Jacob J. Epstein, a Jeffersonville attorney, died on Sunday, September 30, 2007. He was 73.
He was the son of the late Rose and Dr. Max Epstein, and was born on January 25, 1934.
He graduated from St. Bonaventure University and Stetson University College of Law. He served in the U.S. Army and received an honorable discharge. He was an attorney in private practice for over 40 years in Jeffersonville. He was past president of the Sullivan County Bar Association, a member of the Florida, Pennsylvania and New York Bar Associations, served on the House of Delegates, and on the Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section and was elected Fellow to the New York Bar Foundation. He was a member of the Sullivan County Board of Realtors, Wayne-Pike Board of Realtors and Mid-Hudson Valley Mortgage Bankers Association. He was past director and president of the Association of Professional Mortgage Women Mid-Hudson. He was actively involved in numerous organizations including the Lions Club and Wayne County Arts Alliance.
He was a devoted husband to the late Rhoda Epstein. Survivors include five children and six grandchildren: Russell and Susan Epstein and their children, Hannah and Sam, of Mamaroneck; Cynthia Epstein of New York; Aaron and Kim Epstein and their sons, Ryan and Dylan of Port Washington; Ilene and Michael Schlank and their son, Seth of Plainview; and Sheryl and Dan Gordon and their son, Benjamin of Forest Hills; and a sister, Sondra Bauernfeind of Mongaup Valley. He was predeceased by one sister, Carol Epstein.
Services will take place at Congregation Ahavath Israel in Liberty at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 2. Interment will be in the Jeffersonville Hebrew Cemetery. Rabbi Marvin Goldman will officiate. Funeral arrangements by the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home. Donations may be made to the Jeffersonville Fire Department or the Western Sullivan Public Library in Jeffersonville.

Herbert William Avery
Ret. Bldg. Contractor, 82

Herbert William Avery, a retired building contractor and lifelong resident of Monticello, passed away Saturday, September 29, 2007 in the comfort of his home with his family, after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 82.
The son of Herbert Eugene and Lucy Nelson Avery, he was born June 6, 1925 in Monticello.
He was a graduate of Monticello High School, class of 1943. He served during WWII as a 2nd Lt. Navigator with the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving missions on a B-24 Bomber out of England. Following the war and for the rest of his working life, Herb, along with his father and brothers, known as H.E. Avery and Sons, was a home builder highly respected for fine workmanship and integrity. In his day he was an outstanding athlete in basketball, softball and bowling.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Palma Brochu Avery; son, Bruce N. Avery of Monticello; and his daughters, Bonnie J. Avery of Spokane, Wash. and Sue Ellen and her husband, Howard Goldsmith, and grandchildren, Mathew and Allie Goldsmith, all of Monticello; two sisters, Helen Witherel of Catskill and Evelyn Teed and her husband Lew of Pittston, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Barbara Wells Brochu of Monticello; and several nieces, nephews, and their families.
He was predeceased by two brothers, Eugene (Huck) and Philip; a sister, Vera Avery, and a brother-in-law, James P. Brochu.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 401 Broadway, Monticello.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 3 at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Hoag officiating.
Burial with full military honors will be made in Rock Ridge Cemetery, Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 15 John St., Monticello, NY 12701 or Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550.

