IN MEMORIAM:  Stanley A. Syvertsen, 78;

Teacher, Businessman, Active in Habitat

ONEONTA – Stanley A. Syvertsen, 78, who taught at Bugbee School, owned Shearer’s Trucking, and was active in Habitat for Humanity, passed away peacefully on Dec. 28, 2019, at a long-term care facility in Morristown, NJ.

He was born on April 16, 1941, in Brooklyn, son of Jakob and Solveig Syvertsen of Bay Ridge.  He graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in 1959 and was active in his church basketball and youth leagues.

He attended SUNY Oswego and graduated with a BS in Industrial Arts in 1963. He was an active member of the Beta Tau Epsilon fraternity.  He later attended SUNY Oneonta where he completed a masters degree. It was at SUNY Oneonta where he met his wife, whom he married in 1970.

Stan taught Industrial Arts at Bugbee School in Oneonta until it closed in 1975. Following a brief time teaching at Delhi Tech, he and his business partner bought Shearer’s Express trucking company and operated it until selling it in 1999.  After retirement, Stan took on volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and began a part-time job at the Home Depot, where he put his “jack of all trades” skills to use.

Stan was a man of many talents and interests. He was an avid gardener, woodworker, fisherman, investor and skier. He enjoyed working outdoors, classical music, the stock market, traveling, antique cars, boating, deer hunting, and nature. He was very proud of his Norwegian heritage and didn’t miss an episode of Garrison Keillor’s NPR radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion,” and also NPR’s “Car Talk.”  He enjoyed annual family vacations to the beach in Cape May, N.J., and camping trips to the Adirondacks.

His daughters were the source of his greatest pride, and seeing his little granddaughters always brought a smile to his face. He enjoyed socializing with friends and was often the life of the party.  He was chairman of the City of Oneonta’s  Zoning and Housing Board, served on the board of the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, and was an active member of the Oneonta Elks Club, Habitat for Humanity, and the Reminiscers Car Club.  He attended Atonement Lutheran Church.

Stan is survived by his devoted wife, Linda; daughter, Kristen (Luke) Vander Linden; daughter, Karine (Bill) Richards; daughter, Kira (Kevin) Brady; granddaughters, Adelyn & Abigail Richards, and Maeve & Kate Brady; sisters, Gwendolyn Syvertsen and Margaret Syvertsen.

Calling hours will be 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Lewis Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta.  The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, at Atonement Lutheran Church, 1 Center St., Oneonta.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Otsego County, 291 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY, Oneonta Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 1083, Oneonta, NY or Atonement Lutheran Church, 1 Center St., Oneonta, NY 13820.

Expressions of sympathy may be made at, www.lhpfuneralhome.com