Connell, Dow & Deysenroth, Inc.Funeral Home: December 2024

Reid T. Nagelschmidt

1977 - 2024

COOPERSTOWN – Reid T. Nagelschmidt, a life-long resident of Cooperstown who was well-known as a local barber, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully Wednesday, December 4, 2024. A beloved son, father, brother, uncle and nephew, he was 47.

Born April 3, 1977, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, Reid Thomas Nagelschmidt was the son of Stephen F. “Sharky” Nagelschmidt and Cynthia Anne (Williams) Nagelschmidt.

Raised in the family home on Brooklyn Avenue, Reid attended Cooperstown Central School where he excelled in basketball and baseball and graduated with the Class of 1995. During his high school years, Reid played three years on the Varsity Basketball Team, and was named an All Star and served as Team Captain. At the end of his high school basketball career, he was one of only seven male basketball players in CCS history to score more than 1,000 points. He was also a standout baseball player for the Redskins, and throughout his high school years was named an All Star, MVP, and was Captain of the team. Reid held school records for most RBIs and strikeouts pitching in a career, with 71 and 202 respectively. In September 2011, he was inducted into the Cooperstown Central School Athletic Hall of Fame.

After graduating from high school, Reid attended St. Bonaventure University where he received a scholarship to play Division I baseball. His Bonnie teammates were a great group of guys that he remembered fondly. He later attended SUNY Oneonta, and then attended BOCES where he earned a certificate as a master barber. This became his true calling, and Reid became well-known in the community for his skills as a barber. His first place was his own barber shop in Fly Creek and he was currently applying his trade at Hair Junction on Railroad Avenue with his friend and business partner, Jeanette.

As a lifelong resident of Cooperstown, and a local barber, Reid crossed paths with so many. His childhood friendships were strong and lasting, and many of those friends became like family. Reid had friends that were half his age and twice his age, old friends, new friends, just passing through town friends. Life was meant for good friends and great adventures, and Reid had many.

Reid devoted his life to being a loving father to his children that filled his heart with so much joy. His Alli May, Moo Moo and Bo were his everything. He passed on his love of sports to his children and spent countless hours shooting hoops, playing catch, hitting flyballs, teaching Bode how to throw a bowling ball, and watching Alli, Madi and Helena practice their cartwheels, often being asked to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10. Reid was a great girl dad.

Reid’s bond with Bode was unbreakable; they would take their breaks from all things girly and escape to a river, lake, or pond to enjoy some father son time doing what they loved together, fishing for the big one.

We are grateful for the memory that Bode will cherish forever; when his wish to go to a Yankee game with his dad came true, and they attended game 1 of the ALDS in October. Yankee fans forever!

Reid loved coaching Bode’s baseball team and Alli’s softball team. It brought his joy watching the kids have fun playing the sport he loved so much. He was thankful for those opportunities.

Reid will be remembered as a funny guy, a gentle giant of a person, for his love of the game, as an outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing, and for being a wonderful father to his three children.

Reid is survived by his daughter, Allison May Nagelschmidt and twins Madison Helen and Bode Robert Nagelschmidt, and their mother, Catherine Allison Nagelschmidt; his parents, Stephen “Sharky” and Cynthia Nagelschmidt of Cooperstown; his sister, Brooke Nagelschmidt of Cooperstown and her daughter, Reid’s beloved niece Helena Rosalea Betancourt; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Family and friends may call and pay their respects from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 12, 2024, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, with Fr. Michael Cambi, pastor, officiating. Immediately following the Mass there will be a reception in the Parish Hall.

Burial will be private at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts may be made to Cooperstown Youth Baseball and Softball, PO Box 282, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Reid’s family would also appreciate contributions to his children’s 529 college savings plan established by Sharky and Cynthia Nagelschmidt. Please make checks payable to Stephen F. Nagelschmidt, 142 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Richard M. McCaffery

1952 - 2024

COOPERSTOWN – Richard M. McCaffery, who led a life devoted to community service, especially to the Cooperstown community, entered into eternal life Monday night, December 2, 2024, at Chestnut Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Oneonta. He was 72.

