U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Paul Robert Carey
Paul Robert Carey passed away on June 14, 2001 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Carey was born on October 18, 1962, the seventh son of former Governor Hugh L. Carey and the late Helen Owen Carey, of Shelter Island. His two brothers, Hugh L. Carey Jr. and Peter G. Carey, predeceased him. He is survived by his family and friends including his brothers and sisters: Alexandria McManus, Christopher, Susan Dempsey, Michael, Donald, Marianne Hayes, Nancy Cassidy, Helen O'Neill, Bryan, Kevin and Thomas; his nieces and nephews, Peter Hugh, Eileen, Tom, Beth, Erich, Kate, Susie, Ted, Maureen, Hugh, Donnie, Owen, Delia, Thomas Hugh and Elizabeth; and his close friend, Jackie Chorney.
Paul was a graduate of Colgate University. After a career in institutional equities, he joined the Clinton/Gore 1992 presidential campaign as northeast finance director. In the new administration, he worked in the White House as special assistant to the President for legislative affairs, handling banking, financial services and securities matters, primarily working with the United States Senate. He also worked on judicial selection and handled Senate confirmation for many administration nominees.
In 1997, Mr. Carey was nominated and confirmed to serve as commissioner of the Securities Exchange Commission. While at the Commission, Mr. Carey led the Commission's efforts to provide information to lawmakers regarding the privatization of Social Security. He also served as liaison to the North American Securities Administrators Association.
A statement from the Carey family said:
"Paul lived life to the fullest and continued his public service each day of his life. As a member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as well as in his service in the White House administration of President Bill Clinton, Paul strived to make life better for all of those whom he touched and for those less fortunate.
"Paul's strength, love and generosity will continue with the Carey family and his friends forever.
"With God's grace he gave and received as much love as anyone could ever have dreamed of or desired in life.
"We know."
The family also thanked all the caregivers, nurses and doctors who cared for and treated Mr. Carey during his lengthy illness.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that Paul Carey be remembered by donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021 or St. Gabriel's Spiritual Center for Youth, Post Office Box 3015, Shelter Island Heights, New York 11965.
A mass was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Monday, June 18.
Carol Ellen Dowd
Carol Ellen Dowd of Greenport passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 14, 2001. She was 38.
Ms. Dowd is survived by her son, Thomas Carl Green of Shelter Island; her father, David J. Dowd of Shelter Island; her mother, Carol Ashley of Greenville, South Carolina; and her sister and brothers, Laury Dowd of Shelter Island, David of Blairstown, New Jersey and Patrick of Bay Shore, New York.
Carol Dowd was born and raised in Huntington and Oyster Bay and came to Greenport with her son in 1991. Much of her time was spent working as part of the crew of the Mary E., Captain Ted Charles' sailing cruise ship, out of Greenport.
A non-religious service celebrating Ms. Dowd's life will be held at the S. B. Horton Funeral Home on First Street in Greenport on Friday, June 22 at 5 p.m. All those who wish to speak about her will be welcome.
Eugene J. Johnson Jr.
Eugene J. Johnson Jr. of Flushing and Shelter Island died on November 4, 2002. He was 82. Retired from the New York City Department of Real Estate, he was a World War II veteran who served in the Marine Corps.
Predeceased by his wife Betty, he is survived by his son Eugene III of North Babylon, his daughter Margaret Burke of Flushing and son Michael of Shelter Island; grandchildren Patrick, Brian and Michael Burke and Eugene IV and Kristin Johnson; and great-grandchildren Megan Burke and Sean Johnson. He also is survived by his siblings Bob Johnson, Ann McDonald and Catherine Murphy. He was predeceased by his brother Ned.
A summer resident of the Island since the 1930s, he loved his home on Westmoreland and spoke about it often, even during his last few days.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home in Flushing. The funeral mass was observed November 7 at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church in Flushing with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery in Flushing.
Elizabeth Hird
Elizabeth Hird, 87, of Killingworth, Connecticut, widow of Basil Rauch, died Wednesday, October 23, 2002. She was born in Passaic, New Jersey, the daughter of the late S. Ainsworth and Mildred Flower Hird. She summered on Shelter Island during her youth and continued to visit here over the years.
She was graduated from Vassar in 1937 and earned a master of architecture degree from Columbia University. She lived and worked as an architect in New York City for 20 years before moving to Connecticut.
Her sculpture, drawings and prints were exhibited in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In addition to creating and showing her own work, she was instrumental in fostering the development of young artists as both teacher and patron.
A pioneer in the local community for environmental preservation and education, she served as a founding member as well as director and president of the Killingworth Land Conservation Trust. She was involved with many community organizations in Killingworth. In 2001, in recognition of her achievements as a community leader, the Killingworth Lions Club presented her with the Killingworth Citizen Award and the town of Killingworth proclaimed Friday, August 3 of that year to be Elizabeth Hird Day.
She is survived by her brother, Samuel Hird of Parkland, Florida and Shelter Island; her sister, Mrs. Bridgford Hunt of Shelter Island; and several nieces and nephews.
Richard A. Cappola
Richard A. Cappola died on Monday, August 11, 2003 at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after an extended illness.
Mr. Cappola had lived on Shelter Island in the summers since 1981.
