Isabelle V. Seiden

PLATTSBURGH — Watch out heaven, a new angel is in town. Let's Party! Isabelle Seiden (Izzy) passed away quietly during the early morning hours on March 8, 2007, after raising hell for 82 years.

She was born on July 1, 1924, in Montreal, Quebec, to Stanislaus and Hazel Tremblay. She graduated from business college and worked for Singer Sewing Machine Company in Montreal as head of payroll until she married John W. Seiden in 1953. She became a U.S. citizen in 1957, after settling in Plattsburgh. The remainder of her working career was spent tending bar in most of Plattsburgh's hot spots. She was a very strong personality and, being bilingual, she could handle herself in any situation.

Three weeks ago, she lost Big John, her husband and road dog. She is survived by her son, John S. Seiden and companion Soraya Richardson of Plattsburgh; her daughter, Hazel Seiden Miller and son-in-law Andrais Miller of California; daughter-in-law Bucky Seiden and fiancé Roderick Driscoll of Plattsburgh; and three grandchildren, Jonathan and Nicholas Seiden and Isabella Miller.

Izzy had a lifelong passion for the Montreal Canadian hockey team; as a matter of fact, as a young woman she wouldn't even date anyone unless they had season tickets. She loved knitting and making socks and hats for her family and for many years she knitted hats and mittens for hundreds of children in the community. She enjoyed many hours in her backyard and on her back porch feeding her squirrels and birds. Izzy loved her pull tabs but Lady Luck was not always on her side. As her memory began to fade, we frequently had to go find her because it was common to find that she had driven her car to Geoffrey's Pub or Mickey's to have a vodka with her friends (without plates, license, registration or insurance and unbelievably, she never got caught!)

One of her greatest joys was her grandchildren. She was a wonderful grandmother and loved to spend time with her Jonny Joe, Nickadoo and Bella (her namesake). When "Nan" baby-sat you could always expect to come home to a total disaster. Blanket tents (using all the sheets, blankets and chairs in the house) were the favorite with books, toys, cookie crumbs and empty juice boxes everywhere. But it didn't matter because you always knew that the kids and Nan had a blast together. In fact, there were many times when the kids would ask us to go back out so they could play longer with their Nan.

Her spontaneous love of life and good nature lives on in all of us. The family finds solace in knowing that she is back on the road again riding shotgun with Big John at the wheel cruising the heavens.

Chers amis: Telle est la vie. Telle est sa fin. Ce n, est qu un au revoir!

Please join friends and family on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, at the American Legion Post 20, 162 Quarry Road, Plattsburgh, N.Y., from 7 to 10 p.m.