Obituary of Chryse Ann Glackin

Chryse Ann Glackin, 62, of Jackson Heights, NY passed away at Calvary Hospital on September 22, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. She is survived by her parents, Marcia and Harold Glackin, her children, Madelene DeLeon and Carl Marshall, a granddaughter Milla Ziegenfuss, her brother and his wife, Scott and Eileen Glackin and her sister and her family Marialice, John and Dylan Morgan. Born January 29, 1953 in NYC, Chryse had fond memories of growing up in Washington Heights. The vibrant colors, music, and energy of the city helped define her — a no nonsense, get to the point, New York City-humored gal. Even though she would move up to Tappan, NY in her teenage years, her heart and soul always remained in the city, and she would eventually return to Sunnyside, Queens to raise her two children. Chryse often told stories of her grandmother who believed that all women should get an education and have their own bank account. From these roots rose a strength of character that would lead her to open and operate her own business, Copy Garage in Long Island City, for 25 years. In her late 50’s Chryse went back to school to obtain a degree in paralegal studies from ROCC. Even though she was in the middle of her bout with cancer, she maintained a 4.0 average. Chryse was an activist who dedicated her life to fighting for social justice. Whether organizing labor while working for Bell Telephone in the 1970’s, or orchestrating a rent strike in her building in the late 80’s because of unsafe living conditions, she was always working to raise awareness and unselfishly fighting for the sake of the many. She had a great knack for being able to raise the consciousness of a person. She didn’t shove ideologies down your throat, but would instead lay out her arguments simply and clearly so that you would walk away with a heightened understanding and an entirely knew perspective. Whether by example or by discussion, Chryse had a profound influence on the lives and perspectives of countless people during her lifetime. True to her spirit, after her initial bout with breast cancer, in 2009 Chryse became a member of the Empire Dragon Boat Team. This team of women cancer survivors competes nationally to raise public awareness of issues related to cancer survivorship and helps provide funding in the fight against cancer. For Chryse, not only did the competition empower her physically and mentally, she also relished the friendships she formed with her teammates and benefitted greatly from their shared experience in the fight against cancer. Chryse had a great love for her family and she was very proud of her heritage. This love would often guide her to organize family events, trips and reunions. At these events she could often be found waiving a handkerchief while leading a Greek Circle dance or reliving her upbringing in the heights by dancing Salsa. She especially loved the children, and every baby in the family would ultimately be marked by red cheeks after she lavished them with kisses. Her strong love for her family was felt by all and has been clearly passed on to the next generation. Chryse was a bright star who shined in all of our lives. She was a genuine, loving and beautiful soul who will be sorely missed by family and friends. Services will be at Edward D. Lynch in Sunnyside NY from 2-5pm and 7-9pm on Saturday the 26th.