U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentPELLETTERIE SR. - Michael A., automobile buff 12/18/2001
Michael A. Pelletterie Sr., an automobile buff who once drove race cars, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) in his Depew home after a long illness. He was 69.
Pelletterie owned Jamid Automotive in Lancaster, which specialized in foreign car repair and restoration, for 15 years.
Born in Lockport, he attended Depew schools. After high school, he held jobs at Magnus Metal in Depew and Westinghouse Electric Corp. in Cheektowaga before joining Dresser Industries in Depew, where he rose from sand tester to quality control supervisor before the plant closed years ago.
As a young man, Pelletterie drove in auto races in Buffalo's Civic Stadium. He remained a fan of sprint and midget races, frequently traveling to events across the country. He also loved aircraft and at one time owned a vintage plane, which he frequently flew to airports around Western New York. He was an original member of the Lancaster Flying Club.
He was a car show chairman and judge for the Buffalo Octagon Association, a group of owners of MG sport cars, and was a member of the Loyal order of Moose.
Surviving are his wife of 49 years, the former Esther Kalamejski; two sons, James E. of Lancaster and Michael Jr. of Depew; a daughter, Deborah Gac of Depew; six grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church, 158 Laverack Ave., Lancaster after prayers at 9 in Wendel & Loecher Funeral Home, 27 Aurora St., Lancaster. Burial will be in St. Adalbert's Cemetery, Lancaster.
SMITH JR. - Timothy, union leader minister 12/18/2001
Services for Timothy Smith Jr., a retired union leader and minister, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in Brian K. Lewis Funeral Home, 2528 Bailey Ave. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Ebenezer.
A resident of Irving for many years, Smith died Dec. 7, 2001, in Lake Shore Hospital, Irving, after a brief illness. He was 91.
Born in Arlington, Va., one of seven children, he came to Buffalo with his family as a child.
During the Depression, he worked with his father as a caretaker at the Gates Circle Restaurant, which later became the Park Lane. He went on to work at Bethlehem Steel Corp. for 44 years.
He became chief union steward at the steel plant's rail mill and went on to become president of Local 2603, United Steelworkers of America.
Active in politics, he was chairman of the Ellicott District Political Action Committee and was elected a 7th Ward Democratic committeeman in 1954.
He enrolled in Kingdom Ministry School in 1960, intending to be a teacher, and was told he had to give up his leadership positions in politics and the union.
After four years of wrestling with the decision, he chose the ministry. He did not lead a congregation but instead devoted his life to helping others.
Smith summarized his life and career in an autobiography, "Afro-American Ugly Duckling."
"He helped poor people," his sister, Sarah Edwards of Buffalo, said. "He was always out to help the other guy. I never heard him say a bad thing about another guy."
His wife, Arneatta, died in 1950.
Besides his sister, he is survived by a longtime friend, Al Schack of Buffalo.
THOMAS - Rufus, best known for his dance songs dies 12/18/2001
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Musician Rufus Thomas, whose "Bear Cat" helped Sun Records get its start and whose "Funky Chicken" gave a boost to the Stax Label, died Saturday. He was 84.
Thomas' son, Marvell, said his father died in St. Francis Hospital. He had been hospitalized since Thanksgiving.
"This is the end of an era, and the world will miss him dearly," Thomas said.
Rufus Thomas was best known for novelty dance recordings like "Walking the Dog," "Do the Funky Chicken" and "Push and Pull."
He began tap dancing on the streets of Memphis for tips and performed in amateur shows in high school.
In the 1940s, Thomas ran his own Beale Street amateur show that attracted B.B. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland and many other performers who went on to become famous.
In his declining years, Thomas took on the title of "Beale Street ambassador" and liked to refer to himself as the world's oldest teenager.
Thomas was born in Cayce, Miss., in 1917 and grew up in Memphis. In high school, he met Nat D. Williams, a history teacher who organized annual variety shows.
In the late 1940s, Williams became one of the first black radio personalities in the South.
"Then, a black man on the radio had always been taboo," Thomas once told the Associated Press. "When they heard that black voice advertising their products, most of the advertisers pulled their ads."
In 1953, Thomas recorded "Bear Cat," an answer to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog," and it became Sun Record's first hit.
