Rachel M. Gaston

Rachel M. Gaston, 80, of Union Center Road, Ulster Park, NY, died Monday, January 4, 2010 at Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, NY. She was born November 28, 1929 in Dehra Dun, India, to the late Rev. John and Edna (Childs) Johnson.

Her early education was in the hills of India at the Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India, she returned to the United States near the end of World War II, in August of 1945. She then attended Roberts Junior College near Rochester, NY. She then went to work for IBM in Poughkeepsie from 1948 to 1952.

She was married to Charles C. Gaston; they wed on July 22, 1951, by her father the Rev. John Johnson, in Ossining, NY.

Mrs. Gaston returned to work at SUNY New Paltz in 1968, retiring in 1987. After her retirement she took to her first love which was sewing, she learned to sew starting at the age of 7 and became skilled seamstress, her work was well know throughout the area for all types which she enjoyed doing so much.

In addition to her husband of 58 years, she is survived by her son Douglas Gaston and his wife Sally of Ulster Park, Susan Miller of Ulster Park and John Gaston of Catskill. She was proud to be called Grammie by her 4 granddaughters and one grandson; she also had several nieces and nephews.
She is also survived by 4 brothers, Richard Johnson and his wife Cheryl of Warrenton, VA, Mark Johnson and his wife Charlotte of Hillside Lake, NY, Raymond Johnson and his wife Barbara of Helena, MT and Douglas Johnson and his wife Mary of Virginia Beach, VA.

Entrusted to the care of the Keyser Funeral Service, Inc., 216 Broadway, Port Ewen, a private memorial service will be held at a later date.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Melanoma Research, American Cancer Society, 195 Schwenk Drive, Kingston, NY