Adrienne Elizabeth VanDyk

Van Dyk, Adrienne Elizabeth

Adrienne Elizabeth Van Dyk, widow of Dr. Orrin J. Van Dyk, her much loved husband "Van" --- and herself affectionately known as Peter (after her first words in babyhood "Peter Rabbit") --- died on April 3rd, 2013 at the age of 91 in hospice care in Ithaca, in the company of her daughters. Peter was the beloved mother of Adrienne (Adie) Van Dyk of West Hartford, CT, Pieter (Pietie) Birnie of Etna, NH, and Barbara Van Dyk of Ithaca. She was also cherished by her son-in-law Richard Birnie, Pietie's husband, and their children Katherine Birnie of Baltimore, Peter Birnie with his wife Alexandra of Norton, MA, and Elisabeth Birnie of Manhattan. Sadly, Pietie and Dick's daughter Betsy never got to know her grandmother because she died at birth. Peter leaves four nieces, the daughters of her late sister and brother-in-law, Marie-Louise and Eugene Nickerson of Roslyn Harbor, NY., as well as their children and grandchildren. On her husband's side, she is survived by three nieces and five nephews and their children and grandchildren. Peter would be comforted to know that her adored and devoted dog Maggie is living happily with an animal-loving family. Peter was born in New York City on April 25th, 1921, the second child of George E. Steiner of Fleurier, Switzerland and Berthe Emma Pittet Steiner of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The family lived for a time in Mamaroneck, NY and then settled in Sidney. Berthe, the oldest of ten children, had come to the States at the age of 18. Supporting herself as a governess, she made numerous trips back to Switzerland and brought back most of her siblings, one by one, to the States. Several of them took up residence in Sidney. George was one of six Swiss engineers who founded Scintilla Magnito Division (later part of the Bendix Aviation Corporation) in Sidney and was its first general manager. Peter and her sister Marie-Louise grew up and completed high school in Sidney. After graduation from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, Peter worked as a laboratory technician at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY, where she met Van, who was serving an internship. They were married in Fort Carson, CO on September 6th, 1943. After a brief honeymoon, Van served in the Army in the Philippines, and Peter continued her job in Cooperstown. After the war, the couple lived briefly in Rochester, NY, Denver, CO, and Albuquerque, NM before settling in Sidney, where Van opened his surgical practice and where they raised their three daughters until the family moved to Ithaca in 1956. As a mother and homemaker, Peter found time to take courses at Cornell and to do some tutoring. She volunteered at the public library, repairing and shelving books and working at the library book sales. An outdoor person, Peter enjoyed gardening, golf, swimming, sailing, cross-country skiing, and tennis. She was always up for a game of bridge. With Van, she indulged in many relaxing Caribbean trips and endured a few rough duck-hunting and fishing expeditions to faraway places. Peter had many, many dear friends, not a few of whom, given her advanced age, have predeceased her. In her declining years, Peter was lovingly cared for by her home-health aide and very dear friend, Virve Auble, and later also by the loving staff at Old Hundred, and in her very final days by the kind staff at Hospicare in Ithaca. There will be a memorial service on Saturday, June 8th at 2 PM at Forest Home Chapel, 222 Forest Home Dr. in Ithaca. A reception will follow in the Gathering Room of the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be given to Old Hundred (704 Five Mile Dr., Ithaca, NY, 14850), or Hospicare & Palliative Services of Tompkins County (172 East King Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14850), or the Salvation Army of Ithaca (150 N. Albany St., Ithaca, NY, 14850). Bangs Funeral Home in Ithaca is in charge of arrangements.