ITHACA – Leon (Pete) Aldrich, age 89, of Ithaca, died at the home of his son, Stephen Aldrich, in Hyde Park, surrounded by family, on March 17, 2010, after a brief illness.
Born July 10, 1920 in Guilford to Earl and Gladys McNitt Aldrich, Pete attended schools in Guilford and Norwich, and worked on the family farms on Aldrich Road. As a young man, he traveled West to Alaska and Washington State, where he worked on commercial fishing boats to fund his passion for big game hunting.
On March 9, 1949 he married Grace Winters of Oxford. They lived in Ithaca, where they raised their six children and together operated first a large, successful poultry farm, and later a modern, state-of-the-art dairy farm which drew international attention for its ground-breaking design. The farm, Winteridge, won Cornell University's recognition as “Dairy Of Distinction” and broke all state records for milk production. His partner and wife of 61 years, Grace Aldrich, died five days after her husband on March 22nd.
Pete will especially be remembered for his love of the Lord, and his ardent interest in politics, world events and golf. Most of all, those who knew Pete knew of his love of hunting.
Survivors include his six children, Kathy Aldrich of Staatsburg, NY, Mary Hamilton of Nashville, Tenn., Margaret Robble and her husband, Michael, of Denver, Colo., Stephen Aldrich and his wife, Margie, of Hyde Park, Nancy Willits and her husband, Gary, of Franklin, Tenn., and Peter Aldrich of Nashville, Tenn; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Irene Weeks, and Sandra Melville and her husband, Dean; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pete was preceded in death by his sisters, Gertrude (Trudi) Godfrey, Ruby Crispell, and Virginia Phetteplace.
There are no calling hours.
A combined funeral service for Pete and his wife will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 27 at the Reach Out Church, 241 Crum Elbow Rd., Hyde Park.
Burial and graveside services will be on May 15, 2010 in his family plot at Evergreen Cemetery, New Berlin.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hospice Foundation, 374 Violet Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
Arrangements are under the direction of Sweet’s Funeral Home, Inc., Rte. 9, Hyde Park.
To send his family a condolence, please visit www.sweetsfuneralhome.com.