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Hailee Witherel was driving a Nissan Sentra on Sand Hill Road in the Ulster County town of Gardiner at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, when her car went off the road and into a small pond, police reported.
The Nissan overturned, and Witherel was unable to get out of the car, authorities said.
She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
According to her obituary, Witherel, a resident of Gardiner in Ulster County, worked as a paraprofessional at Berea Elementary School in the Orange County village of Montgomery.
“She adored children and took great pride in her profession,” her obituary reads. “She was loved and respected by everyone.”
She also had a love of animals, acting, and singing.
A GoFundMe set up to support Witherel’s family has received $27,747 in donations as of Thursday, Sept. 29, far surpassing its goal of $2,000.
Witherel is survived by her parents, John and Helen Witherel; her brother, Joshua Witherel and his fiancée, Marlee Smith; her boyfriend, Jared Mallory; her grandfather, Robert Witherel and his partner, Bonnie Robbins; her grandmother, Janet "Gammie" Odendahl; her aunt, Julie Moussot and her husband, John; her cousins, Olivia Moussot, Brianna Rogers, Jaylynn Stover, Rocco Cioffredi-Rogers, and Jayce Rogers.
Her visitation is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at Copeland-Hammerl Funeral Home in New Paltz.
“To celebrate her life, family requests that fall-colored clothing and crazy/wacky socks be worn by all,” her obituary reads.
A funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1.
Her family also asked that donations be made in Witherel’s name to Walden Humane Society in lieu of sending flowers.
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