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July 30, 2002

Memorial Service
for Diane Cajak

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 4, at the Fosterdale Methodist Church for Diane Cajak of Rochester, who passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2002, after a long illness. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Snedeker of Kenoza Lake.
Friends will be received at the Fosterdale Grange Hall immediately following the service. All are welcome to pay their respects.

Anna Martinkovic
Ret. Waitress, 90

Anna M. Martinkovic of Liberty, a retired more than 30-year waitress for the Grossinger's Resort in Liberty and a more than 70-year area resident, died Friday, July 26, 2002, at her home. She was 90 years of age.
The daughter of the late Andrew and Caroline Kovalcik Malecky, she was born August 23, 1911, in Shoaf, Pa. She was the widow of Joseph M. Martinkovic who died October 21, 1959.
Mrs. Martinkovic was a communicant of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society of the church.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Richard A. and Janet Martinkovic of Liberty; a granddaughter, Jill M. Martinkovic of Kingston; a grandson, Michael R. Martinkovic of Liberty; and two sisters, Helena Kuvucova and Mary Kish, both of Slovesko Ves, Slovakia.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Liberty with Father William Reamer and Father William Collins officiating.
Burial was made in St. Peter's Cemetery in Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter's Church Building Fund, 264 No. Main St., Liberty, N.Y. 12754 or to the Orange-Sullivan Hospice, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Harris Funeral Home in Liberty.

Leah Vick Gooding
Ret. Tax Collector, 83

Leah Vick Gooding of New Port Richey, Fla., a former resident of Lew Beach and Livingston Manor, died July 22, 2002, in New Port Richey. She was 83 years of age.
The widow of William Vick, she was born February 27, 1919, in Woodridge.
Mrs. Gooding was a former tax collector for the Town of Rockland and retired from the Sullivan County Tax Collector Office. She was also a former manager of the Robin Hood Diner in Livingston Manor during the 1960s.
She was a member and past matron of the Downsville Chapter #279, Order of the Eastern Star in Downsville, a member of the Lew Beach United Methodist Church and a member of the Beaverkill Valley Fire Department Auxiliary.
She is survived by her husband, Walter F. Gooding, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Carol and William Hendrickson of Bayonet Point, Fla.; two sons and daughters-in-law, William Jr. and Linda Vick of Binghamton and Thomas and Linda Vick of New Port Richey, Fla; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held in Florida.
Graveside services and burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 12, at the Lew Beach Cemetery in Lew Beach.
Arrangements were made by the Herbert C. Bryant Funeral Home in Livingston Manor.

Carmella D. Stritto
Homemaker, 87

Carmella Dello Stritto of Glen Wild, a homemaker, died Friday, July 26, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 87 years of age.
The daughter of the late Ben and Mary Stabola Querra, she was born February 26, 1915, in Brooklyn. She was the widow of Pasquale Stritto.
Mrs. Stritto is survived by Roseann Spinelli of Glen Wild; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother and two sisters.
Graveside services and burial were made Monday in the Long Island National Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.

Donald B. Clayworth
Bread Distributor, 47

Donald B. Clayworth of Ellenville, a bread distributor for Arnold Bakery and a lifelong area resident, died Thursday, July 25, 2002, at the Ellenville Regional Hospital in Ellenville. He was 47 years of age.
The son of Donald Eugene and Nancy Arner Clayworth, he was born April 22, 1955, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
He is survived by Sandra Miller Clayworth of Wurtsboro; a daughter, Tracy Clayworth of Highland; a sister, Nancy Green and her husband, Bucky, of Napanoch; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held Monday at the Loucks Funeral Home in Ellenville with the Rev. Jay Vogelaar officiating.
Burial was made in the Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ellenville High School Music Department, Maple Ave., Ellenville, N.Y. 12428.

George Schoonmaker
Ret. Oper. Engr., 80

George P. Schoonmaker of Buck Brook, a retired operating engineer and a lifelong area resident, died Saturday, July 27, 2002, at his home. He was 80 years of age.
The son of the late Andrew and Ethelyn Taylor Schoonmaker, he was born February 3, 1922, in Liberty.
He was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, a member and past president of the North Branch Fire Department, a member of the Bucktail Hunting Club in Turnwood. Mr. Schoonmaker was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II where he was an altitude chamber technician. He was transferred to the "Big Red One" unit of the regular Army at the time of the Battle of the Bulge.
He is survived by his wife, Johann Balsamo Schoonmaker, at home; two daughters, Deborah Allison of Elmira and Laura Schoonmaker of Roscoe; a grandson, Robert Allison of Elmira; two granddaughters, Jessica Allison of Taos, N.Mex., and Sarah Allison of Elmira; a great-granddaughter, Sequoia of Taos, N. Mex.; a sister, Dorothy Largent of Laguna Hills, Calif.; a brother, Vincent Schoonmaker of West Winfield; a sister-in-law, Maude Schoonmaker of Kirkwood; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, George P. "Dale" Schoonmaker Jr.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Mary's Church in Obernburg with Father Gus Richardson, OFM, officiating.
Burial will be made in St. Mary's Cemetery in Obernburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.

