Sullivan County Democrat
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August 27, 2004

Laura Stephenson, 24

Laura Stephenson of Jeffersonville died suddenly on Tuesday, August 24, 2004, at her home. She was 24 years of age.
The daughter of Allan and Anna Pfeil Stephenson, she was born August 26, 1979, in Harris.
In a family statement, it was said, "Laura was an extremely sweet girl; to know her was to love her. She always had time to help others before helping herself and she loved animals, life and people."
She is survived by her parents, at home; her maternal grandmother, Gizel Pfeil of Youngsville; her maternal grandfather, Karl Pfeil of Jeffersonville; her partner, Roger Weatherly, at home; three uncles, John Pfeil and his wife, Janet, of Fremont Center, Tony Pfeil and his wife, Pam, of Jeffersonville, and Karl Pfeil Jr. of Youngsville; and several cousins, including a special cousin, Cindy.
Friends may call at the Herbert C. Bryant funeral Home, 29 Pearl St., Livingston Manor, on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the funeral home with Msgr. Collins officiating.

Frederick Gilbert, 72

Frederick Gilbert of Liberty died Sunday, August 22, 2004, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 72 years of age.
He was born in Boston, Mass., on June 23, 1932.
Mr. Gilbert is survived by his wife, Carol Pelton Edwards Gilbert, at home; a daughter, Wendy Portalatin of Kerhonkson; a step-daughter, Laura Edwards of Liberty; three stepsons, David Edwards of Mo-ravia, Thomas Edwards of Highland Mills and Timothy Edwards of Glen Wild; 12 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Services were held at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty on Wednesday with the Rev. Roy Shaffer officiating.
Burial was made in the Liberty Cemetery.

Thomas S. Waryha
Air Force Retiree, 56

Thomas Steven Waryha of Ferndale, a lifelong area resident and retired from the United States Air Force with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, serving from 1965 to 1989, died Tuesday, August 24, 2004, at the Orange County Residential Heath Care Facility in Goshen after a long illness. He was 56 years of age.
The son of Joseph and Sophie Dworetsky Waryha, he was born September 26, 1947, in Liberty.
Mr. Waryha was the recipient of the Vietnam Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valour and Five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters, the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with One Oak Leaf Cluster and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. After his retirement he worked for Action Towards Independence in Monticello.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Gilda Delantar Waryha, at home; his mother; Sophie Waryha of Ferndale; two sons, Jason Waryha and his fiancée, Meredith Friedman of Clarks Summit, Pa., and Edward Waryha of Wichita Falls, Tex; a daughter, Christine Waryha, at home; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother, Stanley Waryha.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. Peter's Church, 264 N. Main St., Liberty, on Friday at 11:45 a.m.
Burial will be made in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty with full military honors.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or to St. Peter's Church Building Fund, 264 N. Main St., Liberty, N.Y. 12754.

Lawrence Sager
Ret. Machine Oper., 51

Lawrence A. "Larry" Sager of Walden, a lifelong area resident and a retired machine operator for American Felt and Filter in New Windsor, died peacefully at his home on Friday, August 20, 2004, after an 11-month battle with cancer. He was 51 years of age.
The son of the late Lawrence Rose and Mary Kent Sager, he was born July 6, 1953, in Newburgh.
Mr. Sager was an honorary member of Hudson River Lodge #309; a past master of Goshen Lodge #365, F.&A.M.; a past patron of Walden star Chapter #560, OES; a past Associate Grand Sentinel of the Grand Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star State of New York. He was also treasurer of Juanita Court #112, Order of the Amaranth, in Newburgh, and a member of the Valley of Binghamton, Scottish Rite. He was a former member of the Col. Bradley Hose Co. #2 in Walden and a past commissioner of the Walden Fire District.
He is survived by his wife, Marie Yerks Sager, of Walden; three sons and a daughter-in-law, Richard and Diane Sager of Pine Bush, Francis Sager and Lawrence Sager, both of Walden; two brothers, Francis Sager of Minneapolis, Minn., and David Sager of Palmetto, Fla.; two sisters, ann Lee Crisci of Virginia and Joan Hildebrandt of Newburgh; a grandson, Lexington Sager; and several nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind his dog, Gizzmo. He was predeceased by a sister, Barbara Pacella.
Masonic services will be held at 6:45 p.m. Friday evening at the Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, 39 Orchard St., Walden.
A memorial service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.
Cremation will be made at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Mount Hope.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family to be used at their discretion.

