Obituary of Betty M. Sugalski

Betty Marjorie Sugalski, 93, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 6, 2018. Betty was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England on February 21, 1925 to Gertrude and John Tustian. She often recounted happy memories from her childhood with her brothers and sisters – Reginald, Dorothy, Colin and Leslie. WWII left Betty with memories of Nazi bombings in her quaint hometown, food rationing, air raid shelters, and the routine toting of gas masks. During the war, she met her husband, Alfred Andrew Sugalski, an American GI, when the 82nd Airborne division briefly traveled through Banbury. Betty and Al wrote to each other throughout the duration of the war, and Al later traveled to England where they were married in September 1948; theirs was a love for the ages. While in England, Betty started working at age 12 in a postal office, then later worked with her sister, Dot, doing office work and bookkeeping. This served her well after moving to Schenectady, NY, with Al, as she spent much of her career as a financial counselor at St. Clare's Hospital. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Betty was predeceased by Al, her soul mate and beloved husband of 53 years. She is deeply missed and remem- bered by her children, Therese Ann "Teese" and David Alexander; her grandchildren, Ryan (Jennifer) and Elias; and her great-granddaughter, Cora. She is also survived by her brother, Les; nieces and nephews; as well as her dear local US family; Rich (Sue), Eric (Ginny), Adam, Debbie and Alan. Additionally, she is greatly missed by her loving extended family in England. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped care for Betty in her final years, especially Thea, who was a devoted "daughter" to Betty. To the loving staff and volunteer, Blanche at Glendale Home, we extend our gratitude. A compassionate and charitable woman, Betty always looked for the positives in life. In remembrance of her graciousness, we encourage you to quietly help your fellow human beings and animals who may need a kind word or helping hand. At Betty's request, her service was private; she is buried with her beloved Al at the Saratoga National Cemetery. Those wishing to honor her memory may contribute to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (www.macular.org). She is dearly missed by her family and friends and all those who knew her over the years.