Wilfred J. Ganem

Wilfred Joseph Ganem passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family, on May 15 in Saratoga Springs, New York. He was 99. Will was predeceased by his devoted spouse of nearly 64 years, Martha (Nouhan) Ganem.

Born in Manchester, New Hampshire, within the large, close-knit Arab-American community, Will was the middle of nine children who survived to adulthood, born to Latify and Joseph Ganem, émigrés from Lebanon. As a gifted student, he graduated a year early from Manchester High School Central in 1943. Amid WWII, he proudly joined the U.S. Navy, receiving a medical discharge. Under the G.I. Bill he studied web-offset commercial printing in Tennessee. He took his first position at Safran Printing Co. in Detroit, where he met Martha at a Syrian church dance. They married and lived several years in the Detroit area. His work at Rumford Press took the family to Concord, New Hampshire. Later, a position as Press Room Superintendent at Williams Press in Menands led to the family's move to Clifton Park, where they remained together for more than 50 years.

After a successful, nearly two-decade career training teams at numerous presses to expand into offset printing, the quintessential entrepreneur, Will founded his own business. By pioneering the pressure-washing system, known as Hydrosonic Systems, he grew a two-person business focused on cleaning trucks and aluminum-sided structures into a diverse team specializing in restoring historic architectural landmarks throughout the Capital region. Under Will's leadership, with Martha managing the office bookkeeping, Ganem Contracting Corporation created innovative solutions to preservation projects and earned a well-deserved reputation.

Among numerous honors, Will received a Lifetime Achievement Award from New York State in 2015. The award reflected a business legacy grounded in honesty and integrity that continues today under his son, Peter. As an active member of the Corpus Christi Church community in Round Lake for more than five decades, Will generously contributed his time, expertise, equipment, and labor for myriad restoration projects.

As a longtime member of the Edison Club in Rexford, Will shared a passion for golf with all. From walking the golf course to his neighborhood blocks, he never seemed to age. He always enjoyed a good chat and loved exchanging ideas about stock investments. Childhood visits to Hampton Beach evolved in later years into extended stays at Ormond Beach, Florida. His indomitable spirit was an inspiration to many.

Wilfred will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. He is survived by his four children, Joseph (Sharon), Elizabeth (Richard), Peter (Janet), and Jacqueline (Charles); sister, Mae Nasser; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a large extended family. Will was predeceased by his loving spouse, Martha; parents; sisters, Matilda Ganem, Nora Noyes, Louise Ashooh, and Mary-Ann LaJeunesse; and brothers, John, Donald, Philip, and Edward Ganem. The family would like to acknowledge the wonderful care given by his dear aides.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 from 9:30 am to 11:00 am with a Mass of Christian Burial to immediately follow at 11:00 am at Corpus Christi Church, 2001 US Route 9, Round Lake. Interment will follow at the Jonesville Cemetery.