John G. Kuck, a lifelong resident of Mahopac and Putnam Valley and founder of Whispering Pine, died April 29.
He was 71.
He as born March 16, 1932 in New York City to George and Margaret (Fury) Kuck.
He graduated from Mahopac High School in 1949 and earned his Associate’s Degree at SUNY Farmingdale. He also attended Alfred University and Cornell University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
Mr. Kuck founded Whispering Pine Nursery in 1957 along with his mother and brother Thomas, and although it was his livelihood, gardening was his hobby and his love. He retired in 2001.
He was a member of the Long Island Retail Florist Association, The Society of American Florists, The Professional Plant Growers Association and The Metropolitan Retail Florist Association, of which he was a former board member.
He was also a New York State Certified Nurseryman. He was a former instructor for the Metropolitan Retail Florist School of Floral Design and instructed Advanced Floral Design for NY Botanical gardens. He started the basic Horticulture curriculum of the Northern Westchester Technical School (BOCES).
A member of FTD, Mr. Kuck served in many leadership capacities during his tenure, including membership on the Board of Directors.
He was a Charter Member and Past President of the Putnam Valley Rotary Club and was a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He was a former board member of the Putnam County Cooperative Extension, The Putnam County Mental Health Bureau, Putnam Valley Parks and Recreation. In 1980, he was nominated “Putnam Valley Citizen of the Year.”
On November 14, 1954, he married Eileen V. McMillan at St. Joseph’s Church in Croton Falls.
In addition to his wife and brother, both of Mahopac, he is survived by his son, Brad and his wife Jeanmarie of Mahopac; his daughters, Kathleen of Mahopac, Jill Scariati and her husband Daniel of Seaford, NY, Beth Hundgen and her husband Kurtis of Mahopac and Meg Edwards and her husband John of Hopewell Junction; as well as his grandchildren, Stetson and Sage Hundgen, Lindsay Scariati and Jonathan and Michael Edwards.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home in Mahopac.
Mary Jorgenson: former Peekskill resident
Mary Jorgenson, a former Peekskill resident, died peacefully in her sleep on
May 1.
She was 99.
She was born December 19, 1903 in Ronnede, Denmark to Christian and Rasmine Olsen.
She was a trained gymnast who toured and performed throughout Europe.
She married Alfred Jorgensen on February 25, 1927. They immigrated to the United States in 1929 and settled in Brooklyn. They later became U.S. citizens.
In 1959, after Alfred’s death, she relocated to Peekskill. She was a parishioner of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Croton-on-Hudson.
While living in Peekskill she was very active in the Danish Home for the Aged, also in Croton-on-Hudson, as well as the Peekskill Senior Citizens.
She dedicated her life to being a loving wife and mother. She enjoyed baking and probably made the best spritz cookies anyone has ever had. Her passion for crocheting afforded her grandchildren many homemade blankets; each crafted with love. She was blessed to have been witness to five generations of her family.
She was the beloved wife of the late Alfred, loving mother of Neils (Janice) Jorgensen of Valhalla, Birthe (Jim) Engstrom of Moneta, Virginia, Margit (Reg) Rose of Peekskill, Esther (Jack) Kirwan of Coxsackie, MaryAnn (Alfred) Fiorelli of West Harrison, Linda (Jerry) Morris of Bayonet Point, Florida; proud grandmother of 25 grandchildren, 41 great- grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.
She was predeceased by one grandchild.
Peter J. Siciliano: Ossining resident
Peter J. Siciliano, a resident of Ossining, died May 6.
He was 84.
He was born in White Plains on May 15, 1918 to Gasparo and Josephine (Bruno) Siciliano.
Mr. Siciliano was an Army veteran of WWII. He then enlisted in the Air Force Reserves in 1948 and served in the Korean Conflict. He was the Adjutant of a Bomb Wing in the Strategic Air Command and retired in 1978 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He worked for the N.Y. State Division of Parole for 53 years as a hearing reporter and retired in 1993. He was a member of the VFW Post #5463 in West Harrison. He was also a communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Ossining, where he served as a lector and volunteered at Church functions.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Catherine (Lobus); two daughters, Anne Zimmerman (Gary) and Valarie Doyle (David); two sisters, Amelia Pisello and Lucy Tinnie; one brother, Arthur; four grandchildren, Ryan and Colin Zimmerman and Christopher and Jonathan Doyle; and many nieces and nephews.
Five brothers and three sisters predeceased him.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Dorsey Funeral Home in Ossining.
Rose (nee) Guzzo (Tartaglione) Horowich: former Yorktown resident
Rose (nee) Guzzo (Tartaglione) Horowich, a former Yorktown resident, died April 29 after a long illness.
She was 87.
She was born November 6, 1915 in Yonkers to Pasquale and Camela Guzzo.
She was a seamstress for many years, sewing bathing suits, dresses, slipcovers and drapery. She will always be remembered for her wonderful cooking.
She was predeceased by two daughters, Joan Buck, and Baby Patricia Tartaglione, and two husbands, Pasquale Tartaglione and Nick Horowich.
She is survived by son Richard Tartaglione of Hastings-on-Hudson; grandsons, Edward J. Buck of Pompano Beach, Fl. Randy M. Tartaglione of Mahopac,and Todd R. Tartaglione of Yonkers; one granddaugther, Johanna Marie George Provo; four grandchildren, Jessica, Laura, Benjamin and Sara of Provo; two brothers, George Guzzo of Cold Spring and Robert Guzzo of Carmel; and sister Violet Depalma.
