Ann Marie Landau, of Neversink and formerly of Hicksville, a retired salesperson at Gertz’s Department Store Hicksville, died on September 15, 2006 at Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. She was 88 years of age.
The daughter of John and Mary Olejar Skvarich, she was born on January 4, 1918 in the Bronx.
She was a member of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hicksville.
Survivors include her children, Henry Landau and his wife, Joyce of Edmonds, Wash., Robert Landau and his wife, Martha of Neversink; six grandchildren, Greg Landau, Amy Coyle, Michael Landau, Caryn Heffernan, Kate Landau and Nancy Landau-Gahres; one great-granddaughter, Kyla Ann; several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, Henry G. Landau.
Friends may call on Sunday, September 24 from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Dalton Funeral Home in Hicksville.
Services will be on Monday, September 25 at 10 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hicksville. The Reverend Joan Fraser will officiate.
A local memorial service will be held on Friday, September 29 at Liberty Free Methodist Church from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Pastor David McCarthy will officiate.
Burial will be in Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan or the North Shore Animal League.
Arrangements were made by the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., Jeffersonville.

Esther Yoffe
Ret. Bookkeeper, 96

Esther Yoffe, a retired bookkeeper died on September 18, 2006 in the Achieve Rehab and Nursing Facility, Liberty. She was 96.
Esther was born in Brockton, Mass. on July 28, 1910, the daughter of Samuel and Alice Kagan Rosenberg.
She is survived by her nieces and nephews including Stewart Rosenberg of South Fallsburg.
Graveside funeral services were held Wednesday, September 20, 2006 at 11 a.m. in the Mountaindale Synagogue Cemetery, Glen Wild. Rabbi Y. Barros officiated.
Funeral arrangements by Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home Inc., Monticello.

Douglas G. Puryear
Truck Driver, 50

Douglas G. Puryear, a driver for National Freight Co. for over 20 years, and a longtime resident of the area, died Friday, September 15, 2006, at the Horton Medical Center. He was 50.
The son of Imogene Leacock Puryear and the late Raymond Puryear, Douglas was born July 21, 1956 in Jamaica, Queens.
A loving husband and son, he is survived by his beloved wife of eight years, Suzette Winstead Puryear at home; his mother, Imogene Puryear at home; his two loving sisters, Barbara Houston and her husband, John of North Carolina, and Bettina Bower and her husband, James of Monticello; his nephew, Brandon Houston and his wife, Deirdre and their daughter, Briana, of Md.; and his loving niece, Kimberly Houston of New Jersey.
A memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 174 Park Avenue, Monticello, with Terrance Pettigrew officiating.
Cremation will be held at the convenience of the family.
Arrangements entrusted to the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Monticello.

Edward Retty, 82
Ret. United Nations Emp.

Edward A. Retty, of Jeffersonville, a retired employee from the records division of the United Nations in New York City, died on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 at his home in Jeffersonville. He was 82.
Born on June 3, 1924 in Ramsey, N.J., he was the son of John and Anna Retty. Edward was a charter member of the Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Fire Department and Ambulance Corp, a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 962 of Ramsey, N.J. and a member of the Sullivan County Coonhound Association.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma “Mitzi” Retty, at home; one daughter, Gayle Hallfors of Jeffersonville; one son, Wayne Retty, and his wife, Karen, of Florida; grandchildren, Kristen and Nicole Hallfors of Jeffersonville, Chris Retty of New Jersey, Joseph Retty, and his wife, Jennifer, and Scott Retty, of Florida, and great-grandchildren, Dominick Williams and Ann and Emily Retty.
Friday may call on Friday, September 22, at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home, in Jeffersonville, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 8 p.m., with Reverend Robert Hoag officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Mary Anderson
Fmr. Dance Teacher, 91

Mary Y. Anderson of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Monday, September 18, 2006 in the company of her children. She was 91.
The daughter of Harry and Dorothy Harris, she was born October 3, 1914 in Seattle, Wash. Mary and her sister Muriel toured as children with their parents in Vaudeville in U.S. and Canadian border towns coast to coast as “The Famous Musical Osbornes.”
The family settled in New York City and Mary with husband Joseph Anderson raised a family in Jeffersonville. Mary taught dance for many years in Jeffersonville, Liberty, and Callicoon and gave locally renowned shows raising funds for charity.
In 1959, Mary, an adventurous single woman, traveled with her children to Phoenix where she ventured into real estate, attended college, and opened Anderson’s Dance School in South Phoenix, and belonged to the Soroptimist Club. In retirement she moved to Overgaard, Ariz., where she dabbled in real estate, fished and still taught children to dance for shows and parades.
She is survived by her children: Pat Smith of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Ted Anderson of Coronado, Calif.; grandchildren: Shelley Stevenson, Nicole Anderson, and Cheree Royster; and great-grand children: James Connelly, Zane Johnson, Alexandra, Jacob, and Lucas Stevenson and Bella Royster. She was predeceased by a grandson, Brian Smith.
Friends may call at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 at Resthaven Park Mortuary & Cemetery, 4310 E. Southern Avenue in Scottsdale. Burial will be made at 4:00 p.m.
Friends and family will celebrate her life at her daughter’s home in Scottsdale. Mary’s family will miss her poems, humor, zest for life, and steadfast love.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Love Kitchen, PO Box 1373, Pinetop, AZ 85935.

