Obituary for Victor "Ron" Gabriel
Victor R. Gabriel “Ron”, 73, of Hudson, passed away December 31, 2020 at Columbia Memorial Hospital. Born July 7, 1947 in Hudson, he is the son of the late Victor and Angela (Viscusi) Gabriel.
Ron was a graduate of Ichabod Crane Central School and SUNY Plattsburgh. He retired after 35 years as a math teacher at ICC, where for many years he served as Boy’s Bowling and Volleyball Coach.
He has been an umpire in Columbia and Greene Counties since 1969. He has served as the NYS High School Rules Interpreter and currently the President of NYS High School Umpire Association. In 2000 he was the recipient of the NYS Umpire of the Year Award.
In 1980, Ron took a hiatus from teaching to attend the Major League Umpire Camp in St. Petersburg, FL. However, upon completion, he realized at the ripe old age of 33, that he was “too old” to expand his horizons at that level of umpiring. He returned home to continue his local and state umpiring duties.
Umpires are only allowed to work 2 Little League World Series in a lifetime including baseball and softball for various age groups. In the late 1990’s he umpired an Eastern Regional game for the Senior League (15-16 year old) calling the game from behind the plate in the final game. In 1998 he did a Senior World Series game in Orlando, FL. In 2006 Ron umpired the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA., one of his proudest umpiring accomplishments. For many years, he was also a soccer referee.
Ron was quite a presence. With a ready smile, twinkle in his eye, and gift of gab, his story telling captivated his audience. An avid Dodgers fan, he was ecstatic with the 2020 World Series victory. He enjoyed his pre Covid weekly card game with the boys at Glencadia Rod & Gun Club, his monthly card game with his Hudson Crew, and his monthly breakfast meetings with his fellow retired ICC teachers.
Ron was a past member of the Kinderhook Elks Club and past member of the Stockport Fire Co.
As a college student, he was pledge master for his fraternity Delta Gamma Delta at SUNY Plattsburgh, and remained active with fraternity reunion events.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughter Jyl Driscoll (Sean) of Poughquag, NY, son Zak Gabriel (Jessie) of Valatie, NY, brother Richard (Mary Ann) of Stockport, NY, sister Roberta Haag (John) of Rochester, NY, four grandchildren, Amara and Andrew Gabriel, and Rian and Gavin Driscoll, along with three nephews, Victor Gabriel of CO, Alex Haag of Rochester, Bradley Haag of GA, and a niece Mia Gabriel of Stockport, and several cousins. Ron is also survived by his significant other and loving partner for almost 40 years, Jeanne Lewicki.
Graveside funeral services at St. Mary’s Stuyvesant Falls Cemetery will be Wednesday January 6, at 2:00pm.
Visitation hours at the Bates & Anderson-Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home will be from 10:00am-1:00pm, prior to graveside.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the Ron Gabriel Scholarship Fund
Ichabod Crane School P.O. Box 602 Kinderhook, NY 12106