Gordon R. Vandebogart

Gordon VanDeBogart, 87, a long time resident of Chester, New York, entered into eternal rest, to be with his wife and son on May 7, 2017. Both his wife, Mary, and his son, William, predeceased Gordon, along with and his long time "cat companion," Mr. Missy. The son of the late Freiland and Margaret VanDeBogart, he was born on January 12, 1930 in Woodstock, NY. Gordon attended a one-room schoolhouse in Bearsville, NY. He attended Kingston High School, and Albany College of Pharmacy. He graduated on June 5, 1952. His first job was at Woodstock Pharmacy with Joe Forno, on June 20, 1949. From September 1960 to June 1962 he was a teacher at Woodstock Elementary School. In May 1967, he was the manager of Lloyd's Pharmacy in Middletown, NY. On October 15, 1971, he became the owner and operator of the Chester Pharmacy, formerly known as Van's Rexall Drugs, in the Village of Chester, NY. In 1980, he was senior pharmacist at Orange Farms, now known as Valley View. He was a Lay Reader with Permission to Administer the Chalice, and Senior Warden of Grace Episcopal Church, in Middletown, NY, and past member of the Vestry and Altar Guild at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chester. He was a Charter member of Chester Kiwanis. He was third past president 1997-1998. He was the treasurer for approximately 20 years. He was active in community service functions, clambakes, citrus sales, yard sales, and the original founder of the Valley View's Mother and Father's Day events. He was the "Man of the Year" for the Orange County Pharmaceutical Society in 1978. He was a member of the Village of Chester Planning Board, for several years. Two sons survive him, Gordon W. VanDeBogart of the State of Florida, and Erle and his wife Sheree VanDeBogart, of Chester, daughters Barbara Masi-Zukose, Lorraine Greenwood, and daughter in law Mary VanDeBogart of Elkton, MD. Five grandchildren Melissa, Jason, and Robert VanDeBogart. Amanda VanDeBogart and her long time partner Fred Velez, and Marjorie and her husband Robert Swansson. Further his six great grandchildren Skylar, Erick, Jillian, Stevie, Thomas, and Mason, along with several nephews, and a niece, and several cousins, survive him. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2017, during the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, located at 3 Hudson Street, Chester, New York 10918. A Funeral Mass is on Friday, May 12, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at The Grace Episcopal Church, located at 58 North Street, Middletown, NY. As per Gordon's wishes, in lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of his name are to be made to the Chester Kiwanis, or the Grace Episcopal Church. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted Thomas F. Flynn and the staff of Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, Inc. For directions to the funeral home, Grace Church, or to offer an online memorial please visit www.flynnfh.com