Vera Coons

Vera B. Putnam Coons (98), of Broadalbin, Amsterdam and Cobleskill, N.Y, passed away on Sunday November 25, 2007 at Mt. Loretto Nursing Home, Amsterdam ,N.Y. She was born May 31, 1909 in Sidney, New York, the daughter of Harry and Elsie Harris Putnam. She attended Saratoga High School in Saratoga, N.Y. Mrs. Coons had a long and colorful life. Her first job, lasting 19 years was as a telephone operator for New York Telephone Co. During her last 10 years of employment she served the residents of the Town of Cobleskill as Town Clerk.

She was the oldest living charter member of the Cobleskill Fire Department Auxiliary. She enjoyed collecting antiques with her husband, Willard, who passed away in 1973. In the 1960's she started painting seascapes and stills. Her works are located all over the world. She lived in Cobleskill 52 years, moving to Amsterdam in 1980, and Broadalbin in 2000.

She had resided at Mt. Loretto since May 2005. Mrs. Coons loved genealogy, following family history for most of her life. She was very proud to say that her family had been in the Mohawk Valley area since the 1600's. She was a descendant of the Jan Putnam family that were killed in the Schenectady Massacre.

In September 1930, Vera and her mother set sail on the RMS Olympic bound for Southampton, England. The RMS Olympic launched on 20 October 1910, was the first of three of White Star liners that were intended to provide service between Southampton and New York. The second sister ship was the RMS Titanic and the third was the HMHS Britannic. The ships were built in Belfast, Ireland. Under the command of Captain E.J. Smith (who was later to command the Titanic), the Olympic sailed on 14 June 1911 on her maiden voyage to New York. The Olympic and the Titanic were virtually identical. The only major way to tell the exteriors of the two liners apart is the promenade on A-deck, just under the boat deck. On Olympic, the deck is open it's entire length. On Titanic however, the deck was only open half of its length. The other half was covered with large windows.

After the Titanic disaster, April 1912, the Olympic underwent various safety improvements, including adding lifeboats for all aboard. In October 1912, the Olympic returned to Belfast for installation of an inner watertight skin. In November 1916, the Britannic struck a mine in the Aegean Sea and sunk like her sister ship Titanic, leaving the Olympic to sail alone until 1935 when she was scraped. In 1997, Mrs. Coons was able to share stories of this adventure with the curator of the traveling Titanic exhibit. When she saw the movie, Titanic she said the sets were very close to her memories of the Olympic.

In her later years, she enjoyed traveling with her family. The highlight of this era was her trip through the Panama Canal on the Pacific Princess with she enjoyed with her children.

Mrs. Coons was of the Methodist faith. Survivors include a daughter Terrie (Alan) of Gloversville, N.Y., former son-in-law, Richard Krutz, Amsterdam and a son Richard (Janet) of Maryland, N.Y. She is also survived by the following grandchildren, Alison Coons, Richmondville; Becky Morin (David), Colliersville: Clarke Coons (Suzanne), Palmer Lake, CO.; Megan Hughes (John), Grosse Point Park, Mich.; Joanne Coons, Palmer Lake CO.; Todd Coons (Laurie), Adams, MA; Elizabeth Magliocca (Louis), Broadalbin; Eric Krutz (Monique), Fort Myers, FLA; Alexander Robbins, Greenville, NC; and Jennifer Steele (Jim), Gloversville and 14 great-grandchildren. Two loving brothers-in-law, William Hoyer, Venice, Florida and Ernest Hoyer, Fort Plain, N.Y. and many nieces and nephews, also survive.

She was predeceased by her loving husband of 45 years, Willard Coons, who died in 1973: son, Ronald who died in 1941: her brother Carl Putnam, and sisters Pearl Putnam Kniskern, Naoma Putnam Hoyer, and Norma Putnam Weaver Hoyer.

A graveside service will be held at the Cobleskill Rural Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are by Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home in Cobleskill. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to The American Cancer Society or The Montgomery County Heritage and Genealogical Society, Fonda, New York.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.merenessputnamfuneralhome.com