Paula R. (Churco) Hoffay

Poestenkill-Paula R. (Churco) Hoffay, 75, left this earthly stage gracefully on Thursday, October 1, 2026 surrounded by her biggest fans…her loving family. Paula made her debut in Tupper Lake, NY on April 6, 1951 to Benjamin J. Churco and Ruth E. LaRocque Churco. She was a graduate of Tupper Lake High School, Class of ’69. Paula loved her childhood in Tupper, carrying many of the friendships of her youth throughout her entire life including her annual gatherings with the famous “PJ Girls”. She was an avid skier growing up and a member of the Jr. Ski Patrol at Big Tupper Ski Resort.

After graduation, she moved to Troy where she attended the HVCC Dental Hygiene Program and met the love of her life, Timothy Hoffay. In 1972 she and Tim married and enjoyed 54 wonderful years together, living and raising their three daughters in Poestenkill NY.

Paula spent much of her career working for Dr. Gerald Benjamin, with her later years spent working with Seal A Smile providing free dental care to kids in lower income schools.

Paula loved all aspects of theater, and shined both as an actress and a playwright. She performed for local theater groups including the Highlight Acting Troupe, the Matinee Theater Players, the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, and the Foothills Arts Council. Many of her plays have been performed on stage, and she was always working on her next one with the support of her dear theater friends. Paula was also a member of the Mellodrama Singers providing lighthearted entertainment at nursing homes and senior centers for many years after starting her singing career with the Evangelical Lutheran Church Choir.

She loved to make people smile with her daily morning Facebook memes. She loved to travel and was blessed to have seen Greece, Hawaii, Texas and Alaska in her lifetime. Most of all, Paula loved her family and enjoyed watching her grandchildren grow up, watching their many baseball, football, lacrosse, wrestling and basketball games as well as graduations and other special milestones.

She will be remembered, among other things, for never hesitating to (silently or otherwise) correct your grammar.

Paula is survived by her husband, Tim, their three beautiful daughters Rebecca (Roderick) Klimek of Wynantskill, Holly Whitman of Spokane WA, and Heather (Karen) Hansen of Niskayuna and by her thirteen amazing grandchildren Gavin, Cora, Belle, Megan, Benjamin, Matthew, Andrew, Angus, Isaac, Chase, Camden, Carter, and Glory, her sister Sandy (Derek) Shepard of Baldwinsville, and her brothers Steve (Brenda) Churco of Shaftsbury VT and Larry Churco of Tupper Lake. She is further survived by many, many loving cousins and too many dear friends to count.

The family wishes to graciously thank the Poestenkill and Sand Lake Emergency Response Teams, and the entire cast and crew of the Albany Medical Center MICU. Paula’s final curtain call will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 5 at Perry - Komdat Funeral Chapel 2691 NY 43 Averill Park followed by a service at 6:30. Interment will be private at Brookside Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Refuge Place (460 8th St Troy NY 12180), an organization near and dear to Paula’s heart that serves a free community meal and pop-up food pantry every other week in downtown Troy.