Obituary of Esther H. Podany

Esther H. Podany, age 97, went to tend God's garden on October 20 after a brief illness. Esther was predeceased by her husband John, parents Wahneta and Grant Weaser, sisters Betty (Dave) Sibley, Barbara Weaser, and Ruth (Bill) Blose, dear friends Helen and Ade Bardis, in-laws Margie and Red Love, many good friends and neighbors, and her much loved Bichon Frise. She is survived by her children Catherine (Andrew) McLaughlin, Michael (Donna) Podany, Theresa Gracin, Mary (Edward) LaPorte and Charles Podany. She is also survived by grandchildren Michael, Melissa, Marcy, Douglas, Joshua, Chelsea and Caryn, numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and her beloved apple tree. Born in Johnson City, Esther grew up in West Endicott surrounded by her life-long friends and graduated from Union-Endicott High School in 1942. While working at IBM, she met and married the love of her life, John, and left IBM to raise their five children in a home full of love, laughter, and adventure. Esther, John, and their family loved camping, traveling, boating and exploring across the United States and Canada, and could never resist finding out the answer to "Where does that road go, John?" Their kids have some especially great stories about some of those adventures! In 1977, Esther earned her Associate Degree from Broome Community College and was again hired by IBM, working for both Owego and Glendale until her retirement in 1987. After her retirement, she returned to Broome Community College to study Travel and Tourism, where she jumped at the chance to spend a semester abroad in England to study art and architecture and to live with a local family. She loved it so much she completed another semester abroad in England two years later, staying with yet another family. Esther and the families remained friends for years. Throughout the years, Esther's travels continued to take her far and wide, including Hawaii, Central America, and many countries in Europe. Esther was a kind, loving, generous, compassionate, strong, brave, independent, hardworking woman who had a great sense of humor. She was adventurous, curious about the world, creative, and artistic. She loved to learn and try new things. Esther was passionate about genealogy, spending years researching and documenting family and local history. She was an avid gardener creating and lovingly caring for her beautiful gardens that were enjoyed by her family, friends, and neighbors alike. She was most happy with her hands in the dirt, and the sun and wind on her beaming face. Esther was a member of the Ladies Home Bureau, Girl Scouts, West Corners Fire Company Auxiliary, Power Squadron, Holiday Ramblers Club, and the Sweet Adelines women's barbershop chorus. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11:00 am at Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home LLC, 300 E. Main Street, Endicott. Burial will be in Vestal Hills Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday from 10:00 to 11:00 am prior to the funeral services. Please wear something pink. The family requests that masks be worn in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice. Plant some flowers. Go ahead! Pull a weed with a huge smile on your face! And don't forget to look up at the clouds...