Barbara S. Strife

Barbara S. Strife, 79, passed away peacefully on November 14, 2025, at her summer home on Galway Lake, Galway, NY, having been afflicted for many years with Alzheimer's. She was born on December 12, 1945, in Schenectady, NY, the daughter of Anthony J. and Mary (Krempa) Szpak.
Barbara graduated from Notre Dame Academy, Schenectady, NY, Hudson Valley Community College, and attended the University of South Florida, and Maria College. She spent several years working as a technical Assistant at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Niskayuna, NY, where she met her husband.
Barbara was a devoted and loving mother of three children and nine grandchildren. She was a strong advocate for her children's education, serving as board chairperson of their nursery school, chairperson of their middle school PTA, and educator and chairperson of their early religious education program at Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville, NY. After raising her children, her career spanned many avenues; dental assistant, real estate administration, and culminating with an 18-year career with the YMCA, retiring as Executive Director of the Southern Saratoga County branch of the Capital District YMCA. She then pursued several part-time positions as Executive Director of the Center City Sports Complex and Executive Consultant to the Upper Union Street Business District, both in Schenectady, NY.
During her working career she was an active member of the Rotary, and a board director of the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. On retiring and moving to Venice, Florida, she became an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Venice, serving several years as the Adult Education Program chairperson and actively supporting fund raising efforts for the congregation and for the Venice Historical Society.
Barbara loved spending summers and Christmas Holidays at her Lake home in Galway, NY, with her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She cherished family traditions and played a key role in coordinating the families annual Polish Wigilia celebration. She loved playing with and nurturing her grandchildren, traveling abroad with friends, spending winters walking the beaches in Venice, Florida, and summers swimming and boating at the Lake. She, with her husband, had great enjoyment for several years curling at the Schenectady Curling Club, and loved to dance, often being the last to leave the dance floor. She was a warm, caring, and openly accepting person. She coordinated programs to welcome international students from around the world, often hosting them in her home. She had a big heart and beautiful smile and will be missed dearly by family and friends.
Barbara is predeceased by her parents and survived by her husband of 57 years, Wayne Strife; her sisters Carol (Ron deceased) Piotrowski, Paula (Ken) Gold; her three children, Curtis(Annmarie) and Loren(Mignette) Strife, Teresa (Michael) Mezz; nine grandchildren, Christopher, Emily, Thomas, Jordan, Jason, Joshua, and Kylie Strife, Nicolas, and Gabriella Mezz.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Barbara be made to the Alzheimer's Organization, 4 Pine West Plaza, Suite 404, Albany, NY 12205, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Venice, 1971 Pinebrook Rd., Venice, FL 34292, and/or Community Hospice Foundation Gift Processing, 310 South Manning Blvd, Albany, NY 12208
A private Celebration of Life service for Barbara will take place at her summer home on Galway Lake, NY, for family and close friends at a later date.