Priscilla Staruchowicz

Priscilla E. Staruchowicz, 73, of Downsville passed away July 27 at her home with her family nearby. 

Priscilla was born July 3, 1953, to Denton and Mildred Shields in Margaretville, and lived the first part of her life in Shavertown, before the valley was flooded for the Pepacton Reservoir. The family then moved to Downsville before moving to Saugerties several years later. She graduated from Saugerties High School in 1971 and married Theadore Ziemba the following month.  They moved to Downsville with their two young children, Amber and Denielle, in November 1976. They separated in 1985 and divorced in 1988.

She later met Robert “Stubby” Staruchowicz in 1994, who was her partner in life for the rest of her years. She had worked at Bard Parker in Hancock, assisted Ted in running his ARCO station in Downsville and worked for almost 20 years as a pre-loader for UPS in Parksville.

She is survived by her life partner, Stubby; her children, Amber DiTullio and her husband, Richard, and their children, Thea and Peter, and Denielle Cazzolla and her husband, Michael, and their children, Gabriel and Mikayla “Dave”; her siblings, Sally Braitling and Tom Shields and his wife, Lavonne, and sister-in-law, Beverly Shields; her stepchildren, Janel and Amanda, and their families; her ex-in-laws; John and Laura Ziemba; and numerous nieces and nephews, who knew her as Aunt P.

She was predeceased by her parents; her sister and brother-in-law, Gail and Jerry Stone; and her brother, James Shields.

A gathering to remember Priscilla will be held at 1 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Downsville Fire Hall.  

The family wishes to extend special thanks to Amy Towsley, Michelle and Joe Cazzolla and Helios Care for making her last three wishes, of a hair cut, Dominos and being home possible. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Helios Care in Oneonta, via https://helioscare.org/donate/.