Obituary of June Schechter

Yarmouth, Maine June Schechter, aged 89, passed away peacefully in Yarmouth, Maine on February 3, 2017. June became a resident of Yarmouth in 2012 so that she could enjoy more time with her children and granddaughter. Prior to relocating to Maine, June was a lifelong Schenectady resident. June was a graduate of Nott Terrace High School and Radcliffe College. She was predeceased by her husband Dr. Jay Schechter, who passed away in 1994 during their 47th year of marriage as well as her brother, Lewis. She is survived by her sister and husband Elise and Steve Rosenfeld of Pittsford, New York; her three children Barry, of New Smyrna Beach, FL, Ricki of Freeport, ME, and Larry, of Boca Raton, FL; as well as by her three grandchildren Talia, Hannah and Jared. Throughout her life, June’s concern for the well being of others was evident by her involvement with numerous charitable endeavors and causes. June was a diligent volunteer and contributor on behalf of many Jewish organizations, including Congregation Gates of Heaven, the United Jewish Federation, Hadassah, the local Jewish Community Center, and B’nai B’rith. She took great satisfaction from being a Hebrew School teacher and mentoring dozens of students at her temple as they prepared for their bar and bat mitzvahs. June was also a strong supporter of many social service and cultural agencies, including Planned Parenthood, the Schenectady YWCA, Girls, Inc., the Schenectady Day Nursery, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, the Capital District Community Loan Fund, the Daughters of Sarah Nursing Home, the United Way, Ellis and Sunnyview Hospitals, the Schenectady Museum, the Schenectady Symphony, and WMHT. One of June’s most beloved involvements was with Haven of Schenectady, a bereavement counseling and support service that found a home for many years in her husband Jay’s prior office building on lower Union Street. June’s personal interests included the ongoing study of the Hebrew language well into her 80’s, a strong passion for classical music and opera, tending to her extensive gardens and numerous indoor plants, as well as engaging in the activities of golf, bowling, aerobics classes, and contract bridge. A funeral service will be held for June at 11 AM on Tuesday February 7 at Congregation Gates of Heaven in Schenectady. There will also be a Shiva service at the Temple at 7 PM on Tuesday night. Contributions in June’s memory may be made to the Congregation Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12309, or the Alzheimer's Association Northeastern New York, 4 Pine West Plaza, Suite 405, Albany, NY 12205.