Born April 22, 1952, in Greenport, Rich was one of three sons of John Arthur McCaffery and Marie (Schiavoni) McCaffery. Raised on Long Island, he graduated from high school and then attended Cornell University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Adult Education and Community Development. Later in life he returned to Cornell where he earned a Master of Science degree in 2005. During his years at Cornell, he took part in numerous professional development courses including organizational and personnel management, positive youth development, volunteer recruitment, training, recognition and evaluation, marketing, fund development and staff skills in inclusiveness, adaptability, self development, communication, teamwork, community action, stewardship and motivation. The skills he learned and developed served him well throughout his life, both professionally and in his volunteer activities.

After graduating from Cornell University in 1974, he came to Cooperstown to work for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Otsego County, and served as the Cooperative Extension Educator and Team Coordinator until retiring in 2007. During his years there Rich was responsible for overall management of the Otsego County 4-H Youth Development Program, including staff and volunteer management, program development and new initiatives, fund and marketing coordination and was liaison to community collaborators. He was the primary contact for the Cornell Cooperative Extension Nominating Committee, the Fund Development Committee, the Building & Grounds Committee and Cornell Cooperative Extension Membership Development.

In his retirement, Rich was a freelance consultant to human service not-for-profit organizations. From September of 2008 until 2014 he worked with the Bassett Healthcare Network as a community educator for injury prevention as well as public health initiatives. During this time he developed Safe Kids of Otsego County, which was part of a worldwide educational network that is the first and only international nonprofit organization dedicated solely to preventing unintentional childhood injury. He served on the Safe Kids Coalition of Otsego County Board of Directors from 1995-2014. Rich also worked at The Fly Creek Cider Mill as a greeter and marketing outreach coordinator from 2008 until 2011.

Rich always found time for volunteer work, and was a model for community service, especially in his beloved Cooperstown, receiving many awards and recognitions throughout his life.

Soon after he moved to Cooperstown, Rich became a member of the Lions Club of Cooperstown and during his almost 50 years of active and dedicated membership served as Club President, Secretary, Public Relations Chair, Speaker Coordinator, and in 2010 organized the New York State Department of Transportation Adopt-A-Highway clean-up program for the Club. He truly lived up to the motto of Lions Club International: “We Serve.” In 2010, he was a recipient of the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award for Community Service and in recognition of generous humanitarian work was a recipient in June of 2016 of a Melvin Jones Fellowship, given in honor of Melvin Jones, the founder of Lions Clubs International.

In 1975, Rich was instrumental in organizing the “Red Coats,” the volunteer assistance program at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital. He was also a Service Excellence volunteer at the hospital from 2005-2013.

Rich truly loved Cooperstown. He was always passionate about the Cooperstown Winter Carnival, serving on the committee from 1977-1979, and as chair of the event in 1978, 2018 and 2019. He was also a co-founder in 1983 of the Cooperstown Community Christmas Committee, served on the Village of Cooperstown Parks Commission beginning in 1998, the Cooperstown Friends of the Parks, Inc. Board of Directors from 2005-2007, the Village of Cooperstown Corridor (underground wiring) task force from 2006-2007, the Village of Cooperstown Bicentennial Committee from 2006-2007, the Cooperstown Pedestrian Safety Committee from 2008-2009, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Cooperstown Village Library from 2011-2014 and in 2014 became a member of the Village of Cooperstown Library Board of Trustees. He was the first coordinator of the Cooperstown Lakefront Concert Series which he started in 2005 and continues to this day. Rich also created and served as the volunteer coordinator of the Adopt-A-Fire Hydrant and Adopt-A-Drain program in 2015, and was the volunteer recruiter and coordinator for regular cleaning of litter, weeds and leaves in the 37 rain gardens on Main Street.

Since 1979, Rich was a member of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, and served on its Board of Directors as Secretary, Executive Vice President and President from 1979-1986 and 2000-2007, and was on its Strategic Planning Committee from 2006-2009.

In recognition of his service to the Cooperstown community, he was the recipient in 2000 of the Community Citizen of the Year award and in 2012 was the recipient of the Outstanding Community Service Award by the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce. He was also a recipient in June 2016 of a Gold Lifetime Museum Pass by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2011, Rich established a Leadership Scholarship for Cooperstown High School graduates pursuing an advanced course of study in community development, organizational leadership, volunteer development and hospitality and tourism.

