht of Kingston; her brother, John McKelvey of Newburgh; her granddaughter, Sarah Shattuck and her husband, Robert of Pleasant Valley; her great-granddaughters, Amber and Karli Shattuck; her cousin, Janis Flood of Walden; as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband of fifty-three years, she was predeceased by her brother, Harry McKelvey. Family will receive friends on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. Interment will be private at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in Mary's name to the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter, 2 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. For directions or to send the family a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.