Christine Leonie Pellini - 101-year-old Mohegan resident
Christine Leonie Pellini died Saturday, June 14 at Treetops Nursing Facility in Mohegan Lake after a brief illness.
She was a resident at Tree Tops for the last 15 years.
She was 101.
She was born April 24, 1902 in New York City. Her father John Pellini and mother Rose also had two boys, Emil and Karl, who are deceased.
Ms. Pellini was stricken with polio at three years old and never married or held a job. The Pellini family moved to Putnam Valley where Christine had a house built and always had a garden. She also grew fruits and had many chickens.
She loved animals, especially a Cocker Spaniel named “Jury Gold” who sired 10 puppies.
She was buried in her family plot Monday, June 16 at Woodlawn Cemetery where she will be with her father, mother, stepmother and two brothers.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Heritage Funeral Home in Putnam Valley.
Arthur B. Lancaster - Montrose resident
Arthur B. Lancaster, a resident of the NYS Veterans Home in Montrose, died June 16.
He was 82.
He was a mechanic for the New York City Central System and its successor railroads, retiring from Metro North after 42 years of service.
He was born in Peekskill on August 27, 1920 to Arthur and Louise Quick Lancaster. He served in the US Army during World War II.
He married Josephine Bohuczsky on March 28, 1943, at Assumption Church in Peekskill. She survives and also resides at the Veterans Home.
Mr. Lancaster was a parishioner at St. Christopher’s Church, where he did volunteer work. He also belonged to the International Association of Machinists Union.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three daughters, Carol Lancaster, of Delray Beach, Florida, JoAnn Dvorak, of Palm Coast, Florida and Diane Lockwood, of Cortlandt; one sister, Helen Lent, of Morristown, Tennessee; four grandchildren; and one great- granddaughter.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Edward F. Carter Funeral Home in Montrose.
Josephine Velardi - Ossining resident
Josephine Velardi, a resident of Ossining, died of natural causes June 12 at Vassar Brothers Hospital in Pouhgkeepsie.
She was 85.
She worked as an Office Worker for Rand McNally in Ossining. She was with the company for 16 years before retiring in 1978.
She was born April 18, 1918 in Ossining to Peter and Mary Christiano Velardi. She was educated in Ossining and graduated from Ossining High School.
She lived in Ossining her entire life and was a member of the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
She is survived by one brother, Mike (Gloria) of Hopewell Junction and one sister, Gilda (Glen) Weaver of Port St. Lucie, Fl; nine nieces and nephews; 15 great-nieces and nephews; and several great-great-nieces.
Family members who died earlier include one sister, Rose Capozzi.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Waterbury & Kelly Funeral Home in Ossining.
Grace Conners - former Buchanan resident
Grace Conners, a former Buchanan resident, died June 17 at Phelps Memorial Hospital.
She was 92.
She was a former Administrator for the NY Central Railroad.
She was born October 17, 1910 in Croton to William and Cora Kingsley.
She was an active parishioner at The Church of Divine Love in Montrose, where she belonged to the Womens’ Club and did work at the church’s Thrift Shop. She also belonged to the Cortlandt Senior Citizens and the PTAs in the Hendrick Hudson School District.
Survivors include one son, Edward (Eunice) Conners of Montrose; two grandchildren, Edward Conners of Little Rock, Arkansas and Jennifer Diehl of Hopewell Junction; three great-grandchildren, David and Michael Diehl and Reese Conners; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by seven brothers and one sister.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Edward F. Carter Funeral Home in Montrose.
Herbert Smith - former Peekskill resident
Herbert Smith, a former Peekskill resident, died June 15 at the Cedar Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Ossining.
He was 73.
He was born September 2, 1929 in Georgetown, South Carolina to July and Mamie Mickel Smith.
He worked as a sanitation worker and enjoyed playing cards.
He is survived by his common law wife, Annabella McCallister of Yonkers; one daughter, Diane Smith of Conway, SC; six stepdaughters, Loretta Ellis of Peekskill, Claretha Ellis of Ossining, Bertha Ellis of Peekskill, and Williemae, Dorothy, and Chanel McCallister, both of Yonkers; four stepsons, Larry Ellis of Beacon, William Lee McCallister of Florence, SC, and Early and Barry McCallister, both of Peekskill; four sisters, Louise S. Beach of Peekskill, Carrie Snyder Speights and Susan Wilkerson, both of Ocala, Florida, and Peggy S. Martin of Peekskill; one brother, LeRoy Smith of Georgetown, SC; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by one sister, Bernice Tinsley, and two brothers, Joseph and Sammy Smith.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by E.O. Curry Funeral Home in Peekskill.
Memorial Service set for Jean Eason
A Memorial Service for Jean Elizabeth Eason will be held Sunday, June 22 at 2 p.m. at First Unitarian Church on 130 Conklin Road in Pomona, New York.
Wayne R. Wylong - Shrub Oak resident
Wayne R. Wylong, a resident of Shrub Oak for 20 years, died June 22 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.
He was 55.
He worked as a Process Sugar Boiler for American Sugar Refining Inc., formerly Refined Sugars (Sugar House), in Yonkers. He was with the company for 30 years before illness in 2000.
He was born October 19, 1947 in Yonkers to George and Marguerite O’Brien Wylong.
He was educated in Yonkers and graduated from Saunders Trade and Tech in 1966.
