Our Church Family
In August, Pastor Kimberly was away visiting her friend Reinhilde in Germany. Here she is in a Wittenberg bookstore with friends from grad school, showing off some of the books that Reinhilde has published!
Another side to Cole Tornberg, UPC’s tenor section leader and wine connoisseur. This summer, Cole spent some time working in his family’s vineyard on Long Island.
Coffee Fellowship Refreshments
Want to provide refreshments one Sunday? Sign up on the church bulletin board across the hall from the sanctuary.
Tablecloths, napkins, plates, and serving dishes are in the kitchenette, off the Library Lounge, for your use.
All offerings are welcome!
In Memoriam
Doris Folejewski, 102, of Binghamton, passed away Tuesday, July 10, at the James G. Johnston Nursing Home at Hilltop Retirement Center in Johnson City. Born August 19, 1915, in Binghamton, the daughter of the late John Moore and Bessie Grant Moore, and loving wife of the late William Folejewski who died in April of 1973. She is survived by two daughters Suzanne Merkin of Gastonia, NC, and Pamela (John) Davies of Lake Placid, NY. Also surviving her are several cousins. She has five grandchildren, Deborah (Andrew) Moore, Rebecca (Mark) Tolbert, Daniel Merkin, Aaron (Irene) Merkin, and Joshua Merkin. Doris has ten great grandchildren, Ben and Rachel Moore, Sarah and Abigail Tolbert, William and Elizabeth Merkin, Natalie and Isabella Merkin, Reese and Edan Merkin and three step great grandchildren, Tyler Merkin, and Emily and Noa Visnik. Doris was a long-time member of West Presbyterian Church, where she was baptized and where she served as an Elder and a Deacon. She then joined the United Presbyterian Church of Binghamton after the merger of First and West Presbyterian Churches. She belonged to the New York State Teachers’ Association, Eastern Broome Branch Teachers’ Association, and the Tuscarora Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Member of the Grant Scottish Society, one-time member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a National Teachers’ Honorary Society, Johnson City Senior Citizens, and Friends of the Library member. She taught 38 years in the elementary grades of the Binghamton School District. She enjoyed reading, traveling both locally and abroad, and she spent much time researching her family genealogy. Doris was very proud to be the granddaughter of a Civil War veteran, and kept a list of all the battles in which he fought. The Folejewski family thanks the staff at the Hilltop Retirement Center for the many kindnesses to Doris, who lived there for over twenty years.
Betsy Becker Aswad, novelist, professor, wife of Richard and mother of Kristin and Jem, passed away in Johnson City, New York on July 24. She was 79. Betsy was born in Binghamton in 1939 to Jane and George Becker, grew up on the West Side, and graduated from Binghamton Central High School. She received her B.A. from Harpur College and her Masters Degree and her Ph.D. in English from SUNY Binghamton, where she also was a professor from the 1960s through the 1980s, specializing in literature and creative writing. She published two novels, “Family Passions” and “Winds of the Old Days,” the latter of which was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award by the Mystery Writers of America in 1981. She married Richard (“Dick”) Aswad in 1962 and lived in the same house in Johnson City from 1966 until the present, although she and Dick traveled widely in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. She was a voracious reader with a formidable knowledge of literature and poetry, and a lively, witty, and highly opinionated conversationalist who was beloved by her family, her wide circle of friends, and her students. She was also an early feminist, teaching a class on the history of the women’s movement at SUNY Binghamton during the early 1970s and speaking at the Binghamton Kiwanis Club and on local news about the subject. She passed along all of these qualities, along with a deep love and appreciation for music, to her family. She is survived by her husband, her brother G. William Becker (of Towson, MD), her two children and five grandchildren, Caleb, June, Daniel, Tess, and James, along with many relatives and friends.
Joan Auchinachie Bomboy died July 30 at Elizabeth Church Manor following several years of declining health. She was predeceased by her parents A. Roy and Helen Auchinachie; her husband Bernard Bomboy; brother, A. Roy (Sandy) Auchinachie, Jr.; and nephew Timothy Auchinachie. Joan is survived by her brother Robert E. (Ramona) Auchinachie; sister-in-law Betty C. Auchinachie; nieces Deborah Auchinachie Quelle, Wenda Auchinachie Miller, Jill (Kelly) Auchinachie Kelley; and nephew Bob (Kate) Auchinachie, Jr. Joan was blessed by the friendship and special care she received from her caregiver Martha McMillan and the staffs of Saint Louise and Elizabeth Church.