Where does one begin to write about a lifetime overflowing with life, with love, with successes and hardships and an unwavering faith? All one needs to hear is the name Georgia Van Dyke and a brilliant picture of this steadfast woman comes to mind, accompanied by her beautiful smile and her heartfelt laugh.
Heartfelt is an excellent description, because everything Georgia accomplished in her 81 years was from her heart. From bringing joy to her parents, Gertrude (Wall) and George Hebert on August 22, 1943, and peace and calm in her final moments at home on January 22, 2025, Georgia’s passing eased the hearts of her loved ones and brings peace to all who love her.
Georgia earned her RNBSN degree from Niagara University in 1965 and worked as a pediatric nurse, a critical care nurse, and an ICU nurse until 1983, when she began working as an organizer and negotiator for the NYSNA. In 1986, she took a position with NYSNA, representing her colleagues in National Labor Relations Board hearings, contract negotiations and labor disputes. All of this while juggling motherhood with her 3 children, Stephen, Laura and Erik and falling in love with the beauty of the Schoharie Valley, and making Middleburgh her new and forever home.
Through new friendships and joining St. Mark’s Lutheran Church family in Middleburgh, God brought Georgia and Darryl Van Dyke together and blessed them with His love and devotion through their marriage in 1999. Darryl was the love of her life and while he passed unexpectedly from a heart attack just 2 years later, the love and the faith that they shared continued to be her beacon and carry her through the rest of her life.
Never one to sit idle, Georgia began finishing the home Darryl had been building on Ecker Hollow Road, literally by hand and piece-by-piece, then she opened and expanded Gobbler’s Knob Family Fun Park, which he’d also been working on.
Also inspired by her Darryl’s sudden death, she created the Darryl West Van Dyke Memorial Fund, which has purchased and distributed numerous defibrillators to locations throughout Schoharie County.
All of this, and her heartfelt commitment to community service. Georgia was a member of the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce and held numerous positions within the organization including Executive Director, President, and Second Vice President. She was often seen in pictures with those gigantic scissors she carried to the ribbon cuttings at new businesses in the County. Georgia was a founding member of “SALT,” Schoharie Area Long Term, following the tragic devastation throughout the valley from Hurricane Irene in 2011. Georgia’s heartfelt love and devotion to rebuilding homes, businesses and assisting with flood recovery grants alongside her friend Sarah Goodrich helped countless people through a seemingly impossible time.
A member of the Wright-Schoharie Lions Club since 1988, she chaired their Hearing and Sight Committee and also and helped collect, store, and loan out healthcare equipment like hospital beds and wheelchairs and walkers. She also volunteered her time with the Joshua Project and many, many other organizations and activities throughout Schoharie County.
It's not surprising that she received countless accolades through the years, including the honor of being chosen as a "Notable Woman of Schoharie County " by SUNY Cobleskill and being named the 2018 T-J Star, awarded by the Times Journal Newspaper.
Giving all of her credit to God, Georgia never stopped serving her Lord either or the ministry and mission work through St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Middleburgh, including serving on the Church Council and the Altar Guild.
Loving Georgia forever are her daughter: Laura Motta; her sons: Stephen (Brenda) Lammers and Erik (Casey Leonetti) Cooper; her step-son: Gregory (Linda Leith) Van Dyke; her grandchildren: John Motta, Joseph Motta, Mitchell Cooper, Lisa Benninger, Kari Kleitz, Elizabeth Cooper; 12 great-grandchildren; her dear friends and caregivers: Marie Whittaker and Sarah Goodrich and countless other extended family members and friends. Besides her husband Darryl, Georgia was predeceased by her infant brother Gregory W. Hebert and recently by her adult brother Gregory E. Hebert.
All are invited to visit with Georgia’s family from 5:00-7:00PM on Friday, January 31, 2025 at Coltrain Funeral Home, LLC, 134 River Street, Middleburgh. A celebration and service in thanks to God for Georgia’s life will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Main Street, Middleburgh. Spring inurnment will be in the Middleburgh Cemetery.
Her family requests that memorials in her honor be sent to the Joshua Project, PO Box 413
Middleburgh, NY 12122-0413, the Darryl and Georgia Van Dyke Memorial Fund, c/o The Bank of Richmondville PO Box 40 Cobleskill, NY 12043 to continue her mission of bringing AEDs to more County locations or to the Schenectady City Mission, PO Box 760 Schenectady NY 12301
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