U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentTimothy V. Gibbs
Contractor, 20
Timothy V. Gibbs of Middletown, a self-employed contractor and a lifelong area resident, died unexpectedly on Friday, April 15, 2005. He was 20 years of age.
The son of Vaughn and Patricia MacGregor Gibbs, he was born April 26, 1984, in Middletown.
A 2002 graduate of Pine Bush High School, he was a star basketball player and also played for CYO and AAU. He enjoyed working on his Hondas and the Friday night car shows, but especially enjoyed spending time with his daughter.
He is survived by his parents of Middletown; a sister, Emily Gibbs of Middletown; a daughter, Caitlin Gibbs of Middletown; his companion, Erica McGuiness of Middletown; his maternal grandmother, Rita MacGregor of Middletown; his paternal grandparents, Nona Gibbs of Summerville, N.C., and Herbert Gibbs and his wife, Louise, of Atlanta, Ga.; an aunt, Jane MacGregor of New Windsor; three uncles and their wives, Bill and Cathy MacGregor of Pearl River, Bruce and Sharon MacGregor of Bloomingburg and Daryl and Barbara Gibbs of Atlanta, Ga.; and many other aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Bill MacGregor, and an uncle, Timothy Gibbs.
Friends may call at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave., Middletown, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Joseph's R.C. Church, 149 Cottage St., Middletown.
Burial will be made in the family plot at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Middletown.
Mariah DeGraw, 25
Mariah Lee DeGraw of Rock Hill died Friday, April 15, 2005, as the result of a motor vehicle accident in the Town of Thompson. She was 25 years of age.
The daughter of Allan Sr. and Carla Oliver DeGraw, she was born September 24, 1979, in Nyack.
In a family statement, it was said, "Mariah enjoyed life and did everything possible to brighten everyone else's life. She wanted to make the world smile."
She is survived by her parents, a daughter, Allura Lynn DeGraw, a brother, Allan DeGraw Jr., a sister, Alisha Lynn DeGraw, and a nephew, Gavin Donald, all at home; her maternal grandfather, Frank Oliver of Woodbourne; her paternal grandfather, Walter DeGraw of Cairo; her paternal grandmother, Julia DeGraw VanDunk of Bloomingburg; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. She was predeceased by her maternal grandmother, Mary Oliver.
Friends may call at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan St., Wurtsboro, on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m.
Services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to a fund to benefit Mariah's daughter, Allura, and addressed to Debbie Walsh, P.O. Box 457, Slate Hill, N.Y. 10973.
Kathryn Gerke
Homemaker, 77
Kathryn T. Gerke of Highland Falls, a homemaker and a 50-year area resident, died Friday, April 15, 2005, at her home. She was 77 years of age.
The daughter of the late Edward and Anna Baresich Colvell, she was born September 24, 1927, in New York City. She was the widow of Allen W. Gerke.
Mrs. Gerke was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Highland Falls and a past member of the Hillcrest Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.
She is survived by four daughters, Kathy Ann Gonzales of Fayetteville, N.C., Barbara Gerke-Longamore of Dallas, Ga., Wendy E. Gerke of Highland Falls and Valarie J. Gerke of Fort Montgomery; two sisters, Lois Morney of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ., and Arlene Sadler of Forestburgh; a brother, Edward J. Colvell of Dayton, Ohio; eight grandchildren, Caitlin, Danielle, Nina, Christie, Nicole, Sarah, Gabrielle and Katarina; two great-grandchildren, Michael and Courtney; and several nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Route 9W, Fort Montgomery, with the Rev. Jack Arlotta officiating.
Burial will be made in Eagle Valley Cemetery in the Town of Highlands.
Everett Menshen
Ret. Trucker, 84
Everett W. Menshen of Middletown, a retired trucker, a woodworker and a lifelong area resident, died Friday, April 15, 2005, in Liberty. He was 84 years of age.
The son of the late William and Mabel Parker Menshen, he was born April 10, 1921, in Middletown.
A World War II and Korean War veteran of the U.S. Army, he served with the 101st Airborne Division and was discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. Mr. Menshen was highly decorated and earned many citations. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife, Hilda Menshen at home; a daughter, Barbara Mineo of Portsmouth, Va.; a sister, Marion Luersen of Prospect, Conn.; two grandchildren, Wayne Bringazi and Teresa Willoughby; three great-grandchildren, J.P. Odom, Tiffany Nicole Willoughby and Breena Leigh Willoughby; his nieces and nephews, including Beverly Petrozak and her husband, David, of Middletown, Wayne Tiffany of New Jersey, John and Gordon Luersen, Lynn Priebe, Shirley Kinney and Beverly Garzon, all of Liberty, William Bertholf, James Bertholf, Eileen Wohltjen and Victoria Kurzrock, all of the Town of Fallsburg; and his special friends, Larry, Susan and Larissa Griffiths. He was predeceased by a sister, Jessie Tiffany.
