Asa Nostrand

Asa “Ace” Nostrand, devoted family man and dear friend to many, died on Thanksgiving evening, November 26, 2020, at the age of 93.  He died peacefully at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, NY with his beloved son Paul and daughter-in-law Renée by his side.

He was born to Mildred Crawford and Paul Nostrand in Baldwin, NY on March 21, 1927.  Hit hard by the Great Depression, his family moved to Taghkanic, NY to help run a family farm at the end of Nostrand Road.  Ace grew up on the farm raising cows, chickens, and vegetables and lived a rugged childhood without running water or electricity.  With his brothers, Paul Jr. and Joseph, he walked to a one-room schoolhouse on List Bypass every day.  He eventually attended high school at Roeliff Jansen and enlisted in the US Navy in February 1945, just a few months shy of graduation.  Honoring his noble service, Taconic Hills awarded him a high school diploma in 2001.

Ace fought in World War II and was stationed in the Pacific Islands. Upon returning home he was unable to find work upstate and moved back to Long Island. He became a machinist at Mergenthaler Linotype Company where he met the future love of his life, Mildred (neé Carmela) Desiderio.  On November 30, 1947 Ace and Mildred married and he was lovingly accepted into her tight-knit Italian family.  Initially they moved near the Desiderio family house on Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and then later to Dyker Heights, Brooklyn where they raised two children, Dianne and Paul.  After leaving Mergenthaler’s Ace went to work as a stockman for the NYC Transit Authority and enjoyed working at garages all over NYC until he retired in 1992.

Despite his city life, Ace always stayed connected to his country roots.  In 1972 he built a home in Taghkanic and came up on weekends for many years, often bringing his wife’s big Italian family with him.  So many fond memories were made during those upstate adventures.  After Ace retired, he and Mildred moved full time to Taghkanic.

Ace will be remembered as a true lover of life.  He loved his wife dearly and felt blessed to be a part of her loving family.  He loved hunting, fishing and the great outdoors.  Always happy to immerse himself in nature, he enjoyed getting the occasional bird and chipmunk to eat out of his hand.  He loved old country ballads and big band hits.  Later in life, he enjoyed sitting by the Hudson River or by the family pond, named O’Aces Pond in his honor.  A man full of pride, conviction and good humor, Ace was the kind of timeless guy you wanted to strike up a conversation with at the local tavern – and many did time and time again.

He is survived by his son Paul Nostrand and daughter-in-law Renée of Taghkanic as well as his daughter Dianne Mallett and son-in-law Keith of San Diego, CA.  His granddaughter Kara Desiderio and partner Kristina Wertz of Taghkanic and his grandson Christopher Mallet and wife Nathania of Santa Clara, CA.  He also leaves behind his two great grandchildren whom he loved to fish with at the pond, Olympia and Emilio Wertz, as well as his sister-in-law Olympia (Lynn) Coppola, his goddaughter Jeanette Micelotta, and many other loving nieces, nephews and cousins who will always remember him dearly as Uncle Ace.  He is predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Mildred Nostrand.

There will be an outdoor burial service held on Wednesday, December 2 ^nd at 10 AM in the New St. Bridget’s Cemetery at Our Lady of Hope in Copake Falls, NY.  A memorial service will be planned at a later date at O’Aces Pond.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Taghkanic Fire Company of which he was a proud and faithful member for 45 years.

Arrangements are with the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, Copake NY.

To send an online condolence please visit www.peckandpeck.net