Obituary of Vera T. Shatas

Vera T. Shatas 87, of Coolidge Road, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning at her home. Born in Amsterdam on Nov. 20, 1920, she was the daughter of Stanislaus and Catherine Bagdonas Temkevich.Vera was a 1939 graduate of Wilbur H. Lynch High School and later the Utica School Of Nursing. She received her masters degree for certified school nursing at Russell Sage College in Troy. Vera then began her long career as a registered nurse at the Columbia Medical Center in New York City, and during World War II, at both Mercy Hospital in San Diego, and the Gorgas Hospital in the Panama Canal zone. She worked for a number of years at Amsterdam Memorial Hospital as a nursing supervisor and for over ten years by the Schenectady School District, retiring in 1979. She later worked at Mt. Loretto and did private duty nursing in Amsterdam. Vera also was a scout leader, member of the PTA and Red Cross Volunteer. An active and faithful communicant of St. Casimir's Parish, she served as a Eucharistic minister and was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary. She and her husband were members of the Knights Of Lithuania Council 100. Her greatest joy was being surrounded by her family, especially now her grandchildren. Her loving family includes her husband of sixty one years, Joseph P. Shatas Sr.; her son; Joseph P. and his wife Mary Shatas of Amsterdam; daughters; Christine and her husband Patrick Daly of Ballston, NY, and Anne Shatas Carlson and her husband William of Miami Beach; her grandchildren; Matthew and Kathryn Daly, Emily Shatas, Ruth and Oscar Carlson, Michael and James Shatas; a niece, Carol O'Connor and cousins. Vera was predeceased by her parents and two brothers, Walter and Joseph Temkevich. Services are Saturday at 11:45 am at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, followed by the Funeral Mass which will be celebrated at 12:30 pm at St. Casimir's Church. Interment will follow in St. Casimir's Cemetery. Calling hours are Friday from 4-6 pm at the funeral home where the Knights Of Lithuania will gather at 5:30 pm. Contributions may be made to St. Casimir's Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home office.