U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentArchie Heckler III
Courier, 41
Archie Heckler III of Yulan, a courier for Air Courier of New York City and a lifelong area resident, died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, in Middletown. He was 41 years of age.
The son of Archibald Jr. and Eleanor Umbreit Heckler, he was born April 13, 1958, in San Angelo, Tex.
He was a member of St. Anthony's R.C. Church in Yulan.
In a family statement, it was said, "Archie loved life, lived life and gave of himself and will be missed by all."
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Eleanor and John Cantwell of Middletown; his father of the Philippines; a sister, Paula Heckler of Yulan; and a very extended family of friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Anthony's R.C. Church in Yulan with the Rev. Evan Greco officiating.
Interment will be made in St. Anthony's Cemetery in Eldred.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Gray-Rasmussen Funeral Home in Barryville.
Bessie L. Knack
Ret. Nurses Aide, 72
Bessie L. Knack of White Sulphur Springs, a retired nurses aide at Community General Hospital in Harris and a 58-year area resident, died Monday, April 10, 2000, at the Seelig Division of Community General Hospital in Harris. She was 72 years of age.
The daughter of the late Bert and Lilly Murphy Herrin, she was born September 2, 1927, in Aberdeen, Wash.
Mrs. Knack was a charter member of the White Sulphur Springs Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the White Sulphur Springs Nightlighters of the Sullivan County Cooperative Extension.
She is survived by three sons, Donald Knack of Youngsville, Wayne Knack of Sprakers, and Albert Knack of Livingston Manor; a sister, Beulah Johnson of California; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the Ramsay's Funeral Home, 275 South Main St., Liberty, with the Rev. Robert C. Nadelen officiating.
Interment will be made in Laurel Hill Cemetery in White Sulphur Springs.
Memorial contributions may be made to the White Sulphur Springs Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, White Sulphur Springs, N.Y. 12787.
Anthony Del Priore
MR Horse Trainer, 69
Anthony S. Del Priore of Westbrookville, a horse trainer at Monticello Raceway and a 50-year area resident, died Monday, April 10, 2000. He was 69 years of age.
The son of Lucille Mattera Del Priore and the late Carmine Del Priore, he was born June 30, 1930, in New York City. He was the widower of Bess Mangus Del Priore who died March 28, 2000.
Mr. Del Priore was a member of the Monticello Raceway Horsemen's Association.
He is survived by his mother of Westbrookville; two sons, Michael and his wife, Michele Del Priore, of Kingston, and Anthony Del Priore Jr. of Westbrookville; a daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and James Calise of Smithtown; a sister, Dolores Krikorian of Kings Park; a brother, Robert Del Priore of Westbrookville; two sisters-in-law, Terri Winstead of Bountiful, Utah, and Madge Mangus of Price, Utah; two brothers-in-law, Walter Kelly of Price, Utah, and Kenneth Haberman of Windom, Minn.; six grandchildren, Jennifer, James Michael and Melissa Calise and Alexander and Daniel Del Priore; a great-granddaughter, Gabrielle Calise; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation was private.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Sullivan County, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or to a religious organization of one's choice.
John E. Purgatorio
Taxi Driver, 65
John E. Purgatorio of Middletown, a driver with Syndicated Taxi Company in Middletown and a lifelong area resident, died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, in the Horton Medical Center in Middletown. He was 65 years of age.
The son of the late John and Esther Cushing Purgatorio, he was born November 11, 1934, in Middletown.
He is survived by his wife, Loretta Purgatorio, at home; four step-children, Fred Graden, James Sochinski and Tracey Sochinski, all of Middletown, and Donna McLaughlin of New Jersey; four sisters, Pat Banks, Joyce Cushing and Loretta Patterson, all of Middletown, and Rose Baker of Wurtsboro; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Michael Purgatorio.
Friends may call at the Ralston-Lippincott-Hasbrouck-Ingrassia Funeral Home, 72 West Main St., Middletown, on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Joe McKelvey officiating.
Burial will be private.
Milton L. Kuhlman
Ret. Fireman, 79
Milton Louis Kuhlman of Middletown, a retired City of Middletown fireman, died Wednesday, April 12, 2000, at the Horton Medical Center in Middletown. He was 79 years of age.
The son of the late Charles and Phoebe Sutton Kuhlman, he was born October 4, 1920, in Middletown.
A graduate of Middletown High School, he was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Paratroopers and served in the Pacific and European Theatres of War. Wounded in battle, he was awarded a Purple Heart on December 28, 1943. Mr. Kuhlman also received the Canadian Parachute Silver Maple Leaf Wings for his service with the Canadian First Special Service Force during World War II. He was awarded the American Red Cross Certificate of Recognition "for extraordinary personal action contributing to the saving of a human life" in 1965.
