Gertrude "Marion" Warnecke

Gertrude “Marion” Loeffler Warnecke, 91, of Glenford, NY, met her Lord and Savior face to face on August 12, 2025. She was born on May 19,1934 in Kingston, NY to George Loeffler and Emma Bigler Loeffler, and was the youngest of three children. She is pre-deceased by her loving husband, Calvin Herbert Warnecke, and is survived by their three children, Calvin Warnecke (Janet) of Kerrville, TX, Cindy Scherry (Stephen) of Stone Ridge, NY, and Gail Bamford (Timothy) of Greer, SC. Marion also leaves six grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. 

Aside from her devotion to family, her greatest joy was serving the Lord through music. She learned to play piano at age 12 when her father returned home from WW2 with fifty dollars reserved for Marion’s “new” used piano. She quickly learned to play and became a church pianist in her early teen years. Through the encouragement of her aunt and uncle, Marion attended the Reformed Church of the Comforter where she came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through Christian Endeavor Youth Group. Marion continued to serve through music for well over seventy-five years! 

While attending Kingston High School Marion worked at the New York Telephone Company as an operator, a career she continued through her young adulthood. When IBM established offices in Kingston in 1954, Marion was hired as a switchboard operator and held that position until starting a family in 1956. After raising her children, Marion was employed by Phoenicia Elementary School as a Teacher’ s Aide. She worked for 22 years until retirement in 1991.

Early on, Marion had a great passion for sewing, having creatively clothed her family, and styled her home. In retirement Marion joined the Witlwyck Quilters Guild through which she designed and constructed innumerable artistic quilts. Many of these were entered into competitions where they earned high honors and awards. Additionally she found great pleasure in sewing costumes and clothing for her grandchildren, Sunday School kids, neighbors and friends. 

From the very start of their marriage on July 24, 1955, Cal and Marion Warnecke faithfully served Jesus. After the construction of their home in Glenford, NY in 1958, they established a home church in their basement. When the congregation outgrew the space the Warneckes helped to plant the Vly Chapel in Stone Ridge,NY. No matter what church she attended, Marion played piano or organ. Even into the last months of her life, Marion served weekly at Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Rhinebeck where she was a long time member.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401, where family and friends may visit on Monday, August 18th, 2025 from 4pm to 7pm. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 at 11am at Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 6959 US-9, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. Burial will follow at Wiltwyck Cemetery, 205 West O’Reilly St., Kingston, NY 12401. For those who wish, contributions in Marion’s memory may be made to Grace Bible Fellowship Church. A tribute can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for her family.