Mr. Edward Sasowski, 81, of Amsterdam, died Wednesday at Amsterdam Memorial Hospital after a short illness. He was born on July 25, 1919 in the town of Charleston, the son of John and Margaret Bielowas Sasowski. Mr. Sasowski was educated in area schools and was a lifelong area resident. He worked for area construction companies and area dairy farmers. Mr. Sasowski was a member of St. Stanislaus Church, Amsterdam. Survivors include four sisters, Stella Knapik of La Mesa, Calif., Bernice Slezak of Amsterdam, Jean Dabrowski of Schenectady and Helen Markiewicz of Oxnard, Calif.; one brother, Frank Sasowski of Minaville; several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by one sister, Victoria Bogdan, who died Sept. 19. Calling hours will be 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at Jendrzejczak Funeral Home, 200 Church St., Amsterdam. A service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. At 11 a.m. , a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Stanislaus Church. Burial will take place in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.

Catherine B. Ott Sheehan
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mrs. Catherine B. Ott Sheehan, 91, a resident of Mount Loretto Nursing Home, Amsterdam, died Tuesday at St. Mary's Hospital in that city. She was born on June 30, 1909 in Brooklyn, the daughter of Henry and Adelaide Stock Ott. Mrs. Sheehan attended St. Nicholas Business School, Brooklyn, and lived most of her life in Brooklyn. She also lived in Queens; moved to Gloversville in 1968; to Johnstown in 1989; and had resided at Mount Loretto for more than two years. She was employed as an office worker at the former St. Katherine's Hospital and Chase Manhattan Bank, Brooklyn; part-time at Marcy's Department Store; and last at Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., New York City, before she married. Mrs. Sheehan was a member of Sacred Heart Church, Gloversville, its Rosary Society and Couples Club. She and her husband were active volunteers at the church, especially with the preparation of altar and sanctuary items. She was a former member of the Ida McGinnis Senior Citizens Club, Gloversville; and a member of St. Anthony's Church, Johnstown, and its Christian Women's Society; American Association of Retired Persons; and The Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha League at the National Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville. Survivors include one daughter, Adelaide M. "Dolly" Ulich of Gloversville; two sisters, Adelaide Haunss of Pomona and Sister Muriel Agnes Ott, Order of Preachers, Amityville; Suffolk County; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins. On May 28, 1932, she married John F. Sheehan, who died on May 5, 1986. She was also predeceased by one daughter, Kathleen Sheehan; four brothers, Henry Ott, Edward Ott, Francis Ott and John Ott; and three sisters, Gertrude Ott, Barbara Ott and Cecelia Ott. A calling hour will be 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St., Gloversville. A prayer service will be conducted at 11:15 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. At noon, a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony's Church, Nicholas Street, Johnstown. The Rev. James Fitzmaurice, pastor, will be celebrant. Burial will take place at a later date.

Shirley Berger
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mrs. Shirley F. Berger, 78, of Levittown, Long Island, the mother of a Johnstown woman, died Wednesday at home after a long illness. She was born in the Bronx. Survivors include two daughters, Janice Zeltzer of Port Washington, Long Island, and Nancy Dalmata of Johnstown; two sons, Clyde Berger of Huntington Station, Long Island, Richard Berger of Downingtown, Pa.; one sister, Rosalind Graham of California; and eight grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Harold Berger. A service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday at Gutterman's, 800 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, Long Island.

