Alice L. Buell, 98, a resident of Maplewood Manor in Ballston Spa, died Wednesday morning at Saratoga Hospital. She was born on April 20, 1903 in Fort Ann, N.Y., the daughter of Orlis and Louise Clews Dingman. She moved to Fish House at age 7 and was educated there. She lived in Fish House until she moved to the village of Broadalbin in 1973. Mrs. Buell owned and operated a dairy farm along with her late husband. She was a member of Northampton United Methodist Church at Fish House since 1915. Mrs. Buell also served as president of the Women's Society of Christian Service for many years. She was a member of the Broadalbin Senior Citizens. Her survivors include a son, Erwin Geelan of Edinburg; a daughter, Elvira Srodoski of Schenectady; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Her first husband, Erwin Geelan, died on Aug. 30, 1941. She later married George Buell Sr. on June 20, 1943. He died on May 30, 1967. She was predeceased by a son, Elwin Geelan, who died in 1987; a daughter, Elfreida Lawrence, who died in 1993; and two brothers, Almon Dingman and Earl Dingman. A calling hour will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at Northampton United Methodist Church at Fish House, 1605 Route 110, Broadalbin. A funeral service will be held at noon Saturday at the church. The Rev. Brad Broyles will officiate. Burial will take place at Edinburg Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made in care of Elizabeth Pickering, PO Box 356, Broadalbin, NY 12025.

Dorothy E. Landes
Thursday, May 24, 2001

Mrs. Dorothy E. Landes, 76, of Amsterdam, formerly a resident of Tilton Road, Palatine Bridge, died Monday afternoon, May 21, at Mount Loretto Nursing Home, Amsterdam, after a long illness. She was born on July 12, 1924 in Brooklyn, the daughter of Thomas H. and Catherine Mary Halley Franklin Jr. Mrs. Landes received her bachelor of arts degree from Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, and her master's degree from Loyola University, Chicago, Ill. She previously lived in Palatine Bridge, Niles, Ill. and Winona, Minn. She had been a resident of Mount Loretto since 1995. Mrs. Landes was a teacher in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri for 27 years. She was a parishioner of St. James Roman Catholic Church, Fort Plain and Our Lady of Assumption, Bloomingburg, N.Y. Survivors include three sisters, Loretta J. Franklin of Bloomingburg, Sister Aimee Franklin, VHM of Brooklyn and Sister Kathleen Franklin, BVM of Elmont, N.Y.; three brothers, Charles J. Franklin of Biloxi, Miss., Robert P. Franklin of New York City and Joseph P. Franklin of Manaqua, Nicaraqua; several nieces, nephews and cousins. On June 19, 1975, she married Leo B. Landes in Lake Zurich, Ill. He died on Oct. 27, 1985. There will be no calling hours. A memorial Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Wednesday at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Bloomingburg. Burial will take place at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Middletown, N.Y. at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Fulton County, 58 N. Main St., Gloversville, NY 12078; Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163; or Our Lady of Assumption, High Street, Bloomingburg, NY 12721. Arrangements are by Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home Inc., Canajoharie.

Alfred F. Matuljak
Thursday, May 24, 2001

Alfred F. Matuljak, 81, of Eden Park Health Care Center, Cobleskill, died May 21 at Veterans Administration Stratton Memorial Hospital, Albany, after a long illness. He was born on Oct. 29, 1919 in Gloversville, the son of Dragutine and Frances Hacko Matuljak. He was a graduate of Gloversville High School. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II as a gunnery sergeant on the USS Mississippi in the Pacific area. He retired as a sergeant of New York State Police. Much of his 25 years of service was in the Cobleskill and Fonda stations. He was of the Catholic faith. He was a member of the Gloversville American Legion Post;, the Cobleskill Post; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5088; the Association of Retired State Police Officers, and Cobleskill Lodge 2044, BPOE. He is survived by two stepdaughters, Kathy Frase of Cobleskill and Virginia O'Connor of Worcester, N.Y.; his sister, Rosemary Brown of Seattle, Wash.; nieces and nephews. His wife, Katherine Usalatz Matuljak. died April 13. There will be no calling hours. A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, in Saratoga National Cemetery, where burial will be held. Arrangements are by Robert A. Guffin Funeral Home, 1 Chapel St., Cobleskill.

