Devoted friends lay Hope to rest; Northwoods workers pay for girl's funeral, burial.(Capital Region)

Byline: PAUL GRONDAHL - Staff Writer

NISKAYUNA - Three weeks after her death, Hope Ann Genoski, who was born prematurely and passed away at age 9 because of lung complications, continues to touch people's lives.

The vibrant, spirited girl who spent most of her life at Northwoods at Hilltop rehabilitation facility was buried July 2 at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Niskayuna.

"Nobody wanted our beloved Hope buried in a pauper's grave in Ulster County," said Michelle Durling, nurse manager of the pediatric unit at Northwoods.

That county's social service agency became her legal guardian after her parents, who moved there, could not care for her. …