U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentLouis J. Smerak
Ret. Vice President, 84
Louis J. Smerak, a retired Vice President for Caravan Products Co. of Totowa, N.J., died October 8, 2006 at the Franciscan Oaks Health Care, Denville, N.J. He was 84.
The son of the late Frank Smerak and Antonie Gross Smerak, he was born June 20, 1922 in NYC.
Louis was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne, N.J., a long time member of Rotary, member of the AACC, and the IFT.
He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Soellner Smerak, at home; two sons, Lance and Mark, both of New Jersey; four grandchildren, Brent, Keith, Heather and Amanda; and a great-grandson, William.
A Mass of Christian burial was held October 11 at St. Joseph’s Church, Wurtsboro. The Rev. Peter Madori officiated. Burial followed in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Arrangements were made by VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, Wurtsboro.
William John Liers
Ret. Sales Clerk, 71
William John Liers of Livingston Manor, a retired sales clerk of Crotty’s Auto Parts in Jeffersonville, died October 11, 2006 in Albany Medical Center, Albany. He was 71.
The son of Arthur and Edith Beatty Liers, he was born May 8, 1935 in St. Albans. He is survived by two sons, William G. Liers and his fiancee Mary Anne Streever of Youngsville, and Eric Steven Liers and his wife, Elizabeth, of Lindenhurst; a daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Christopher Henderson of Whitinsville, Mass.; three brothers, Arthur Liers of Rocky Point, George Liers of Sebring, Fla., and Henry Liers of Phoenix, Ariz., a sister, Marjorie Jones of Ridge; five grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and a large extended family.
Friends may call from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 at Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 14 at the funeral home with the Rev. Kit Robertson officiating.
Ronald D. Tissot
District AT&T Mgr.
Ronald D. Tissot, a 30-year resident of Callicoon Center, passed away on Monday, October 9, 2006.
After leaving high school to enlist in the Navy in WWII, he served as a First Lt. during the Korean War. He had a career with New York Bell Telephone and AT&T, starting out as a lineman and working his way up to District Manager. In the process, he earned a college degree in Marketing Management while raising a daughter Elise and a son John with his wife, Thalia, who predeceased him.
He is survived by a brother, Ray; a sister-in-law, Lib; a son-in-law, Larry Lunas; and a daughter-in-law, Mary Day.
Ron had a keen interest in the responsible use of the environment and loved canoeing in the Canadian wilderness and trips to Alaska. He served on the local planning board and supported numerous charitable and social causes.
He will be dearly missed by his companion and best friend of ten years, Margaret “Meg” Bartow, who owns and runs Roger’s Small Engine Repair in Liberty.
Timothy W. Niemann
Amerigas Employee, 44
Timothy W. Niemann of Bridgeport, formerly of Monticello, died suddenly Saturday, October 7, 2006 at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was 44.
Timothy was a 1980 graduate of Monticello High School, and received a BS in Sociology from Syracuse University in 1984. He was employed with Amerigas Energy in Philadelphia, Pa., and was an avid boater, fisherman, and an active volunteer with the Special Olympics.
Timothy is survived by his wife of 20 years, the former Joanne Silvia; children, Erica and Alexis Niemann of Bridgeport; his mother, Eleanor of Hurleyville; brothers, Michael of Grand Rapids, Mich., Kenneth of Hurleyville, and Edward Niemann of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins; and his canine friend, Bailey. He was predeceased by a brother, John, in 1966, and his father, Donald, in 2000.
Funeral services were held Thursday, October 12 at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Bridgeport.
Contributions may be made to Erica & Alexis Niemann’s College Fund, c/o Michael Niemann, 6211 Royalton Dr., Caledonia, MI 49316.
Arrangements were entrusted to Traub Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Lucille M. Wright, 68
Ret. Sportswear Worker
Lucille M. Wright of Cuddebackville, retired from Andmore Sportswear, Port Jervis and a resident of the area for most of her life, died Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis. She was 68.
She was born November 27, 1937 in Monticello, the daughter of the late Benjamin and Clara Walker Hallock.
She is survived by her husband, Vernon A. Wright, at home; a daughter, Verna Pabey and her husband, Richard, of Middletown; two brothers, Richard Hallock of Tennessee and Melvin Hallock of the state of Florida; four sisters, Frances Alessandra, Grace Grebeldinger, Rosemary Richluck and Alberta Oswald, all of Tennessee; four grandchildren, Richard Pabey, Jr. of Woodbridge, N.J., Jason Pabey of Middletown, David Pabey of Lexington, Ky. and Vanessa Branch of Vineland, N.J.; two great-grandchildren, Angel Pabey and Evan Branch; and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by a son, David T. Wright, and two brothers, Albert and Raymond Hallock.
A memorial service will be held at a later date to be announced.
Burial will be made in the Rural Valley Cemetery, Cuddebackville.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Port Jervis.
Jeanette L. Totten
Bus Monitor, 64
Jeanette L. Totten of Sundown, a bus monitor for Gershowitz Transportation, and a former employee of Imperial Schrade died Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at home. She lived in the area since 1974. She was 64.
