Senate Resolution No. 1929

BY: Senator STEC

CONGRATULATING Mr. and Mrs. Albert Oudekerk upon
the occasion of celebrating their 75th Wedding
Anniversary on June 19, 2024

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes great pleasure in paying
tribute to flourishing marriages that have stood the test of time and
serve as a paradigm for present and future generations; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to congratulate
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Oudekerk upon the occasion of their 75th Wedding
Anniversary to be celebrated at the Queensbury Hotel in Queensbury, New
York, on Saturday, June 22, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Albert F. Oudekerk and Eleanor H. Harris were married at
Bay Road Presbyterian Church in Queensbury, New York, on June 19, 1949;
and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk settled in Queensbury where
they raised five children; from this union, the honored couple were
blessed with 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and one
great-great-grandson; and

WHEREAS, In 1969, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk relocated their family
to Auburn, New York, returning to Eleanor's family home in Queensbury in
1986 where they still reside; and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk enjoy celebrating life events
and momentous occasions with their family and friends near and far; and

WHEREAS, Albert enjoys bowling, playing darts, reading, and
puttering around the house and on the golf course, and Eleanor's
passions are writing, reading, genealogy, gardening, and quilting; and

WHEREAS, Together, they have made numerous memories while traveling
around the United States and abroad; they have been active in local
community groups, social organizations, and their church; and

WHEREAS, Albert Oudekerk is a World War II United States Army Air
Force veteran who served in Guam; he pursued a career in industrial
chemical sales for the food industry, valuing long-lasting relationships
with numerous customers; as a person who enjoys association with others,
he was well-suited to such a vocation; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Oudekerk attended college while raising her family,
graduating from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in
Consumer Economics and Housing degree in 1975; after obtaining her
credentials, she worked as a Research Associate at her alma mater; and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk have been active members of the
Queensbury Senior Center (QSC) since their return in the 1980s; both
have volunteered their time and talents and served as board members; in
2009, Eleanor was named QSC's Volunteer of the Year, and Albert was
awarded the same title in 2014; and


WHEREAS, Throughout her lifetime, Eleanor Oudekerk has been
committed to political and community affairs; she has served as
Executive Director of a senior residence for women; she was the first
employee of the Queensbury Senior Center, and in July of 1988, she was
employed as its PT Coordinator, the role she filled until 1992; and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk are, and always have been, a
tower of strength, support, understanding, and limitless love for their
family and friends; and

WHEREAS, Their love, devotion, caring, sensitivity, and
responsiveness to their family, friends, and all who know them are their
hallmark and tradition; and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk have lived and continue to live
their lives with great dignity and genuine grace, always demonstrating a
deep and continuing concern for human values and ideals, and in so
doing, they have inspired others to do the same; and

WHEREAS, This meaningful occasion is the result of the love, hard
work, and spirit this couple has invested in their happy marriage;
celebrating with Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk are their children, Richard
and Sue Oudekerk, Doug Oudekerk and Pam Christensen, Lynne Oudekerk and
Dan Harrison, Lori Hinman and Eric Foradori, and Claudia and Bob Shilo;
and

WHEREAS, They have passed these same values to their loved ones,
producing a family that is close-knit and supportive of its individual
members, public-minded in its relations to the community, and committed
to the ideals of citizenship upon which this Nation was founded; and

WHEREAS, Albert and Eleanor Oudekerk have touched the lives of their
family and many friends through the shining example of their marriage,
which is a testament to their devotion and admiration for each other;
and

WHEREAS, The longevity of this enduring marriage truly marks a
milestone in life's journey, an event of personal triumph and joy; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that, when an
occasion of such importance is brought to our attention, the same should
be memorialized by us for the edification and emulation of others; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Albert Oudekerk upon the occasion of their
75th Wedding Anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Oudekerk.