Samuel R. Findling
Inspector, 94

Samuel Robert “Bob” Findling of South Fallsburg passed away Friday, September 28, 2007 at his home. He was 94.
Born October 15, 1912 in Lyndenhurst, NJ, he was the son of Max and Anna Cohen Findling.
Bob was the owner of Frank & Bob’s Restaurant in South Fallsburg until its closing in 1976. Bob was an inspector at The Monticello Raceway until the age of 89. He was one of the founding members of the Fallsburg Little League and a lifelong member of the Fallsburg Fire Department.
Survivors include his children, Alan Findling of South Fallsburg, Harvey Findling and his wife Lynn of Mountaindale, and Leonard Findling and his wife Gale of Woodridge; grandchildren, Mindy Findling Repko and her husband Jan of Delray Beach, Fla., Daniel Findling and his wife Lenora of South Fallsburg, Marc Findling and his wife Carrie of Newburgh, Andrew Findling and his wife Michelle of Livingston, NJ, Stephanie Findling Gitnik and her husband Brian of Port Chester, and Dr. Fillip Findling and his wife Shari of Hewlett; eight great-grandchildren, Candice “Nicki” Findling, Devon Bosby, Kayleen Bosby, Patrick Findling, Jillian Findling, Brianna Gitnik, Alexander Gitnik and Maya Gitnik; and a great-great-grandson, Jeremiah Findling.
He was predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Sally Bresky Findling; and his daughter-in-law, Joanne Findling.
Funeral services were held at the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home, Monticello. Burial was made in South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Cemetery, Glen Wild.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hebrew Day School, 4718 State Route 42, Kiamesha Lake, NY 12751.

Morris Louis Krieger
Store Owner, 85

Morris Louis Krieger, a 51-year resident of Middletown died September 28, 2007. He was 85.
The son of the late Isidore and Becky Krieger, he was born October 27, 1921 in Mongaup Valley.
Morris was a graduate of Monticello High School. He was stationed in New Guinea during WWII and served as an artillery mechanic. He earned several medals during his service in the war. A lover of fishing and hunting, he was a member of the Elks, American Legion, and Lions Clubs in Middletown. He was the owner of Robert’s Shoe Store from 1956 through 1976.
Morris was a strong sensitive and creative man who will be sadly missed by his wife, children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Irma, at home; two daughters, Janet Smalls and her husband Richard of Monticello, and Linda Dahn and her husband Stuart of Newburgh; David Cleveland of Middletown; three grandchildren, Dan and Emily Smalls, Margo Smalls and Mike Yavaniski, and Rebecca and Jim Kelly.
Graveside services were held Monday at Temple Sholom Cemetery, Monticello. Rabbi Medwin officiated.
Funeral service by Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home, Monticello.

Doreen E. Pelton
Office Manager, 51

Doreen E. Pelton, a lifelong resident of Port Jervis, died Saturday, September 29, 2007 at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla. She was 51.
The daughter of the late John and Eleanor Hunter Mance, she was born March 14, 1956 in Merrick.
Doreen was an office manager for Tri-State Pools in Port Jervis, a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, Roosa-Fleming VFW Post #161 in Port Jervis, and was the Friday Night Cook for Post #161, which she enjoyed doing so much.
Survivors include three daughters, Elizabeth Gagnon and her husband David of Eldred, and Amanda P. Pelton and Katie E. Pelton, both at home; one brother, Robert Mance of Port Jervis; a grandson, Timothy John Pelton Jr.; an aunt and close friend, Rose O'Brien of Port Jervis; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by two brothers, John and Charles Mance.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, October 5 at the Roosa-Fleming VFW Post #161, 47-51 Owen St., Port Jervis.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Arrangements are by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., Port Jervis.

William E. Carle
Engineer, 85

William E. Carle of Groton, Conn., died Saturday, September 29, 2007 at his home. He was 85.
He was born July 28, 1922 in Kingston, the son of Clarence and Ruby Brown Carle. He married Roselyn “Rose” Kotrady on April 6, 1947 in Kingston.
He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of WWII, having served from 1943 to 1946.
From 1946 to his retirement in 1984, he was an engineer with the transmission group of New York Telephone Company, during which time he received a patent for the design of the electrical system for the Northway (I-87) Emergency Highway Phone System in New York.
He was a life member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, a member of the S.C.R.A.M.S. and the American Radio Relay League, his call letters being K2OXW.
He is survived by his wife, at home; his sons, George S. Carle and his wife Gretchen of Scotia, Robert B. Carle and his partner Barbara Kelly of Liberty, and Steven S. Carle and his wife Mary-Jane of Groton, Conn.; five grandchildren, Matthew J. Carle, Stephanie L. Carle, Sharon Hohenstein, Brian Carle, and Amanda Collins; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Byles-Groton Memorial Home, 310 Thames St., Groton, CT 06340.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Hospice of S. E. CT., PO Box 902, Uncasville, CT 06382. Arrangements are by Byles-Groton Memorial Home.

