EARLVILLE – Victoria F. Ryfinski, 89, of Craine Lake Rd., passed away Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 at the NYS Veterans’ Home in Oxford, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
She was born Sept. 6, 1921 in Poolville, a daughter of Victor and Marie Zeimba Radivon and was a graduate of Sherburne Central School in 1939. On June 29, 1946, Victoria married William Ryfinski, an Army veteran of World War II, in St. Malachy’s Church in Sherburne. He predeceased her on April 19, 1964. An Earlville resident most of her life, Victoria worked as a clerk for many years at Chenango Sporting Goods in Norwich until retiring in 1988. She was an avid gardener, specializing in tea roses. She also traveled extensively throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Her passion was her Standardbred horses. She was the co-owner of brood mares and raced her horses at Vernon Downs as well as several other tracks in New York and Canada. Victoria was a life long communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Hamilton.
Surviving are her son, William of Earlville; a sister-in-law, Agnes Ryfinski of Earlville; five nieces, Edith VanWagner of Sherburne; Mary Emano of Ballston Spa; Irene Hungerford of Fine View; Kris Gough of Ottawa, Canada and Jeanette Betka of Endwell; and a nephew, Robert Betka of Endwell. She was predeceased by two sisters, Anne McQueen and Helen Radivon.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday from St. Malachy’s Church in Sherburne, followed by interment in St. Malachy’s Cemetery.
Friends are invited to call at the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 10 S. Main St., Sherburne on Wednesday (today)  from 6 to 8 p.m.
Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Malachy’s Food Pantry, PO Box 722, Sherburne, NY 13460.
To send a condolence or sign the Book of Memories online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com.