A member of the Universalist Church of Middletown and a 60-year member of the Middletown Ontario Hose Company No. 5., Mr. Kuhlman was also a member and past master of Hoffman Lodge #412, F.&A.M., the Orange County Shrine Club, a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Lodge and Council Chapter Consistory. He was also a 26-year member of the Shawanga Mountain Memorial Post No. 4947, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Bloomingburg; a 22-year member of the American Legion Post 151 in Middletown; a 51-year member of the Disabled American Veterans and served on the Veterans Advisory Committee to the 22nd Congressional District in 1987-88. Mr. Kuhlman was a member of the BPOE Lodge #1097 in Middletown, a member of Lost Mountain Hunting Club in Sullivan County and a former Boy Scout scoutmaster.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy Kuhlman, at home; a cousin, Mary Jane Carey of Georgia; and a close family friend, Gloria Robinson of Middletown.
A Service of Remembrance will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave., Middletown with the Rev. Timothy Woodard officiating.
Interment will be made in the Cuddebackville Rural Cemetery in Cuddebackville.
Mary K. Fromm
Ret. Bookkeeper, 87
Mary Koblentz Fromm, a 1 1/2-year resident of Bloomingburg, formerly of Warwick, Monroe and Mahwah, N.J., died Monday, April 10, 2000, at her home. She was 87 years of age.
She was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., and retired in 1980 after 10 years as a bookkeeper for Traffic Control of Hackensack, N.J. She and her husband, the late Milton Fromm, were the former owners of The Leather Works, formerly of Warwick and Monroe.
Mrs. Fromm is survived by two children, Robert, of Warwick and Alexis J., of Bloomingburg; and two grandchildren, Marianne Pruiksma and Brian Fromm.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Ave., Wyckoff, N.J.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.
Lois H. Davis
Ret. Nurses' Aide, 85
Lois H. Davis of Bloomingburg, a 60-year area resident, a retired nurses' aide at the Spring Valley Hospital in Spring Valley and Ramapo General Hospital in Hillcrest, died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, at the Horton Medical Center in Middletown. She was 85 years of age.
The daughter of the late Robert V. and Gertrude Moore Hurst, she was born January 20, 1915, in Fordyce, Ark. She was the widow of both Andrew J. Click and Howard D. Davis.
Mrs. Davis is survived by two sons, Gary Click and Wayne Click, both of Valley Cottage; three daughters, Iris Moore Munn of Garnerville, Sharon DeBruyn of Crossville, Tenn., and Sheila Maurleen Kopchak of Harriman; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two brothers, George Hurst and Benton Hurst, and two grandchildren, R. Wylene Chavez and William Click.
Services will be held at 11:45 a.m. Friday at the Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush Funeral Home, 117 Maple Ave., Monroe, with the Rev. James D. Ernest officiating.
Burial will be made in the Westbrookville Cemetery in Westbrookville.
Pat O'Neil
NY Tel Mgr., 68
Pat O'Neil of Middletown, a manager for the New York Telephone Company in Mt. Kisco, died Monday, April 10, 2000, at the Horton Medical Center in Middletown. She was 68 years of age.
The daughter of the late Frank and Irene Dunagan Smith, she was born Irene Patricia Smith on March 1, 1932, in Monticello.
Mrs. O'Neil was a member of the New York Telephone Company Pioneers and was a Eucharistic Minister and lector for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Middletown.
She is survived by a daughter, Irene Benjamin of Bloomingburg; two sons, John O'Neil Jr. of Hurleyville and Kevin O'Neil of Woodbourne; a sister, Margaret O'Neil of Hurleyville; four granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; two great-grandsons; and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 1l a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Church, 149 Cottage St., Middletown.
Burial will be made in the family plot in the Hurleyville Cemetery in Hurleyville.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan County, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or to the American Cancer Society, 6725 Lyons St., P.O. Box 7E, East Syracuse, N.Y. 13057.
Mary A. Belanchia
Owned Joshua's Place, 53
Mary Ann Belanchia of Liberty, the proprietor of Joshua's Place, died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at her home. She was 53 years of age.
The daughter of Salvatore J. and Katherine Rose La Vista Cartuccio, she was born July 4, 1947, in Yonkers.
Mrs. Belanchia was a member of the Assembly of God in Liberty.
She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Rudolph Anthony Belanchia, at home; three daughters, Catherine Ann Belanchia of Parksville, Mary Ann Thomas of Maple Crest, and Christina Marie Shea of Liberty; a son, Joshua Aaron Belanchia of Liberty; her parents of Monticello; a brother, Salvatore A. Cartuccio of Monticello; eight grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held Wednesday evening at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne with the Rev. Gary Wilcox officiating.
Interment was made Thursday in the Liberty Cemetery in Liberty.
