Barbara J. (Schwenke) Boniface , VRHS Class of 1958
Barbara J. Boniface, 86, of Wynantskill, passed away Thursday, August 20th, 2026, at Albany Medical Center. Barbara was born on March 10, 1940, in Albany, NY. She was daughter of the late Charles and Marcia (Brown) Schwenke. Barbara was a devoted mother of five children who dedicated her life to her family. She took great pride in creating memories and always went the extra mile to make every vacation, holiday and family gathering special. For 32 years Barbara was a dedicated customer service representative with Matthew Bender and worked as a Testing Proctor for the NYS Civil Service Testing Administration where she built relationships with many of her colleagues. One of Barbara's greatest joys was traveling to Maine and spending time at the beach. She loved the feeling of the sand between her toes, jumping in the waves, and the simple happiness that came from being near the ocean. Above all, Barbara will be remembered for her unwavering love and devotion to her children and grandchildren and of course, for making the best quilts, corn muffins and turkey croquets! Her love and laughter will remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her children: Tracy (James) Foust, Sheri Blanck, Beth Paeglow, and Stephen (Tonya) Boniface. Barbara is the loving grandmother of Peter, Stephen, William, Timothy, Quinton, Elijah Foust, Brian, Nichole, Dale Jr., Brett Blanck, Zachary, Bradley Adams, Charles Paeglow, Jakeb, Sean Boniface, Clarissa, Madisen, Diana, Hayleigh, Evan Boniface and 30 great grandchildren, who will miss her dearly. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Joan Schwenke and many cherished nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her son, Robert Boniface; brother, Charles Schwenke; son-in-law, Dale Blanck and father of her children, Howard M. Boniface, Jr. Friends and family are invited to call on Thursday, August 27 from 11am to 1pm in the Wm. J. Rockefeller Funeral Home, 165 Columbia Tpk., Rensselaer. A funeral service will follow at 1pm in the funeral home. Barbara had a tremendous love for animals, especially her cherished canine companions, her visiting birds, deer and bears! In keeping with her love of animals, contributions in Barbara's memory may be made to Mohawk Hudson Humane Society.