U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentBLUHM - Vera J. 10/25/00
CAMBRIA - Vera J. Bluhm, 71, a retired department store sales clerk in Lockport, died Tuesday (Oct. 24, 2000) in her home after a short illness. She had been under the care of Niagara Hospice.
The former Vera Perry was born in Porter and graduated from Wilson Central High School in 1946. She lived in Ransomville until moving to Cambria in 1958.
Mrs. Bluhm worked as a clerk at the former Williams Brothers Department Store in Lockport from 1967 to 1977, and at AM&A's in Lockport from 1978 to 1986.
She enjoyed camping trips to Floridaand bowling in the Lutheran League at Townline Bowl.
Mrs. Bluhm assisted with the Ladies Aid at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, where she was a member. She also belonged to the Ransomville Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and the Grand Squares, a square dancing club in Newfane.
Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Milford C.; two sons, Terry of Pittsford and Kevin of Lockport; and four grandchildren.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 4169 Church Road.
FINLEY - Marie A., long-serving employee 10/25/00
NIAGARA FALLS - Marie Antoinette Finley, who worked for 69 years in the same office before retiring at age 86, died Monday (Oct. 23, 2000) in Crestwood Nursing Home, Wheatfield. She was 90.
Mrs. Finley, known as "Toni," was born Marie Astorino in Punxsutawney, Pa., but moved here as a child and graduated from Niagara Falls High School in 1928.
Mrs. Finley went to work in the office of the former Chisholm-
Ryder Co. while still in high school, and eventually became office manager and the company's longest-serving employee.
She kept working until Chisholm-Ryder closed its local plant and moved to Minnesota in 1996. She retired only because she was too old to make the move, according to her niece, Marie Cozzo.
"She was still on a manual typewriter," Cozzo said, adding that Mrs. Finley was featured for her longevity on Paul Harvey's ABC Radio program.
Mrs. Finley was active in church work at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, where she was treasurer of the Ladies of Charity and a member of the Rosary and Altar Society and the Carmelites, the senior citizens group.
She was a past member of the American Business Women's Association and the St. Francis Guild at Mount St. Mary's Hospital, Lewiston.
Mrs. Finley also was a member of the Little Theater of Niagara Falls and served on the board of directors of the Golden Agers Association.
She enjoyed attending Niagara University basketball and hockey games, and was a member of the university's sports booster club. She also enjoyed bowling and lawn bowling.
Her husband, Lawrence, died in 1966.
She is survived by a sister, Rose DiCamillo of Needham, Mass.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 2486 Grand Ave., following prayers at 10:15 in Spallino-Amigone Funeral Home, 1300 Pine Ave. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
GRIMES - Ethel E. 10/25/00
MEDINA - Ethel E. Grimes, a lifelong member of Medina Methodist Church, died Monday (Oct. 23, 2000) in Medina Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness. She was 86.
The former Ethel Howes was born in Ridgeway and was a graduate of Lyndonville High School.
She married Wesley S. Grimes in 1937. He died in 1993.
Mrs. Grimes worked as a seamstress for the Robert H. Newell & Co. shirt factory and at one time worked for the former S.A. Cook furniture factory.
Mrs. Grimes enjoyed working in her garden.
She served as president of the Resident Council at the Orchard Manor Nursing Home, and won the wheelchair racing event in the Tri-County Golden Olympics for senior citizens for the past 11 years in a row.
Survivors include two sons, Gordon and Gerald; a daughter, Beverly Little of Silver Creek; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Bates-Tuttle Funeral Home, 226 Pearl St. Burial will be in West Ridgeway Cemetery.
HOFFMAN - Margaret 10/25/00
Margaret "Peggy" Hoffman, 64, a retired medical records administrator, died unexpectedly Monday (Oct. 23, 2000) in her home in Cheektowaga.
Born in Yosemite National Park, the former Margaret Gay Murphy grew up in California. She met her husband, Gary Hoffman, in 1954, and they moved to Buffalo in 1957.
