Obituary of Kenneth Folster

Kenneth Folster of Red Hook, NY died on Thursday June 15, 2023 at Vassar Brothers Hospital. 

Born in Beacon on January 23, 1927 he was the son of Felix T. and Helen Brown Folster.  

He was an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow.

He graduated from Wappingers Central High School in 1944.  In 1950 he graduated from SUNY, Oswego with a BS in industrial arts education. He was a member of Epsilon Pi Tau Honor Society.  In 1957 he received a MA degree in education from N.Y.U. He also studied at Fordham University on a National Science Foundation Fellowship.

He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He earned the American Theatre Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal and the Victory Medal.

On September 6, 1947 he married Betty Owen Folster in St. Mary’s Church in the city of Poughkeepsie. Betty died June 10, 2006

He was employed by the Arlington High School for 39 years; 18 years as a teacher of industrial arts and 21 years as Assistant Principal. After retiring in 1989, he was a nationally recognized traditional craftsman producing Windsor chairs and traditional woodcarvings.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Church in Poughkeepsie many years and, more recently, St. Christopher’s Church in Red Hook. While at St Mary’s he was a Reader, Eucharistic Minister, A member of the church’s first Parish Council, and served on the Council’s Education Committee.

He was a volunteer with the Dutchess County Historical Society.

He is survived by 12 children: Bill, Mary and her husband William Kniffen, Thomas, Patricia, Joan Greene, Kathleen and her husband Frank Dunlavey, Laurie and her husband Ron Peterson, Dan and his wife Amanda, Michael and his wife Polly, John, Timothy and his wife Jody, and Robert and his wife Cathy.

He is also survived by  grandchildren: Michelle “Mitzy” Farrell and her husband Pete, Christopher Folster  and his wife Katrina, Karen Folster Lesperance and her husband Jeff, Katie Kniffen, Emily Sanders and her husband Dan, Sarah Kniffen, Maya Kniffen, Melissa Folster, Brendon Brancato-Folster and his wife Theresa, Erin McCurty,  Lola Lauridsen and her husband Bob, Levi Greene, Maria Greene, Julia Dunlavey, Caitlin Puiatti and her husband Nick, Kristin Peterson, Matt Peterson, Brittany Witkowski and her husband Mike, Daniel Folster, Lexi Folster, Alina Folster, Kayleigh Folster, Aiden Folster, and Skyler Folster.

Also, great-grandchildren Katielyn Lauridsen, Jared Wigdor, Miranda Lesperance, Quinn Lesperance, Ethan Lauridsen, Jared Lauridsen, Devyn Brancato-Folster, Sophie Tomlins, Riley Blum, Charleigh Brancato-Folster Ryleigh Brancato-Folster, Hudson Greene, Finnley Greene, Danny Sanders, Bingham Greene, Lily Folster, Luke Witkowski, Noah Sanders, Wyatt Puiatti, and Logan Witkowski.

In addition to his wife and parents he was predeceased by his siblings: Helen Oleta Andros, F. Leonard Folster, William H. Folster, P. Clifford Folster and F. Leslie Folster, his grandchild Jennifer Folster, daughter-in-law Susan Folster, and son-in-law Richard Greene.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday June 21, 2023 from 4pm to 8pm at the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, Inc., 371 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, Church Street Poughkeepsie on Thursday 10am June 22, 2023. Followed by internment in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dutchess Outreach or The Alzheimer’s Association.