Lifelong Glens Falls resident John E. Herlihy spent his life giving to the community in countless ways. That giving continues, even after his death, as his executor has advised the Crandall Public Library and Glens Falls Hospital Foundation of a significant endowment to each.
Mr. Herlihy, who died in July 2019, bequeathed each non-profit organization with approximately $2.2 million from his estate. The contributions stand to benefit the community for generations to come.
“We are truly humbled by Mr. Herlihy’s thoughtfulness,” said Kate Herlihy Schwenker, Chair of the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees. “We will honor his legacy by ensuring that the hospital uses these funds to continue increasing the community’s access to high-quality care.”
“Mr. Herlihy was an important part of this community for so many years,” said Barbara Caimano, President of the Crandall Public Library Board of Trustees. “As the Library begins a new strategic planning process this year, his incredible generosity will impact how we, together with our stakeholders, can continue to best serve the Library community.”
Mr. Herlihy and his late wife, Jeanne Ellsworth Herlihy, were both born in Glens Falls, where they remained and prospered until their deaths. They were also graduates of St. Mary’s Academy. Mr. Herlihy went on to graduate from Skidmore College and Albany Law School, while Mrs. Herlihy graduated from State University of New York Morrisville.
Mr. Herlihy began his legal career in the mid-1950s as a research assistant and speech writer for the New York Lieutenant Governor, during the W. Averell Harriman administration. He then became a partner in the Law Office of Singleton and Herlihy, where he served as general counsel to Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company for many years. His professional associations included being a member and past President of the Warren County Bar Association and a member of the New York State Bar Association, while he also served as an Officer and Director of the Glens Falls Post Company, a.k.a. The Post-Star newspaper.
He was also a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed in Korea. His service to others continued through his work with the American Legion, Marine Corps League and Glens Falls Kiwanis. Mrs. Herlihy was also active in the community before her death in 2012, as she was a member of the Glens Falls Hospital Guild and the Glens Falls Association for the Blind.
Their lifelong dedication to the community is underscored by the generous legacy they have left to the library and hospital.
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About Glens Falls Hospital:
Glens Falls Hospital (GFH) maintains a service area that spans 6,000 square miles across 5 diverse counties. Founded in 1897, GFH today operates an advanced health care delivery system featuring more than 20 regional facilities. A vast array of specialized medical and surgical services are provided in addition to coronary care, behavioral health care, rehabilitation and wellness and others. The main hospital campus is home to the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, the Joyce Stock Snuggery birthing center, the Breast Center and a chronic wound healing center. GFH is a not-for-profit organization and the largest employer in New York’s Adirondack region, with over 2,500 employees and a medical staff of over 540 providers. For more information visit www.GlensFallsHospital.org.
About Crandall Public Library:
Crandall Public Library, established in 1892, offers a vast selection of approximately 350,000 reading, viewing, and listening materials (including digital formats); a Children’s Library with several activity spaces; a designated Teen Center for our young adult audience; computer and internet access for all; expansive programming to provide educational, cultural, and literary experiences (and a state-of-the-art venue in which to present them); free meeting and program space for local non-profits; and a comfortable, accessible space in which to read, study, and socialize. Regularly offered at Crandall are a progressive film series, live music, children and family programs, lectures on a variety of subjects, book discussion groups, computer classes, and more. Unique to Crandall Public Library is the Folklife Center, offering programs, exhibits, and research related to cultural traditions of the region. In 2019, over 325,000 people visited the Library. Visit www.crandalllibrary.org.