Obituary for Philip Kopach
WATERFORD Philip Kopach. Every day, Philip read the obituaries to see who he had outlived, often proclaiming, "I won." On August 31, 2022, he finally lost that game following a massive coronary event (he also felt strongly that the cause of death should be listed). Philip was born on May 18, 1946 to Stephen and Genevieve (Wunderlich) Kopach in Samaritan Hospital in Troy, NY, which is where his life ended. Philip grew up in the Verdoy area of Latham, attending the Verdoy School, Latham School, and Forts Ferry Elementary before attending St. Bernards, and graduating from Keveny Memorial Academy in 1964. He graduated from Hudson Valley Community College and he also attended University at Albany.
While attending Keveny, Philip met and began dating Mary Rose Morris. If you asked him how long they'd been married, he'd reply, "since 1967." Mary Rose insisted that he didn't know the answer, but Philip said this way he was never wrong.
If you knew Phil, you would know he always had a comment and an opinion, and that he lacked volume control. In spite of this, he was a caring soul and a hard worker. His first job was delivering newspapers for the Schenectady Gazette. Throughout his 76 years, he worked as a dishwasher at Woolworths and Charlie's Northway Diner and as a sales rep for Branch Drug. He worked for the Cohoes Housing Authority as executive director and owned Statewide Industrial Equipment and a Unishippers franchise. He was an accountant for Cohoes Hospital, Ellis Hospital, GE, and R. Kelly Friedman and Son. After Statewide was sold, he worked for SagerSpuck and Krueger Bearings. In his later years, he worked as a bookkeeper for NYSCRA and ACLAIMH. At the time of his death, he was working as a bookkeeper for The State Room.
In addition to this impressive work history, Philip proudly served in the 109th Air National Guard Unit for 29 1/2 years, retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant. This took him all over the world, including Greenland, the Azores, Germany, Panama, and Antarctica numerous times.
Philip also gave back to his community through service on the Waterford Central Catholic School Board, the St. Anne's Church bazaar accounting committee, WAMC Fund Drive, and the Waterford Youth Council Soccer league. He was the first to volunteer and the last to leave and talked the whole time. He was there to loan tools or his truck, help you move something, or give you a ride. He made it a point to visit the sick, infirmed, and imprisoned. He was a platelet and plasma donor (apheresis) through the American Red Cross, having donated over 800 times. A jack of all trades, but master of none, some of Philip's favorite phrases, that really summed him up were, "ready, fire, aim" and "I cut it three times and it's still too short." He was a member in good standing at the Green Island Rod and Gun Club. On Sunday mornings, he could often be found at the Waterford Harbor Farmers Market with his daughter, helping her and other vendors out. If you needed a screw or a bungee cord, he was your guy. This past weekend, he donated tools and equipment to the Mac-Hadyn Theatre, where he was a 20+ year season ticket holder.
First and foremost, Philip was a family guy. For the past 10 years, he delighted in cooking a large family dinner for his wife and kids. He searched all week for his recipes. His execution was, at times, interesting and often involved the use of the pressure cooker (a 2 am purchase), but that didn't matter as dinner was followed by a rousing game of Uno or dominoes and copious amounts of laughter.
In addition to his wife of 55 years Mary Rose, Philip is survived by his children, Christopher (Julianne), Daniel, and Kathryn Biel (Patrick). His grandchildren were the absolute light and joy of his life, and he showed this by spoiling them with donuts and gum. He leaves behind the now donut-less Jake and Sophia Biel, Genevieve, Hunter, Delaney, and Garrett Kopach, and Nick (Chantelle) and Alexis Curry.
Philip is also survived by six of his ten siblings: Patrick (Donna), William, Christopher (Rosalyn), Stephen, Matthew (Patti), James, and Catherine Nicchi (Tom), as well as his aunts Elizabeth Rybaltowski and Catherine Barabas and uncle Joe Wunderlich. Philip is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Doris Kopach, Maureen Kopach, and Irene Morris. Several nieces and nephews also survive. He is predeceased by his sister-in-law, Michelle Kopach and his brother-in-law, Edward G. Morris, Jr. He is predeceased by his parents and his brothers Michael, Kevin, and Andrew.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Philip's memory to the American Red Cross or to the Mac-Hadyn Theatre. Please consider donating a pint of blood in Philip's honor.
Known for his legendary eating habits, Philip would say, "The undertaker doesn't charge by the pound." The obituary does, however, charge by the word, and Philip was worth each and every penny.
