Molly Niederlander Ramshaw

Hamilton, NY: Molly N. Ramshaw, age 74, of Payne St. passed away Thursday, July 13, 2000 at her home. Born May 2, 1926, the daughter of Daniel and Grace Niederlander of Williamsville, New York, she was an alumna of Mount Holyoke College, and did graduate work at the Tale Drama School and Northwestern University's School of Speech. She received an M. A. in Speech and Theater from the University of Illinois, where she was elected to membership in Zeta Phi Eta, the national speech honorary society. Mrs. Ramshaw had been a teacher of speech and drama at the Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and the Grosse Pointe Country Day School, Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She married Warren C. Ramshaw of Chicago, Illinois, on October 17, 1953. The Ramshaws moved to Hamilton, New York in 1961 when he joined the faculty of Colgate University Mrs. Ramshaw was a well-known area actress in community, university, and summer theaters. In 1982, she established the Molly Ramshaw Drama Award at Hamilton Central School to recognize students of theatrical ability. Alway a supporter, advocate and participant in the arts, Mrs. Ramshaw served on various arts boards, including Colgate's Friends of the Visual Arts, the Earlville Opera House, and the Advisory Committee to the Performing arts at the Munson-Williams Proctor Institute in Utica. She was also a performing member of the B-Sharp Musical Club of Utica as a dramatic reader, and for more than fifteen years, acted with Payne's Corners Players throughout Central New York. Mrs. Ramshaw was a member and former president of the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Club of Utica, and had served on the editorial board of the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly. She had been a member and president of the Hamilton Fortnightly club, chairman of the Hamilton Townscape Committee, and a board member of the Colgate Friends of the Library. She was a member of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Hamilton, and served as a lector and Vestry member there. She was also an Associate of the Society of St. Margaret, participating in the worship activities of the Sisters of St. Margaret in New Hartford, NY. She is survived by her husband, Warren C. Ramshaw, her sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Glenn Murphy of Buffalo, a nephew, Glenn E. Murphy, Jr. and his family of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, a nephew Daniel B. Murphy and his family of Middleburg, Virginia. She is also survived by several cousins and many dear friends. Funeral Services were held Saturday, July 15, 2000, from St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Madison St., Hamilton, followed by burial in the Colgate University Cemetery. Those who wish to remember Molly Ramshaw in a memorial gift may consider The Alumnae Fund, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 07105-1486 or St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Madison St., Hamilton, NY 13346, or Hospice Care, Inc., 4277 Middle Settlement Rd., New Hartford, NY 13413-9558. Arrangements by BURGESS FUNERAL HOME, Hamilton, NY.