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Donald Halter - Class of 1949

Submitted by Fran Olson Gustafson 1965 <fgustafson917@gmail.com> on 30/Jul/2025
71.223.135.171

     Donald George Halter went home to God and his beloved wife on July 29, 2025, he was 94 years old.

Don was born at home on June 9, 1931 in Poughkeepsie N.Y. to Mary (nee
Nagy) and George Halter; he was their only child. His family settled
in Newburgh where his parents ran the Barrel Bar and Grill. As a
twelve year old, he helped his mom run their business when his dad
joined the Navy to fight WW2. Don was nothing if not a precocious
child. He often told stories of running around the streets of Newburgh
with his friends while his parents worked long hours. When he was
five, he tried to tune a piano in a vacant lot, and ended up sawing
off the middle finger on his left hand! (an attribute he actually used
in future theatre performances) He attended St. Patrick's Catholic
School and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1949. It was no
secret that Don was not in love with academia, so after High School he
followed in his father's footsteps and joined the United States Navy
where he served honorably as a radarman third class during the Korean
War. When Don returned home from his service in 1954, he went to work
at the family business; Halter's Liquors on Broadway in Newburgh. His
love for music, and performance led him to join Civic Theatre where he
met the love of his life, Ann.

Don and Ann married in 1959 and settled in the Town of Newburgh where
they raised their four children and many pets Don continued at
Halter's Liquors until he started a career in the U.S. Postal Service
in the late sixties. He started as a sorter but his hard work and
determination led him to be promoted to clerk in the main Newburgh
Post Office on Broadway, and by 1972 he was the Postmaster of the
Modena, NY Post Office. For many years while working full time in the
Postal service, he also ran his own landscaping business. He was
beloved in Modena, and for good reason. He cared for the people in
that small town, going to pot luck suppers and was always rewarded for
his hard work with vegetables from their gardens. His pride in his
post was never more evident than when government funds were not
available for aesthetic improvements, he commandeered his wife and
four kids to paint the post office; paid for out of his own pocket. In
the 1980's when the USPS was rolling out the new POS system, Don was
asked to train postal clerks and Postmasters on the new system. Given
Don's outgoing nature and salesmanship, it was a great success and he
was given a large commendation on behalf of his efforts. Once again
moving up in his career, he became Postmaster of the Gardiner, NY Post
Office, from where he eventually retired in 1991.The first few years
of Don's retirement were spent traveling with his wife Ann, as well as
cooking, and gardening. He performed regularly with the Hambletonian
Barbershop Chorus, of which he was a member since the early 80's. Then
came the calling that had been tapping on the door of his heart for
decades. He had long heard the call of the Dioconate, and answered it
by being ordained a Catholic Deacon at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in
2001.

Deacon Halter just didn't just talk the talk. He walked the walk of a
man of faith.

He administered to the infirmed, the elderly, and the sick. He invited
those with no family, those with no home to his table at Christmas and
Thanksgiving to celebrate with his children and grandchildren;
teaching his future generations how to be benevolent, and loving; not
just with words, but by example. You can not speak of Don without
mentioning his love of gardening, nature, birds and animals. It was
common knowledge among those that knew him that he could not watch any
movie or TV show where an animal was harmed. His beloved animals
Heidi, MacTavish, Muff and Puff and grand dog Katie were waiting for
him as he crossed over. He spent hours in his gardening gloves and
wide brimmed hat mowing his lawn and tending to his garden. Many a
neighbor was often seen standing in front of his home gazing in
admiration at the hill of daffodils in the front yard come Spring. His
ingenuity was most evident in the pulley system he devised for his
bird feeders. No bird was ever left hungry at the Halters!

Don was lovingly cared for in the last months of his life by his
daughter Donna and her husband Carlos, who allowed him to live out his
days in comfort, love and dignity.

Don is survived by his four children: Eric Halter, Donna Chacon
(Carlos), Tracy Halter (Heather), Rachel Taylor (Chris), and his
Papa's Boy, grandson Andrew Donald whom he loved and adored.

He is also survived by his grandchildren, Julia, Ian, Elijah, Sophie,
Emma, Lucas, Sydney, Jacob, Gavin and Haley, and his great grand
daughter Madeline.

He was predeceased by his wife of 65 and a half years Ann, his parents
Mary and George Halter, and his cousin Barbara Masten.

He lives forever in all of the lives that he has touched.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday August 13th from 4:00pm-7:00pm
at Brooks Funeral Home located at 481 Gidney Avenue, Newburgh, NY
12550.

A Mass of the Christian burial will be held at St. Patrick's Church at
10:00am on Thursday August 14th located at 55 Grand Street, Newburgh,
NY 12550

A burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery located at 5468 Rte 9W,
Newburgh, NY 12550 - June 9, 1931 ~ July 30, 2025