Bill & Sue Von Atzingen (2021)
Greenville has been enriched by its community members who have found Greenville in a number of ways. We have recognized those born here who then gave a lifetime of service. We have recognized those who have settled in Greenville in retirement or later adult years, giving years of service. This year we recognize a third way - finding Greenville in one’s early adult years and serving Greenville for their entire adult lives.
Bill and Sue (Anthony) Von Atzingen moved to Greenville during their early married years in the 1950s and continue to be a strong element of the Greenville community. The Von Atzingens bought Bogden’s Department Store when they were young marrieds, knowing little of the business, endured the tougher early years, and spent 28 years (1957-1984) in business as Von’s Department Store on Main Street and, later, in the Greenville Country Square.
They raised three children: LuAnn (married Mark Quackenbush; son Jeffrey), William (married Deborah Sacco, son William), and Lori (divorced, daughter Martina).
Patriarch Bill was born in 1933 in Jersey City, New Jersey, attended Dickinson High School, worked for his father at the Atzingen Dairy, graduated from SUNY Cobleskill where he met Sue, and entered the Army in 1955.
Susan B. Anthony was born in 1934 in Johnstown, New York, graduated from Gloversville High School in 1952, and graduated from SUNY Cobleskill before marrying Bill.
Their Greenville connection? Longtime resident Charlie Mesow’s mother and Bill’s grandmother were sisters, and the Vons came to the area on vacation, socializing, with Bill remembering the old swimming holes at Dean’s Mill and Barlow’s on the Catskill Creek where he learned to swim.
Bill was also a partner with Zan Bryant and George Jones in STG, a land development business that started in 1983 before he retired from that group six years later.
Sue’s interests include(d): bridge, Mahjong, bowling, skiing, bridge, oil painting, cooking, baking, traveling (47 of 50 United States), play productions, and weekly croquet May-September with their local eight-some for twenty-five years. Sue is also an accomplished miniaturist, having created a dozen miniature houses, often creating her own furnishings and material.
As for Bill, the 1999 Rotary International Man of the Year booklet characterized his retirement interests as the 4 G’s: golf, gardening, gambling, grandchildren.
This is a full life in itself.
However, there is much more to both Bill and Sue, and it is for this that the GLHG recognizes them.
Bill's service above and beyond the ordinary includes:
Rotary International: 1959-present
2020 Senior Citizen of the Year by the Greene County Department of Human Services
Pioneer Bank Director: 1966-1994
State Bank of Albany Advisory Board: 1971-1988 (Greenville, Cairo)
National Bank of Coxsackie Director (1988-2009)
Stiefel Labs Board: 1988-2003
Asbury UMC @ Norton Hill: 1959-present. Lay leader in 1973 merger
Greenville Cemetery Committee
Meals on Wheels delivery
Greenville Volunteer Fire Co Life Member
Rescue Squad: 1974-1989
Greenville Chamber of Commerce
Coach: Babe Ruth, Greenville, 1969-1973
PTO President – early 1960s
Golf League: Schmollingers, Rainbow
Rotary International Man of the Year 1999
Postmaster-Greenville (youngest in country, at the time)
Sue Anthony Von Atzingen has accumulated a worthy list herself:
after closing of store, several part-time jobs until “retirement” in 2005
Methodist Church, Norton Hill: member 60+ years; president of United Women six years; taught Sunday School for 25 years, Superintendent for 15 years; president of administrative board for 4 years, on board 20 years; ran phone chain and head Under Shepherd programs for 25 years
local day care center: president, board eight years
Cornell Co-operative Extension board: six years
Home Demonstration: member and presentation ten years
taught 4-H and Girl Scouts
helper for Mother’s Touch
ran local bloodmobile: 12 years
Meals on Wheels: off and on for past 40 years
worked at local thrift shop
board member of Cultural Center
a member of The Mammas Without the Papas
Whatever happenstance brought the Von Atzingens to Greenville, we are grateful and appreciative of the years of service and contribution above and beyond the ordinary. For this, the Greenville Local History Group is proud to recognize two of our town’s anchors.