U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentDiane J. Riester
Lifelong resident of Town of Tonawanda
Diane (Peterson) Riester, age 51, of the Town of Tonawanda, died at her residence, Wednesday, April 9, 2003, after a long illness. Born in Buffalo, she was a file clerk for HSBC Bank in Buffalo, and was a lifelong resident of the Town of Tonawanda.
She is survived by her husband, Roger A. Riester; a daughter, Christine (Jonathan) Spencer; a son, Phillip (Dorothy) Peterson; a step-daughter, Shannon (Rick) Sansone; a step-son, Shawn Riester; a brother, Donald (Cissy) Beyer; and her mother, Beatrice (late Raymond) Fitzgerald. Also surviving are 8 grandchildren.
Friends may call from 1-5 PM Saturday at the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Adam and Seymour Streets, Tonawanda, where a prayer service will be held at 5 PM Saturday, the Rev. Judith D. Burrows officiating. Friends invited. If desired, memorials to the American Cancer Society are preferred by the family.
Viola E. Heimback
Active Tonawanda Resident
Viola (nee Schoenfeldt) Heimback, age 94, of Tonawanda, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on April 22, 2003. Born July 24, 1908 in North Tonawanda, she was the daughter of the late William and Mary (nee Westphal) Schoenfeldt. Mrs. Heimback was a well known local china painter and a long time member of the Great Lakes China Painting Teachers' Association. She was an active member of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Tonawanda for the greater part of her life, and had been a member of the St. Francis Mothers' Club, Ladies of Charity, and the Charismatic Prayer Group. Until her recent illness, she was an active member of the Senior Citizens and the Salvation Army Golden Agers in Tonawanda. She was the wife of the late Thomas P. Heimback, who died in 1988, mother of the late Bruce Heimback and Janice Heldwein, and sister of the late Arnold (Elsie) Schoenfeldt Sr., Alfred (Hulda) Schoenfeldt and Herbert (Ruth) Schoenfeldt.
She is survived by four sons, Ronald (Shirley) Heimback of Victorville, CA, Dennis (Rosemary) Heimback, MD of Amherst, Brent (Eleanor) Heimback of Port St. Lucie, FL, and John (Mary Ann) Heimback of Kenmore; and two nephews, Arnold (Rena) Schoenfeldt, Jr. of San Clemente, CA and James (Dorothy) Schoenfeldt of North Tonawanda. Also surviving are 19 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and 2 great, great-grandchildren.
Friends may call from 7-9 PM Thursday and 2-4 and 7-9 PM Friday at the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Adam and Seymour Streets, Tonawanda. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 AM Saturday at St. Francis of Assisi Church on Broad Street in Tonawanda. Friends invited. Interment will be cared for privately at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. If desired, memorials to St. Francis Outreach or Hospice Buffalo are preferred by the family.
Joel E. Davignon
Home Improvement Contractor
Joel E. Davignon, age 50, of Rome, Georgia, formerly of North Tonawanda, entered into rest on Saturday, April 26, 2003 after a brief illness. Born in North Tonawanda on June 16, 1952, he was the son of the late Gerard and Alice Davignon. A resident of North Tonawanda for the greater part of his life, Joel was a self-employed home improvement contractor. He was the brother of the late Ross Davignon and Cynthia King.
He is survived by a son, Scott Davignon; a daughter, Jessica Mroz; two brothers, Gary (Sharon) Davignon and Paul Davignon; three sisters, Suzette Jaworski, Gloria (Bill) Hunter and Sylvia (Don) Schutz. Also surviving are two grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
There will be no visitation. Services will be cared for at the convenience of the family. Interment at Acacia Park Cemetery. Local arrangements by the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Tonawanda. If desired, memorials to Hospice are preferred by the family.
Ula I. Graff
Resident of Tonawanda was 104 years old
Ula (nee McNinch) Graff, age 104, of Tonawanda, died Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo. Born April 20, 1899, in the Town of Pike, NY, she was the daughter of the late George and May (nee Siebert) McNinch and had been a resident of Tonawanda for most of her life. She was the wife of the late Levant Graff, who died in 1942, and mother of the late Dolores Frank, who died in 1996. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, the mayor of Lockport, where she was then residing, declared April 20, 1999 as "Ula Graff Day".
She is survived by two sons, Kenneth Graff of Roulette, PA and Jay (Doris) Graff of Tonawanda. Also surviving are many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from 12 Noon to 2 PM Friday at the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Adam and Seymour Streets, Tonawanda, where funeral services will be held at 2 PM Friday. Friends invited. Interment will be cared for privately at White Chapel Cemetery.
Henrietta Whytas
Henrietta (nee Zajdel) Whytas, age 77, of Buffalo, formerly of Lackawanna, died Friday, October 31, 2003, at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, after a long illness. Born on September 4, 1926, in Lackawanna, she was the daughter of the late George and MaryAnn (nee Szara) Zajdel. She was the mother of the late Jerry Whytas, and sister of the late Mercy Michnik and Fred Zajdel.
She is survived by a sister, Bernice Radziwon of Cheektowaga; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from 2-7 PM Monday at the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Adam and Seymour Streets in Tonawanda. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 AM Tuesday at St. Christopher R.C. Church, 2660 Niagara Falls Blvd in the Town of Tonawanda. Friends invited. Interment will be cared for privately at St. Matthew Cemetery in West Seneca.
Alton W. Cook
Retired from Occidental Chemical
Alton W. Cook, age 77, of Lakeland, Florida, formerly of Elma, NY, died Tuesday, November 4, 2003, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Born in Inverness, Quebec, he was the son of the late Walter and Edith (nee Wright) Cook and had been a resident of the local area until July 1996. Mr. Cook had been employed as an equipment operator at Occidental Chemical before retiring, and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Elma. He was the brother of the late Hubert (Flora) Cook of Dundas, Ontario.
He is survived by his wife, Janice (nee Bush) Cook; a son; and a daughter, Marlene Cook of Medford, MA; and two sisters, Evelyn Cochran of Huntington Beach, CA and Kathleen (William) Rorke of St. Catherines, Ontario. Also surviving are four grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from Noon until 2 PM Saturday at the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Adam and Seymour Streets, Tonawanda, where funeral services will be held at 2 PM Saturday, the Rev. Ronald Keaton officiating. Friends invited. Interment at Elmlawn Cemetery, Town of Tonawanda.
Donald J. Garrett
Retired Hospital Administrator
Donald J. Garrett, age 74, of North Tonawanda, died unexpectedly, Sunday, November 16, 2003, at DeGraff Memorial Hospital. Born June 9, 1929 in North Tonawanda, he was the son of the late Donald and Marie (nee Finn) Garrett, and had been a lifelong resident of North Tonawanda. Mr. Garrett had been employed as the Director of Material Management for Kenmore Mercy Hospital before retiring in 1989. He was the sister of the late Mary Cleland.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Pat (nee McTigue) Garrett; three children, Lynne (Butch) Spoons, Donald (Nancy) Garrett, and Brian (Christine) Garrett; and seven grandchildren, Dirk, Brett and Kurt Spoons, Randy, Jeremy, Nicholas, and Laura Garrett. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.
There will be no visitation. Funeral services will be cared for privately with the family. If desired, memorials to the Lupus Alliance of America, 3871 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga, NY 14215, are preferred by the family. Arrangements by the Hamp Funeral Home, Inc., Tonawanda, NY.
