FISHKILL – Callie Marie Ferguson York, a resident of Fishkill for 66 years, died on June 11, 2019 at the Wingate at Beacon. She was 98.

Born in East Rochester, NY, on July 25, 1920, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Florence (Taylor) Ferguson. Marie, the youngest of 9 children, was born three months after her father's death on April 4, 1920 at the age of 46. Her mother remained a widow, raising her family with scarce support in Rochester and Fairport, NY until her untimely death at the age of 53 in 1936. Earning her living as a live-in nanny for various families while attending Fairport High School, Marie and her older brother, Carl, were the only two children in the Ferguson family to earn high school diplomas. Upon graduation in 1938, Marie attended the Schoen School of Beauty Culture, completing the training to become a beautician/hairdresser. Before embarking on that career path, she was offered a job in 1939 as a long-distance operator for the NY Telephone Company. Her older sister, Ruth, and she shared an apartment at 1024 Dewey Avenue, Rochester, NY during WW II. In 1943, while she and Ruth were dining with their across the hall neighbors, she met one of the other invited guests, John Jones York, a young Merchant Marine Radio Officer, who very quickly became the love of Marie's life. On December 28, 1946 they were married in the Fairport Baptist Church. Marie continued working as a telephone operator, supporting the couple financially while John attended Oswego State Teachers College. When John was offered a teaching position at Berea College in 1949, they moved to Berea, KY. Marie resigned from the telephone office to concentrate on being a wife and mother. The couple's daughters, Marie and Margaret, were born while living in Berea. In 1953, John took a position with IBM Poughkeepsie, relocating Marie and her young family to Fishkill, NY. John and Marie York resided in the same house in Forge Brook Meadows for 66 years. Having been married for over 72 years, her beloved John predeceased Marie on February 9, 2019, at the age of 99.

Marie loved raising her girls, thought her husband was the smartest man alive (he felt as strongly about her) and enjoyed all manner of creative pursuits. The consummate homemaker, baking- pies, imaginative cookies and cake decorating- was a favorite specialty. A member of the Tioronda Garden Club, she created beautiful flower arrangements for friends and family and participated in numerous flower shows, winning many ribbons. Highly organized and detail oriented, Marie planned and supervised countless church receptions, coffee hours, fund raising dinners and community fairs, incorporating linen table cloths and silver whenever possible. After taking a class in puppet making, Marie enlisted the help of John with her mission to institute a series of Biblical Puppet Shows. Together, they designed and constructed a portable puppet theater, researched and wrote the scripts, made all of the puppets/characters and presented performances of the various shows for churches throughout the Hudson Valley.
Joining the Fishkill United Methodist Church in 1953, she maintained a life-long relationship of stewardship and leadership in the church. Her credits include Church School Teacher and Nursery Care Teacher (10 years); President of the United Methodist Women (UMW) 3 terms; Social Director and President of the Women's Society for Christian Service; Assistant to the Dean of School of Christian Mission; UMW Mission Coordinator for the Hudson Valley East District and served on numerous committees including Worship, Sunday Service Greeters, Pastor Parish Relations, and Buildings and Grounds. Other volunteer efforts include Girl Scout Leader, the Dutchess County Ballet and the Hudson Valley Youth Symphony.

She is survived by her daughter, Marie York Harbison and her husband Kenneth, of Annandale, VA; her daughter, Margaret York Sauter and her husband Lawrence, of Clayton, NC; her grandchildren, Kelly Marie Harbison, John Kenneth Harbison, and Kimberly Sauter Seigh and her husband, Aaron; her great-grandchildren, Ethan and Gavin Seigh; and many other relatives and friends. In addition to her husband and parents, she was also predeceased by her sisters, Isabelle Quick, Elizabeth Arnold, Margaret Ferguson, Marion Ruth Zink and her brothers, William Ferguson, Charles Ferguson, Harry Leroy Ferguson and Carl Ferguson.

The family is so grateful for the wonderful care Marie received. Her care givers from Premier Home Health Care provided her with every need. They offered valuable expertise and compassion to not only Marie but to her husband, John, and their family. Hudson Valley Hospice and her doctors and staff at Wingate at Beacon took wonderful care of her. Lastly, Marie had the unfailing friendship, dedicated assistance and faithful support of neighbors and friends from church that enabled her to maintain her quality of life until her final days. We can not thank you enough.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 3rd at 10 am at the Fishkill United Methodist Church, 38 Broad Street, Fishkill. Donations may be made in Callie Marie York's memory to the Fishkill United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.

Arrangements are under the direction of the McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, Inc. Please visit Callie Marie's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.