Donna M. (Way) Vargo

CROGHAN, NY ~ Donna M. Vargo, 69, of Belfort Rd., Croghan, died on Sunday, August 9, 2020 at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse.

Born May 9, 1951, in Poughkeepsie, NY, a daughter of the late John and Dorothy (Louty) Way, she was a 1969 graduate of Poughkeepsie High School, and over the years completed many on-line college courses, especially in Archeology and Osteoarcheology at the Archeological Institute in Sharon, CT.  She later performed further Osteoarcheology training at the Peabody Museum at Yale University in Connecticut.   Donna worked in the Administration Office at  the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, and was also a Special Education teacher in the Wappingers Central School District.

She married John C. Vargo in 1976 in Modena, NY, a blessed union of over 44 years. Mr. Vargo passed away earlier this year on April 17^th.

As was her husband, Donna was an Artisan, craft maker and business owner. Along with her husband, Jack, she owned and operated the Belfort General Store for many years, closing the store in 1997.  They then became the Beaver River Trading Company traveling throughout many parts of the Northeast, exhibiting and selling their artwork, porcupine quill work and basket-weaved items including backpacks.

Donna enjoyed hiking when younger and took pleasure in volunteering for activities while she was a member of the Croghan Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

Surviving are three children, Kelly Vargo,  of Wallkill, NY, John Vargo, of Lake Clear, NY, and Rebecca Vargo, of Schenectady, NY; six grandchildren and four great grandchildren, two sisters and a brother, Jill Way-Dillabough, of Malone, NY, Maryanne Frechette, of Georgia, and John Way, of Delhi, NY, and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her son Shawn, who died many years ago shortly after birth.

A private Celebration of her Life will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to either the COPD Foundation, or, American Lung association.

Arrangements are with Scanlon Funeral Home, Croghan.

Messages of sympathy and online obituary at www.scanlonfuneral.com.

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