Oliverea-
Edna Griesser, of Oliverea, NY, died on April 20, 2018 at Albany Medical Center, at the age of 74 after a short battle with cancer. She was born on January 11, 1944 daughter of the late Johanna Rickborn Pape and Carl Pape in Manhattan, NY.
After finishing high school, Edna's parents encouraged her to take a summer job in the Catskills. It was at the Alpine Inn, where Edna met her husband-to-be, Erich Griesser. The two maintained their courtship during college and later married, settled in Forest Hills, NY, and both worked for Pan Am Airlines. In 1967, Edna and Erich moved to Oliverea, NY to take over the Alpine Inn from Erich's parents. They ran the country inn for over fifty years; growing it substantially from its humble origin as a seasonal boarding house to a 26-room, year-round resort and restaurant known for its Eur...[more]

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an hospitality, delicious food, and beautiful grounds surrounded by mountain streams and Catskill Forest Preserve.
Edna is survived by her husband, Erich Griesser of Oliverea, NY; her sister and brother-in-law, Else and Manfred Tuch of Binghamton, NY; three sons, Glenn of Shelburne, VT, Jamie of Shandaken, NY, and Jon of Los Osos, CA and their respective spouses; seven grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Her family remembers Edna as a formidable woman who had a quick wit, remarkable fortitude and was an amazing baker. She especially enjoyed the employees that came through the inn over the years and stayed close with many of them until she died. She loved her family and especially enjoyed traveling with them when she could.
A private memorial service will take place May 12th in the Oliverea Cemetery followed by a celebration of Edna's life at the Alpine Inn. We will always hold Edna's memory in our hearts. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the E. B. Gormley Funeral Home, Phoenicia. You may share a special memory with the family on Edna's Memorial Page at www.gormleyfuneralhome.com