Mr. Wylong served in the Army from 1966 to 1969 of SP5, Korea, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and National Defense Service Medal.
On June 22, 1968, he married Longina Polockow at Immaculate Conception in Yonkers.
He lived in Shrub Oak for the past 20 years. Before that he lived in Yonkers.
He was a Long Island Coonhound Association member and a Yonkers Racing Pigeon Club member.
He will be remembered for his love of family and friend, gardening, fishing, oldies music and the 4th of July.
He is survived by his wife Longina (Lonnie) of Shrub Oak; son, Wayne Wylong Jr.; one daughter, Dorothy Franze of Yorktown; son, Matthew Wylong of Shrub oak; son-in- law, Louie Franze; granddaughters, Emily Wylong, Kayla and Callie Franze; John and Marguerite Nyemchek of Hastings-on-Hudson; three brothers, George Wylong of South Carolina, William Wylong of Yonkers, and John Nyemchek of Teaneck, New Jersey; and two sisters, Elizabeth Kertis of Cortlandt and Anna Trombley of DeKalb Jct.
He was a devoted uncle and great-uncle and Godfather to many.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Clark Funeral Home in Yorktown Heights.
Patricia Ann Simone - Peekskill resident
Patricia Ann Simone, a resident of Peekskill, died June 20.
She was 50.
She was born July 16, 1952 in Peekskill to Salvatore and Pauline Basso Simone. She was a homemaker.
She is survived by her daughter Shannon Casiano; mother, Pauline Simone; one brother, Salvatore Simone; two sisters, Deborah Carlson and Linda Latorre; and three grandchildren, Shannon, Kerron and Bayron. All are from Peekskill.
Family members who died earlier include her father Salvatore Simone.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home in Peekskill.
Elliott B. Jr. Artis - Ossining resident
Elliott B. Jr. Artis, a resident of Ossining, died June 19 at Hudson Valley Hospital in Cortlandt.
He was 72.
He was born April 10, 1931 in Ossining to the late Elliott B. and Juila Wyche Artis.
He was a retired detective/youth officer from the Peekskill Police Department.
He is survived by his wife Edna; four children, Tina Brooks, Michele, Elliott III and Mark Artis; five siblings, Mabel McNorton, Thelma, Minnie, Florence and George Artis; two daughters-in-law, Francine and Lynn; one son-in-law, Keith Brooks; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Rose Eglantine Fiore - Croton resident
Rose Eglantine Fiore, a resident of Croton, died June 20.
She was 89.
She was born December 12, 1913 in New York City to Georges and Rosalia Spina Morales.
She worked many years as a seamstress in New York City before retiring in 1970 and was a member of the ILGU (International Garment Workers Union).
She was a feisty, independent and loving mother and grandmother, who faced challenges with courageous, determination and a positive attitude.
She was a longtime resident of Mount Vernon and moved to Croton-on-Hudson in 1990. A year ago she moved to her daughter’s home in Cortlandt.
On October 28, 1934, she married Anthony Fiore at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New York City. He died in 1985.
She is survived by one son, Dr. Robert L. Fiore of Tucson, Arizona; one daughter, Angela M. Kelly of Cortlandt; nine grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren.
She was predeceased by one daughter, Linda Mita, and three sisters, Patricia Morales, Carol Tackack and Angelina Shaw.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by E.O. Curry Funeral Home in Peekskill.
Rev. John L. Cavanaugh - former Ossining resident
Rev. John L. Cavanaugh, a former resident of Ossining, died June 19 in Rhinebeck.
He was 86.
Father Cavanaugh was born in Yonkers February 4, 1917 to Louis and Mary (Morrissey) Cavanaugh.
He was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church on May 26, 1951 at Hales Corner, Wisconsin. He was the Superior at Kilroe Seminary in Honesdale, Pennsylvania from 1954 until 1960. He was then assigned to St. Augustine’s Church in Ossining from 1966 to 1971 when he became Chaplain at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility from 1971 until 1995.
He was the Chaplain of the Ossining Police Department, the Ossining Fire Department, the Police Emerald Society of Westchester, and the Westchester County Volunteer Firemen Association. He was also an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Ossining, the Knights of Columbus at St. Augustine Parish and the Ossining Elks Lodge #1486.
He is survived by his sister, Rosemary Wujastyk of Salamanca, New York; nine nieces, Helen Hayes, Mary Hanley, Rosemary Casullo, Annie Marie Quinlan, Terri Powlis, Mary Oyer, Mary Nuendoref, Anita Stringfellow and Carol Lee, and his nephew Frank Wujastyk.
His sister, Helen Howard, and one nephew predeceased him.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Dorsey Funeral Home in Ossining.
Barbara A. Connor - Croton resident
Barbara A. Connor, a Croton resident, died June 18 at her home.
She was 48.
She was a CPA for Emishere Technologies in Elmsford.
She was born in Queens on January 3, 1955.
She is survived by her children, Michael and Gabriele Simmons, of Croton, and Jessica Simmons-Zerello, of Peekskill; her mother, Kathleen Connor-Larkin of Inverness, Florida; her fiancée, Randall King of Verplanck; one brother, Michael Connor of New York City; two sisters, Eileen Connor of Valhalla, and Margaret Connor of Croton; and one granddaughter, Juliette Rose Zerello.
She was predeceased by her father, Michael Connor, and one sister, Kathleen Connor.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Edward F. Carter Funeral Home in Croton.
