Died: December 31, 2006
Married: Joe Drutz
Children: JoAnne Balzar, Jean Nesbitt, Deborah Clinch
Beatrice LaPlante Drutz was a beloved employee of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise for 35 years until her retirement in the Spring of 1999; she served as librarian and assistant to the publisher.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 2, 2007
Beatrice A. Drutz
SARANAC LAKE-- Beatrice A. Drutz, 85, formerly of Saranac Lake, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006 at her daughter's home in Plattsburgh with her family by her side.
Born Sept. 6, 1921 in Saranac Lake, she was the daughter of Edgar and Anna (Gebo) LaPlante. She married Joseph Drutz on April 27, 1942 in Saranac Lake.
Mrs. Drutz was a lifelong resident of Saranac Lake and had been employed at the Adirondack Daily Enterprise as a secretary and librarian until her retirement in 2000. Prior to that she had worked with her husband Joe at Drutz Fine Food and taught second grade at St. Bernard's School in Saranac Lake.
Bea was a very active volunteer at the Saranac Lake Free Library. She worked at the Antique Show and Sale each year. She had been a member of the Women's Civic Chamber, the Women of the Elks, the Saranac Lake Duplicate Bridge Club, the Saranac Lake Golf Club and a Girl Scout leader. She also offered her typing services to the “Pack Basket,” a Saranac Lake Central School District newspaper.
Bea was very active at St. Bernard's Church where she belonged to the Mother's Club, Catholic Daughters of America, CFM (Christian Family and Movement) RCIA.
She is survived by three daughters: JoAnne Balzar and her husband Bill of Laredo, Texas, Jean Nesbitt of Plattsburgh and Deborah Clinch of Auburn; six grandchildren: Beth Balzar and her husband Alberto, Amy Harvey and her husband Richard, Thomas Nesbitt and his wife Ellen, Jill Nesbitt, Christen Clinch and Melanie Phillips and her husband Todd; four great-grandchildren: Jackson Harvey, Miguel Nesbitt and Wyatt and Todd Phillips; a sister-in-law, Bess Redmond arid two cousins: Alburn Hathaway and Ernest Gebo.
She was predeceased by her husband on Dec. 30, 1975.
Calling hours will be held from 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at I p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 at St. Bernard's Church in Saranac Lake. Burial will follow in St. Bernard's Cemetery.
Friends wishing to remember Bea may make memorial donations to the Saranac Lake Free Library, the North Country Association for the Blind or the charity of one's choice in care of the funeral home.