William Bischoff Jr. (1951-2019)
William E. Bischoff Jr., 67, of Cold Spring, died Feb. 16, 2019, at NewYork Presbyterian-Hudson Valley Hospital.
Born May 28, 1951, in Peekskill, he was the son of William and Emily (Brown) Bischoff.
William grew up in Buchanan and graduated from Hendrick Hudson Schools. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy serving from 1971 to 1974. He was assigned to the USS Dale. He was employed at Con Edison as Mechanic A Sub Station Maintenance. He was also an avid ham radio collector.
He is survived by his son: David Tompkins (Kris) of Garrison and Daniel Wayne Bischoff of Cold Spring; and his grandchildren Scarlet Spagna and Daniel Bischoff Jr. He also is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Benedict of Beacon.
A service was held at the Clinton Funeral Home in Cold Spring on Feb. 20, with interment with military honors following at Hillside Cemetery in Cortlandt Manor.
Julie Burggraf (1945-2019)
Julie Rose Burggraf, 73, of Milford, Delaware, and formerly of Cold Spring, died Feb. 6, 2019, from complications of dementia.
Born July 10, 1945, in Elmhurst, Queens, she was the daughter of Patrick and Katherine (Walsh) Bowers. She married Christopoher Burggraf in 1970 and the couple settled in Cold Spring.
Julie wanted to be a nurse from a young age, but work, marriage and family diverted her. But when her two daughters were old enough, she started a progression from home health aide to licensed practical nurse.
At the same time, Julie took in her parents, caring for them until their deaths in 1982 and 1984. Her husband Christopher, a combat-injured Vietnam veteran, also required care until his death in 1997. Under the mentorship of senior V.A. nurses and licensed practical nurses, Julie worked steadily toward her goal, winning the VA Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Nursing in 1990. She often observed that she’d mastered her practical training as a nurse – doing all the tough procedures – at home, long before she read about them in nursing textbooks. She passed the nursing board exams at age 50, and continued working at the V.A. hospital in Montrose for another 15 years until her retirement in 2010.
Julie inspired her daughter Karen to become a nurse, and would go on, after retirement, to teach her sister Christine, a certified nursing assistant, many valuable lessons and finer points about being a caregiver. Julie lived in Cold Spring until 2016, when she moved to Delaware.
Julie delighted her VA co-workers with a wicked, sarcastic, Irish sense of humor that could find a laugh in any ghastly situation. Yet she was unfailingly devoted to her nursing teams and the welfare of her patients. She made many great friends at the Montrose VA, staying in touch with regular holiday messages.
After moving to Delaware, she became a favorite among her care staff at Milford Place, entertaining them with witty observations about life and activities there, and stories about Ireland. She never forgot her nursing instincts, often helping other residents.
Though always delighted to receive praise, Julie wasn’t convinced that she lived a life of consequence to others, and would be gently surprised that she left so many in grief at her passing, yet so very grateful to have known her.
Julie is survived by her daughters Karen Jeannotte (Neville) and Clare Alves (Mike); her grandchildren Matthew, Aiden and Christopher Jeannotte, and Caitlin and Ryder Alves; a sister, Christine Bowers, a brother, Edward Bowers (Janet); and a sister-in-law Judy Burggraf.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Loretto, 24 Fair St., in Cold Spring, with interment to follow at Cold Spring Cemetery.
