Doris D. Egnaczyk

Doris Pauline (Dahlem) Egnaczyk, 94, formerly of 114 Carol Ave Boonville, NY, passed away peacefully on December 2, 2023 at Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Boonville, NY where she had been residing in Comfort Care for the past week. She was born on January 16, 1929 as the youngest child to the late Edward and Margaret (Kohler) Dahlem. Her youth was spent growing up on Franklin Avenue and the surrounding neighborhoods in Poughkeepsie, NY and with extended family in Kingston, NY and within view of her beloved Hudson River. During her youth she developed a love of reading and music that she carried with her throughout her life. Her childhood was greatly influenced and nurtured by her older sister Anna, who 15 years older than her and working as a nurse in New York City, acted as her surrogate mother. Doris would often take the train to “the City” to meet Anna, who would take her shopping and to plays and concerts. She first attended St. Mary’s Parochial School and then Poughkeepsie High School where she graduated in 1947.

After working for a year after high school, Doris attended the State University Teachers College in Potsdam, NY, where she joined Alpha Delta Sorority and served as President during her senior year. She graduated in 1952 with a degree in Elementary Education. Doris initially came to Boonville to complete her required student teaching. Upon completing her student teaching, she was offered a “probationary” teaching position as an elementary teacher at Boonville Central School starting in the fall of 1952. It was during this time, she met a local businessman, Ted Egnaczyk who was delivering milk to the school and disrupting the order in her classroom. She married the love of her life, Thaddeus B. (Ted) Egnaczyk on July 18, 1954 at St. Mary’s Church in Poughkeepsie. They first settled at 160 Ford Street in Boonville, where Boonville Dairy was initially located and in 1959 moved to 114 Carol Ave where she soon after started a family and resided for the rest of her life. Doris returned to teaching in 1970 initially substituting at Boonville Elementary School and later obtaining a permanent position teaching 6th grade at West Leyden Elementary School, until retiring on June 22, 1991.

Doris became a remarkable cook including learning to cook many ethnic polish dishes under the discerning review of her husband Ted. During retirement, she took up painting with a group of friends and more avidly pursued her love of gardening. She was an eternal optimist in her garden as she was with life, closely evaluating the hardiness of seeds she selected for early planting, and ever hopeful they would survive a Boonville winter. She would then hunker down for the long Boonville winters reading and closely monitoring the level of the snow banks outside the house anxiously waiting for spring to arrive so she could return to her yard.

Doris was a member of several local organizations including the Boonville Historical Club and served for a time as the Secretary on the Erwin Library Board, and volunteered for several organizations including St. Joeseph’s Catholic Church and Mathews Place.

Doris’s greatest joy was her family and most importantly her grandchildren and she enjoyed hearing from and seeing them as well as family and friends and getting updates on their activities and lives. The house on Carol Ave always had an open door and a cup of coffee and plate of food for anyone dropping by for a visit. She is survived by her children, Steven (Libby) Egnaczyk, Glenmoore, PA, Gary Egnaczyk, Albany, NY, Carol (Keith) Gauthier, Longmeadow, MA, Michael (Kathy) Egnaczyk, Pittsburgh, PA, and Douglas Egnaczyk, Jamesville, NY. Also surviving are her grandchildren, Thaddeus Michael Egnaczyk, Ian Xavier Gauthier, John Dahlem Egnaczyk, Michael Daniel Egnaczyk, Hannah Elizabeth Egnaczyk, Madelyn Claire Egnaczyk, Emma Kathryn Egnaczyk, Steven Benjamin Egnaczyk, and Julia Anne Egnaczyk, many nieces and nephews, and her faithfull feline companion Katie. Doris was predeceased by her husband Ted in 2020, a grandson, Daniel Norman Egnaczyk, her beloved sister Anna and her brother and sister and their wife and husband, Nicholas “Bud” (Elaine) Dahlem and Edna Carberry and an infant brother Willam as well as her brothers and sisters in laws Rudolph (Josephine) Egnaczyk, John Egnaczyk, Clara (and Edward) Rashford, Florence Egnaczyk, Hela (and Leo) Harris, and Julian (and Jane) Egnaczyk.

Her family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the Boonville Community, Her Carol Ave neighbors and in particular to Donna Kline and Bambi Freeman for their support, friendship and care. We also thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Wynn Hospotal in Utica, NY and Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the excellent and compassionate care they provided to Doris.

Calling hours will be held from 1-5 PM on Sunday December 10, 2023 at Trainer Funeral Home, 143 Schuyler Street, Boonville. Funeral Services on Monday, December 11, 2023 will begin with a 10:00 AM prayer service at the funeral home for family followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 108 Charles Street, Boonville, NY followed by internment at the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Erwin Library and Institute, Mathews Place Thrift Store & Food Pantry, Boonville Ambulance Company, or to a charity of one’s choice.