COOPERSTOWN – Ursula Jane Hage, 87 of Cooperstown, passed away in her home surrounded by her
loving family. For the past 35 years she resided on Pioneer Street in
Cooperstown with her husband, Charles T. Hage.
Ursula was born in Syracuse on May 7, 1939, the
daughter of Lewis and Alma Hanifin. The youngest of four siblings, including
Patricia, Alma, and Lewis, she attended Holy Name in Springfield, MA before her
family moved to Fort Plain when she was 13 years old. They moved into a home on
Center Street, where she became neighbors and life-long friends with Charles
Hage. After graduating from Fort Plain High School, Ursula attended Mercy
School of Nursing in Springfield, MA and became a Registered Nurse. She
continued her education, taking courses at Syracuse University, University of
Rochester, SUNY Brockport and SUNY Empire State College, receiving a Bachelor
of Science and Masters of Science in Public Administration.
After many years of friendship, Charles and Ursula
married on August 4, 1962, at St. James Church in Fort Plain.
Following her schooling, Ursula began working as a
public health nurse for Rensselaer County. Charles and Ursula then moved to
Lancaster, CA, where she continued her career in public health for the County
of Los Angeles, primarily providing healthcare to families of migrant farm
workers. Returning to New York State, Ursula devoted 20 years of service to
Monroe County, managing child and adolescent programs for students in the
Rochester City School District. She was the union representative for the Monroe
Country Department of Public Health Nursing Services Division, where she
successfully negotiated higher wages for public health nurses.
She was a member of the League of Women’s Voters of
Rochester, University Club of Rochester, and the Tennis Club of Rochester.
After moving to Cooperstown, Ursula became an integral
member of the community. She conducted grant research on Youth Smoking and
Nutrition, and helped establish Bassett Medical Center’s UpClose Cardiac
Surgery Program, an education initiative servicing the area’s rural school
districts. She was an avid supporter of the Friends of Bassett, the Cooperstown
Graduate Program and The Glimmerglass Festival, and was a member of the Lake
& Valley Garden Club, The Guild of Glimmerglass Festival, The Fenimore
Society, and The Cooperstown Country Club. She was an enthusiast of outdoor
activities, including tennis, ice skating, skiing, running, biking, swimming in
Otsego Lake, and long walks with her dog, Rose. Ursula enjoyed countless hours
working in her gardens and talking with visitors, often receiving recognition
for her flowers and plantings. She would often say the most beautiful color
combinations come from nature. Ursula commissioned a painting of her family,
which depicts her spouse, children, and grandchildren on Otsego Lake to
celebrate the love and joy they all share together.
Ursula is survived by her husband Charles, her devoted
children, Eric and Noelle (Fay) Hage, Daniel and Nalini (Sehdev) Hage, and
Maureen (Hage) and Matthew Schuermann, along with her nine beloved
grandchildren, John, Ann, Michael, Margaret, Lyla, Mary, Meagan, Melissa, and
Caroline. Ursula was a wonderful grandmother and never forgot a birthday or
holiday. Her warm, wonderful humor will be greatly missed.
Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Bassett, 1
Atwell Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326; The Cooperstown
Graduate Program, PO Box 4, Cooperstown, NY
13326; Fenimore Art Museum, PO Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326; The Guild of Glimmerglass Festival, PO
Box 491, Cooperstown, NY 13326; and Helios Care, 297 River Street Service
Road, Suite 1, Oneonta, NY 13820.
A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of
Ursula J. Hage will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, at St.
Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. The Mass
will be presided over by Father Jason Hage of the Diocese of Syracuse. The
Service of Committal and Burial will follow at Fort Plain Cemetery. Family
and friends are also warmly invited to join in remembering Ursula and
celebrating her life at a reception at the Cooperstown Country Club from 1 to 3
p.m. on Friday afternoon. All are welcome.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the
Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