Arlene Sauve
Thursday, May 24, 2001

Arlene Sauve, of Gloversville, passed away on May 23 at Albany Memorial Hospital. She was born on Jan. 16, 1911 in the town of Bleecker, the daughter of Charles and Mary Auchampaugh Ernst. She attended the Bleecker country school in her childhood before attending Gloversville High School, where she graduated in 1928. For a brief period she taught at the Pinnacle School in Bleecker. Later she pursued her ambition to become a nurse and entered the Nathan Littauer Hospital Nursing School in 1929, where she graduated in 1932. She continued her profession at Nathan Littauer Hospital. Mrs. Sauve was a member of the Nathan Littauer Hospital Alumnae and attended Bleecker Community Methodist Church. She is survived by nieces, a nephew, cousins, and two stepdaughters-in-law. She married Chester Sauve on July 14, 1945. He passed away on July 27, 1976. Shortly after the death of her husband, she moved to Gloversville from Bleecker. At the request of Arlene, there will be no viewing hours. A graveside service will be held at 9:45 a.m. Friday, May 25, at the burial plot in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gloversville. The Rev. David Newkirk, pastor of Bleecker Community Methodist Church, will officiate. Contributions may be made to Bleecker Community Methodist Church or the charity of one's choice. Arrangements are by Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home Inc., Gloversville.

Mary C. Skoda
November 1, 2001

Mary C. Skoda, age 66, passed away on Oct. 29, 2001 after a short illness. She was born on April 4, 1935 in Gloversville, N.Y., the daughter of Charles and Agnes Cassedy; the granddaughter of Fredrick and Della Duesbury and Rt. Honorable Edward and Capitola Cassedy. Mary was a graduate of Gloversville High School, Class of 1953. She attended St. Lawrence University from 1953 to 1955. She transferred to Mildred Elley Secretarial School, graduated in 1956. She married Robert L. Kennedy on Feb. 24, 1956 and they moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in the Pentagon for the Department of the Air Force. Her son Tom was born on Sept. 14, 1957 in Alexandria, Va. She returned to Gloversville in September 1957. Her daughter Tara was born on Nov. 13, 1958 and son Jay, on Sept. 24, 1960. She returned to college in 1968 and obtained a bachelor of arts degree from the State University of New York at Albany, graduating Cum Laude in May 1971. She accepted a teaching position at Fonda-Fultonville Central School in 1971, retiring in 1991 after 20 years as an American history teacher. She met Charles T. Skoda, a retired foreign service officer, originally of Johnstown, N.Y., and they were married April 3. 1982. This marriage brought three grown children to the family, Leslie McCalley and husband Mark, of Tucson, Ariz.; Thomas Skoda and wife Sally, of Knoxville, Tenn.; and Barrie Foster and husband Stephen, of Memphis, Tenn. In 1984 she became involved in developing a Hospice chapter in Gloversville. As a founding member and later president of the Fulton County Hospice, her early efforts and commitment insured the eventual success of the agency that now serves a multi-county area in upstate N.Y., now known as Mountain Valley Hospice. Her son Jay married Susan Diana in 1986. They reside in Queensbury, N.Y. In 1991 after her retirement, Mary and Charles wintered at Vista Royal in Vero Beach, Fla., where she was involved as a Hospice volunteer. Her son Thomas married Bonnie DelCostello in 1997. They reside in Charlotte, N.C. In 1998 Mary and Charles relocated to Vero Beach, Fla. from Gloversville. Mary and Charles organized and sponsored family reunions in Gloversville, 1997; Townsend, Tenn., 1999; and Phoenix, Ariz., 2001. These reunions were attended by their entire immediate and extended family. Husband Charles, six children, 12 grandchildren, cousins Dr. Samuel Wait and wife Carol, and Edward Cassedy and wife Pat survive her. Her mother Agnes Cassedy, married George N. Jackson in 1955. George's son Stanley (deceased) and wife Eleanor Jackson, who resides in Ballston Spa, N.Y., is mother to five sons. Interment will take place in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gloversville.

Esther H. Berner
November 1, 2001

Esther H. Berner, 84, died today at St. Johnsville Nursing Home, where he had resided since April 17, 1997, after a long illness. She was born on Aug. 31, 1917 in Gloversville, the daughter of Elmer and Mildred Forbes Hine. She graduated from Gloversville High School and Dana Hall Finishing School, Wellesley, Mass., and Mildred Elley Albany School of Business. She was a lifelong area resident. She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church, Gloversville. Survivors include two sons, Lauren C. Berner Jr. of Gloversville and Charles Anthony Berner of Fort Johnson, N.Y.; one sister, Carolyn Little of Manchester, Vt.; three grandchildren, Tracey Berner of Gloversville, Kristi-Anne Berner of Clifton Park and Laurie McFarland of Cambridge, Mass.; one grandchild, Corbett Godwin of Gloversville; several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, Lauren Berner Sr., vice president of Leavitt Berner Tanning Corp., Johnstown, whom she married in 1939 and who died on April 29, 1981; one son, Keith D. Berner; and one sister, Beverly Washburn. Family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at John W. Finocan Funeral Home Inc., 13 Prospect Ave., Gloversville, where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Rev. David L. Tressic, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, will officiate. Interment will take place at Ferndale Cemetery, Johnstown. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimers Association Northeastern New York Chapter, 85 Watervliet Ave., Albany, NY 12206, or charity of choice.