Obituaries

Al E. Palmatier, 90, a longtime Hyde Park resident, died on Monday, September 10, 2018, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie.

Born June 29, 1928 in Poughkeepsie, he was the son of the late Silas Edward Palmatier and Elizabeth A. (Riley) Palmatier. A 1947 graduate of F.D. Roosevelt High school, Al was a two-sport athlete playing basketball and baseball.

Al attended the United States Army Special Cadre Prep School from 1948 to 1950. He was a member of the football, baseball, and basketball teams (along with enlisted soldiers). He transferred to the reserves and served for five years.

On January 29, 1950 in St. Joachim Church, Beacon, he married the former Joann M. ‘Pete’ Cruger. She predeceased him in 2004.

Al held many jobs during the course of his working career. He worked for Western Publishing for thirty-five years, part-time for the Poughkeepsie Journal for twenty years, and the Hyde Park Post Office for fifteen years.

A man who enjoyed sports, Al played in the Twilight Baseball League on the team for Crispy’s Deli, the Crum Elbow Basketball League, Polish-American Golf League, and Regina Coeli Golf League (where he served as the president three times). Mr. Palmatier was a Life-Member and Past-President of the Dutchess County Sportsmen Association, and a former member of the Crum Elbow Sportsmen’s Assoc. from 1944 to 1960.

Al was also very community minded. He helped organize the Hyde Park Pop Warner Football Program and coached the “Wolverines” football team for ten years. He also delivered “Meals on Wheels” in Hyde park for ten years, was a former third-degree member of the Poughkeepsie Knights of Columbus, and a member of the Hyde Park Historical Society.

Mr. Palmatier was also active in politics, he served as Hyde Park Town Supervisor and Town Councilman for one term each in the mid-1980’s. He was also a member of the Hyde Park Historical Society.

He became a member of the committee to organize the Roosevelt Fire District. He, in fact, held Badge #1 in Roosevelt Station #2. He later transferred to Roosevelt Station #3 when he moved to Roosevelt Road. He was also a member of the Roosevelt Rescue Squad for eleven years.

Al is survived by his daughter, Patricia Lackaye, and husband, John, of Poughkeepsie; son, Steve Palmatier, and wife, Marion, of Rhinebeck; daughter, Judy Buko, and husband, Brian, of Hyde Park; grandchildren, Daniel (Sarah), Tom and Bill Lackaye, Jen (Steve) Sanda, Hayley and Ali Palmatier, and Clayton (Sheena) Walsh; great-grandchildren, Walter and Charlie Lackaye, Teagan and Derek Sanda, Sachie and Fiona Hara, Elaina and Logan Mahwhinney, and Marlee Walsh; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his three brothers, Larry Ward, Clayton, John, and David Palmatier; and one sister, Mary Gunsch.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 pm, Friday, September 14th at Sweet’s Funeral Home, Inc., Rte. 9, Hyde Park.

Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Al's family respectfully requests memorial donations to Meals on Wheels of Hyde Park, c/o 1 Church Street, Hyde Park, NY 12538. (www.mealsonwheelsofhp.org)

To send an online condolence, or for directions, please visit www.sweetsfuneralhome.com.

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