Virginia M. Hall

Virginia was the middle daughter of Edward and Estelle (Croote) Ostrander: born on September 28, 1927, in the Town of Rotterdam m the house her father built a few years previously. She grew up, married and resided in the same house her. entire life until she could no longer care for herself and moved into assisted living.in 2021.

She attended Draper School and worked for Central Markets (now Price Chopper/Market 32) on Guilderland Ave. at their in-store candy counter. Her experience in weighing out pounds of candy stayed with her throughout her life as she could weigh a pound of anything without using a scale!

After her daughters were in school full-time, she went back to work in their fairly new cafeteria, managing first their sandwich and milk counter eventually moving into the main kitchen as the cook and working up the ladder to becoming Cook-Manager. Her help there became her dear friends lasting through life. She retired when Draper merged with Mohonasen School but quickly returned to a part-time substitute food-service worker with Mohonasen, Niskayuna and most frequently at Schalmont schools. As a Draper graduate myself, I often hear from other fellow-students about "pizza day" and other great meals she was responsible for creating never again found in lunch programs. Ask me what she could do with "peanuts" when Jimmy Carter was in office and she would receive government subsidy of pounds of peanuts! Peanut fudge was a menu staple for dessert! There was never a peanut allergy during that period of time at Draper!

Cooking has always been her foremost pleasure, and nothing pleased her more than having family and friends enjoying her creations. She hosted many side-yard pool parties, birthdays and holiday events.

When they resumed RV'ing, she and dad loved to spend a couple of weeks each summer at Salisbury Beach, MA making new friends and entertaining visitors and visiting Nubble Light and York Beach in Maine where she spent time as a child with her family.

Each year between about 1976 and 2009 we gathered at Sacandaga Campground near Wells, NY on the Sacandaga River (where my grandparents and their 3 girls were among the first campers after the campground opened in 1928) with family and extended family filling half a dozen sites for a couple of weeks. She immensely enjoyed reminiscing about those times.

Ginny, as she was known to her family, was predeceased by her parents, and her beloved husband of 64 years in 2009, Bernard, as well as many members of dad's family, the Hall's, McGrath's and Gravelle's. She also missed dearly her furry feline friends, Missy, Bella and Daisy Mae.

Mom is survived by her two daughters Cathy Martino (Robert) and Lynn Brundege (Linsley, deceased). She is also predeceased by her elder sister, Ruth Ahrens (Douglas) and her eldest beloved grandson Timothy Brundege as well as her 2 nephews, Edward Ahrens and Robert St. Ives.

She is survived by her younger sister Lois Gorczynski (Robert) of Syracuse and her treasured niece Pat VanDyke (Bill) and their son, Justin Roth (Brittany). Her nephews, David Ahrens (Marie) and Dennis McGrath survive as well.

She sadly leaves behind her cherished grandchildren, Louis Martino (Susan), Christopher Martino (Beverly) and Christine Kurkowski (Brian), her 7 great-grandchildren, Ben (Brenna), Beth (Ben Tario), and Andrew Martino, Jet (Lou) and Jade Martino, Sarah Kurkowski, Jerry Brundege, and one great-great granddaughter, Kenadee Brundege plus several nieces and nephews, cousins and many treasured friends and neighbors,

Funeral Services for Virginia will be on Wednesday January 21, 2026 at 1PM at the Bond Funeral Home 1614 Guilderland Avenue Schenectady. Visitation will be from 11-1PM prior to the service.

Interment will be in Schenectady Memorial Park in Rotterdam.

Contributions can be made in her memory to the Animal Protective Foundation 53 Maple Avenue Scotia, NY 12302 or the charity of one's choice.