Sidney V. Watkins
Bus Driver, 57

Sidney V. Watkins died September 28, 2007 at Catskill Regional Medical Center. He was 57.
He was the son of Francis and Edith Wicker Watkins, born June 4, 1950 in the Bronx.
Sidney was a bus driver for Rolling V Bus Corp. in Fallsburg. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1975.
He was the widower of Elaine M. Watkins, who died June 1, 2007.
He leaves behind one daughter, Beverley Watkins of Poughkeepsie; one son, Frank Watkins of Concord, N.H.; two sisters, Edwina Williams of the Bronx, and Judy Curtis of Pennsylvania; a brother, Leonard Watkins of California; and six grandchildren, Jasmin Higgins, Ashley Jones, Tayvon Harvard, Imanie Watkins, Latrell James and Cloe Watkins.
Graveside services with full military honors will be held Tuesday, October 2 at noon at the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery. The Rev. Lee Andrews will officiate.
Arrangements are under the direction of Colonial Memorial Funeral Home.

Ellsworth Kammerer
Salesman, 93

Ellsworth (aka Ells, Bud, Mr. K, and the Donald Duck man) Kammerer of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Clinton, N.J. died August 28, 2007 at Hospice House in Vero Beach. He was 93.
Ells was born in Goshen on April 16, 1914 and was the youngest of six children born to the late George Kammerer and Eva Reeg Kammerer.
Self-educated, Mr. Kammerer worked in many jobs while young; fur inspector, electric arc welder, silk weaver, and a truck driver. Ells and his former wife, Evelyn, owned and operated the Fireside Restaurant in Clinton, N.J. Ells went on to become a licensed real estate salesman in N.J. and Pa. He also became a character model and became known as the Kassel Man for Kassel Brothers. Ells was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild. He was baptized in the Caribbean waters of Bonaire and was made an honorary Ambassador of Aruba in 1986. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps where he earned an Expert Medal for his success as a sniper. He was a firm believer in Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s motto: I can, I will, I must.
Survivors include his daughter, Kay Lopata of Wycombe, Pa.; granddaughter, Laura Lopata (Nicholas Richardson) of New York; a grandson, Lawrence (Melissa) Lopata of New York; three great-grandchildren, Emma and Blodie Richardson, and Samuel Sebastian Lopata; nieces, Jean Ann Wood and husband Harland of Middletown; Linda Hoye, and husband Chris of Port Jervis; two nephews, George Kammerer and his wife, Tamara, of New Windsor; and Garry Kammerer of Bloomingburg; and his former wife, Betty Lou Hamilton of Vero Beach, Fla. also survives him.
Arrangements were by Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach.

James L. Maynard, 42

James L. Maynard, formerly of Wurtsboro, died Sept. 22, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas. He was 42.
Jim was born July 16, 1965 in Middletown. He was a beloved father, son and brother whose greatest joy was being loved by his family and friends. Jim had a heart the size of Texas and would always lend a helping hand whenever he was called upon. Jim was also the biggest Dallas Cowboys fan.
Jim is survived by his parents, Patricia and Arthur Roescher of Haines City, Fla.; his three children, John Maynard, Amanda Maynard and Nikki Maynard of San Antonio, Texas; two brothers, Mark Eherts of Dingmans Ferry, Pa. and Guy Eherts of Grahamsville; his sister, Michele Stage of Florida; another sister of Grahamsville; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on October 13, 2007 at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City, Fla.

James T. McDowall
Short Order Cook, 76

James T. McDowall of Harris, a well-known short order cook in Monticello for many years, died Sept. 27, 2007 in Fauquier Hospital, Warrenton, Va. He was 76.
Cremation will be made in Virginia. A complete obituary will be published when all funeral plans have been finalized.
Arrangements by Ramsay's Funeral Homes, Inc., 55 Saint John Street, Monticello.