Greer A. Fitting

1943 - 2017

Fitting, Greer A. TROY Greer Aladar Fitting, a longtime resident of both Green Island and Troy, died peacefully on May 21, 2017, at Albany Medical Center. Greer was born in New York City on October 22, 1943. The daughter of bohemian artists, Gertrude Russell and Oscar Collier, she was later adopted by Gertrude's second husband, also an artist, Frank Barrer. She received her bachelor of arts degree in history from City College. A true Renaissance woman and an incredible intellect, Greer had a life-long thirst for knowledge. Greer's first marriage ended in divorce. She went on to have two daughters, Miriam and Rebecca, with her second husband, Melvin Fitting. In 1972, they moved from New York City to upstate New York, where Greer remained for the next 45 years. Greer's professional life included jobs as a clerical typist, an illustrator, an author and an administrative assistant at the New York State Department of Health. After divorcing in 1983, Greer devoted herself full-time to her true life's work: a range of artistic, political and cultural pursuits. Greer was devoted to her community. She always found a way to donate her time and energy, be a neighborhood presence and provide for others with gestures big and small. No matter where she lived, she became a local fixture and her generosity touched many lives. She was fiercely independent, and her eccentricities were part of her charm. She treasured her ability to live life on her own terms, in her own charismatic, multifaceted ways. She will be deeply missed. Greer is survived by daughters, Miriam and Rebecca Fitting; grandsons, Constantin Rotundu and Noah Spencer; and five half-siblings. A memorial service will be held at the Cohoes Public Library, 169 Mohawk St., Cohoes, on Friday, June 16, at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Friends of the Cohoes Public Library cohoespubliclibrary.org /index.php/about/friends-of-the-library/ and Scrap scrap-sf.org/donate