Obituary of Margaret Baker Berner

Margaret E. Baker Berner, 86, passed away Sunday morning at Mountain Valley Hospice August 20, 2006, after a long illness. She was born September 15, 1919 at the old Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville. She was the daughter of the late Emmeren N. Baker and the late Nettie Margaret Swart Baker Waterman. She graduated from Wheelerville High School in 1937. Upon graduation from the Gloversville Business School in 1939, she went to work for the Department of Social Services where she met Harold W. Berner. They were married on August 31, 1940. At that time, two people from the same family could not work for the department, so she had to look for employment elsewhere. Over the years, she worked as a waitress, often with her mother, at numerous places in the north country. She worked at the Fulton Co. Rationing Board, the Union Office and the Balzano Glove Shop. She was a former member of the Gloversville Bowling League, the Redmen's Pocahontas, the Gloversville Senior Center, the Johnstown Senior Center and the Johnstown Moose Club. She was a member of the Foothills United Methodist Church. She served as Chief Ranger of the former Court Mayflower # 10189 of the Ancient Order of Foresters for 4 terms and as High Court Permanent Secretary of the Ancient Order of Foresters of the Atlantic, Central and Southern States of America. Upon completion of her position as HCPS, she became a Past High Chief Ranger of the organization. Survivors include three daughters; Joyce Ashe Gary, Doris Whitman Danny and Nancy Smith all of Gloversville. 14 grandchildren; Deborah Ashe, Jeffrey Ashe, Lissa Talmadge, Robert Whitman, Beth Whitman-Putnam, Eva Whitman, Holly Whitman and Kenneth Ormiston all of Gloversville, Marc Whitman of Stafford, Texas, Melanie Balduf of Batavia, Erica Darling of Johnstown, Lyn Moran of Camp Pendleton, Calif., Marlaina O'Brien of Amsterdam, and Jennifer Smith of Arietta, N.Y.. She is survived by 12 great grandchildren; Erin, Eliza, Andrew and Elizabeth Ashe, Lauren Henry, Jenna and Justin Putnam, Xander Jordan and Aidan Ormiston, all of Gloversville, Robert and Taylor Darling of Johnstown and Kyra Whitman of Stafford, Texas. She is survived by a brother Gerald L. Baker of Colonie. She leaves behind her good friend Marcus Putnam of Caroga Lake. She was predeceased by her husband Harold in 1996, her brother Donald E. Baker of Caroga Lake in 2005 and her sister Betty Rose Baker Finch of Stoner Lake in 1949. The family will receive relatives and friends from 12 noon to 3 pm Wednesday at Kobuskie - Konik Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St; Gloversville, where a funeral service will follow at 3 pm. Interment will take place at Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gloversville. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Harold W. Berner Memorial Scholarship '35 in care of Springfield College, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, Ma. 01109-3797, the Gloversville Fire Fighters Local 719 Smoke Detector Project, 5 Frontage Road, Gloversville, N.Y. 12078 or Mountain Valley Hospice, 108 Steele Avenue, Gloversville, N.Y. 12078.