U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentMary J. Calmes (nee Grant)
Mary J. Calmes (nee Grant), age 57, of West Valley, died December 14, 2006. Wife of Roy Dziedzic; mother of Gina (Chuck) Wright, Michele (Scott) Van Sickle, Sandy (Troy) Van Sickle and Roy Jr. (Michaelanne) Dziedzic; sister of Walter (Debbie) Grant and Bonnie Schloss; also survived by several foster brothers and sisters; 18 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Tuesday afternoon, January 2, 2007 at 1 o'clock from the First Presbyterian Church, 38 North Buffalo Street, Springville. Arrangements were made by the W.S. Davis Funeral Home, Inc., Arcade.
Mia Jones
Mia Jones of Atlanta, Ga., formerly of West Valley, passed away at her home on October 18, 2007, after a long illness.
She was a 1997 graduate of West Valley Central School, received a bachelor's degree from D'Youville College in 2002 and was employed as a business administrator in Atlanta.
She was the daughter of Franklin II and Nancy Jones; sister of Franklin III (Rita) Jones; also aunt of two nieces and a nephew; granddaughter of Joseph Giumento and Dorothy James; also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, October 20 in Atlanta, Ga. A memorial service will be held in West Valley at a later date. Cards and condolences may be sent to Franklin Jones III, 4441 Paleface Dr., Douglasville, Ga. 30135.
Frank L. Knight
Frank L. Knight, 76, of Springville, formerly of Eden, died Saturday, October 13, 2007.
Mr. Knight is survived by his wife, Donna (McClellan); and his step-daughter, Jennifer Semrau of St. Louis, Mo.
Mr. Knight was a veteran of the Korean War and had been retired from IBM for 24 years.
He made a donation of his body to the University at Buffalo School of Medicine.
A private funeral service was held with another service and gathering to be held at a later date. Burial will be in Lake George, N.Y.
Donations in his name can be made to Hospice of Buffalo.
Grace M. Brennan (nee Meredith)
Grace M. Brennan (nee Meredith) of Springville, October 23, 2007. Wife of the late Raymond Patrick Brennan and Charles Anger; mother of Mary Jane (late Charles) Schill, Joan (late Thomas) Armstrong, Gloria Rumfola Farner, Carol (Alan) Domes and Richard (Patricia) Anger; also survived by 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and two great-great-granddaughters; sister of the late James Meredith. She was a cook at the Leland House for 21 years, where she met her husband, Ray. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 1:30 from the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, Inc, 271 East Main Street, Springville. The Rev. William L. Kay officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Springville.
Bernice Pfarner (nee Blasz)
Bernice Pfarner (nee Blasz), October 22, 2007, of Springville. Wife of Lloyd Pfarner; daughter of the late Stanley and Julia Blaszcz; mother of Beatrice (late Allen) Peters, John (Gloria) Nowak, David Nowak, Paul Nowak (Diane Baker), Linda (Ronald) Farber, Carl Nowak and the late Joseph Nowak; sister of Estelle (late Joseph) Kobiolka, Genevieve (Edward) Krycia, Adele (late Anthony) Maglio, Richard (Mary) Blasz and the late Charlotte May, Vincent, Stephen, Edward, Alfred and Felix Blasz; sister-in-law of Charlotte, Rose and Sophie Blasz; also survived by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Friday morning from the Wurtz Funeral Home, 9287 Boston State Road, Boston, at 11 o'clock. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Springville Fire Department.
Leon J. Ratajczak
Leon J. Ratajczak, October 26, 2007, of Springville. Husband of Joan (nee Salzler) Ratajczak; father of Rick (Cathy) Ratajczak, Linda (late Mick) Winslow, Lori (Blake) Beehler and David (Carol) Ratajczak; grandfather of Michelle, Thurman, Catherine Winslow, Emily Beehler, Lauren, Matthew and Daniel Ratajczak; brother of Gertrude Nunweiler and the late Virginia Jerozal. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday morning at 10 o'clock from St. Aloysius Church, Springville. The Rev. Lawrence Cobel officiated. Burial was in St. Aloysius Cemetery, Springville. Arrangements were made by the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, Inc., 271 East Main Street, Springville.
