Gene Francis Kuster died September 20 at his home in Beverwyck retirement community, Slingerlands, NY. Born February 26, 1910 in New York City, he was the son of John Francis Kuster and Caroline (Bracco) Kuster, and the husband of Edna (Iverson) Kuster, his beloved wife for 68 years. He grew up in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, NY and attended Columbia University where he earned a BA from its college in 1932 and an MBA from its Graduate School of Business. He also earned a law degree from Fordham Law School and went on to be admitted to the bar in NY as an attorney at law. Also, he was a certified public accountant in NY. He put this background to use during the thirty-five years he worked for Muir & Co., a NYC firm which counseled and provided services to banks and other financial institutions. He retired from the firm as its vice-president in 1975. Gene met his future wife Edna when both were teenagers and active members of the Lefferts Park Baptist Church in Brooklyn. They married in 1940 and raised three children, first in Brooklyn and then in Tarrytown, NY where they lived for 26 years. They also had a second home in Canaan, NY starting in 1945 and where they lived after retirement from 1975 to 1993. Since 1993 they have lived in the retirement community at Beverwyck in the Town of Bethlehem, NY near Albany. Gene was very active in volunteer work throughout his life particularly in the churches he attended. In his teen years and early twenties, he taught Sunday school, was a member of the Board of Trustees and was the Treasurer at Lefferts Park Baptist Church. At the Second Reformed Church in Tarrytown, he served on the Board of Deacons for 18 years. In retirement, he was an active member of the Canaan (NY) Congregational Church where he was the chairman of the Board of Trustees for most of the fifteen years he served on it. His other volunteer work included serving on and leading the Boards of Directors of the Tarrytown YMCA, the Tarrytown Historical Society and the local Boy Scouts committee. During retirement in Canaan, he was an active member of the Northern Columbia County Rotary club for eighteen years and its president for a term. He served on the Boards of Directors of the Canaan Historical Society, the Columbia County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Berkshire Concert Choir. He tutored troubled boys sent for rehabilitation to the Berkshire Farm Center in Canaan, NY. After moving to Beverwyck, he served on their Residents' Council and was chairman for a term. In 2000, he was honored by the Capital District Senior Issues Forum with a Lifetime Achievement Award for recognition of his many years of volunteer service. Gene loved music. He sang in the choirs of each church he attended. During his college years he sang in the Columbia College Glee Club and played French horn in the college band. In his retirement, he sang in the Berkshire (MA) Concert Choir. In addition to the several concerts this choir held locally each year, he toured with the group when they gave concerts in Austria, Poland and Hungary. He was a volunteer usher for many years for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer seasons at Tanglewood. Until the end of his life, he enjoyed playing the piano and singing at home. Gene had a lifelong love of learning and travel. During his retirement, he and his wife went to over 50 Elderhostel programs in the United States, Canada, and England. They also took many trips on their own to Europe, the Mediterranean countries, and Scandinavia. He particularly loved Northern Italy and Switzerland, areas where his ancestors immigrated from. Another of his passions was playing golf. He started caddying in Bay Ridge Brooklyn as a boy, and taught himself and later his children and grandchildren how to play. He last played golf when he was 92 and was still walking the course. In his later years he remained vibrant and robust and looked and acted much younger than his years. Gene is survived by his wife Edna (Iverson) Kuster; his son Gordon and daughter-in-law Sandi of Orange, CT; his daughter Carole (Kuster) Wortley and son-in-law James Wortley of Ypsilanti, MI; his daughter Joan and his son-in-law Mark Weintraub of Kinderhook, NY; a granddaughter Cheryl (Kuster) Clarke and her husband Kevin of Mechanicsville, VA; a grandson Steven Kuster and his wife Kim of Williamstown, MA; and his five great grandchildren. His marriage and family were the center of his life and he always had time for them and also the many friends he leaves behind. He was a loving, caring person with a great sense of humor and a joy of life. He will be sorely missed. The family would like to thank the six caregivers who have made it possible for Gene and his wife to remain in their home receiving loving care and attention. A private service will be held for them and the immediate family. The family would like to put together a collection of people's favorite memories of Gene. If you wish to share a memory please write to the Kusters, c/o Beverwyck, 40 Autumn Drive, Slingerlands, NY 12159. Contributions to his memory may be made to Columbia University Athletics, PO Box 1523, NY, NY 10277-1937.