The daughter of the late Eugene J. and Anne M. Ortenzi Bonini, she was born May 16, 1942 in New York City.
Survivors include her lifetime friend and companion and father of her children, Benjamin R. Totten of Woodbourne; children, Lisa and John Moore of Stone Ridge, Robby and Jackie Totten, Gena M. Totten, and Tom Totten, all of Sundown, Anne Marie and Leland Rausch of Monticello; grandchildren, Brianna Moore, Robby and Cody Totten, Elijah and Aaidan Rausch; a sister, Carol Coughran of Jeffersonville; and nephews Gino and Danny Coughran.
Friends may call from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday at Loucks Funeral Home, 79 N. Main Street, Ellenville.
Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday at the funeral home.
Burial will be made in Grahamsville Rural Cemetery.
Michael T. Kearney
Vietnam Veteran, 55
Michael T. Kearney, a three year resident of Monticello, died Sunday, October 3, 2004 at home. He was 55.
He was born in Brooklyn on May 31, 1949 to the late Michael J. and Ruth Strasser Kearney. He was a Vietnam Veteran.
He is survived by a daughter, Shannon Kearney of Stony Brook, three brothers, George, James and Robert Kearney, all of Monticello, a sister, Ruth Kearney of Liberty and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Catherine Cardillo and a brother, Paul Kearney.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Rev. Robert Ginel at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on Broadway and Liberty Street in Monticello at 10 a.m. on Friday October 8, 2004.
Interment with Military Honors will be in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery Sunset Lake Road, Liberty.
Albert Nearing
Ret. NYS DOT, 88
Albert Roland "Rollie" Nearing of Lake Huntington, a retired New York State DOT employee and a lifelong area resident died suddenly, Monday, October 4, 2004 at his home. He was 88.
The son of the late Theodore (Doc) Walter Nearing and Emma May Kirchoeffer, he was born November 13, 1915 in Lake Huntington. He was married for 56 years to the late Lynette Gregor.
Rollie was a member of the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church, always helping to maintain the church. He was also a 50 year life member of the Lake Huntington Fire Department.
Survivors include a son, Ronald Nearing of Williamson, a daughter, Joan Long of Hallstead, PA; a sister, Alma Bischoff of Lake Huntington, a sister-in-law, Marie Van Orden of Honesdale, PA; five grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by five brothers, Millard Theodore, Harry, Percy Walter, Carl Vernon and Robert Arthur and by seven sisters, Gladys E., Elsie, Cora,Lillian, Ruth M., Edith Rose and Emma.
Friends are invited to call on Fridday, October 8, 2004 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home in Narrowsburg.
Burial will be in the Fosterdale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cochecton Ambulance or to the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church, both of Lake Huntington.
Robert W. Brown
Ret. Tunnel Worker, 77
Robert W. Brown, died at his home on Sunday, October 3, 2004. He was 77.
A lifelong resident, he was born in Corbitt on December 5, 1927 to the late Willis and Aretta Ferguson Brown.
He was a retired tunnel worker with construction workers Local 147 in New York City, and a member of the Community Methodist Church in Kauneonga Lake.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Laura Jane Ferguson Brown at home, three sons, Benson Brown of Narrowsburg, Robert Brown of Monticello, and Joseph Brown, a daughter, Annette Brown, a sister in law, Judy Morgan all of Ferndale, four brothers, Ernest Brown of Norwich, Willis Brown of Oneonta, LeRoy Brown and George Brown, both of Florida, four sisters, Doris Chase of Florida, Laura Brazze of Norwich, Bessie Brown of Little Falls and Bertha Brown of Oneonta.
He is further survived by three grandchildren, Patricia Scarlett, and Adam and Eric Kitchon of Norwich, two special nieces, Dawn Allen and husband, Lenard of Dryden and Debbie Gessling and husband, Mike of Gainesville, FL.
He was predeceased by a daughter, Patti Brown, a sister, Viola Dillenbeck, and a brother, Charles Brown.
Funeral services were held at Ramsay's Funeral Home on Thursday, October 7, 2004. The Rev. Kenneth Rodgers officiated.
Cremation will be at the convenience of the family at Cedar Hill Crematory in Newburgh.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sulllivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550.
Jennie Lindsley
School Employee, 92
Jennie Lindsley, of Naples, FL, passed away on Friday, October 1, 2004 after a brief illness. Born in Danville, KY, Jennie had lived in White Sulphur Springs for forty-five years before moving to Naples in 1983. She was 92.
Jennie was an active member of the White Sulphur Springs Methodist Church and had been employed by the school district and also by Marcia's Dress Shop in Liberty.
The widow of Feldon Lindsley, Jennie is survived by her daughters, Terene Stewart (Norman) of Oswego, Susan McGorrian (John) of Woodstock, IL and Barbara Lindsley (Bob Sherwood) of Thornton, CO. She has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held in Naples, FL.
Contributions can be made in her memory to either the White Sulphur Springs Methodist Church or to the Hospice program of the donor's choice, would be deeply appreciated.
