This November, the community lost an icon in the real estate world, but also lost someone who was a wife, mother and friend.

Geraldine Abrams passed away on Monday, Nov. 5 after losing her battle with lung cancer, leaving a legacy behind.

Abrams revolutionized the real estate industry by introducing the “team” concept. Geraldine & Associates are one of the top agencies in the Capital Region.

Abrams’ team is part of Realty USA. In March 2007 Geraldine merged with other agents forming Geraldine & Associates - Abrams, Aubrey and Revell.

She was a mentor, leader and friend to many in the office and on her team.

- Kevin Goodwin

Peter Hume

Peter Hume, a history teacher at Schuylerville High School, passed away in his sleep on Monday, Oct.22. The 54-year-old’s unexpected death had a tremendous effect on students, faculty and the community as a whole.

His funeral, which took place on Friday, Oct. 26 at the United Methodist Church in

Mechanicville, drew a large crowd. Schuylerville’s varsity high school football team, the Black Horses, honored the man during their Oct. 27th game by donning a sticker featuring a Maple Leaf with a four-leaf clover in it as well as Hume’s initials on the back of their helmets.

On Tuesday, Nov. 13 a memorial for Hume was held in Schuylerville’s high school auditorium. Approximately 150 people turned out to celebrate his life.

At the memorial, a number of teachers shared their stories about the kind of person Hume was.

In addition, Schuylerville’s Chamber Singers performed two songs, a slide show was projected, and the Symphonic Band played “Across the Field,” the fight song of Hume’s favorite team, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Hume had worked with students at Schuylerville High School since 1999.

Fans of the 1979 comedy “Meatballs,” starring Bill Murray, will always hold a special place in their heart for Hume, who played a character known as “The Stomach.” During a hot dog eating contest, he speaks one of the movie’s most famous lines, “What, no mustard?”

- Mike Ryan

Ellsworth Jones

The Spa City lost former five-term mayor at the beginning of 2007.

Ellsworth Jones was elected mayor in 1979 and took office in January 1980. He was born in Glens Falls on January 6, 1918. He was 88 when he passed away on New Year’s Eve.

One of the major accomplishments Jones oversaw as mayor was the building and opening of the Saratoga Springs City Center. The City Center has since brought many people to the city for conventions and trade shows since the early 1980s. In August 2007 Grove Street, the street adjacent to the City Center, was renamed in honor of Jones. A sign that states Ellsworth Jones Place now hangs at the corner of Broadway.

Jones graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls in 1936. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War.

- Kevin Goodwin

Stephen “The Colonel” Camp

Loyal. Energetic. Positive. Happy. Friendly. Giving. American.

These are just a few adjectives to describe my dynamic friend, Colonel Steven Camp, who passed away March 26 at the age of 90.

Even at his age, Camp was a man with a mission who exuded optimism and energized those around him.

Arriving in Saratoga Springs in 1988, Camp quickly assimilated into the community and developed a loyal network of friends who would be with him until the end.

Known as “The Colonel” after his 20-year career in the U.S. Army, Steven Camp marched across Europe during WWII, served as an officer in military intelligence and could read and write in five languages.

The Colonel loved to hit the road to make the rounds through Saratoga. These rounds included stops at the Gideon Putnam, Saratoga TODAY, the local soup kitchen, Saratoga National Bank, The Saratogian and, of course, his favorite stop – Roma Foods. Almost every day for the past 22 years, he could be found at Roma Foods spending times with the best friend, John Bolognino.

The Colonel was a man who positively impacted many lives and will be missed greatly.

- Chad Beatty

Connor LaFrance

Connor LaFrance wanted a motorcycle so bad that he was willing to sell rocks.

When he was younger, Connor asked his father, Dave, for a dirt bike. Dave agreed, but on one condition – the 5-year-old needed to save up his own money and his father would match the number he was able to come with.

Immediately, Connor began loading up his wagon with shiny rocks and the salesman went door-to-door in his in his Geyser Crest neighborhood looking for buyers of his $5 rocks.

Connor, 14, an eighth-grader at the Maple Avenue Middle School, passed away in September while practicing for in Alabama for an upcoming motorcycle race.

Connor was the son of Dave and Andrea LaFrance, the brother of sisters, Emily and Brittanie, and a friend of this community.

Connor’s racing column graced the pages of Saratoga TODAY and displayed just how passionate he was about riding.

Calling hours were held at the Presbyterian New England Congressional Church with a nearly three-hour wait outside. Yes, Connor died doing what he loved and despite his young age, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with is life.

We can all learn from his example.

- Eric DeGrechie