Una Foster Humbert

Una Humbert

East Greenbush, N.Y. Una Humbert, a former executive director of the Ogdensburg, N.Y., chapter of the American Red Cross, died on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Eden Park Health Care Center in East Greenbush, N.Y. A resident of Ogdensburg for 55 years, she had been living at the Eden Park facility since June 2003. She was 91.

Born Una Gwenllian Foster in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on May 21, 1912, Humbert was the daughter of Herbert and Gwenllian Ryman Foster, recent emigrants from England. She grew up in farming communities in the province of Saskatchewan. In the week of her twentieth birthday, she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in economics.

Until her marriage to Corwin C. Humbert on October 9, 1937, she worked in the Regina store of the Canadian retail giant Simpson's, rising to assistant manager. Moves to Quebec and Ontario followed, and the birth of a daughter and a son.

In 1948 the family moved to Ogdensburg, where Una Humbert was active in community affairs, including volunteer service with the Girl Scouts, of which she became the commissioner, the Cub Scouts, PTAs, and numerous civic organizations. She served on the board of directors for the United Helpers Nursing Home and was active in the A. Barton Hepburn Hospital Guild. She was a member of the Alpha Study Club for more than 30 years.

When her children were grown, Humbert became executive director of the Ogdensburg-based West St. Lawrence County chapter of the American Red Cross. During the Vietnam years her duties included providing liaison and assistance to military personnel at times of family crisis. She retired from the post in 1976.

Humbert was predeceased by her former husband, from whom she was divorced in 1979, and by her sister, Nancy Foster Adams of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Stephen Marlowe of Williamsburg, Va.; a son and daughter-in-law, Marc and Caria Humbert, of East Nassau, N.Y.; a grandson and granddaughter; a great-granddaughter; and, in Canada, relatives including four nieces and a nephew.

Funeral services will be private.

Donations in her memory are requested to the Ogdensburg Public Library, 312 Washington St. Ogdensburg, New York 13669.

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