Doris Halstead, 91 of Poughkeepsie , passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center.
Born Doris May Davis in Poughkeepsie on July 20, 1927, she was the daughter of Albert Elsworth and Helen ( Watts ) Davis.
Doris was a graduate of Poughkeepsie High School, Class of 1945.
On July 18, 1948 at the Washington St. Methodist Church, Doris married George E. Halstead. She was employed at Central Hudson in the Payroll Department for 11 years and left there to start a family. She was a member of Community United Methodist Church, now called Poughkeepsie United M.C.

After her children were grown, Doris spent many years and hours volunteerin g for several organizations including the Heart Association, Alzheimer's Association, Dutchess Tourism at the Roosevelt National Historic Site and the Vanderbilt Garden Association . In 2005 she received a President's Volunteer Service Award and in 2006 received the local R.S.V.P. Giraffe award for "Sticking her neck out". Doris liked camping, traveling, gardening, reading (especially mysteries) and volunteering. She was a member of Club 50, Club 60 and attended Tuesday meetings at the Poughkeepsie Senior Center.

Doris always lived life with a thumbs-up attitude, saying Good Morning Lord when she opened the East-facing drapes in the morning, and saying on gloomy days that "sunshine comes from within."

George predeceased her on August 31, 1997. Doris is survived by her 2 daughters; Constance Stutmann of Dover Plains and Nancy Merte of Poughkeepsie; her granddaughter, Melissa ( Merte ) Burch; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Edith Eastwood.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 20 from 4-7 pm at Parmele, Auchmoody & Schoonmaker Funeral Home, 110 Fulton Ave., Poughkeepsie. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 11 am, with Rev. Adrienne Brewington presiding. Interment will follow in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.

For directions and condolences, please visit www.hudsonvalleyfuneralhomes.com