Laura Chodos

Laura Chodos

December 22, 1926 - June 14, 2025

Laura Chodos, ninety-eight years old, died peacefully at home in Saratoga Springs, NY on June 14, 2025, surrounded by her children and their families. She was the last surviving member of her family of origin. 

Her parents, Frederick and Mary (Carter) Bradley immigrated to Boston from Charlottetown and Halifax, Canada. Her family roots extend back to England, Ireland and Scotland.

She is survived by her daughter Amy (Chodos) DeLuca residing in Saratoga Springs; son Robert married to Christina of Chicago and Naples Florida; son Andrew married to Patrice of Hershey, Pennsylvania; daughter Lisa (Deceased) and her husband Bill Noonan of Saratoga Springs.  She was blessed to love her eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.  Laura was pre-deceased by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Robert Bruno Chodos, professor of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology at Albany Medical College (2008); by her daughter Lisa Noonan (2020), and by grandsons, Robert Bradley Chodos Jr. (2016) of Chicago and Jonathan Bradley Noonan (2018) of Saratoga Springs.

Laura was an inspiration to all for her positive outlook on life and her ability to connect people and ideas. She had an inquiring mind and a kind heart, a true visionary who knew that society improves as we increase our understanding and respect for others. She believed that reaching out to help others is a fundamental part of being human.

She graduated from Girls Latin School and went on to attend Tufts University with BA and MA degrees in Economics and Urban Sociology. When her children were in high school, she enrolled in doctoral studies in education at the University at Albany.  

In 1976, the New York State Legislature appointed Laura to represent the 4th Judicial District on the New York State Board of Regents, covering Saratoga County along with eleven other counties south of the Canadian border. Laura served in this capacity until 1992. After her tenure, she continued to support and advocate for the New York State Archives Partnership Trust, working diligently to connect students with historical materials through her leadership and support of educational programs. Together with her husband, Laura established The Chodos Family Fund as an endowment to assist the Trust’s educational initiatives. She also initiated the Trust's New York State Archives Student Research Award competition, which is now in its 35th year. This awards program promotes and recognizes excellence in student research, encouraging young scholars to explore the vast array of primary source materials preserved in cultural institutions throughout the state. Laura's impact on education will resonate for generations. Her dedication to using primary source materials in education ensures that students learn to draw lessons from the past to inform the future. As she expressed in an interview on the Trust's website, "The true purpose of education is to improve society. As individuals, we should all contribute. It should be an indelible aspect of one’s thinking to improve society at any age—always. Considering the purpose of education helps us achieve that." 

For over 20-years, beginning in 1991, she promoted educational and cultural exchanges with Russia as it struggled to join the global economy during Perestroika. She founded the Chekhov, Russia-Saratoga Springs sister city program in 2001 and arranged group visits of Russian government workers under age 35 through the auspices of the Library of Congress’ Open World Program.   

She will be interred with her husband Bob, in a private family service on Friday, August 1, at the Gerald Solomon National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York. An open house Celebration of her life will follow thereafter, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at her home at 768 No Broadway in Saratoga Springs.   Friends and acquaintances are encouraged to attend if so desired.   Details can be found on Compassionate Care Funeral Home of Saratoga Springs, website  https://www.compassionatefuneralcare.com/

I lieu of flowers or other remembrances, friends may wish to make a donation in her memory to the NYS Archives Chodos Family Fund (www.nysarchivestrust.org), an organization she truly cherished.   A quick link button is on the home page of the website for your convenience. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.