Robert Cross

Sloansville, NY: Robert R. Cross, Sr., formerly of Saddlemire Hill Rd., and more recently of Park Place, Seward, NY, died May 22, 2007 at the Cobleskill Regional Hospital, which his wife Emily petitioned and raised funds to establish fifty-five years ago as a local maternity facility.
Bob, Sr. was born June 23, 1917, in Albany, NY, to Margaret Van Vorst Cross and Eugene Connor Cross, Sr. Raised next to Albany's new Washington Park, he was growing up at the time the Alfred Smith Office Building was under construction around the corner, that Legs Diamond was shot two blocks down the hill and that steam railroading was a big deal in lucky cities the size of Albany. Great-grandfather Gardiner Baker Van Vorst had left service as Master Mechanic at the West Albany Shops of the NY Central Railroad. By the time Bob volunteered for the World war II Navy, he was married to Emily Hurlbut Cross and held an assembly job at GE in Schenectady. Upon his release from the Navy in 1945 he returned to his GE job as the law provided. He, Emily and sons Robert, Allan, and Richard removed to the farmstead in the Town of Carlisle, where most of the ultimately six "sibs" still reside. His work at GE as a hydropower installation expert until retirement in 1979 ultimately took him around the world. Water powered generators in Brazil and Yugoslavia provided major employment and opportunity for much of the family to accompany him.
Memberships continually important to Bob, Sr., were Wadsworth Lodge, F&A Masons, Albany and the NRA.
Bob's wife of 60 years, Emily, died in 1996. She would wish it known that she did not "predecease" him or anyone else for that matter. Children Maggie (Jeff) Mattice, Dottie (Gus) Mueller, Bob, Jr. (Linda) Allan, Rick (Linda), and Gardiner (Kim) survive as do grandchildren Colleen (Mike) Benton, Rob III (Betsy) Tim, Michal (Adam) Hovak, Nathan (Laura), Jason, Nigel Whitebread, Colin Mattice, Becky (Frank) Hayes, Lauren Mueller, Andrew, and Patrick. Also a passel of great-grandchildren.
Cremation will be followed by the Last Walk and a private family remembrance. Also, a memorial service will held at 5 PM on Saturday, June 2, 2007 at the Grovenors Corners United Methodist Church with a reception immediately following at the Schoharie Valley Gospel Church Route 30A Sloansville.
The family wishes to thank the staffs at Cobleskill Regional Hospital, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, and Catskill Area Hospice for services repeatedly above and beyond.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Cobleskill Regional Hospital, 178 Grandview Drive, Cobleskill, NY 12043 or to Catskill Area Hospice, 327 W. Main St., Cobleskill, NY 12043.