Stella Ann Hunkins Garitz, 87, a longtime resident of Watertown, NY passed away peacefully on Monday, July 26, 2021, at Tiffany Springs Senior Living Community in Kansas City, Missouri where she recently moved to be closer to her family.
Stella was born March 2, 1934, in the Village of Gouverneur, NY to the late Ernest and Lucille (Wells) Hunkins. Stella graduated from Gouverneur High School as the Class President in 1951, with her bachelorâs degree from St. Lawrence University and her masterâs degree in Library Science in 1955 from Syracuse University.
She began her teaching career as a librarian in September 1955 in North Creek, NY. She also taught at the Liverpool School District from 1957 until moving to Watertown with her family in 1965. Stella began her career as the elementary schools librarian with the Watertown City School District in 1971 and achieved tenure in September 1975. After retirement from her 36 year librarian career in 1997, she remained active in the