U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentMyrtle Uthus
Chef, 57
Myrtle Uthus of Liberty, died unexpectedly on Sunday, September 16, 2007 at her home. She was 57.
The beloved daughter of Hans and Gertrude Murphy Uthus, she was born on September 22, 1949 in Brooklyn.
Myrtle attended both Warwick Valley High School in Warwick and Hartford High School in Hartford, Conn.
She later enrolled in the University of Wisconsin earning an Associate’s degree in the field of Cinematography and was instrumental in setting up Milwaukee’s Cable Access Station. Myrt was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Next, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree at Sullivan County Community College, but illness prevented her from completing the program.
Myrt, as she is affectionately called, loved her family and was a free spirit whose fun loving personality took her on adventures traveling throughout the United States several times over.
She was employed as a “Cajun chef,” in New Orleans for nearly 20 years, where she also enjoyed playing her guitar and singing in the restaurant cabarets.
Myrt was loved by all who knew her. She shared a special, spiritual affinity with nature and the Lord. Her interests included writing poetry and painting; working with the homeless in NYC, and she loved reading and gardening.
Animals also held a special place in her heart, so during her travels she adopted and cared for several dogs.
An excerpt from her poetry reads, “I love the poetry, I love the music, I love life, Sky-Myrt.”
Prior to her illness, Myrtle worked with the local residents of CRC in Liberty and selflessly helped save several lives during a fire that occurred in one of the homes.
Myrt, we love you, and will miss you greatly.
Myrt is survived by her mother, Gertrude Uthus of the Bronx; her sister, Eline Hill and her husband, Ernest Hill, of Wurtsboro; two nieces, Valerie and her husband, Richard Gallo, of Bloomingburg and Christine and her husband, David Priest, of Middletown; one nephew, Ernest Hill Jr. and his wife, Ingrid, of Middletown; six grandnephews and nieces, Richard and Justin Gallo, Sandra and Chelsea Priest, and Dylan and Casey Hill.
She was predeceased by her father.
Private cremation was held at the convenience of the family.
Interment of the cremains will be made in Warwick Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are by Ramsay’s Funeral Homes, Inc., Liberty.
Ryan Markert, 24
Ryan Joseph Markert of Monticello, died Saturday, September 15, 2007, at Catskill Regional Medical Center, Harris. He was 24.
Ryan was born December 1, 1982, in Harris, the son of Donald B. Markert and Catherine Christopher Markert.
In a family statement, it was said, “May Ryan join the Angels who watched over him.”
The family wishes to thank the staff at the Center for Discovery for their loving care and guidance of Ryan.
He is survived by his parents, Donald B. Markert of Clay and Catherine F. Markert of Mt. Hope; a brother, Christopher M. Markert of Mt. Hope; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Services were held at Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., Goshen, on Wednesday, September 19.
Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Discovery, PO Box 840, Benmosche Road, Harris, NY 12742.
Ronald W. Smith
Customer Engineer, 78
Ronald W. Smith of Pompton Plains, NJ, previously from Chestnut Ridge, passed away Saturday, September 15, 2007. He was 78.
He was born June 19, 1929 in Jersey City, NJ, the son of Edward T. Smith and Charlotte Franck Smith.
Ron worked as a Mechanical Draftsman and a Machine Designer. He served in the Army during the Korean War. After the Korean War he was hired as a Customer Engineer for IBM. Other jobs that he held in IBM were Salesman, Marketing Manager and Manager of Litigation. After he retired from IBM in 1989, he served as Managing Partner for The Delphi Group – a litigation support business that he started with Gene Takahashi. Ron was an Army veteran and served during the Korean War. He was a 50-year member and Past Master of Blue Stone-Mystic Tie-Malta Doric Lodge #35 F&AM in Secaucus, NJ. He was also a member and Past Patron of Valley Star Chapter #434, Nauraushaun Chapter #371, and River Valley Chapter #33, Order of the Eastern Star, State of New York. A Past District Grand Lecturer of the Order of the Eastern Star, State of New York, from Orange and Rockland District, a member of the Grand Officers Association of the Orange-Rockland District and a member of the Past Matrons/Past Patrons Association of the Orange-Rockland District.
Ron will be remembered as a loving husband, father, brother and Pop-Pop. He always brought life to any party, with “I guess you are wondering why I called you all here.” He will be sadly missed by family and friends.
Ron is survived by his wife, Betty Lou LaBarr Smith; five children, Douglas M. Smith and wife, Beverly of Liberty, Michael E. Smith and wife, Lynne of Spring Valley, Geoffrey T. Smith and wife, Maryellen of Blauvelt, Charlotte M. Bonomolo and husband, J.P. of Pearl River and Jennifer L. Altneu of Chestnut Ridge; one stepson, Michael F. Mason and fiancee, Doris of Wurtsboro; four grandchildren, Douglas M. Smith Jr., Matthew J. Bonomolo, Bret T. Bonomolo and Kristina L. Smith; five step-grandchildren, Victoria Kitz, Brian Kitz, Marie Wood-Gardia, Michael Rose and Allyson Rose; two step-grandchildren, Lawrence Wood-Gardia and Lyta Wood-Gardia; brother, Edward T. Smith and wife, Leona from New Port Richey, Fla.; and an aunt, cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his first wife, Dolores M. Wynkoop Smith in 1990 and son-in-law, Brian Altneu in 2005.
A funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Franklin Ave, Pearl River.
Burial will be made at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS); Financial Management Branch; Building 31 Center Drive, MSC 2540; Bethesda, MD 20892-2540.
Rose M. Willcox
Homemaker, 64
Rose Mary Willcox of Middletown, a homemaker, died Friday, January 2, 2004, at her home. She was 64 years of age.
The daughter of the late John F. and Ruth Marquette Weigel, she was born February 22, 1939, in Callicoon.
Mrs. Willcox was a volunteer reader for the blind at the Ramapo Catskill Library System in Middletown and had also worked for the Board of Elections in the Town of Wawayanda.
She is survived by her husband, H. Keith Willcox, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Elise Kim and James Durma of Mt. Hope; two sons, H. Keith Willcox II and his wife, Brenda, of Wurtsboro, and Timothy Kevin Willcox, at home; seven grandchildren, Krista and Alicia DeLeeuw, Jessica and Deanna Willcox, Triston Killian Willcox and Kathleen and Ashley Durma; a sister, Marty Lou Gorenflo of Fishkill; two brothers, A.J. Weigel of Texas and Bob Weigel of Colorado; and aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Jack Weigel.
A Funeral Mass was offered Monday at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Goshen.
Burial was private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Muriel Garfinkel
Ret. Businesswoman, 77
Muriel Garfinkel of Monticello, the former owner and operator of Resort Furniture Store in Monticello with her late husband, died Saturday, January 3, 2004, at the Skilled Nursing Unit of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 77 years of age.
The daughter of the late Jacob and Josephine Fierstein Coopersmith, she was born March 13, 1926, in the Bronx. She was the widow of Murray Garfinkel.
Mrs. Garfinkel was a longtime member of the Landfield Avenue Synagogue and the Sisterhood in Monticello.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Jacob and Renee Garfinkel of Washington, D.C., Dr. Abraham and Mercy Garfinkel of Monticello and Chaim and Laurie Garfinkel of Kansas City, Kans.; three daughters, and two sons-in-law, Debby and Alex Stroli of Passaic, N.J., Ester Vegh of Cleveland, Ohio, and Sari and Yossi Rosenberg of Spring Valley; a sister, Sylvia Mishkin of Whitestone; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Services were held Sunday at the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello with Rabbi Ben Zion Chanowitz officiating.
Burial was made in the Landfield Avenue Synagogue Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Landfield Avenue Synagogue, Landfield Ave., Monticello, N.Y. 12701; the Hebrew Day School of Sullivan and Ulster County, Route 42, Kiamesha Lake, N.Y. 12751; or to the Skilled Nursing Unit of Catskill Regional Medical Center, Harris, N.Y. 12742.
Roger ‘Jimmy’ Green
Ret. Dental Hygienist, 63
Roger "Jimmy" Green of Hankins, a retired dental hygienist and a longtime area resident, died Sunday, January 4, 2004, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 63 years of age.
The son of Helen L. Goodrich Green Hubert and the late Lyle A. Green, he was born January 2, 1941, in Roscoe.
A 27-year veteran of the U. S. Navy, he served two tours in Vietnam. He was a member of the Allan Milk Memorial Post No. 7276, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Long Eddy, and the Hankins Fire Company.
He is survived by his wife, Yoshie "Nancy" Fukuda Green, at home; his mother of Hankins; a sister, Susan Shafarzek of Charlottesville, Va.; a nephew; and several cousins. He was predeceased by his step-father, Floyd E. "Bob" Hubert.
Friends may call at the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe, on Wednesday from 2-3 p.m.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Ignatius Smith officiating.
Mary P. Downs
Ret. Offc. Mgr., 80
Mary P. Downs of Liberty, a 20-year area resident and the retired office manager for William J. Foss Inc. in Brooklyn, died Tuesday, January 6, 2004, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 80 years of age.
The daughter of the late William and Elsie Paterson Mitchell, she was born December 24, 1923, in Queens. She was the widow of Richard Downs who died in 2000.
Mrs. Downs was a member of the Sullivan County Cooperative Extension, the Calico Geese Quilting Club and St. Paul's Senior Citizens.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Richard B. Jr. and Marilyn Downs of Equinunk, Pa., and Thomas and Rose Downs of Grahamsville; a daughter, Patricia Elsasser of Liberty; and two grandchildren, Mitchell Downs and Gregory Allen.
Friends may call at the Ramsay's Funeral Home, 275 S. Main St., Liberty, on Saturday from noon until 2 p.m.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Francis Waite officiating.
Burial will be made in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty.
Dorothea Hill
Homemaker
Dorothea Hill of Mississippi, a former resident of Jeffersonville and the widow of Frank Hill, died Tuesday, January 5, 2004 in Mississippi.
She is survived by two sons, Craig and Frank Hill; a daughter, Lynne; six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 16, at the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty.
Local arrangements were made by the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.
