Demitra Tulla Pangburn

Altamont - Demitra Tulla Pangburn, 82, of Altamont, died Friday, June 3rd, at home with family. Raised in Boonton, New Jersey she was the youngest daughter of Spiro and Katherine Deffigos. Tulla attended Douglass Residential College, and later obtained advanced degrees in Education. It was during her time at Douglass College that she met and began courting her late husband, Reverend Donald Pangburn. They were married in 1959 in a serendipitous double wedding ceremony with her late sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Jean-Pierre Belperron – and the two began building an incredibly beautiful life together. In 1979, Tulla started the Sunshine Day Nursery School, a church-sponsored early childhood center in East Greenbush, NY. It was her mission to provide children with a safe learning environment that instilled Christian values such as honesty, integrity, compassion, self- discipline, and respect – more than 40 years later, the program still operates today. Tulla spent another large part of her career as the Director of the Albany Vo-Tec Daycare Center and Early Childhood Education teacher and finished her teaching career as an adjunct professor in the Early Childhood Education degree program at Hudson Valley Community College. Tulla proudly served alongside her husband in ministry for more than 50 years at churches throughout New York State, including Long Island, Brooklyn, Syracuse, and the greater Capital Region specifically East Greenbush Reformed and Bellevue Reformed Church in Schenectady. And, for the past ten years, Tulla has been an active and beloved member of Altamont Reformed Church. She is survived by her children; Melisa Delessio and Paul Pangburn, son-in-law Herb Tedford, grandchildren James, Chris, Paige, Kevin, Chloejean, and Alex; great-grandchildren, Trenton and Chris Jr. and a large loving extended family. Tulla has been reunited in the most beautiful place with her husband Don, her daughter Maria Tedford and granddaughter Phoebe Hester. Calling hours will take place at the Altamont Reformed Church, Altamont, NY on Tuesday, June 7th from 11am-1pmwith Services immediately following. Interment will be in the East Greenbush Reformed Church Cemetery. The family has requested that those who wish, make memorial contributions in her name to Altamont Reformed Church. If ordering flowers, please request no lilies.