Catherine Halakan Obituary

Halakan, Catherine Krill
SCHENECTADY - On November 20, 2025, freshly returned from another beautiful trip to Italy with her recently rediscovered high school sweetheart, Kevin Glenn, Catherine Krill Halakan unexpectedly left this world. She was 74.
Born to Helen Burek and Stephen Krill Sr. in Watervliet, N.Y., in 1951, Cathy was a graduate of Columbia High School, received her Bachelor's Degree from Marymount College, and earned her Master's Degree from SUNY Albany. She was previously married to Lex Halakan, with whom she had her only daughter, Elizabeth. While their marriage came to an end, their mutual respect and admiration for each other lasted a lifetime, and they remained close friends.
For just over 40 years, Cathy served in the Human Resources division of Albany Medical Center, rising to the role of Senior Vice President. Recognized as a Woman of Excellence in 2007, she was a people-leader of the highest order, known to the staff as a compassionate, detail-oriented executive committed to helping both the patients and the front-line doctors and nurses alike.
To call her an avid traveler wouldn't do her passion justice. Whether travelling solo or with anyone who had a spare few days and a valid passport, her love for exploring new places was outdone only by her love for Elizabeth, her son-in-law Samuel, and her close-knit family. From searching for baseball stadiums with her nephew Luke, or finding that locals-only cafe just outside of Paris with Elizabeth, for Cathy, every trip was a new opportunity to spend time with the people she loved, doing what she loved most.
While her next adventure was always just around the corner, Cathy found equal joy in doting on her mother, who always had a new project needing to be done just so, and relaxing with a great BBC drama with Elizabeth. Pride and Prejudice was always a must-watch. Cathy never missed an opportunity to spend time with her sister, Margaret, in Villanova, and loved trading books with her niece, Julia. She found great joy in researching and connecting with her Ukranian heritage, and loved sharing what she learned with her brother, Peter, and the rest of the family.
She is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Mahan (Samuel); her mother, Helen Burek Krill; her siblings, Peter Krill (Deborah), and Margaret Hondros (Paul); her partner, Kevin Glenn; and an ever expanding family of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss her deeply. She was predeceased by her father, Stephen Krill Sr.; and her brother, Stephen Krill Jr.
Relatives and friends may call at the Bryce Funeral Home Inc. 276 Pawling Ave., Troy, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 3 to 6 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, December 5, 2025, at 10 a.m., at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 175 Williams Rd., Troy, with Rev. Joseph O'Brien, Pastor.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, at Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19131. We recommend using the brycefuneralhome.com website to share or send condolences, light a candle, view videos or for service directions.