Friends may call at the Ralston-Lippincott-Hasbrouck-Ingrassia Funeral Home, 72 West Main St., Middletown, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church, Mt. Hope Rd, Middletown.
Burial will be held in the Rural Valley Cemetery in Cuddebackville.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, Mt. Hope Rd., Middletown, N.Y. 10940 or to the Sullivan County Adult Care Family Council, Liberty, N.Y. 12754.
Steven Pickering, 54
Ret. Hotel Employee
Steven Pickering, an eight-year resident of Woodridge, a former employee of the Nevele Hotel and the Homowack, until he became disabled, and a former resident of New Jersey, died Saturday, April 17, 2005, at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. He was 54 years of age.
The son of the late James J. and Lillian F. Buernau Pickering, he was born February 20, 1951, in Providence, R.I.
He is survived by his companion, Bertha "Tiny" Nedley; and many other loving friends.
Friends may call at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 Main St., Woodbourne, on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Cremation will be private.
Betty Lindsay, 78
Ret. Circulation Emply.
Betty Smithem Lindsay of Wurtsboro, a retired circulation employee of the Times Herald Record in Middletown, died unexpectedly Tuesday, May 3, 2005, at the Horton campus of the Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown. She was 78 years of age.
The daughter of the late Edward L. and Estelle Smithem Wilkinson, she was born November 8, 1926, in Wurtsboro.
Mrs. Lindsay was a member of the Fair Street Church in Kingston, a member of the Mamakating Historical Society and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Post 1266 in Mamakating. She was an avid horsewoman and golfer.
She is survived by two sons, Daniel Lindsay of Callicoon Center and Pete Lindsay of Wurtsboro; a brother and sister-in-law, Edward and Linda Wilkinson of Wurtsboro; a sister, Terrie Hoar of Ellenville; four grandchildren, Danielle, Jennifer, Sean and Arianne; her longtime friend, Jim Quinn of the Bronx; several nieces and nephews; and a village full of friends.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 11 Sullivan Street, Wurtsboro.
Interment of the cremains will be held at the Sylvan cemetery in Wurtsboro at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Fair Street Church, Kingston, N.Y. 12401.
Julia Voelkers
Ret. Policewoman, 83
Julia Voelkers of Monticello, a retired policewoman with over 22 years service for the Village of Monticello, died Monday, May 2, 2005, at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. She was 83 years of age.
The daughter of the late Stephen and Jennie Felter Murran, she was born October 24, 1921, in Monticello. She was the widow of both Orlando Fero and Karl Voelkers.
Mrs. Voelkers was a member of St. Peter’s Church in Monticello, the Monticello Exempt Firemen’s Auxiliary, Monticello PBA, Monticello Elk’s Lodge #1544, Ladies Auxiliary of the Ruddick-Trowbridge American Legion Post #73, the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post #8201 in Rainbow Lakes, Fla., American Diabetes Association, AARP, and a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Assoc.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Danny and Helen Fero of Monticello, Andrew and Bonnie Fero of Dunnellon, Fla., and Lanny “OJ” and Karen Fero of Hernando, Fla.; two sisters, Genevieve “Bee” Case of Delmar and Harriet Pirich of Monticello; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by three brothers, Stephen, Charles and John, and two sisters, Helen and Kate.
A Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. on Friday at St. Peter’s Church, Broadway and Liberty Street, Monticello, with the Rev. Robert Ginel officiating.
Burial will be made in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Monticello Exempt Firemen’s Auxiliary, 2 Pleasant St., Monticello, N.Y. 12701.
Phyllis Smith
Homemaker, 78
Phyllis Shuart Smith of Spotswood, N.J., a homemaker, died Saturday, April 30, 2005, at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J.
Born in Suffern, she resided in Spotswood, N.J., Monsey and Wurtsboro, before settling again in Spotswood last year. She was the widow of Samuel D. Smith in February 2005.
She is survived by two daughters, Susan Capello of Wurtsboro and Cheryl “Cheri” and her husband, Jerry High, of Spotswood, N.J.; a grandson and his wife, Robert Louis and Maria Capello of Pearl River; a granddaughter and her husband, Aimee and Chris Nuwer of Winchester, Va.; three great-grandchildren, Gabriella Capello and Emma and Casey Nuwer; and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held Thursday at the Scarr Funeral Home in Suffern.
Interment was made in the Brick Church Cemetery in Ramapo.
Memorial Service for
Rita Rosenberger
A memorial service for Rita Rosenberger, former resident of Hortonville who passed away January 19, 2005, at the age of 87, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Callicoon.
Friends of the family and patrons of the former Leo’s Market in Hortonville are invited to a get-together at Lander’s Cafe in Callicoon from noon to 2 p.m.
Graveside Services for
William Ashworth
Graveside services and burial of William J. Ashworth of Westbrookville, will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Westbrookville Cemetery with the Rev. Louise Thomas officiating. He was 87 years of age.
The Westbrookville Fire Department will conduct the services.
