She was born in Clymer, New York on May 13, 1925 to William and Maybell Ton Gravink. She grew up on the family dairy farm and attended the Clymer Central School through high school.
She received a Bachelor Degree from Houghton Collage and a Master of Arts Degree from Syracuse University. Later she was awarded a John Hay Fellowship at Northwestern University which included an extended period of time in India where she developed a curriculum for high school World Culture Studies for the New York State Department of Education. She also studied at Cornell, SUNY Albany, and American University.
Dee taught high school social studies and geography for four different upstate New York schools over the course of 31 years. They were Pine Valley Central in South Dayton, North Collins Central, Perry Central and Niskayuna Central. She was active in teacher organizations, and curriculum development for both local school districts and the State Department of Education.
After retiring from teaching in 1980, she pursued her love of needlepoint, quilting and sewing. She did custom home interior design both directly with home owners and through an Albany furniture store. Her specialty was custom designed pillows of which she made hundreds.
Dee was a member and former elder of the First Reformed Church of Schenectady. She also volunteered regularly at the Bethesda House for the homeless and elderly. In recent years, she has lived in assisted living facilities near her brother and sister-in-law first in North Conway, New Hampshire and then until her death in Saco, Maine.
She is survived by a sister Marilyn Fierri of Simsbury, Connecticut; a brother Phil Gravink and sister-in-law Shirley Damon Gravink of Saco; a nephew, Brad Gravink of Clymer, New York; nieces Brenda Dimick of Plymouth, New Hampshire, and Jill Gravink of Nottingham, New Hampshire; great-nephews Graham Gravink of Fairview, Pennsylvania and Jeremy Seiferth of Epping, New Hampshire; and great-nieces Brittlee Gravink of Erie, Pennsylvania and Ashley Wagner of Charlotte, North Carolina. She had one great-great niece, Cora Rose, daughter of Brittlee.
A Memorial Service will be held in the Spring at the First Reformed Church, 8 North Church St., Schenectady, New York. Arrangements have been entrusted to Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main St., Saco. Remembrances can be sent for her family at www.dcpate.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.