John E. Karaitis
Ret. Teamster, 74

John E. Karaitis, of West Milford, N.J. since May, formerly of Riverdale, N.J. for 25 years and Glen Spey for 20 years, died Saturday, September 16, 2006 at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, N.J. He was 74.
He was born in Shenandoah, Pa.
He worked as a teamster Local 560 at Arrow Carrier in Paterson, N.J., retiring in 1985, and then for Kelmar Labs in New York, retiring in 1992. He was an Army Veteran, serving during the Korean Conflict (though not in Korea). He was a member of the Teamsters Local 560 and a former member of the South Paterson Athletic Club.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara; his son, John and his wife, Annmarie of Jefferson, N.J.; his daughter, Sissy Coyle and her husband, Wayne Coyle of West Milford, N.J.; his son-in-law, Tom Dutton; his brothers, Vincent of Palm Coast, Fla. and Robert of Cape Coral, Fla.; his sisters, Mary Finck of Goshen and Katherine Jones of East Stroudsburg, Pa.; and nine devoted grandchildren, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Jason, Stefanie, Tyler, Michelle, Vincent, Jennifer and Eric.
He was predeceased by a daughter, Missy Dutton in 1991; and a brother, George in 1991.
Funeral services were Wednesday, September 20, 2006 at the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home, Pompton Plains, N.J.
Funeral Mass was in St. Joseph's R.C. Church in West Milford, N.J.
Burial immediately followed at Mount Rest Cemetery in Butler, N.J.

Paul DeSol
Math Teacher, 49

Paul DeSol, a math teacher for Wallkill Central High School, died suddenly on Sunday, September 17, 2006 at O.R.M.C., Arden Hill Campus in Goshen. He was 49.
The son of the late Louis and Lena Napolitano DeSol, he was born January 4, 1957 in Middletown. On August 5, 2000, he married Wendy Cook Moore at St. Paul's Methodist Church in Middletown.
Paul graduated from Middletown High School in 1975, and received an Associates degree from Orange County Community College. He earned a B.S. in Math Education from S.U.N.Y. Cortland in 1980 and subsequently earned his Master's degree. He taught Math and coached the Girl's Softball Team at John S. Burke Catholic High School. The team went on to become Class B State Champions in 1988 under his direction. Paul joined the Wallkill Central School system as a math teacher and taught there for over 20 years, gaining the respect and friendship of his colleagues. Paul also coached soccer, basketball, Little League and baseball for various teams, and was involved with Middletown Sports Camp for over 20 years. He was also an adjunct instructor at Orange County Community College. Paul loved all sports and was an avid collector of sports memorabilia. He was a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Middletown, Middletown Y.M.C.A., and Wallkill Teacher's Association.
“He was a devoted son who took great care of his parents. He always considered his stepchildren his own. Paul was a very loving, generous and patient man whose pride and joy were his children, nieces and nephews. He had a huge effect on many people, especially those he taught and coached. He had many cherished friends everywhere. He was a #1 Yankees fan and enjoyed bowling and golfing with his friends.¡
Paul is survived by his loving wife, Wendy; son, Jonathan Moore of Middletown; daughters, Rebecca Moore of Santa Cruz, Calif.; and Beth Imhoff-Kunsch and her husband, Chuck of Norcross, Ga.; brother, Louis DeSol and his wife, Diane of Guilderland; sister, Angela Prestigiacomo and her husband, Chip of Albany; mother and father-in-law, Jeanne and Lee Cook of Rock Hill; brother-in-law, Barry Moore and his wife, Sheila; grandson, Aiden Kunsch; nieces and nephews, Christina Cook, Caryn and David Prestigiacomo, and Derek, Courtney and Ian DeSol, and Briana and Daniel Moore; and many cousins and beloved friends.
A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, September 22, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, 149 Cottage St., Middletown.
Burial will follow in Wallkill Cemetery, Phillipsburg.
Memorial contributions in Paul's name may be made to the American Heart Association, 419 East Main Street, Middletown, NY 10940.
Funeral arrangements under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home in Middletown.