Funeral services will be Wednesday September 7, 2022 at 11 am from the Philip J. Brendese Funeral Home, 133 Broad St. (Rte.32), Waterford and at 11:30 am at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Waterford. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Saratoga National Cemetery.
Relatives and friends may visit with his family at the funeral home on Tuesday Sept. 6, from 4-7 pm.
While attending Keveny, Philip met and began dating Mary Rose Morris. If you asked him how long they'd been married, he'd reply, "since 1967." Mary Rose insisted that he didn't know the answer, but Philip said this way he was never wrong.
If you knew Phil, you would know he always had a comment and an opinion, and that he lacked volume control. In spite of this, he was a caring soul and a hard worker. His first job was delivering newspapers for the Schenectady Gazette. Throughout his 76 years, he worked as a dishwasher at Woolworths and Charlie's Northway Diner and as a sales rep for Branch Drug. He worked for the Cohoes Housing Authority as executive director and owned Statewide Industrial Equipment and a Unishippers franchise. He was an accountant for Cohoes Hospital, Ellis Hospital, GE, and R. Kelly Friedman and Son. After Statewide was sold, he worked for SagerSpuck and Krueger Bearings. In his later years, he worked as a bookkeeper for NYSCRA and ACLAIMH. At the time of his death, he was working as a bookkeeper for The State Room.
In addition to this impressive work history, Philip proudly served in the 109th Air National Guard Unit for 29 1/2 years, retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant. This took him all over the world, including Greenland, the Azores, Germany, Panama, and Antarctica numerous times.
Philip also gave back to his community through service on the Waterford Central Catholic School Board, the St. Anne's Church bazaar accounting committee, WAMC Fund Drive, and the Waterford Youth Council Soccer league. He was the first to volunteer and the last to leave and talked the whole time. He was there to loan tools or his truck, help you move something, or give you a ride. He made it a point to visit the sick, infirmed, and imprisoned. He was a platelet and plasma donor (apheresis) through the American Red Cross, having donated over 800 times. A jack of all trades, but master of none, some of Philip's favorite phrases, that really summed him up were, "ready, fire, aim" and "I cut it three times and it's still too short." He was a member in good standing at the Green Island Rod and Gun Club. On Sunday mornings, he could often be found at the Waterford Harbor Farmers Market with his daughter, helping her and other vendors out. If you needed a screw or a bungee cord, he was your guy. This past weekend, he donated tools and equipment to the Mac-Hadyn Theatre, where he was a 20+ year season ticket holder.
First and foremost, Philip was a family guy. For the past 10 years, he delighted in cooking a large family dinner for his wife and kids. He searched all week for his recipes. His execution was, at times, interesting and often involved the use of the pressure cooker (a 2 am purchase), but that didn't matter as dinner was followed by a rousing game of Uno or dominoes and copious amounts of laughter.
In addition to his wife of 55 years Mary Rose, Philip is survived by his children, Christopher (Julianne), Daniel, and Kathryn Biel (Patrick). His grandchildren were the absolute light and joy of his life, and he showed this by spoiling them with donuts and gum. He leaves behind the now donut-less Jake and Sophia Biel, Genevieve, Hunter, Delaney, and Garrett Kopach, and Nick (Chantelle) and Alexis Curry.
Philip is also survived by six of his ten siblings: Patrick (Donna), William, Christopher (Rosalyn), Stephen, Matthew (Patti), James, and Catherine Nicchi (Tom), as well as his aunts Elizabeth Rybaltowski and Catherine Barabas and uncle Joe Wunderlich. Philip is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Doris Kopach, Maureen Kopach, and Irene Morris. Several nieces and nephews also survive. He is predeceased by his sister-in-law, Michelle Kopach and his brother-in-law, Edward G. Morris, Jr. He is predeceased by his parents and his brothers Michael, Kevin, and Andrew.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Philip's memory to the American Red Cross or to the Mac-Hadyn Theatre. Please consider donating a pint of blood in Philip's honor.
Known for his legendary eating habits, Philip would say, "The undertaker doesn't charge by the pound." The obituary does, however, charge by the word, and Philip was worth each and every penny.
Funeral services will be Wednesday September 7, 2022 at 11 am from the Philip J. Brendese Funeral Home, 133 Broad St. (Rte.32), Waterford and at 11:30 am at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Waterford. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Saratoga National Cemetery.
Relatives and friends may visit with his family at the funeral home on Tuesday Sept. 6, from 4-7 pm.