Obituary of Alice M Burdick

Alice M. (Folts) Burdick, 92 of Dansville, NY passed away peacefully on September 17th at Livingston County Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Born at the Dansville hospital in 1931, the daughter of Erwin and Helen (Rynders) Folts. She grew up in Cohocton and graduated from Cohocton Central School in 1948. Alice attended Syracuse University where she majored in English, Science and Early Childhood Education. After graduating in 1952, she taught for one year in North Syracuse before moving to Randolph, NY. With her family she moved to Dansville in 1956. She taught for 2 years in the Canaseraga district and then spent 28 years impacting countless lives of 1st and 2nd graders in Dansville. Alice wasn't known for sitting still, so while teaching she helped with marketing and product development in the family businesses – Burdick Associates and Shapes, Etc. Alice retired from teaching in 1989 and began her tireless volunteer efforts to advocate for the beautification and preservation of the Dansville community. She was a chairperson, board member and member of several different organizations in the area. The Revitalization Committee, the Dansville Business Association, the Dansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Promotions and Marketing Committee, the Landmark Society of Western New York, the Dansville Historical Society, the West Sparta Historical Society, Clara Barton Chapter #1 of the American Red Cross, and several festival committees. Alice was best known for her instrumental work in procuring one of the first block grants that provided Main Street building owners with funds to repair building facades. She worked to get the Main Street Central Business District and many other buildings on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places. Many will remember her walking up and down the streets getting people to participate in community festivals, especially Winter in the Village, of which she was one of the founding members. In 2015 Alice received several awards for her community and preservation efforts. The Landmark Society – Paul Malo Award, American Red Cross Founder's Award, and she was part of the inaugural class, inducted to Dansville's Wall of Pride. If you wanted to know what was happening in the greater Dansville area – history, politics, business, or tourism you could ask Alice. Her networking initiatives through countless public programs and dinner meetings have connected people from all areas. She held many lunches to encourage Ted Jackson to write The Castles on the Hill book. Many people can attest to getting signed up for various committees by Alice, sometimes without even knowing they had said yes. Alice never stopped learning, she was an avid card maker, played countless instruments, and was always reading something. She took up texting and learned to use an iPad in her 80s. Many can attest to getting texts or messages throughout the night as she never slept. She wore out many pocket radios as she would listen to talk radio while she "slept" and surfed Pinterest. Alice was the kind of person that would learn your life story the first time you met her and she will be deeply missed by all her friends and family. Alice was predeceased by her parents Erwin and Helen (Rynders) Folts and her son John Burdick. She is survived by her daughter Susan (Randy) DeMuth, grandchildren Kate (Ryan) Stephens, Ben (Sandrine) DeMuth, and Will (Jess) DeMuth, great-grandchildren Emmanuel, John, and Violet and ex husband Al (Mimi) Burdick. A private family funeral service was held at her request. A public celebration of life will be held in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Alice's memory to the Landmark Society of Western New York or the Dansville Area Historical Society.