By Mattie Fitzpatrick | October 21, 2024
Photo Credit: @uasalbany on Instagram
The University at Albany community has lost a loved community member.
Amelia “Emely” Reyes, who worked at 518 Market, passed away unexpectedly on October 5, 2024, after 38 years of working at UAlbany.
Her legacy is not lost on her students however. Students who wished to remain anonymous organized a memorial for Amelia that was displayed outside of 518 Market where she worked and served her community everyday.
Students were able to write well wishes and the memorial itself was given to Mrs. Reyes' family at her service. Her dedication to UAlbany students has not gone unnoticed.
The memorial was made for Amelia Reyes by a number of students.
Photo Credit: Anonymous
One organizer said, “I posted on Yik Yak, ‘We should do something for Emely, maybe like a little memorial to the side of the 518 Market.’ With 400 students showing their support, my best friend and I were off to the dollar tree with our collective $17 in our bank accounts to try and make a memorial.”
You might have seen Amelia Reyes in the past at 518 market, checking students’ food out with a smile and conversation. Despite 38 years of experience, Amelia Reyes never lost her passion for the UAlbany Community and students. She greeted each day with a smile as she interacted with college students. You might not have known her name, but she recognized all of her students.
University Auxiliary Services General Retail Manager Milly Janvrin, said of Amelia, “Why I believe the students liked her so much and felt such a need to do the memorial and celebrate her life was the whole reason she got up everyday, she loved coming here. She lost her husband a few years back and I always said ‘Emely when are you going to retire?“ and she said that this job gave her purpose and seeing the young folks everyday just gave her meaning in her life.”
She has not only touched her students' lives however. Perhaps even greater is the impact she had on her colleagues and fellow co-workers.
Tyesha Williams, who worked with Ms. Reyes for 10 years and worked at 1844 Restaurant said, “Amelia Reyes was such a warm hearted loving person. I admire her strength, her wisdom and her character. She is definitely an inspiration to everyone she has known in her life and she loved everyone and most of all she loved her family.”
If you’d like to leave a message for Amelia’s family or send a thoughtful token to the Reyes family, please do so at this link.
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