CASTLETON –

Yvonne (Miller Noll) DeBellis of Castleton, NY, born Yvonne Chin in Guyana in 1940, passed peacefully on March 17, 2026, surrounded by family.

Yvonne leaves behind her one true love, her husband of 43 years, Dan, and her beloved children, Richard (Paula) and Raelene (Claudia) Noll. She also leaves behind her cherished stepchildren, Daniel (Dixie) DeBellis, Virginia (Larry) Whicker, and Cheryl O’Hara.

The pride of her life was her precious grandchildren, Alexandra (Brian) Noll and William Noll. She also cherished moments with her step-grandchildren, Melissa (Mike) Frattarola, Damien (Ashley) Verga, Dustin (Sara) Verga, Emily (Nate) Bell, Eric O’Hara, and Michael Justin (Enrique) Whicker. Her love cascaded through to the next generation of great-grandchildren. Yvonne will also be dearly missed by her siblings, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

Yvonne’s profession and passion were rooted in the cause of deinstitutionalizing the developmentally disabled during her career spanning three decades as a social worker for the State of New York. She was also a dedicated advocate for single-parent households and children living in poverty.

Yvonne had a fierce love of travel. She and Dan explored five continents together, seeing everything from the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia, to the ornate Casino de Monte-Carlo of Monaco, the vibrant hills of Santiago, Chile, the dazzling skyline of Singapore, the beaches and temples of Thailand, and the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand and Australia. Together they cruised through the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, around Cape Horn, and along the Volga River. She especially enjoyed many voyages on the Cunard Line.

The pink sands of Bermuda held a special place in their hearts as the location of their honeymoon. Her home away from home was in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where she spent many winters escaping the harsh upstate New York snow. Cocoa Beach was a place of long walks on the sand and many treasured moments with friends and family. Her passion for travel and adventure will be carried on by her future generations, in whom she instilled a love of living a full and flavorful life.

In addition to travel, she was an avid reader. The places and stories she could not experience in person, she explored through her book club, which spanned 30 years. She delighted in the adventure and exploration of time and place offered by a novel. Her other hobbies included gardening, flower arranging, entertaining, cooking, and always, dessert. She was also a talented seamstress, creating clothing, costumes, and special pieces for her family and friends.

Yvonne was a true beauty and had a magnetic presence that drew people in. A fashion and furniture model in her youth, published in many local catalogues and newspapers, she had a natural sense of elegance, style, and trend. She was always dressed to impress and through her fashion, made even the most mundane moments feel special and memorable. She loved spending time with her children and sharing their passions. With her son, Richard, she shared a love of gardening, especially tulip bulbs, and lively discussions of the events of the day. With her daughter, Raelene, she enjoyed Broadway shows, trips to New York City and France, and many shared adventures exploring the world together.

Yvonne lived fully, loved deeply, and leaves behind a family and community forever shaped by her presence. Those who knew her will remember her, for her strength, elegance, curiosity, and the joy she brought to everyday moments.

A service followed by a celebration of Yvonne’s remarkable life will take place at the First United Methodist Church, 1 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061, on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, Yvonne would smile upon you planting a perennial in your yard to be enjoyed in the future while remembering her. Donations may also be made in Yvonne’s memory to St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family, online at: SimpleChoicesCremation.com