ANCRAM–Adrienne Citrin of Ancramdale passed away February 6, 2019, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. The cause was complications from leukemia. Born January 9, 1945, in Brooklyn, NY, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Rose Dinkowitz.
She received a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College, and later married Michael Citrin on October 28, 1968. She then earned a master’s in education at New York University. She worked initially in the New York City school system as a librarian, then as a teacher in grades 4, 5, and 6.
When she and her husband moved to West Hurley, NY, Adrienne began working as a special education teacher in the Onteora School District, where she served for more than 20 years. Adrienne retired in 2000, and she and her husband moved to Ancramdale in February 2001. During their 50 celebrated years of marriage, the Citrins travelled extensively.
They explored the United States and Europe on a motorcycle, as well as on skis and by foot. For many years, they owned and rode horses. An avid sportsperson, Adrienne was active every day, at a yoga class, or often seen walking her dog Riley on the roads near her home.
Adrienne’s contributions to her community were extensive. For the past nine years, she served as the president of Ancramdale Neighbors Helping Neighbors Association, Inc., which she led during its application for, and receipt of, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Neighbors offers weekly fresh, healthy food to a number of families in town (64 people); provides grants to town students for higher education expenses as well as grants to adults for coursework to improve their earning power; gives school supplies to town children in need as well as needed supplies to the town’s three area school systems; provides holiday baskets for area families, including gifts and clothing for children through the annual Adopt-A-Family program; and also jumps in with help, monetary or otherwise, when neighbors are in need for any variety of circumstances.
In addition to her ongoing work for Neighbors, Adrienne helped start and provided financial oversight for the Ancram Kids Summer Camp, where she also arranged for special summer outings and experiences, and even found time to read to campers. She was a member of the Ancram Democratic Committee, and supported local and regional candidates through both donations and hard work, like door-to-door canvassing. She also valued and contributed to diverse organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as the local Roe Jan Library, where she added great value to their annual fund-raising by persuading area vendors and craftspeople to donate services or items of value for silent auction.
And when the Roe Jan Library announced its annual fundraising Dine-Around list of restaurants, you could count on an email from Adrienne with information about each date and place — she personally made sure the restaurants were filled with patrons to benefit the library. Adrienne and her beloved yellow Labrador Retriever Riley participated in the Good Dog program, visiting the Astor Home in Rhinebeck, NY, for more than nine years. In addition, Adrienne and her husband Michael supported efforts such as the fund-raising for glass doors at the Ancram Fire Company, and they attended just about every fundraiser for the Fire Company, plus fundraisers for many local events and organizations, like the Ancramdale Presbyterian Church’s annual St. Patrick’s celebration dinner with corned beef and cabbage.
Adrienne is survived by her husband Michael, her sister Marilynn Weintraub and husband Leonard, niece Heidi Weintraub Lindheim and husband Jerry, nephew Brad Weintraub and wife Tracy Davis, great-nieces Jordan and Alana Kopelson and great-nephew Adam Weintraub, sister-in-law Ruth Nelson and husband Ed, nephew Eric Citrin, and niece Lisa Kalmanson and husband Andy, and great-nephew Zachary and great-niece Mia. Plus, many, many children of friends of Adrienne’s happily called her “Aunt Adrienne”. She was unique, with energy and love and commitment and the organizational skills to get a lot done for the good of society.
She was truly someone who left the earth a better place than she found it, and she will be missed and remembered by many — one hopes that her example will inspire those who loved her to follow in her footsteps and give back to their communities as she gave so much to hers.
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