Obituary of Adelaide DeBeer Muhlfelder

Adelaide "Addie" Muhlfelder, 93, was born and raised in Albany, NY and died peacefully there on April 26, 2014. A consummate volunteer, Addie made an immeasurable impact on the community with her unselfish devotion to secular and sectarian causes. She once wrote, "I was born into volunteeringconcern for and contributing to the community was a way of life for our family and in 1941 I married into the same kind of family." For more than 60 years Addie served her community in a wide range of organizations. She was an active alumna of the Albany Academy for Girls and Wellesley College and served in leadership roles of the Visiting Nurse Association, Association of Home Health Agencies of New York State, Home Aide of Eastern New York, Blue Shield, Hospital for Incurables, and Beverwyck and Glen Eddy. She volunteered with the Council of Jewish Women, Jewish Community Council, Jewish Historical Society, and Jewish Family Services Scholarship Committee. More recently she served as co-archivist at Congregation Beth Emeth and supported Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar. She learned "the impossible dream can be accomplished when people of good will work together." Addie enjoyed playing golf and bridge, bowling, summers on Lake George, oil painting, and traveling. She was an accomplished weaver with her husband's hand made yarns, and loved cooking, sewing and entertaining. Addie possessed unflagging energy and a most positive and optimistic view of life. She took on and accomplished every task with great enthusiasm and made the difficult seem easy and effortless. She found the best in everything and everyone. Central and constant in her life was family: her late husband Lewis Muhlfelder; her sister Jean Pollack (Henry); her late brother Frederick deBeer, Jr. (Elsa); her children, the late James Muhlfelder (Wendy); Mary Harowski (Tom); Lewis Muhlfelder (Esther); her grandchildren, Josh Muhlfelder (Amelia); Kate Caputo (Tom); Julie Humble (Vern); Anne Pugh (Ryan); Michael Harowski (Christy); the late Sammy Muhlfelder; Teddy Muhlfelder and fiancée Maryna Jankovska; Nick Conger; Laura Conger and fiance, TJ Conti; 7 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews; and dear friend, the late Frederick Klemm. A memorial service was held held at Congregation Beth Emeth, 100 Academy Rd., Albany, NY on Monday, April 28, 2014 at 1:00 pm. Contributions may be made to Capital Region Sponsor-a-Scholar, 3 Pine West Plaza, #305, Albany, NY 12205; Jewish Family Services, 877 Madison Ave. Albany, 12208; or the charity of one's choice.