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Edna Griesser Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Apr. 20, 2018.

Oliverea- Edna Griesser, of Oliverea, NY, died on April 20, 2018 at Albany Medical Center, at the age of 74 after a short battle with cancer. She was born on January 11, 1944 daughter of the late Johanna Rickborn Pape and Carl Pape in Manhattan, NY. After finishing high school, Edna's parents encouraged her to take a summer job in the Catskills. It was at the Alpine Inn, where Edna met her husband-to-be, Erich Griesser. The two maintained their courtship during college and later married, settled in Forest Hills, NY, and both worked for Pan Am Airlines. In 1967, Edna and Erich moved to Oliverea, NY to take over the Alpine Inn from Erich's parents. They ran the country inn for over fifty years; growing it substantially from its humble origin as a seasonal boarding house to a 26-room, year-round resort and restaurant known for its European hospitality, delicious food, and beautiful grounds surrounded by mountain streams and Catskill Forest Preserve. Edna is survived by her husband, Erich Griesser of Oliverea, NY; her sister and brother-in-law, Else and Manfred Tuch of Binghamton, NY; three sons, Glenn of Shelburne, VT, Jamie of Shandaken, NY, and Jon of Los Osos, CA and their respective spouses; seven grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Her family remembers Edna as a formidable woman who had a quick wit, remarkable fortitude and was an amazing baker. She especially enjoyed the employees that came through the inn over the years and stayed close with many of them until she died. She loved her family and especially enjoyed traveling with them when she could. A private memorial service will take place May 12th in the Oliverea Cemetery followed by a celebration of Edna's life at the Alpine Inn. We will always hold Edna's memory in our hearts. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the E. B. Gormley Funeral Home, Phoenicia. You may share a special memory with the family on Edna's Memorial Page at www.gormleyfuneralhome.com

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Recent Activity

May 6, 2018

Mary von Ziegesar posted to the memorial.

May 3, 2018

Gisela O'Brien posted to the memorial.

April 29, 2018

Joy Dutcher posted to the memorial.

5 Entries

Mary von Ziegesar

May 6, 2018

Two fond memories of Edna come to mind. The first involves the birth of my daughter, Petra, in December of 1976. This was before the days when we knew sexes before births and Edna was sure she sure that the baby who became Jon was going to be a girl, consequently she bought a supply of pink items for the layette. I called her late in the evening after Petra was born. You rat, she said. Then, about 4 days later, she and Erich came to our house. She brought a pink blanket and sweater/hat, and, she brought the dough for some delicious bread. She mixed, let the bread rise then kneaded it on our butcher-block counter. The grease left a slightly darker-than-the-other-wood round mark which I cherished forever and even more than the delicious bread. The blanket and sweater set went on to be worn by several babies. The last time I saw Edna and Erich was in Burlington, VT. We had lunch. One of her first remarks at this meeting was, You're blonde now. I thanked her and told her that I agreed with her, however, I added gray is the new blonde. We had a laugh as we caught up on old times. I think of Edna as a smart woman, hard-working, dedicated, forthright. I think she ran a tight ship. What she thought, I think she spoke, a trait I admire. May you rest in peace, Edna. My sincerest sympathies to your family.
Mary - aka Blue v.Z.

Gisela O'Brien

May 3, 2018

Manfred Tuch, my first cousin is married to Else, Edna's sister. I have not seen Edna in a long time but my heart goes out to her boys and their families as well as Else and Manfred and their children.
May God be taking her into his realm and be gentle to her soul.

Joy Dutcher

April 29, 2018

What a sad day for me when I got the news that my dear friend Edna had passed away.The Griesser family had become my family.I worked at the Alpine Inn for twenty three years.I enjoyed going to work every day.She is going to be missed by many.My prayers are with the family.Rest in peace my friend.

Casandra McClellan

April 29, 2018

My most sincere condolences to the family of Edna Griesser and to the family of staff that worked for the Alpine Inn over the years. I was never a full time employee but filled in over a span of 20 plus years. My mother, Joy Dutcher, was head of housekeeping there and the Alpine Inn was a second home for her, as the Griessers became not just employers, but family. I regret that I never had the opportunity to tell Edna that she made a huge impact on my life. When I first went to work there as a timid girl, I will admit that her commanding presence was a bit intimidating to me. I soon learned, however, that conscientious labor was rewarded. Edna had very exacting standards for the Alpine Inn and it showed. She valued hard and precise work over "getting the job done quickly" and made it clear that she'd rather pay for long hours than a quick and sloppy job. This earned my respect very quickly and these standards of excellency that I learned there have served me well over the years. The value of "attention to detail" that I learned from Edna and my time at the Alpine Inn gave me the backbone and courage to start our very own bed and breakfast business in South America. Edna was indeed a fascinating women with a sharp and wicked wit and I am a better person for having known and worked for her. I will end on a more humorous note...I became obsessed with folding towels "Edna" style. I even re-fold towels when I stay in hotels and I always think of her when doing so. Again, my love and condolences to the Griesser family. May you take comfort in the knowledge that she had such an enormous impact on so many people. Love and prayers for all of you.

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Marybeth Mills

April 28, 2018

We were so saddened to learn of the loss of Edna Griesser. She and Erich were incredibly welcoming to us when we moved into town in 2003. We were humbled by their graciousness and guidance as we started our business in the Catskills.
We wish peace, strength and comfort to the whole family.

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E B Gormley Funeral Home

87 Main St, Phoenicia, NY 12464