U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Anne M. Polinski
Anne M. Polinski of Riverhead died on April 16, 2003 at Central Suffolk Hospital. She was 77.
Born in New York City on July 14, 1925, she was the daughter of Florian and Mary (Dolezal) Kabat. She was predeceased by her husband, Walter, and is survived by their three daughters, Carol Griffing of Riverhead, Barbara Walston of Fort Pierce, Fla., and Mary Anne Munn of Jamesport; a brother, Stanley Kabat of Delaware; and a sister, Helen Hollitscher, of Morristown, N.J.
Visitation was April 21 at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home, Riverhead, followed by a funeral mass at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church. Interment was at Calverton National Cemetery,
Raymond Cenicola
Raymond Cenicola of Riverhead died at Central Suffolk Hospital on April 22, 2003 at the age of 45.
The son of Donato and Antoinette (Auregemma) Cenicola, he was born in Queens on Nov. 26, 1957, and mostly raised by his sister and her husband, Patricia and Saverio DiScioscia of Riverhead.
Predeceased by his parents, Mr. Cenicola is survived by the DiScioscias and nieces and nephews Mario, Antoinette and Debbie DiScioscia, all of Riverhead.
Visitation will be April 27, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service will be held at First Congregational Church in Riverhead at 11 a.m. on April 28, with the Rev. Walfred Scofield officiating. Private cremation will follow at Washington Memorial Park in Mt. Sinai.
Stephen H. Sloane
Riverhead resident Stephen H. Sloane died April 20, 2003 at Central Suffolk Hospital. He was 80.
Mr. Sloane was born on April 6, 1923 to Peter Szydlowski and Joanna Zawilska in New York City. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946 and was employed as a traffic manager for the Kaufman Trading import-export firm in New York City until his retirement.
Predeceased by his wife, the former Doris Keane, in 1996, he is survived by a son, Mark, of Lindenhurst; a daughter, Carol Bosco of Plainview; a companion, Edna Houston of Riverhead; and two grandchildren.
Visitation was Tuesday at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. A prayer service was held at the home on Wednesday, with Deacon John Lovette officiating. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.
John H. McDonald
John H. McDonald of Riverhead died April 21, 2003 at his residence. He was 76.
He was born on Jan. 27, 1927, to James and Jennie (Melvin) McDonald in New York City. Mr. McDonald worked for CBS Radio in New York until his retirement. He was an avid fisherman and loved the water.
Mr. McDonald is survived by two nieces, Maureen McDonald and Rita Figurniak, and four nephews, Jim DeCarle, Joseph DeCarle, Vincent DeCarle and Joseph McDonald Jr.
Visitation was April 23 at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated today, April 24, 9:30 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, Riverhead, with the Rev. Thomas Coby officiating. Interment will follow at St. John's Cemetery, Riverhead.
Frances Fay
Frances Fay died April 15, 2003 at Riverhead Nursing Home at the age of 95. She was born in the Bronx on Oct. 6, 1907, one of eight children of William and Frances Cleary Fay, and later lived in South Ozone Park, where the family moved in 1928.
Ms. Fay enjoyed a 40-year career with Aetna Life Insurance Co. in New York City, rising from telephone operator to supervisor. She never married.
"Having a career back then, that was something else," said her younger sister, Helen Fay, who lives in Riverhead. "She was very independent and altogether quite unique."
After retirement, Frances Fay and her siblings all moved out to Riverhead. "We all stuck together and did things together, and everyone lived to a good old age," said Helen Fay. Ms. Fay was a quiet person who liked to read and knit and be with the family, said her sister.
Ms. Fay is survived by Helen Fay and another sister, Virginia Martin of Riverhead. A blessing by Father Joseph Walas took place on Thursday, April 17, at St. Isidore's R.C. Church in Riverhead, followed by interment at St. Charles Cemetery in Pinelawn. Arrangements were by F.J. McLaughlin Funeral Home of Riverhead
Margaret Bloem
Margaret Bloem of Calverton died April 16, 2003 at Riverhead Nursing Home at the age of 95.
She was born March 2, 1908, in New York City, and worked for many years as a seamstress on fur coats for The Tailored Woman at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan. "She sewed all her life," said her daughter, also named Margaret Bloem.
"She received her first sewing machine when she was 10 years old from my grandfather, who was later killed in World War I," Ms. Bloem said. "We still have it, one of the old treadle models."
Mrs. Bloem first came to the area in 1928 with her husband, George, who predeceased her in 1980. Next month would have been their 75th wedding anniversary.
The couple and their family spent summers here until 1961, when they moved here permanently. The quiet life, according to Ms. Bloem, was appealing. "She was a quiet person, a real homebody, who loved cooking, gardening and sewing," Ms. Bloem said. "Every summer she'd get out the big pressure cooker to can all kinds of fruit and tomatoes."
She also made wine. "Pretty good wine, too," Ms. Bloem said, citing marigold and elderberry flavors. "We lived across from the Peconic, and elderberry grows along the river banks. And we'd take a boat along and gather it up."
Mrs. Bloem is survived by her daughter and her son, George, of Remsenburg, as well as two grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. The Rev. Robert Palen, pastor of First Parish Church in Riverhead, officiated. Interment followed at Union Cemetery in Middle Island.
Edna Griffiths
Edna Griffiths, formerly of Riverhead, died on April 20, 2003 at the Westhampton Care Center at the age of 90.
"She's sincerely missed by the whole family," said her son, Harold Griffiths of Hampton Bays.
Ms. Griffiths was born in Great Britain in Pontypridd, Wales, on Feb. 11, 1913, to William Thomas and Nina (Raymond) Green. In her mid 20s, she moved to the U.S. to be close to family members who had relocated here, and began her career with Security Title & Guaranty Co. of Riverhead as a title searcher. Her husband, also named Harold, predeceased her.
Ms. Griffiths traveled back to her homeland a number of times. "She was very proud of her heritage, and enjoyed listening to Welsh choir music and reading about Wales," said her son.
She is also survived by another son, Raymond, of Florida; a brother, William Green; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held today, Thursday, April 24, at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead with the Rev. Fred Moore officiating. Interment followed at Cutchogue Methodist Church Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.