Mrs. Hoffman worked as a medical records administrator at Sisters Hospital until her retirement in 1976. She enjoyed entertaining, cooking and gardening, and was active in number of organizations, including the Erie County Medical Center Sewing Group.
"She had a million friends," said her husband of 45 years.
Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Vicki Lynn and Sandra Lee, both of Cheektowaga; her mother, Davida Gonzalez of Sonora, Calif.; a sister, Judith Roberts, also of Sonora; a brother, James Murphy of Redwood City, Calif.; and a grandson.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in Dietrich Funeral Home, 2480 Kensington Ave., Snyder.
LEONE - Rose, owned restaurant 10/25/00
LEWISTON - Rose Leone, who with her husband owned the former Violante's Restaurant in Niagara Falls, died Monday in St. Mary's Manor, a Niagara Falls nursing home where she had lived since July 18. She was 89.
The former Rose Violante was born in Niagara Falls and lived in Lewiston for about 45 years.
She married John in 1926, and in the 1940s they started Violante's restaurant, which Mrs. Leone's daughter Rose Ann said was the the first Italian restaurant in the city. They sold the Portage Road business in 1961. The site is now occupied by the Pyrate's Table Restaurant.
Mrs. Leone enjoyed crocheting and singing. Her husband died in 1967.
Besides her daughter, survivors include a sister, Catherine Brainard of California; six grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Spallino-Amigone Funeral Home, 1300 Pine Ave., Niagara Falls.
MCCARTHY - Thomas A., ran family market 10/25/00
Thomas A. McCarthy, 82, of North Tonawanda, longtime owner and operator of McCarthy's Market on Oliver Street, died Monday (Oct. 23, 2000) in DeGraff Memorial Hospital, North Tonawanda, after a brief illness.
A lifelong resident of North Tonawanda, McCarthy took over McCarthy's Market, which had been in his family since 1905, and ran it for about 40 years until he retired in 1980.
"He worked more hours than anyone can imagine," said a son, Anthony, of Orchard Park. "When he was working, my father kept busy, and even after his retirement, he stayed busy with his grandchildren."
A Marine Corps veteran of World War II, he was a member of the Conrad Kania Detail Marine Corps League and Post 264, American Legion. He was also a member of the Lions Club of the Tonawandas and the Live Hose Fire Company, and was a lifetime member of the Carousel Society of the Niagara Frontier.
Surviving in addition to his son are his wife of 53 years, Martha Turchiarelli McCarthy; two other sons, Thomas A. Jr. of Devon, Pa., and William; two sisters, Mary Pane and Angeline Gunta; a brother, William; and eight grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Ascension Catholic Church, 168 Robinson St., North Tonawanda. Prayers will be said at 9 in Wattengel Funeral Home, 307 Oliver St., North Tonawanda. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Town of Tonawanda.
NEUBAUER SR. - Robert G. 10/25/00
NIAGARA FALLS - Robert G. Neubauer Sr., a retired millwright apprentice and the former owner of Neubauer's Radio & TV Service, died Tuesday (Oct. 24, 2000) in Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center after a short illness. He was 59.
He was born in Niagara Falls and attended local schools. He graduated from the former Trott Vocational High School.
Neubauer worked for the Carborundum Co. on Buffalo Avenue as a millwright apprentice for 13 years, retiring 25 years ago because of disability.
He operated the former Neubauer's Radio & TV Service out of his home for several years. He also loved to work with computers.
Neubauer is survived by his wife, the former Concetta B. Vaccarella; a daughter, Kim Ciurczak of Ransomville; two sons, Robert G. Jr. of Cheektowaga and Jason T.; two sisters, Elaine Stopa of Poughkeepsie and Sandra Rose of the Town of Niagara; two brothers, William of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Thomas; and four grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in Lane Funeral Home, 8622 Buffalo Ave. Burial will be in Riverdale Cemetery, Lewiston.
