U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentEGGLESTON - Ruth E. 12/18/2001
A memorial service will be scheduled for Ruth E. Eggleston, who helped raise money to build Kenmore Mercy Hospital.
Mrs. Eggleston, 92, died Dec. 2, 2001, in McCandless, Pa. She was buried in Acacia Park Cemetery, Pendleton.
She was born Ruth Lipp in Buffalo. Active in fund-raising for the construction of Kenmore Mercy, she was president of the Kenmore Mercy Guild in 1957-58 and was a member of the Erie County School Board Association.
She worked for AM&A's department store for many years and was a former member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Amherst.
Mrs. Eggleston moved to McCandless in 1986 and to Richland Township, Pa., in July. She was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church and its Bell Choir and Altar Guild.
Surviving are a daughter, Marilyn MacArthur of Richland Township; a son, Robert L. of Pompano Beach, Fla.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
GRIFFIN - Duane C. 12/18/2001
A memorial Mass for Duane Clears Griffin, who had worked for United Parcel Service in Buffalo, will be offered at 5 p.m. Friday in Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 317 Leroy Ave.
Griffin, 36, died last Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) in a traffic accident in Boca Raton, Fla., where he lived and worked the past seven years.
Born in Buffalo, Griffin graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School and earned a bachelor's degree in graphic design and business management from Buffalo State College.
Griffin had worked as a graphics designer for Ericsson Communications and also had worked for Bell South Mobility in Boca Raton. In addition, he was a representative for company-sponsored charitable foundations.
He was a member of Blessed Trinity Church. An avid golfer, he also enjoyed classic automobiles.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen; his mother, Bessie of Buffalo; his father, Clears of North Carolina; and a sister, Melanie Griffin Pugh of Chicago.
HARVEY - John J. 12/18/2001
NIAGARA FALLS - John J. Harvey, 83, former office manager for Acme Fast Freight Co., Buffalo, died Saturday (Dec. 15, 2001) in Mount St. Mary's Hospital, Lewiston, after a brief illness.
Harvey was born in Buffalo and graduated from Kensington High School.
His stint with Acme of more than 20 years ended around 1967.
Harvey left the area and became the owner and operator of a motel in Cohocton.
Several years later, he moved to Rochester. He moved to Niagara Falls in 1989.
Survivors include a son, John Jr. of Niagara Falls; a daughter, Maureen Harvey Bulman of Riverside, Calif.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at noon Wednesday in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheektowaga.
HAWKINS - Velyne H., active in community 12/18/2001
FREDONIA - Velyne Hague Hawkins, active in many community organizations, died Friday (Dec. 14, 2001) in Medina (Ohio) Hospital after an automobile accident. She was 83.
Born Velyne Hague in Tacoma, Wash., as a young woman she had a career as a professional dancer. She headlined with Tony Martin on stage in New York City and performed throughout the East.
She was married in the late 1940s to Lynn A. Hawkins and moved to Fredonia. He died in 1969.
Active for many years in the Order of the Eastern Star, she recently completed a term as grand representative of Louisiana to the New York Charter District. A member of Fredonia Chapter 430, she also was a member of Sylvan Chapter 258 in Dunkirk.
Mrs. Hawkins was a member of the Lady Oriental Shrine Group in Buffalo and the Bells Oriental Shrine Group of North America, which supported the Shriners Hospital in Boston, Mass.
She also was a well-known supporter of the Cleveland Clinic Heart Fund and had received several awards from the clinic.
Mrs. Hawkins was active in the Pomfret Republican Committee and the Chautauqua County Republican Committee. She also was a trustee of the Fredonia College Foundation.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and the Wimodousis of Fredonia.
At the age of 80, she became active in the Chautauqua Tennis Club. She also was an active golfer and a member of Tri-County Country Club in Forestville.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in First Presbyterian Church, 219 Central Ave. Burial will be in Sheridan Cemetery.
KURZEL - Max P., earned three Purple Hearts 12/18/2001
Max P. Kurzel, who earned three Purple Hearts as a Marine in World War II, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) in his West Seneca home. He had turned 81 Friday.
Serving with the Third Marine Division in the Pacific, he was a member of Carlson's Raiders and was wounded on Guadalcanal, Bougainville and Guam.