Clarence Comfort
Ret. Locomotive Eng., 74

Clarence E. Comfort of Matamoras, Pa., a retired locomotive engineer with the Erie Railroad and N.J. Transit and a lifelong area resident, died Sunday, August 22, 2004, at Allied Services Skilled Nursing Center in Scranton, Pa. He was 74 years of age.
The son of the late Miles and Lottie Blanche Smith Comfort, he was born July 22, 1930, in Honesdale, Pa. He was the widower of Ida M. Rose Titsworth Comfort who died October 8, 1993.
Mr. Comfort was a member of the Matamoras United Methodist Church, the Westfall Fire Department, Matamoras Senior Citizens, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Port Jervis Pop Warner Football League, the Mid-Hudson Football Officials, N.Y.S. Baseball Association, the Port Jervis German-American Club, the Golden Age Club of Milford and AARP. He was also a former member of the Port Jervis Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Orange County American Softball Association. An Army veteran of the Korean War, he was also a member of American Legion Post No. 139 in Milford, Pa.
He is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, Eugene and Tracey Comfort of Port Jervis, Miles and Jackie Comfort of Milford, Pa., and Shawn Comfort of Jeffersonville; three daughters, Blanche Banghart of Huguenot and her husband, Otto Banghart of Port Jervis, Karen Comfort and and her husband, Gary Crowell, of Monticello, and Doreen Holifield of Pensacola, Fla.; a close family friend Chris Pfanstiel of Jeffersonville; 17 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by two daughters, Sharon Elizabeth and Baby Comfort; a grandson, Jesse Comfort, and two brothers, Ronald and Lawrence Comfort.
Services were held at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis on Thursday with the Rev. Glenn Scheyhing officiating.
Burial was made in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Matamoras.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Matamoras United Methodist Church, 209 Ave. H., Matamoras, Pa. 18336.

Cindy A. Crain
Homemaker, 47

Cindy A. Crain of Kerhonkson, a lifelong area resident and a homemaker, died Monday, August 23, 2004, at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. She was 47 years of age.
The daughter of the late Edward and Honey Davis Jaycox, she was born May 6, 1957, in Monticello.
Mrs. Crain was a member of St. John's Memorial Episcopal Church in Ellenville where she served as a vestryman and junior warden.
She is survived by her husband, William C. Crain Sr. of Kerhonkson; three sons, William Charles Crain Jr. of Albany, Christopher Michael Crain of Pleasantville and Randal Scott Crain, at home; five brothers, Warren Jaycox of Mountaindale, Edward, Timothy and John Jaycox, all of Hurleyville, and Raymond Jaycox of New York State; a sister, Michele Jaycox of Hurleyville; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday at St. John's Memorial Episcopal Church, 40 Market St., Ellenville with the Rev. Jeff Gilliher officiating.
Burial will be made in the Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Memorial Episcopal Church, 40 Market St., Ellenville, N.Y. 12428.

Helyne H. Adams
Ret. Teacher, 68

Helyne Heather Adams of Equinunk, Pa., a retired teacher's aide at the Delaware Valley Central School with 25 years service, died Monday, August 16, 2004, at the Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pa. She was 68 years of age.
The daughter of the late Milton Everett and Helyne St. Claire Straub Hillman, she was born January 18, 1936, in Hancock.
She was a graduate of Hancock High School and attended Oneonta State Teachers College. Mrs. Adams was a member of the Braman United Methodist Chruch, secretary of the Braman United Methodist Women and active in the Manchester Community Library.
In her earier life, she lived in Kelsey, New York, at her family's Camp Hilltop and Camp Hill Manor where she was a swimming instructor, riding instructor, head counselor, and Queen of the Walton Fair Horse Show. While in high school, she was a majorette and played in the high school band and orchestra.
She is survived by her husband, Ralph L. Adams, at home; four daughters, Heather Roloson of Equinunk, Pa., Deborah Peters of Youngsvile, Laurie Sue Lockwood of Equinunk, Linda Sue Kraft of Damascus, Pa.; three sons, Alton R. Adams of Equinunk, Pa., Roy E. Adams of Damascus, Pa., and Michael Adams of Wachtersbach, Germany; five brothers, M. Everett Hillman of Wilmington, Del., Robert Hillman of Ithaca, Richard D. Hillman of Syracuse, Raymond Hillman of Mt. Upton and Stanley Hillman of Kelsey; a sister, Diane Arbitrio of Albany; 24 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at the Arthur A. Bryant Funeral Home, 1228 North Main St., Honesdale, Pa., at 11 a.m. on Friday.
Interment will be made in the Braman Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Braman United Methodist Church or the Manchester Community Library, both at Equinunk, Pa. 18417.

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