Ann Leah Halter

November 18, 1929 ~ December 4, 2024

Ann Leah Halter of Newburgh, NY passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on December 4, 2024, she was 95 years old.

Ann was born on November 18,1929 in Brooklyn, NY to Julia (nee Ward) and Andrew Walley. When Ann was two, her family moved to Newburgh where she excelled at academics. She was a Newburgh Free Academy graduate, class of 1947(her yearbook picture drew raves) and earned her Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in math from Ladycliff College in 1951.

Ann was quite a renaissance woman for her time. After receiving her degree, she worked at IBM in Poughkeepsie where she performed experiments and checked calculations from the world's first computers being developed in the IBM labs. She loved to travel, and she and her girlfriends spent many vacations traveling around the country and to Mexico. Playing tennis and swimming were two of her greatest hobbies. Ann was also an avid singer and loved to perform. She was active in Newburgh's Civic Theatre where she met her husband Don in 1955.

Ann and Don married in 1959 and settled in the Town of Newburgh where they raised their four children and many pets. Although Ann was a stay-at-home mom, she remained very active in her community and school system. She was president of the PTA and PTO in both East Coldenham Elementary and Valley Central High School where she ran various fundraising events, and was the Chairperson for the Valley Central Scholarship Council's Antique and Arts Show for several years in a row. Ann was active in the Boy and Girls Scouts and was an election poll worker throughout the 1980's and 90's, as well as substitute teaching in East Coldenham when needed. Always willing to do her part, she spent many Saturdays and summer days working the refreshment stand for Little League and High School football games. Summers were spent swimming with her children at Lake Osiris and Camp Robbins.

In the late 1980's Ann started working as a lab technician for the German lightbulb company Osram in Montgomery where her work helped them win an Academy Award! She just gushed with pride when they let her hold that Oscar! She just loved her Osram family and was overjoyed to play Mrs. Claus and the Easter Bunny for all the children at the company's parties. About this time, Ann also joined the Barbershop singing group the Sweet Adelines where she enjoyed traveling to many cities all over the country and performing in shows and competitions. She joined the YWCA and continued her love of swimming.

You can not speak about Ann without describing her as a devoted wife and mother. A woman of great faith, her retirement was spent supporting her husband as he became a Catholic Deacon, visiting her children in Hawaii and California and babysitting her grandchildren. One of her greatest joys was vacationing in Maine with her husband in their later years.

Ann was bright and outgoing. You would be hard pressed to find a photo where her smile wasn't the center of attention. She was a wonderful cook and baker; her Christmas cookies were second to none.

Ann is survived by her husband Don, with whom she would have celebrated 66 years of marriage in April. Her four children, Eric Halter, Donna Chacon (Carlos), Tracy Halter (Heather), and Rachel Taylor (Chris), and grandson Andrew whom she loved like a son.  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Julia, Ian, Elijah, Sophie, Emma, Lucas, Sydney, Jacob, Gavin and Haley. She was excited for the birth of her first great- grandchild due in April 2025.

Ann was predeceased by her parents Andrew and Julia, her sister Florence Snow, and her best friend of over 80 years Grace Charboneau.

She will be remembered by everyone who loved her as simply one of a kind.

Visitation will take place at Brooks Funeral Home on Monday, December 9 from 4 - 7 PM, with a prayer service and Rosary being held at 6:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Lake Chapel on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 AM, followed by burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery.