U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
VIOLET E. SPETA
FRIENDSHIP - Violet E. Speta of 4092 Route 275 died Saturday (March 15, 2003) at Cuba Memorial Hospital Residential Health Care Facility following a lengthy illness.
Born March 21, 1917, in Buffalo, she was a daughter of Raymond and Mae V. Gleason Lewis. On May 19, 1937, in Obi, she married Louis A. “Duke” Speta, who died Jan. 10, 1999.
A resident of Friendship most of her life, Mrs. Speta and her husband had owned and operated a dairy farm on the West Notch Road for many years.
She was a member of the Nile Community Church and a past member of the Polkadot CB Radio Club.
Mrs. Speta enjoyed camping and making ceramics.
Surviving are a son, Samuel E. (Gayle) Speta of Friendship; seven daughters Sherley M. (Laurence) Durkee of Cuba, Sylvia S. (Russell) Scott of Rushford, Sally D. Kirtley of Staples, Texas, Charlotte A. Skinner of Belmont, Christina A. (Gordon) Smith of Blame, Minn., Cathleen B. (Robert) Gleason of Friendship and Sherry J. (Robert) Austin of Weston’s Mills; 16 grandchil- dren; 30 great-grandchildren; a brother, LaVerne Lewis of Port Allegany, Pa.; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by a son, Charles Speta; and two brothers, Forrest Lewis and Kenneth Lewis.
Friends called at the Treusdell Funeral Home, Friendship, Wednesday (March 19, 2003) from noon to 2 p.m., at which time funeral and committal services were held. The Rev. Roberta Baker of Friendship officiated. Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery Friendship.
Memorials may be made to the Office for the Aging, Belmont, NY 14813; or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
BEATE ABBOTT
WESTFIELD, Pa - Beate Abbott, 88, of Westfield died Monday (May 12, 2003) in the Green Home, Wellsboro.
Born Jan. 8, 1915, in Hector Township, she was the daughter of Walter and Eva
Cole Hess. On Sept. 14, 1935, in Hector Township, she married Lioanel Abbott, who predeceased her in 1986.
Mrs. Abbott was employed as an LPN by Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport for over 20 years.
She was a member of the Harrison Valley Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.
Surviving are a daughter, Deborah Jo (Joseph) Ahearn of Westfield; a son, Eugene L. Abbott of Westfield; two daughters- in-law, Barbara Ann Cady of Wellsville, NY, and Sharon Abbott of Corning, NY; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by two sons, Lioanel Abbott Jr. and Tyrone Abbott; four broth- ers; and three sisters.
Friends called Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Benjamin R. Olney Funeral Home, Ulysses. Funeral services were held Wednesday (May 14, 2003) at 11 a.m. in the Harrison Valley C&MA Church. The Rev. Timothy H. Miller, pastor, officiated. Burial was in Riverview Cemetery, Potter Brook.
Memorials may be made to the SPCA.
VICTOR J. AUSTIN
SCIO - Victor J. Austin, 75, of 4057 N. Main St. died Monday (May 12, 2003) in Highland Hospital, Rochester.
Born Jan. 9, 1928, in Middlebury, he was a son of Cecil and Gertrude Poste Austin. On Oct. 2, 1948, he married Lillian Stiegler, who predeceased him March 10, 1990. On Sept. 1, 1990, he married Jeanette DeVore, who survives.
Mr. Austin was a graduate of Akron High School and was a former resident of the Belmont-Belvidere area. He was a retired dairy farmer and owned and operated Belvidere Farms. After his retirement, he drove school bus for Belmont Central School and raised chickens and vegetables. He enjoyed gardening, flowers and selling his home-grown vegetables and eggs from his home.
Mr. Austin was a member of the United Church of Belmont, Fairlawn Cemetery Board, past member of the Belmont Grange, past 4-H leader and member of many other agricultural organizations. He was a very active member of Belmont Lodge 474 F&AM, where he served as the current Master of the Lodge. He was a member of the Ismailia Temple of Buffalo, Allegany Shrine, Cattaraugus- Allegany County Kart Corps and was the patron for the M. Eva Williams Chapter 192 Order of the Eastern Star in Belmont. He was also active with the Masonic Fellowship Council.
Surviving besides his wife are two sons, Jerry Austin of Batavia and Victor E. (Patty) Austin of Hinsdale; a daughter, Patricia (Terrance) Schmelzer of Belmont; two stepsons, Edwin Winans of Belfast and Rodney (Linda) Winans of Belmont; two stepdaughters, Annette (Robert) Kish of Belfast and Susan (Philip) Luce of Rushford; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a brother, Charles (Mary) Austin of Belmont; a sister, Charlotte Buyers of Somonauk, Ill.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a son, James Austin, in 1989.
Friends called Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc., Belmont, where a Masonic service was held at 8:30 p.m. Funeral services were held Friday (May 16, 2003) it 11 a.m. in the United Church of Belmont, with the
Rev. Sandra Lasher officiating. Burial was in Fairlawn Cemetery Scio.
Memorials may be made to Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps or the Allegany County Masonic Fellowship Council.
VIRGINIA M. BABCOCK
CERES, Pa. - Virginia M. Babcock, 63, of Kings Run Road, Ceres, died Tuesday (May 13, 2003) in her home after a long illness.
Born Sept. 26, 1939, in Sharon Township, she was a daughter of Elmer G. and Marian B. Mesler Green. On July 2, 1955, in Shinglehouse, she married Clarence L. “Babby” Babcock Jr., who died March 21, 2001.