The story of how he saved his life by playing dead during the December 1943 battle of Hellzapoppin Ridge on Bougainville was featured in the May 1944 issue of Look magazine. After he was shipped back to the states and recovered from his wounds, he toured with singer Kate Smith during War Bond drives.
After his discharge, Kurzel returned to Buffalo and his job as a stock boy at Kobacker's department store on Broadway. He advanced to become a buyer of linens, domestics and yard goods, then became district manager of the chain.
After helping to close Kobacker's in 1972, he went on to open the Stewart & Benson store in the Thruway Mall. In 1979, he joined Hens & Kelly, where he managed a number of stores before helping to close the chain in the mid-1980s. He then became a store manager for United Uniform, retiring in 1995.
Born in Buffalo, Kurzel attended St. Stanislaus Elementary School and was a graduate of East High School.
He was a member of the Third Marine Division Association; the Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans; Adam Plewacki Post 799, American Legion, and Harvey D. Morin Post 2940, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was known for his sense of humor and practical jokes.
His first wife, Helen Kargul Kurzel, died in 1964. He Teresa Barszcz in 1973.
In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Paul of Angola; and three grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, 4220 Seneca St., West Seneca, after prayers at 8:30 in Sieck & Mast Funeral Home, 250 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca. Burial will be in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga.
MCCARTHY - Robert J., former businessman 12/18/2001
Robert J. McCarthy, a former businessman and Maryvale school custodian, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) in his Williamsville home after a brief illness. He was 75.
A Buffalo native, he graduated from Kensington High School in 1944 and served in the Army during World War II.
In 1951, McCarthy started Pinno Pizza Supply, a wholesale company that sold to schools and restaurants. He sold the business in 1987 and worked for the Maryvale schools until he retired in 1997.
He was a youth softball coach in the North Cheektowaga Amateur Athletic Association.
At Infant of Prague Catholic Church, he was a Eucharistic minister and a member of the Lazarus Servers, Nocturnal Adoration Society, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Holy Name Society.
Survivors include his wife, the former Theresa Pasto; two daughters, Kathleen Shilling of Trumbull, Conn., and Colleen O'Hern of New Britain, Conn.; a son, Kevin of Cheektowaga; two sisters, Elizabeth Conk and Eileen Rollier, both of Cataula, Ga.; two brothers, James of the Town of Tonawanda and William of Amherst; and nine grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday in Infant of Prague Church, 921 Cleveland Drive, Cheektowaga, after prayers at 9:30 in Amigone Funeral Home, 569 Cleveland Drive, Cheektowaga. Burial will be in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Williamsville.
MYERS - Orval G., earned two Purple Hearts 12/18/2001
NIAGARA FALLS - Orval G. Myers was wounded twice in the World War II Battle of the Bulge and was one of the last men out of the Schoellkopf Power Plant when it collapsed into the Niagara River Gorge on June 8, 1956.
In the last two years, as he was in and out of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, the nurses called him the "candy man" because he always brought them chocolates.
Myers died there Saturday (Dec. 15, 2001) at the age of 77.
Myers was born in Chippawa, Ont., and became a naturalized U.S. citizen on Dec. 9, 1943. After graduating from LaSalle High School, he worked briefly as a boxer at the Union Carbide Corp. plant before joining the Army's 101st Airborne Division.
Myers earned two Purple Hearts in the Battle of the Bulge.
After the war, he was a meter reader for Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. and later worked in its operations department. He was working at Schoellkopf the day it collapsed and eventually went to work for the New York Power Authority at the Niagara Power Project, which was built to replace Schoellkopf.
He retired in 1986 as a chief operator at the Lewiston plant.
His family described Myers as a homebody who was happiest working in his garden. He made his own chili sauce and jam and also had a liking for ice cream.
In recent years, Myers became interested in computer gaming. He also enjoyed watching football and stock car racing.
Survivors include his wife of more than 50 years, the former Alice I. Moodie; two sons, Daniel of Lewiston and Jeff of Seattle; three daughters, Rebecca L. Ray of Palm Desert, Calif., Jill of Reno, Nev., and Marie Goodberry of North Tonawanda; a sister, Thelma McMurry of Peco Rivera, Calif.; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in St. John de LaSalle Catholic Church, 8469 Buffalo Ave., after prayers at 9 in Lane Funeral Home, 8622 Buffalo Ave. Burial will be in Acacia Park Cemetery, Pendleton.
