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Richard "Dick" DeKay - Class of 1950

Submitted by Pauline Rute Hall 1952 <Grammypgh@aol.com> on 17/May/2015
64.12.116.14

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    Richard "Dick" DeKay died May 15, 2015 at the age of 82. Dick was the son of the late Clarence Peter DeKay and Elizabeth Durkee Vail. Dick was born on January 1, 1933 at Florida, NY and was a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, Class of 1950. Dick was a born again Christian and longtime member of the Mid-Hudson Camp of the Gideons International and with his wife Nathalie placed many thousands of Gideon Bibles and Testaments in all walks of life. Dick was in private practice for over 50 years as a licensed Land Surveyor throughout Orange County and environs. His professional career included memberships in the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping, National Association of Professional Land Surveyors, New York State Society of Professional Engineers, Orange Country Chapter, of which he is past president 1964-1965 and a member of the Delaware Hudson Land Surveyors Association, New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors. Dick has been associated with his son, Richard B. DeKay, L.S. for over 38 years in the practice of Land Surveying. Orphaned at 15, after high school at the age of 17 Dick volunteered in the United States Navy and served during the Korean War with the corpsman; Dick was a charter member of the Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps founded in 1955 and a life member of the Monroe Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He attended Orange County Community College and Rutgers University taking courses to help his land surveying career. He married Nathalie Jean Brewster on July 18th, 1954 at the Canterbury Presbyterian Church in Cornwall. Their union lasted over 53 years with Nathalie going to be with the Lord March 5th, 2008. They had three children: Yvonne Elizabeth and her husband, Douglas K. Fletcher, Richard Brewster DeKay and Russell Craig DeKay (who died on April 6th, 1974) and two grandchildren: Lauren and James Fletcher. He was predeceased by his brother, Donald Vail DeKay and survived by his brother, Kenneth DeKay. In the 1960s Dick formed a fast pitch softball team (as part of the Monroe Industrial League) named after a nick-name he acquired in the service "DeKay Bears". Many locals played and good times were enjoyed with their families. Dick had grown up in the Young Men's Christian Association in Newburgh, playing all sports, especially Floor Hockey which he played for many years enjoying the sportsmanship it afforded. Dick was a Lifetime member of the American Legion - Judson P. Galloway Post 152 Newburgh, NY, a charter member of the Cornwall Historical Society, a long time member of the Tres Dias Community (weekend no. 57) and the Karios Community, serving at Otisville Federal Prison no. 1 and Sing Sing Prison no. 2, the National Rifle Association; The Albany Colony of the Society of Mayflower Descendants through his pilgrim ancestors John Alden and Priscilla Mullins; a Lifetime member of the Moffatt Clan Society through his ancestor Rev. John Moffatt and a life member of the Holland Society of New York, through the ancestor Jacob Theuniszen DeKay who emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam about 1650. He was also a retired Elder of the Goodwill Evangelical Presbyterian Church (ordained April, 1967). I am now in Heaven, dear ones, oh so happy and so bright. There is perfect joy and beauty in the everlasting light. All the pain and grief is over, every yearning past. I am at peace forever safely home at last. Remember my smile, remember my words and remember my love. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be appreciated to: The Gideons International Mid-Hudson Camp, P.O. Box 655, Walden NY 12586; the Goodwill Church Building Fund, 2135 Route 208 Montgomery, NY 12549 and the Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps P.O. Box 151, Cornwall, NY 12518. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 18th at Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson St., Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY. A Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19th at Goodwill Presbyterian Church, Rte. 208, Montgomery, NY. Burial will follow the Service in Woodlawn Cemetery, New Windsor, NY.
Arrangements by Kevin Quigley, Quigley Brothers Funeral Home, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, 534-9424.

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