Vincent Vater, former director of endowments and special programs, dies

Vincent J.Vater, 80, of Pittsford, N.Y., formerly of Horseheads and Syracuse, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He retired from Syracuse University as director of endowments and special programs.

Vater was born Sept. 1, 1932, in Elmira, the son of the late Alfred Charles and Mary Margaret Hause Vater. He was a graduate of Horseheads High School and received his bachelor’s degree from St. John Fisher College in Rochester. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned his master’s degree from Indiana University. He was with SU from 1972-97 in Financial Aid Services.

In addition to his parents , Vater was pre-deceased by his first wife, Mary Noonan Vater, on March 17, 1965 , his brother A. Charles “Chuck” Vater Jr., his sisters Frances D. Vater Wylie and Helen Vater Mann, and his brothers-in-law Richard Mann and Charles A. “Chub” Wylie Sr.

Vater is survived by his wife, Jean Protchenko Vater; sons Kurt A. and Kaelin Vater; twin daughters Johanna (Jeff Diamond) Vater and Gretchen Vater of Brooklyn; grandson Van Vater Diamond; sister-in-law Joan Kearney Vater; several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of caring friends.

His funeral was held Oct. 8 at St. Mary Our Mother Church in Horseheads. Interment was in St. Mary Our Mother Cemetery, where full military honors were accorded to Vater.