Ursula Worch Hambalek

Ursula W. Hambalek, 97, of Vestal, NY, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2025 surrounded by family. She was 12 days shy of her 98th birthday.
She was predeceased by husband Stephen C Hambalek, sister Dorothea Margaret, brother Peter R. Worch, parents Elizabeth and J. Rudolph Worch, and grandson Theodore Carris.
Ursula is survived by her children Julie (Terry) Dugan, Stephen Jr., Kristen, and Nicole (Thomas) Lamb. Nine (9) grandchildren: John Carris, Elizabeth (Amanda Swan) Carris, Ryan Hambalek, Robert Kerber, Amy Farthing, Amanda (Jethro) Henry, Jeanette Lamb, Molly Feeney, Michael Feeney Jr and three (3) great grandchildren: Matthew Henry, Joseph Henry, and Kaison Challenger. And her beloved grand-dog Auggie.
Ursula Worch was born in Manhattan at the Lying In Hospital on Second Avenue on New Year's Day 1928. She grew up in Binghamton and graduated from Binghamton North High School, Stephens College (Columbia, MO), and SUNY Binghamton.
At Stephens College, she studied microbiology and then journalism. She was elected Editor of the student newspaper. After college, she was a reporter at the Binghamton Press. In 1948, at age 20, she was offered a journalist position with Time Magazine in war-torn Europe but turned it down after pressure from her editor and parents not to travel to Europe at the time.
After leaving the Binghamton Press, she married Steve Hambalek and together, they founded the Vestal News. She worked 35 years at Vestal Central School District as District Clerk and Purchasing Supervisor. She also served on the Vestal Recreation Committee. While working, she matriculated at SUNY Binghamton and earned her BA degree.
After retirement, she worked part-time in the SUNY Binghamton Psychology Department. She was elected to nine years of service on the Vestal Central School District Board of Education and served 22 years on the board of Broome Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). She retired from the board at age 91, after spending a majority of those 22 years as Vice President.
She was an avid traveler in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Ursula instilled a deep love for travel in her children and grandchildren. She was a longtime member of Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church.
Her family would like to express their deepest appreciation for the care she received by the staff at Good Shepherd Fairview.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the following: Good Shepherd Foundation (attn: Cameo Court Staff), S.P.E.A.K. Animal Hospital, or the BT-BOCES Scholarship Fund.
The family will receive friends at the Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 East Main Street, Endicott, from 4 to 6 pm on Monday, December 29.