Gloria I. Bleyl
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mrs. Gloria I. Bleyl, 75, of Gloversville, died Wednesday at Nathan Littauer Hospital Nursing Home. She was born on Dec. 23, 1924 in Union City, N.J., the daughter of George and Edna Meehan Rocker. Mrs. Bleyl was a graduate of Weehawken High School in New Jersey. She was employed by Guarantee Trust Co, New York City, from 1943 to 1947; and for 17 years as a cafeteria worker for the Gloversville School District. She retired in 1986. Mrs. Bleyl was a member of St. James Lutheran Church, Gloversville, and its Lutheran Church Women's group. She was a former Sunday School teacher and was a junior choir director. She was on the worship and music committee and other church organizations. Mrs. Bleyl was a charter member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary; and a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star, presently with the Cayadutta Chapter. She was a member of the Women of the Moose, Johnstown; the Sacandaga Women's Golf League; and the Fulton County Handy Dandy Club. Survivors include her husband, Robert C. Bleyl, whom she married on June 14, 1947; one son, Douglas Bleyl of Broadalbin; one sister, Arlene Benson of Fayetteville, Ga.; four grandchildren; two nephews; several great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by one son, Russell Bleyl, who died in 1995. Calling hours will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Hollenbeck Funeral Home, 4 Second Ave., Gloversville. A service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. James Lutheran Church, 521 N. Main St., Gloversville. The Rev. Lauretta J. Dietrich, pastor, will officiate. Burial will take place in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gloversville.

Margaret Weihe
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mrs. Margaret Weihe, 90, of Amsterdam, died Wednesday at St. Mary's Hospital, Amsterdam, after a short illness. She was born on June 29, 1910 in Amsterdam, the daughter of Henry and Mary Koziol Kruger. Mrs. Weihe attended area schools and was a lifelong area resident. She was a homemaker. Mrs. Weihe was a communicant of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Tribes Hill; a member of the Montgomery Farm Bureau and the Florida Grange. She is survived by her husband, Henry Weihe, whom she married on Sept. 3, 1932; two nieces and cousins. A calling hour will be 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Ave., Amsterdam. A service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. The Rev. Augustine Kapinus, pastor of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Tribes Hill, will officiate. Burial will take place in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Fort Johnson.

Anya Kwiatkowski Yates
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mrs. Anya Kwiatkowski Yates, 34, of Princeton, N.J., a native of Amsterdam, died Saturday with her husband and two young children in a private plane crash while trying to land in a dense fog at the Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Airport. Her husband, Charles Yates, 61, was piloting the plane. Mrs. Yates was a graduate of Scotia-Glenville High School, where she participated in the Gifted Students' Program. She performed in the Suburban Council Music Festival and achieved the position of first violin. She also performed in several school drama productions and graduated in 1984. She graduated from Vermont Law School in 1994. She was awarded a scholarship to attend Vassar College, where she majored in history with a concentration in Russian. She specialized in planning law while at Vassar, co-authored articles with the late Norman Williams Jr. and was selected for the Vermont Law Review. She worked for Estee Lauder, New York City, where she served as Russian translator during the U.S. visit of Raisa Gorbachev. She was appointed staff attorney for New Jersey Futures. As a Vassar alumna, she was the representative for the college, interviewing prospective candidates for admission. She also served as an advisor to the board of the Princeton Repertory Shakespeare Festival. A land-use specialist and advisor for conservation and legal issues on Martha's Vineyard, she authored several articles on land-use preservation. Survivors include her parents, William and Florence Kwiatkowski of Scotia; one sister, Susan Whipple of Altamont; one son, Sergei Yates of Powell, Wyo. Also killed in the crash were her husband, Charles Yates, a former New Jersey state legislator; her daughter, Elena Yates, 8; and her son, William Yates, 2. A Mass of Christian burial will be concelebrated at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Princeton, N.J. Burial will take place Saturday in Princeton Cemetery.

Kazimir Zajac
Monday, February 4, 2002

Mr. Kazimir Zajac, 74, of Sprakers, died Tuesday at St. Mary's Hospital, Amsterdam. He was born on May 14, 1926 in Johnstown, Pa., the son of Gustav and Matilda Gallo Zajac. Mr. Zajac was educated in Slovakia. He lived in Schenectady from 1986 to 1990. He had resided in Sprakers for 10 years. He was a steel worker for Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp., Gary, Ind., retiring in 1954. Mr. Zajac was of the Catholic faith. He is survived by several cousins. Cremation took place at Parkview Crematorium, Schenectady. Arrangements were by Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home, Canajoharie.