Obituary of Sophie DeGroff

Sophie DeGroff, 89, of Roosevelt Apartments, Wall Street, Amsterdam, NY passed away Thursday at the Joan Nicole Prince Home in Scotia. She was born July 16, 1919 in Amsterdam, New York. Sophie was the daughter of the late Manuel and Marguerite DeJesus Carvalho. She was a graduate of Wilbur H. Lynch High School Class of 1937 and the Amsterdam Business School. Sophie was employed as a clerk in the Order Department for Mohasco Industries in Amsterdam from 1938 to 1982. She was a member of G.A.V.A.C. for 14 years serving as Recording Secretary and Dispatcher. Sophie was a former member of the Church of the Village Green in St. Petersburg, Florida. For 50 years Sophie spent time at Piseco Lake, camping, boating and fishing. On June 28, 1941 she married Walter A. DeGroff who passed away in 1999. She was also predeceased by a daughter Donna Popular who passed away in 2001; a sister Margaret Willis and a brother Fernando Carvalho. Survivors include her loving family, two sons, Donald W. Dorinda DeGroff of San Antonio, Texas and James A. Kim DeGroff of Amsterdam, NY; a daughter, Catherine Jon Toper of Amsterdam, NY; eleven grandchildren; four great grandchildren; several, nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 11:00 AM at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam with the Rev Mack McDonald officiating. Burial will take place in St. Mary's Cemetery in Fort Johnson, NY. Calling hours will be held on Sunday from 5 to 7 PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in Sophie's memory to Schenectady Community Home, Inc., P. O. Box 2122, Scotia, NY 12302 or to St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, 427 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, NY 12010.