Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County

John Edward Bevis, Sr., of Chestnut Street passed away peacefully on Friday, November 22, 2024, at home, surrounded by his loving family. He was 89.

Born in Schaghticoke on July 2, 1935, at the home of his maternal grandmother, son of the late John L. and Mabel "Honey" (Lesson) Bevis. He is the beloved husband of the late Phoebe (Miller) Bevis, to whom he was married for 66 years.

John, who was nicknamed "Sonny" as a child, worked as a farm hand in his youth, and later as a paper mill machinist, crane operator and carpenter, retiring in 2000 from The Fort Miller Group, where he was happily employed for many years. John was an active parishioner of Trinity Church in Lansingburgh, where he attended weekly services and served on the grounds and building committee. He could also be found in the kitchen of the Parish Hall helping prepare food for the church's annual breakfasts, luncheons and dinners.

John loved the outdoors and for years hunted and fished locally and in the Adirondacks. A number of hunting "trophies" adorn the walls of the family home, but he didn't hunt just for the sport of it, what he hunted almost always wound up on the dinner table. He was an avid reader of books and magazines related to the outdoors, as well as western novels, and he did the Jumble puzzle in the daily newspaper every day. John was also quite proud of his complete collection of NYS DEC's Conservationist magazine, which he began collecting with its inaugural issue in 1946.

John is survived by his children Jacklyn Bevis Bogardus, Dianne (Hal) Wiley and Barbara Jean (Gary) Charlebois, a daughter in law Lisa Schroeder Bevis, and his wife's brother and sister in law Sam and Carol Miller. Also survived by his grandchildren Nathan (Noelle Gentile) Bogardus, Rebekah Wiley, Tanya (Shawn) Simkovich, Zachary (Sara) Wiley, Kyle (Kelley) Bevis, Ellen (Bert) O'Neill, Isaac (Jaime) Wiley, Marissa Charlebois, Abigail Charlebois, and Sabrina (Reinaldo) Verdu, as well as his great grandchildren Daphne, Isla, Liam, Collins, Lucia, Frances, Benjamin, Harrison, Aram and Caleb.

In addition to his parents and his wife, John was predeceased by his son John Bevis, Jr., his sister Alice "Boots" Waldron, his brother Donald Bevis, and his infant grandchildren Mark Wiley and Elizabeth Bevis.

Calling hours will be on Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 1 to 3 pm at the Chase Smith Family Funeral Homes in Schaghticoke, followed by a funeral service at Trinity Church, 585 4th Avenue, Troy at 4 pm. Burial will be Monday, December 2, 2024 at 10 am in the Elmwood Cemetery, Schaghticoke.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to Trinity Church or Community Hospice of Rensselaer County.

Online remembrances may be made at www.chasesmithfamily.com