Belva Ann "Belle" Thompson

Thompson, Belva "Belle" Ann AMSTERDAM Belva "Belle" Ann Thompson, 85, passed away peacefully at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam on March 20, 2021. Belva was born in Brainard's Forge, N.Y. and raised in Elizabethtown, N.Y. She was the daughter of the late George Pulsifer and Clementina Marsha Pulsifer. At a young age, Belle was often pulled out of school temporarily to help her father at the lumber mill by driving teams of draft horses to skid logs out of the forest. Belle also worked at the farm next door milking cows. Following her father's lumber accident, her family relocated to the Capital Region. There, she met her first husband, the late R. Mark Powers, and raised her three children. Although Belle did not graduate from high school, she earned her G.E.D. Belle possessed an array of talents and interests, including sewing, quilting, baking and cooking, cake decorating, square dancing, running farm equipment, driving her big green Dodge Cummins pickup truck, taking train trips, and gardening. She shared these passions with her second husband, Guy Thompson. Belle also shared her passions with others through teaching, including cake decorating at Shaker High School in the Adult Education Program and square dancing. She was employed at the Sisters of St. Joseph's Provincial House, where she would return after retirement to decorate for the holidays. Belle was also involved in several organizations: the Verdoy VFD Auxiliary, the Burtonsville VFD Auxiliary, the Schoharie River Center, Rowe Center, and the Our Lady of Fatima Parish. Belle loved to volunteer; however, her greatest love was spending time with her family. Belle is survived by her loving husband of almost thirty years, Guy Thompson of Esperance; her three sons: Joseph (Karen), Robert (Cathy), and Stephen (Cindy) Powers; nephews and a niece: Mike and Deon Doyle, George Pulsifer III, Robert Pulsifer, and Audrey Hosie; and grandchildren: Rob (Amanda), Stephanie, Victoria, Christopher, Daniel, and Patrick. Belle was predeceased by her late siblings: Gisela Doyle, Florence Winnie, George Pulsifer Jr., and Clement Pulsifer. A celebration of Belva's life will be held at the Schoharie River Center at a later date, it will be announced via Facebook once a date has been set. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Belle's name may be made to the Schoharie River Center: John McKeeby, Executive Director, Schoharie River Center, 2025 Burtonville Rd., Esperance, NY, 12066 or at schoharierivercenter.org.