Obituary of Carolyn U. Van Vlack

Carolyn U. Van Vlack, a resident of Chelsea, entered into rest Friday, December 4, 2015 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. She was 81. Daughter of the late William and Una Kelly Ferris, she was born August 16, 1934 in New Hamburg. On July 4, 1954 in New Hamburg, she married Byron K. Van Vlack, Jr.; Mr. Van Vlack preceded her in death, passing on April 6, 1996. Prior to her retirement, she worked at IBM in East Fishkill for many years. In her younger days, she enjoyed playing softball and was a den mother to her son's Cub Scout pack. Together with her husband, she was a member of the South Road Runners Camping Club. She was a member of the Chelsea Yacht Club and enjoyed attending the Town of Wappinger Senior Center. Carolyn was a fan of the River Bank Banjo Band and hated to miss a Monday night at Umberto's. She was also a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Chelsea. Survivors include her son, Byron K. Van Vlack, IV and his wife, Angela of Beacon; her brothers, Charles Ferris of Wappingers Falls and Eugene Ferris of New Hamburg; her sisters, Lorraine Van Steemburgh of Pennsylvania and Ruth Murray of Florida; her grandchildren, Kayla and Brandon Van Vlack; as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her sisters, Barbara Williams and Joan Santee, and her brothers, James, Arthur and Roger Ferris. Family will receive friends on Sunday, December 6, 2015 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 E. Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 7 at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Wappingers Rural Cemetery, West Main Street in Wappingers Falls. Memorial donations in Carolyn's name may be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 417005, Boston, MA 02241-7005 or the Dennis Edward Walden Scholarship Fund, c/o Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, 80 Washington Street, Suite 201, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. For directions or to send a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.