Mrs. Babcock attended Shinglehouse High School and was employed in the cafeteria at Oswayo Valley Elementary School since 1995. She had previously worked in the cafeteria in the 1950s and 1970s. She had also been employed in 1989 at the former Hewitt Manor Nursing Home in Shinglehouse.
Mrs. Babcock was a member of the Ceres United Methodist Church. She enjoyed camping, canning, doing word searches and, most especially, her family.
Surviving besides her father of Ceres are four sons, Dennis E. (Danae) Babcock, Bradley J. (Diane) Babcock and Robert M. (Rose) Babcock, all of Shinglehouse, and Tony L. (Janice) Babcock of Miliport; a daughter, Linda M. (Barry) Wheeler of Shinglehouse; 17 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; five brothers, Delmar G. Green of Shinglehouse, Leonard E. “Butch” (Bonnie) Green and Gary L. (Marsha) Green, both of Ceres, Milford D. “Tunk” (Elta) Green of Eldred and William R. (Joyce) Green of Minerva, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her mother and husband, she was predeceased by one brother, Milton E. Green; and one sister, Rhea J. Seal.
Friends called Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, Shinglehouse, where funeral and committal services were held Friday (May 16, 2003) at 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Randall W. Headley, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Port Allegany, officiated. Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery, Shinglehouse.
Memorials may be made to the Shinglehouse Volunteer Ambulance Association. P.O. Box 98, Shinglehouse, PA 16748.
MAURICE L. FIELD
SCIO - Maurice L. Field of 4051 Pine St. died Wednesday (May 7, 2003) at home following an illness.
Born June 8, 1929, in Salamanca, he was a son of Loren and Pearl Luce Field. In 1949, he married Doris Mildred Milks, who predeceased him in 1959. On April 29, 1961, in Scio, he married Kay Karr, who survives.
Mr. Fields was a 1947 graduate of Salamanca High School and served with the U.S. Army from Jan. 18, 1952, to Jan. 17, 1954.
He was a meat cutter for Loblaws in Wellsville and in Johnson City, where he lived for three years. He and his family returned to Scio and he was employed by Fancher Furniture in Salamanca for a number of years. In 1965, he became employed by Dresser- Rand in Wellsville, where he worked on and off for 30 years. Also during that time, he owned and operated Field Food Grocery Store in Scio from 1965 to 1989. He retired from Dresser-Rand in 1995.
Mr. Field was minister of the Institute of Devin Metaphysical Research (IDMR), was an avid snowmobiler and skier, enjoyed both cross-country motorcycling and trial riding and he was a member of the Scio Volunteer Fire Department and the Amity Pathfinders.
Surviving besides his wife are three sons, Larry M. (Sandra) Field, Dennis B. (Sheila K.) Field and Loren S. Field, all of Scio; a daughter, Lynnette K. (William L.) Armstrong of Scio; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother Dana (Virginia) Field of Weston’s Mills; two sisters, Myrtle (Ed) Blackmon of Kill Buck and Irene Hutchinson of Little Valley; and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by two sisters, Margaret Blackmon and infant Ronda Field.
Friends were received Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mulholland-Crowell Funeral Home Inc., 296 N. Main St., Wellsville, where funeral and committal services were held Monday (May 12, 2003) at 1 p.m. Mr. Field’s son, Dennis Field, who is a minister of the Arkport Branch of the IDMR, officiated. Burial was in Fairlawn Cemetery, Scio.
Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
CLIFFORD C. GREEN
WELLSVILLE - Clifford C. Green of 3271 Trapping Brook Road died Sunday (May 11, 2003) in the Highland Health Care Center.
Born Jan. 11, 1916, in Sharon Township, Pa., he was a son of Chester and Hazel Bump Green. On Sept. 8, 1973, in Wellsville, he married Jean Galutia Wlasniewski, who survives.
Mr. Green worked in local oil fields, logged timber and worked construction for Otis Eastern and Joyce Brothers, both of Wellsville. He also worked for Jackson & White, drilling water wells. He retired from the Green Thumb Program, where he worked for the Belmont Housing Action Corp. and as a maintenance helper at Wellsville High School.
He enjoyed gardening, farming and horse pulling. He especially enjoyed spending time with his best friend, Prince. Mr. Green was a past president of the Dads of Foreign Service Veterans through VFW Post 2530.
Surviving besides his wife are five daughters, Barb (Robert) Stuck of New Port Richey, Fla., Rebecca (Elmer) Rogers of Zephyrhills, Fla., Linda (Michael) Williams of West Valley, Sharon Chase of Commerce City, Cob., and Janice (Ronald) Yocum of Franklinville; six sons, Clifford (Hollie) Green of Machias, Matthew (Toni) Wlasniewski of Hamburg, Timothy Wlasniewski of Syracuse, Theodore (Renda) Wlasniewski of Andover, Thomas (Sue) Wlasniewski of Belmont and Joel (Terry) Wlasniewski of Andover; 32 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Wade Green of Wellsville and Clyde (Polly) Greene of Cuba; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by a brother, Arnold Green, and two sisters, Marion Mattison and Mildred Whitehill, all of Wellsville.
Friends were received Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mulholland-Crowell Funeral Home Inc., 296 N. Main St., Wellsville, where funeral and committal services were held Thursday (May 15, 2003) at 2 p.m. The Rev. Roger Gardner of the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Church in Alfred, officiated. Burial was in Stannards Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
