Obituary of Doris Pike

Amsterdam Doris Pike, 88, formerly of Wall Street, passed away peacefully, Friday, September 5, 2008 at River Ridge Living Center where she had been a patient since December of last year. She was born in Ft. Hunter December 25, 1919 a daughter of the late Merle P. and Rose M. Becker Galusha. Doris attended the Wilbur H. Lynch School in Amsterdam and was a 1939 graduate. In 1943 she joined the US Army, Women's Army Air Corp. W.A.A.C.. While serving her country, she married her first husband, Gordon M. Camp at Ft. Sumner, NM on August 4, 1945. Following her Honorable Discharge in December of 1945, Doris and Gordon relocated back to the Amsterdam area, where they both went to work at Mohawk Mills in Amsterdam and began their family. On January 31, 1964, she married Albert W. Pike of Amsterdam and together they ran Pike Funeral Home until his untimely death on September 19th of that same year. With two daughters to raise, Doris, went to work at Ward Products in Amsterdam for over 20 years before her retirement in 1986. She was an Honor Lady and Past Royal Matron of St. Monica Court #61, Order of the Amaranth, member and past Appt. Officer of the Art-Wel Chapter 208, Order of the Eastern Star, and a member of the Wyzomirski Post 701. Doris was a dedicated volunteer in the area for several years, having put in countless hours of work on the "Meals for the Elderly" program through the Mont. Co. Office of the Aging, and having been honored twice, in 1992 and 1997, as "Older Worker of the Year" by the Mont. Co. Chamber of Commerce with a Proclamation declared in her name. She was the beloved mother of Merle D. Melita and husband, Gregory J., Sr. of Amsterdam and Margaret G. Filiberto of Amsterdam, the cherished grandmother of Shawn T. Murphy, Richard J. Babravich and his companion Kelly Romaine, Gregory J. Melita, Jr. and Patrick T. Filiberto, the loving great-grandmother of Amanda M. Murphy, Meghan L. Murphy, Shawn G. Murphy and Angelique Gonzalez, the proud great-great grandmother of Vincent "Vinny" Murphy, and the dear friend of Mary and Joe Billis. Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive her. In addition to her parents and her second husband, Doris was predeceased by her former husband, Gordon M. Camp in 1985, her son-in-law, Thomas Filiberto in 1991, her brother, Delbert Galusha and her sisters, Frances Houghton, Dorothy Marek and Loretta Willetts. Doris' family would like to thank her physician of many years, Dr. Michael Sheridan, for his special care, CHC in Johnstown for all of the wonderful home care, and the staff at River Ridge Living Center in Amsterdam for all of Doris' recent care. Funeral Services will be at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, with Rev. Kenneth Bonnett, officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Tribes Hill. The family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday evening from 4:00 to 7:00 at the funeral home. Contributions in Doris' memory may be made to Dr. Michael Sheridan's Avon Breast Cancer Association in care of the funeral home.