Laura J. Murran
Ret. Tel Oper., 70

Laura J. Murran of Monticello, a former telephone operator for the New York Telephone Company and a lifelong area resident, died Saturday, July 27, 2002, at the Achieve Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (the former Walnut Mountain Care Center) in Liberty. She was 70 years of age.
The daughter of the late William and Josephine VanKeuren Wells, she was born January 31, 1932, in Monticello. She was the widow of Stephen J. Murran Jr.
Mrs. Murran was a member of the United Methodist Church of Monticello.
She is survived by four sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Pam Murran of Rock Hill, Scott and Kelly Murran of Monticello, Robert and Virginia Cohen of Monticello and Steven and Kelly Cohen of Tucson, Ariz.; a brother, William Wells of the state of Florida; seven grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Kenneth Wells.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 195 Broadway, Monticello.
Burial will be made in the VanKeuren Cemetery in Swan Lake.
Memorial contributions may be made to Achieve Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 170 Lake St., Liberty, N.Y. 12754.

Theodore L. DeGraw
Ret. RR Signalman, 79

Theodore L. DeGraw of Port Jervis, a retired signalman with Conrail, died Friday, July 26, 2002, at the Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis. He was 79 years of age.
The son of the late Gilbert and Emilie Haefeli DeGraw, he was born December 26, 1922, in Denton.
Mr. DeGraw was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a member of the United Signalman's Union.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Reil DeGraw, at home; two sons, Theodore L. DeGraw Jr. of Tavares, Fla., and Robert K. DeGraw of Eldred; two daughters, Carol Pedlock of Chicago, Ill., and Dolores Dimmitt of Prairie City, Ill; a brother, Ralph DeGraw of Albany; two sisters, Ann Matthew of Milford, Pa., and Margaret Harshman of Eldred; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held Monday at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis with the Rev. Edmund Cotton officiating.
Burial was made in the Rural Valley Cemetery in Cuddebackville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Port Jervis Volunteer Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 133, Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771-0133.

Richard Rysdyke Sr.
Tire Technician, 31

Richard Allen Rysdyke Sr. of Port Jervis, a tire technician at Schields Tire in Port Jervis, died Friday, July 26, 2002, at the Westchester Medical Center. He was 31 years of age.
The son of Robert Rysdyke Sr. and the late Olive Wallace Rysdyke, who died September 15, 2001, he was born November 25, 1970, in Middletown.
In a family statement, it was said, "He was a loving and caring person who always had a smile and loved life itself."
He is survived by his wife, Melinda Smith Rysdyke, a son, Richard Allen Rysdyke Jr., and a daughter, Jennifer Rose Rysdyke, all at home; his father of Port Jervis; two brothers, John Rysdyke of Port Jervis and David Rysdyke of Bloomingburg; a sister, Kathleen Seibel of Largo, Fla.; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 East Main St., Port Jervis, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Cassidy of the Drew Methodist Church in Port Jervis officiating.
Burial will be made in Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Jervis.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark, Inc., 202 Route 209, Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771.

Clara L. Szabo
Real Estate Agent, 63

Clara Lakoczky Szabo of White Lake, a longtime area resident and a Sullivan County real estate agent, died Saturday, July 27, 2002, at the Andover Subacute and Rehab Center in Andover, N.J. She was 63 years of age.
The daughter of the late Karoly and Julianna Szabo Lakoczky, she was born August 13, 1938, in Budapest, Hungary. She was the widow of Julius Szabo who died March 7, 2002.
Mrs. Szabo was a member of the Bethel Lions Club and a former operator of White Lake Citgo.
In a family statement, it was said, "Clara was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Friends and family will remember her for her generosity and kindness and for her love of entertaining. The aroma of her home cooking and baking will linger with us all."
She is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Susan Bunce and Monica and Gary Takourian, all of White Lake and Cathy and Joseph Lux of Wesley Chapel, Fla.; six grandchildren, Daniel and Christine Bunce, Michael and Scott Lux and Mark and Robert Takourian. She was predeceased by several brothers.
Friends may call at the Ramsay's Funeral Home, 3534 State Route 55, Kauneonga Lake, on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday evening with the Rev. Ivan Csete officiating.
Cremation will be made at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Middle Hope.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 102, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601-4027.

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