On the county level, Rich served as a member of the Otsego Council on Human Services from 1979-2007, serving as Chair in 1992 and 1993. He also served as President of the Board of Directors from 1983 until 1990 of the Otsego County Tourism Bureau, during which time the County Bed Tax was instituted, and was on the Otsego County Bed Tax Grant Review Committee in 2008 and 2009. He was marketing and publicity consultant in 2007 and 2008 for Otsego Manor, and from 1990-1993 served on the Opportunities for Otsego, Inc. Nutrition Program for the Elderly Advisory Council. Starting in 2008 he served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Glimmerglass State Park and the Board of Directors of the Susquehanna SPCA serving as Vice President and Secretary, and in 2007 began serving on the Board of Directors of the Executive Service Corps and was Chair of its Board in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 he received the Unsung Hero Award as a Renaissance Volunteer sponsored by The Daily Star and in 2013 was named Conservationist of the Year by the Otsego County Conservation Association.

Rich is survived by his wife of 45 years, Deb of Cooperstown; two grandchildren, Noah and Layla; a brother and sister-in-law, William and Terry McCaffery of Laurel Springs, North Carolina; and two nephews, Robert and Thomas.

He was predeceased by his son Jeremy in 2018; father “Arty” in 1976; mother Marie in 2005; brother Joe in 2019; stepfather Horace Corwin in 2012; and nephew Bruce in 1985.

In keeping with Rich’s instructions and wishes, there will be no services or gathering.

Please remember Rich for his dedication to community service and follow his example. And don’t forget his signature wit and sometimes not so subtle sarcasm. Smile, and know that he is at peace.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Brian A. Alexander

1951 - 2024

COOPERSTOWN – Brian A. Alexander, Visiting Professor of Museum Administration at the Cooperstown Graduate Program (CGP), whose career was devoted to the management and leadership of cultural institutions as well as mentoring students in this field, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday night, November 27, 2024, at Albany Medical Center. A beloved husband, father, son, brother, brother-in-law, and educator, he was 73.

Born March 25, 1951, in Peoria, Illinois, Brian was one of four children of Arnold George Alexander and Norma Jean (née Hoffman) Alexander. Raised in Bellevue, he earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Illinois, Springfield. He later earned a Certificate in Museum Management from the University of Colorado.

Brian worked in the museum field for 48 years, beginning his career as a Lincoln scholar in Illinois. Among other positions, he served as President and CEO of the National World War I Museum; President and CEO of the Historic Annapolis Foundation; Executive-Vice President and Director of the Shelburne Museum; Museum Director for the North Dakota Heritage Center; Senior Curator for the Historic Sites Program of Fairfax County, Virginia; and Historic Site Superintendent for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. He served on numerous AAM Accreditation Visiting Committees, as faculty for the Seminar for Historical Administration, and as a consultant for the AAM Museum Assessment Program. He was also a trustee of the American Association for State and Local History, and a Grants Reviewer/Panelist for IMLS, NEH and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Professor Alexander taught classes in museum administration, governance, finance, strategic planning, fundraising and cultural entrepreneurship. It gave him great joy to mentor the next generation of museum leaders at one of the preeminent programs in the country, sharing his varied professional experiences with students. He had many of those as a museum professional from couriering fine art to major museums in Europe, working with Sothebys, testifying before Congress, and advocating for the museums he served.

He loved a good cigar or pipe and a glass of Scotch sitting on the porch of his Cooperstown home, talking with passersby on their way to the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Brian is survived by his wife of 36 years whom he loved very much, Audrey Porsche, of Cooperstown; his mother, Norma Alexander of Bellevue, Illinois; his children of whom he was so proud, Sarah Alexander, Mark Alexander, Jason Alexander, Peter Alexander and wife, Anna Landskroener and Christian Alexander. He is further survived by his sister-in-law, Janet Porsche and brother-in-law, John Hyde, and siblings, Debbie Bateson, George Alexander, and Brenda Strong and husband, Wayne.

He was predeceased by his father, Arnold Alexander.

A celebration of Brian’s life will be held at the Cooperstown Graduate Program at 5838 State Route 80, Cooperstown.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in Brian’s memory to the SUNY Oneonta Foundation to help establish the Brian Alexander Scholarship in Museum Administration. To donate, go to https://suny.oneonta.edu/give, and when selecting which fund to support, choose "other" and type in "Brian Alexander Scholarship." Or mail in a check payable to the Division of University Advancement, Alumni Hall, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta, NY 13820.

The Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown is assisting the Alexander Family.