Obituary of Russell Childers

Schenectady - Russell H. Childers and Patricia A. Pinter Childers both passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord, Jesus Christ, in 2015. Pat passed away on August 1 and Russ passed away on October 2. Both had loving family and friends by their side. Russell Harvey was born in Honolulu, HI on March 14, 1941 to Russell and Helen Childers. Russ' father's terminal illness brought the family to Schenectady, NY, in 1953 where Russ attended Central Park Junior High School and graduated from Linton High School in 1959. Patricia A. Pinter Childers was born on April 12, 1941 in Schenectady, NY, to Oliver and Eunice Ives Pinter. Pat often reminisced about her about her happy childhood, telling friends and family exciting and humorous tales of adventure and escapades with her sisters Judy and Eunice, brother Oliver, and the passel of cousins that lived next door or nearby. She graduated from Linton High School in 1959 and Cobleskill College in 1961. Following Russ' 2 years of active duty in the USN, Pat and Russ, high school sweethearts, were married in 1962 and moved to Cincinnati where Russ attended the U of Cincinnati, graduating in 1965 with a BA in Economics and Political Science. Russ and Pat had three children, Heather Childers (Winter Park, FL), Russell K. Childers (Sylvia Halladay), Columbus, Ohio, and Amy C. DuBois (George DuBois), Windermere, FL. While moving from state to state to pursue Russ' budding career in the transportation industry, Pat was always able to create a home filled with warmth and laughter. Pat and Russ moved to Orlando, FL in 1983 where Russ eventually transitioned to the Financial Services Business spending the last 20 years as a Certified Financial Planner, and where Pat spent twenty-four years as a secretary at Trinity Preparatory School, a position she cherished. Both Pat and Russ were gifted with incredible talents. Russ could fix anything at the homestead; whether putting new brakes on a car, rewiring a sound system, or fixing the dishwasher, Russ was the man for the job. He was always tinkering with something and loved every minute of it. In earlier years, one of the kids could often be found holding a trouble light as Russ worked on the car or needed assistance at the workbench. Pat was an accomplished painter, knitter, cook, seamstress and quilter. Her artistic talent surfaced early in childhood when she and her sister Judy hid in the fruit cellar and painted her uncle's cat, Bobby, a lovely shade of green. Pat and Russ enjoyed 53 years of marriage, wonderful friends, loving children and grandchildren, and a legacy that will last forever. They will be dearly missed. Russ is survived by his brother Ralph Childers of Saugerties, NY. He is predeceased by his younger brother Harvey. Pat is survived by her brother Oliver Pinter, of Canada. She is predeceased by her older sister Judith Pinter Slayback and her younger sister Eunice Pinter Simmons. Pat and Russ are survived by their three children, Heather, Russ and Amy and four grandchildren, Gabby, Jack, Olivia and John. Family and friends are invited to attend funeral services in The Last Supper section of Memory Gardens Cemetery and Memorial Gardens, 983 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12205, at 1 PM on Saturday, December 5, 2015, and their following Life Celebration from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Mohawk Golf Club, 1849 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12309. Contributions for Russ may be made to the ALS Foundation; donations for Pat may be made to Trinity Preparatory School, 5700 Trinity Prep Ln, Winter Park, FL 32792, in memory of Patricia P. Childers.