Robert C. Slating
Robert C. Slating passed away December 31, 2007.
He was born in Ellicottville in 1923, the son of the late Clarence and Margaret (Lawrence) Slating. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, then received his B.A. degree from Rider College and worked as a public account- ant before coming to Springville in 1963, where he was employed as a controller at Winsmith and Robinson Knife, retiring in late 1980s.
Active in the community, Slating was elected to the Griffith Institute School Board, at one point serving as president, and was committee chair for Boy Scout Troop 543. He attended Springville United Methodist Church, where he served as an usher and was a member of the Board of Trustees. An avid golfer, he was a member of the Springville Country Club.
He was the husband of Dorothy Slating; father of Beth and Robin; grandfather of Jessica and Susan; brother of James (Joan) Slating and the late Elizabeth, Joyce and Alice; also survived by several nieces and nephews.
A private graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home or to a charity of choice. Arrangements were made by the Smith-Weis- mantel Funeral Home, Inc., 271 East Main Street, Springville.
Kathryn E. VanBuskirk
Kathryn E. VanBuskirk, 84, a resident of National Lutheran Home, Rockville, Md., formerly of East Aurora and Glenwood, died on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2007.
She was born in 1923 in Erie, Pa., the daughter of the late Chester C. and Florence Gronnett Loudon.
She was the wife of the late Ramon A. VanBuskirk; mother of Scott G. VanBuskirk and Margaret Rucinski of West Valley, Beth (Fred) Harris of Wheaton, Md. and the late Barbara G. VanBuskirk; grandmother of Hadley, Heather and Anne; great-grandmother of RJ, Craig, Brian and Christian; sister of the late Martha Sutley.
Memorial services will be held on January 12 at noon at the Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, Center and Main streets, East Aurora. The Rev. David Derk will officiate. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, East Aurora. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the National Lutheran Home, 9701 Viers Drive, Rockville, Md. 20850.
Arrangements were made by the Stauffer Funeral Home.
Gary D. Crumb
Gary D. Crumb, 49, of Sarasota, Fla., formerly of Gowanda, passed away December 30, 2007, following a long illness and stroke.
He was born and raised in Gowanda and was a graduate of Gowanda Central School. He worked for Gable Brothers Furniture Store in Gowanda, and at security in Buffalo before moving to Sarasota.
He was the son of Margaret Crumb of Gowanda and the late George Crumb Sr.; brother of his twin sister Garnetta Donavan of Springville, Mary Sternisha of Collins Center, Katherine McCurdy of Kansas, John Crumb of Avon, Ohio, Keith Crumb of Gowanda and the late Anthony, Teddy, George Jr. and Patricia Tyna; and uncle of the late Tiffany Sternisha.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Gowanda Free Library or Florida Hospice of Sarasota.
Funeral services will be held at a later date.
Mildred Magavern
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. from the Hamburg Wesleyan Church for Mildred McClurg Magavern, 99, of Hamburg and formerly of Buffalo, who died Friday, Jan. 18, 2002.
Wife of the late Willard J. Magavern, she is survived by her daughters, Joan (Donald C., M.D.) Gregory and Julie (Philip T.) Smith; son, Willard J. (Marcia M.) Magavern Jr.; 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her daughter, Joyce McClurg Magavern.
Mrs. Magavern was a member of the Hamburg Presbyterian Church and served as president of the Women’s Association. She was chairman of the Hamburg Red Cross and served on the board of directors for the Buffalo Red Cross and as a chairman of the United Way for Hamburg and Eden. She also was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, the Twentieth Century Club and the Women’s Board of Millard Fillmore Hospital.
