Florence Kalos

Franklinton(Town of Broome, Schoharie County) - Florence Emma Kalos, 76, of Gates Hill Road in the Town of Broome, died Sunday, February 20, 2011 after a brief illness.

She was born on March 14, 1934 in Cleveland, OH and was the daughter of Joseph and Angela (Marincic) Siskovich.

Florence attended the Cleveland Conservatory of Music from age 6 until 15. She then entered Penn Hall Preparatory School in Chambersburg, PA and graduated in 1952. Upon graduation, she entered the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, graduating in 1955 with her Bachelors Degree in Music, with a concentration in voice and a minor in piano. She received the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship in Music in 1955 and 1956, obtaining her Masters Degree in Music from Ljubljana, Yugoslavia in 1957. Her musical background has allowed her to perform as a soloist, debuting at the Opera House in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia and the Volks Opera Haus in Vienna, Austria from 1956-1959. She has also been a guest soloist at the Hamburg, Liege, and Edinberg, Germany opera houses, performed with numerous concert and oratorio stage productions from 1959-1977 as well as soloist for oratorios, motets, cantata, lieder and art songs with various orchestras. Her teaching background spans numerous years teaching voice, piano, voice coaching and piano repertoire. She has been a vocal coach for opera and concert singers and several of her students have been accepted at Julliard School of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, Curtis Institute, and Peabody.
Her last position held was that of the Music Director for St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cobleskill, NY

She was predeceased by her husband, Victor Kalos, who died August 3, 2003.

Survivors include her children; Charles (Virginia) of New Jersey, Matthew (Sarah) of Arizona, and Valerie (Michele) of Colorado; several grandchildren; and numerous church members from St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cobleskill.

Florence's life will be celebrated at a Memorial Service on Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 2:00 PM at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 138 Washington Ave., Cobleskill. A public committal service and celebration of life will be held from 1-4 pm on June 26, 2011 at the Kalos Family Residence, 1013 Gates Hill Road, in the Town of Broome (Schoharie County).

Memorial contributions may be made to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 795 East Main St., Suite 11, Cobleskill, NY 12043.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, 171 Elm St., Cobleskill and Palmer & Shaylor Funeral Home of Middleburgh.