Born in Brooklyn, he was a graduate of Brooklyn College and a successful businessman who initiated the Ford fleet leasing program. He went on to become owner of one of the largest Ford dealerships on Long Island.
He was a past member of Gardiner's Bay Country Club and a member of Coral Ridge Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale.
He is survived by his wife Ann Marie and his four children and eight grandchildren. A private ceremony was held in Fort Lauderdale.
Konstant T. Kowall
Konstant T. Kowall, 79, died in Bellevue, Washington on Friday, August 22, 2003 after suffering two massive heart attacks. He and his wife Bonnie had moved there from Shelter Island in late June to be near family. They had been Shelter Island residents since 1989.
Mr. Kowall was born January 8, 1925 in Glen Arm, Maryland. He attended Johns Hopkins University. He retired from the CIA in 1983 after 28 years of service. He was a major in the Air Force Reserve and served in World War II and the Korean conflict.
His widow, Bonnie (Crenshaw), called him "the master gardener, who loved his life on that beautiful Island"
Frustrated by the deer problem, he was a founder of the so-called "Gulag" of fenced-in gardens on Barney Ryan's Hampshire Farm tended by refugees from more exposed deer territory. Dr. Ryan offered them the use of a small plot to grow their vegetables and flowers safe from the deer.
"Kon was the inspiration behind the whole idea," said Islander Charlie Williams. "Under his direction, we cut down locust for poles and covered them with chicken wire. To confuse the deer, Kon cut short lengths of thick white wire and interspersed them at odd angles on the chicken wire. That was 10 years ago and it's still working."
He harvested early and late from his garden space, often propagating his own seeds. Every inch was filled with not only the best tomatoes and lettuces but with vegetables like okra and black-eyed peas not found at local farm stands.
Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Christina Edwards of Carnation, Washington; a sister, Olga Bylen of Baltimore, Maryland; a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter.
Cremation was private.
Francis J. Asip
Francis J. Asip, the president of Nor'east Materials in Merrimac, New Hampshire and The Gannon Group in East Hampton, died on Sunday, November 30, 2003 at his home in East Hampton. He was 78. The cause was heart failure.
Mr. Asip, who was widely known as Bud, was a longtime resident of eastern Long Island. He first moved to Shelter Island with his family in 1975 and later to East Hampton, following the death of his wife, Dorothy, in 1979. Born in Brooklyn on June 10, 1925 to Francis Asip Sr. and Katherine Loftus, Mr. Asip also spent part of his life in Rockville Centre and Huntington.
After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He was a navigator for B-17s, flying missions for the Eighth Air Force in Europe during World War II. Following the war, he finished college at New York University with a degree in business before starting his own companies selling silicon and semiconductor devices.
In addition to his business enterprises, Mr. Asip was an artist, an avid reader and music lover. He was a member of Mensa and the Eighth Air Force Historical Society.
In addition to his companion of 16 years, Virginia McCaffrey, Mr. Asip is survived by his children, Jay, Edward, Gannon, Andrea and Stacey. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass was held on December 4 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in East Hampton. The family requests that donations be made to the East Hampton Village Association at 1 Cedar Street, East Hampton, New York 11937.
Peter McLaughlin
Peter McLaughlin, a Vietnam War veteran who lived in Sag Harbor most of his life, died at Southampton Hospital on November 30. He was 61 and had had a history of heart problems for many years.
Mr. McLaughlin was a heavy equipment operator and repaired small engines. In off-hours, he enjoyed working with stained glass and traveling with his wife, the former Melva Ryder, in their motor home.
Born in Jamaica, Queens on July 22, 1942, Mr. McLaughlin was one of four children of Steven and Frances McLaughlin. He graduated from St. Pascal of Babylon High School in Queens.
He served in the Army in 1965 and 1966 in Vietnam and was a past commander and treasurer of the Sag Harbor Veterans of Foreign Wars post and a member of the Sag Harbor Volunteer Firemen's Benevolent Association.
In addition to his wife, Mr. McLaughlin is survived by a daughter, Kerry F. McLaughlin of West Orange, New Jersey; two brothers, Stephan F. McLaughlin of Sag Harbor and John S. McLaughlin of Palm City, Florida; and a sister, Rosemary Martin of Colonial Heights, Virginia and many nieces and nephews. He also is survived by his mother-in-law, Alma B. Ryder of Shelter Island.
A veterans service was conducted at Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in Sag Harbor on December 3. A funeral service was held at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Sag Harbor with burial in St. Andrew's Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the Sag Harbor Ambulance Fund or VFW Post 9082 in Sag Harbor would be appreciated by the family.
Henry Kessler
Henry Kessler, 93, died at his Hay Beach home on Monday, December 15, 2003. Services for Mr. Kessler will be held at noon on Thursday, December 18 at the Temple Tifereth Israel, 519 Fourth Street in Greenport.
Mary E. Westervelt
Mary E. Westervelt, 81, of Shelter Island passed away peacefully on August 16, 2004 at her home surrounded by her family.
A prayer service will be held today, Thursday, August 19 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of the Isle Church. A celebration of the Christian liturgy will be offered at Our Lady of the Isle on Friday, August 20 at 11 a.m.
Those wishing to remember Mrs. Westervelt may make donations to East End Hospice, South Fork Breast Health Coalition or Our Lady of the Isle Church.
The Shelter Island Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