Six brothers, Joseph, Anthony, Nicholas, Louis, Albert, and Pat, and three sisters, Mary Aronstin, Frances Ennis and Julia Gavrell, died earlier.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Clark Funeral Home in Yorktown Heights.
Bettye F. Reid: Ossining resident
Bettye F. Reid, a resident of Ossining, died May 6.
She was 59.
She was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina on November 5, 1943 to Blease and Willie Mae MaeKenyon.
She worked at Westchester County Labs & Research in Valhalla from 1971 to 2000, where she was a secretary.
She was a longtime member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ossining.
She is survived by two daughters, Tonia and Devon Reid; one brother, Dan; two aunts; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Dorsey Funeral Home in Ossining.
Agnes Dack: Peekskill resident
Agnes Dack, a lifetime Peekskill resident, died April 27.
She was 79.
She was born in Peekskill May 20, 1923 to Ora and Marguerite Strumke Dack.
She was a 1942 graduate of Peekskill High School and worked for Nan Flower Company in Peekskill as a sewing machine operator for 40 years.
She was a communicant at St. Columbanus Church.
She is survived by her twin sister, Mary M. Schnittert of Peekskill, and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her brother, Albert Dack.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Dorsey-Carlone Funeral Home.
Samuel Palmietto: former Croton resident
Samuel Palmietto, a former resident of Croton, died May 2 at Hudson Valley Hospital.
He was 69.
He was born in Croton on September 7, 1933.
Mr. Palmietto was a retired brick layer, and former owner of the 4 Sons Tavern in Croton.
He was an All County basketball player for Croton Harmon High School. He also played football. He belonged to Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Company in the Croton Fire Department.
Survivors include two brothers, Alphonse of Montrose, and Michael of Cortlandt; and one sister, Betty Carlson of Montrose.
He was predeceased by one brother, Frank Palmietto.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Edward F. Carter Funeral Home in Croton-on-Hudson.
Dr. George Popp: Cortlandt resident
Dr. George Popp, a resident of Cortlandt, died May 12.
He was 84.
He was an anesthesiologist at Peekskill Community Hospital for more than 20 years.
He was born in a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania and had many fond memories of growing up during the depression. He attended Franklin Marshall University and obtained his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. He served in the United States Army Aircorps 1941-1943.
Other than his family and his great
devotion to God, Dr. Popp’s greatest
pleasures were flying planes, model airplanes and horse racing. He also enjoyed spending time at his homes in Stamford, New York and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Martha, his daughter Miriam Popp and
son-in-law Peter Seeley of Scarsdale, New York and daughter Cathy Popp-McKenna and son-in-law Dennis McKenna of Stamford, New York.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by E.O. Curry Funeral Home in Peekskill.
Adelaide Holley: former Peekskill resident
Adelaide (Koch) Holley, a former Peeskill resident, died April 14 at Brookhaven in Lexington, Massachusetts.
She was 87.
She was the wife of Myle J. Holley, Jr., also a former Peekskill resident, with whom she shared 61 years of marriage.
Mrs. Holley was born July 8, 1915 in Peekskill to Gerhard and Mary (Whalen) Koch. After earning her B.A. degree from Jackson College (Tufts) and a M.Ed. from Teachers College at Columbia University, she taught elementary school in Van Cortlandtville, New York and Arlington, Massachusetts.
Mrs. Holley and her family moved from Arlington to Lexington in 1955. For some years thereafter, she was a special education teacher tutoring students with dyslexia. She also enjoyed welcoming immigrants and helping many of them to learn English.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons and their wives: Myle J. Holley, III of Bedford, Massachusetts and his wife Dana and Christopher J. Holley of New Harbor, Maine and his wife Kathe Pilibosian; one sister, Marie K. Burt of Bedford; grandchildren, Jeffrey R. Holley of Bedford, Massachusetts and his wife Sonia, Colin C. Holley of Ladera Ranch, California and his wife Julie, Rachel M. Holley of Somerville, Massachusetts and the late Jason D. Holley of Acton, Massachusetts; and great-grandchildren, Nolan, Lila Rose, and Tatum Holley.
A memorial service was heldApril 28 in the Church of Our Redeemer in Lexington, Massachusetts. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Ruth J. Vinscotski: PV resident
Ruth J. Vinscotski a long time Putnam Valley resident, died May 6 at her nephews home in Long Beach, New York.
She was 79.
She was born March 7, 1924 in the Bronx.
She was the beloved wife of the late Alex Vinscotski and the cherished mother of Robert Vinscotski, who was killed in action in the Vietnam War.
Mrs. Vinscotski lived most of her life in Putnam Valley and moved to Wappingers Falls five years ago.
For many years she was the Director of Food Service for the Lakleand School District in Shrub Oak.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews, all of whom will miss her.
Funeral arrangements and services were handled by Heritage Funeral Home in Putnam Valley.
Thersia Kurtz
Thersia Kurtz of Zanesville, Ohio died May 13, in Bethesda Hospital.
She was 89.
A funeral service for Thersia Kurtz will be held Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Clark Funeral Home in Yorktown. Burial will follow at Amawalk Cemetery in Yorktown.