That was before Elvis Presley arrived on the scene to become Sun's undisputed star. Thomas complained in later years that Sun's black artists were pushed aside after Presley became a hit.
In the 1960s, Thomas became one of the founding performers for Stax Records, which created what came to be known as "the Memphis sound," with performers like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding and Sam and Dave.
WALCK - Edwin D., longtime farmer 12/18/2001
WHEATFIELD - Edwin D. Walck, 94, a longtime farmer, died Monday (Dec. 17, 2001) in Crestwood Health Care Center after a brief illness.
Walck was born in Wheatfield and attended St. James School in Bergholz.
Before becoming a farmer, he worked as a machinist in Niagara Falls for 14 years.
Most of his working years were spent operating farms in the Town of Niagara, Pendleton and Cambria. Among cash crops he harvested were wheat, corn, oats and hay.
Walck moved to the health care facility three years from his home in Cambria.
He was a lifelong member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Sanborn, where he served as an elder and trustee. He was also a member of the Farm Bureau and Niagara County Extension.
He and his wife of 59 years, Frances Haseley Walck, enjoyed spending winters in Florida. She died in 1994.
Walck also had enjoyed hunting on land he owned in northern Pennsylvania.
Survivors include two sons, Donald of Pendleton and Darrell of Cambria; a daughter, Suzanne Milleville of Wheatfield; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in St. Peter's Church, Walmore Road,Sanborn. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
ALBERT - James R. 6/1/2002
James R. Albert, 70, a retired truck driver, died Friday (May 31, 2002) in his Depew home after a long illness.
The Depew native was a graduate of Depew High School.
He had been a truck driver for A.J. Long Trucking, Linde, and Occidental Chemical. He retired in 1992.
He was a member of Bowmansville United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, the former Jean Pfister; two daughters, Jacqueline Albert of Hamburg and Donna Blachowicz of Depew; a son, Thomas of Hamburg; a sister, Charlene Schiffler of Lancaster; and four grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in Danzer and Dengler Funeral Home, 5363 Genesee St., Bowmansville. Burial will be in Marilla Cemetery, Marilla.
ANDERSON - Frederick G. 6/1/2002
WHEATFIELD - Frederick G. Anderson, 64, who worked as a machinist for 41 years at International Graphite, later Carbon Graphite, Niagara Falls, died Thursday (May 30, 2002) at home while under the care of Niagara Hospice.
He was born in Flushing and came to Niagara Falls with his family as a young boy, attending local schools.
Anderson served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Shrowell as a machinist's mate third class from 1955 to 1959. He then continued with the Naval Reserves until 1961.
He retired from Carbon Graphite in 1999.
Anderson was a volunteer firefighter in Youngstown, and also ran the 26-mile Skylon Marathon in 1982, finishing 37th.
He enjoyed riding bikes, traveling, camping and vacationing at Disney World.
Survivors include his wife, Ann; two sons, Jon of Niagara Falls and Tim of Frederick, Md.; a daughter, Elizabeth McEwen of the Town of Tonawanda; a stepson, Michael Kotalik of Austin, Texas; a stepdaughter, Michelle D'Antunoli of Apex, N.C.; two brothers, Carl and Lenus, both of Ormond Beach, Fla.; a sister, Cecelia Moutz of Akron, Ohio; and six grandchildren.
A memorial Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. today in Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 22nd and Niagara streets, Niagara Falls.
BOSSMAN - Richard M. 6/1/2002
Richard M. Bossman, 85, a retired Bethlehem Steel Corp. crane operator, died Saturday (May 25, 2002) in Hospice House, Tavares, Fla.
Born in South Buffalo, Bossman attended South Park High School. He moved to Florida in 1975 after retiring from Bethlehem Steel's Lackawanna plant.
He was a member of the Triangle Camping Club and the Wedgewood Golf Course in Grand Island, Fla.
Bossman enjoyed playing golf, fishing, hunting, bowling and camping.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Gertrude of Grand Island, Fla.; two daughters, Barbara Manley and Kathleen Mullen, both of Buffalo; a stepson, William Ludtka of Buffalo; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
A family memorial service will be scheduled.
