Charles Garry Vedder

Charles Garry Vedder died September 29, 2014 in Yuma, Arizona. He leaves his wife, Joyce Barber Vedder of Yuma, AZ, step-sister, Margaret Rau, brother-in-law, Everett Rau of Altamont, NY and several nieces and nephews. Charles graduated from State University of New York Potsdam and was a distinguished science teacher at Schalmont Central Schools in New York from 1959 to 1993 when he retired from active teaching. Charles and his wife Joyce eventually resided in Yuma, Arizona. Charles was a member of and became of Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of New York State in 1996. He served on many of the committees of this organization. He was a member of the National Science Teacher's Association, Phi Delta Kappa society, the area bulletin board systems, the Life Science Biology Association and the Capital District Mineral Club Inc. and a member of the Schenectady County civil defense organization. He was also an associate member of the New York State Museum. During his active career, he studied at Boston University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union College while on sabbatical leaves. As a science teacher, he established Eagle Scout post 111. On separate occasions, members of the club, with Charles's enthusiastic involvement and careful leadership, traveled to the Bancroft area in Canada, the Mississippi River Valley and the Grand Canyon. Each excursion focused on studying the local geology of those locations. On other occasions, Charles and his wife Joyce traveled to Mount Saint Helens and to several western parklands. These studies were supported with various NSF grants. He attended NSF funded energy workshops and also an NSF infield geology course. In 1988 he was awarded outstanding geology teacher of New York State by the National Association of Geology Teachers. He left his entire mineral collection to Arizona Western College in Yuma. A visitation for Charles will be on Saturday, June 20 from 9:30-10:30am at Bond Funeral Home, 1614 Guilderland Ave., Schenectady with a memorial service at 10:30am. Interment will be Viewland Cemetery, Rotterdam.