Walter Baran, a retired telephone installer for General Telephone Co. and a longtime resident of Port Jervis, died Monday, March 19, 2007 at Elant at Goshen. He was 88.
He was born December 2, 1918 in Scranton, Pa., the son of the late George and the late Eva Michelizen Baran. Walter was the widower of Bertha "Bertie" Fairchild Baran who died January 29, 1997.
He was a member of St. Mary's R.C. Church in Port Jervis.
He is survived by a son, Robert Baran and his wife, Elizabeth of Mountaindale; a sister, Sophie Elston of Clearwater, Fla.; two grandchildren, Taralynn Fields of Beavercreek, Ohio, and Robert Baran, Jr. of Phoenix, Ariz.; four great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis on Friday, March 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 23, with a prayer at the funeral home at 12:15 p.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1 p.m. in St. Mary's R.C. Church, Port Jervis.
Burial will be made in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Jervis.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Charlotte M. Wright
Retired Postal Clerk, 83

Charlotte M. Wright of Liberty, a retired postal clerk and lifelong area resident, died Saturday, March 17, 2007 at her home. She was 83.
The daughter of the late Roy C. and Alberta J. Ward Van Wagner, she was born December 26, 1923 in Liberty.
She had been employed at the Grahamsville and Neversink Post Offices, and was a member of the Golden Park Senior Citizens where she served as vice president for ten years. She was an avid reader. She was happily divorced and believed that a woman’s best friend was a book!
Survivors include two daughters, Charlotte J. Lauria and her husband, Anthony of Neversink and Bertie J. Rahill and her husband, Jim of Anderson, Calif.; a son, Timothy B. Wright and his wife, Kate of Little River, S.C.; a sister, Mildred St. Clair of Dunnellon, Fla.; 11 grandchildren, including a special grandson, Thomas and his companion, Pauline; 16 great-grandchildren; six nephews; one niece; and many wonderful friends.
She was predeceased by a son, Lee Wright.
Memorial services were held Thursday, March 22 at the Harris Funeral Home, Liberty. The Rev. Bridgette LeConey officiated.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Town of Liberty Vol. Ambulance Corps, PO Box 105, Liberty, NY 12754.

Agnes T. O’Keefe
Homemaker, 79

Agnes T. O'Keefe of Yankee Lake and Jensen Beach, Fla., left this earth on March 15, 2007 to join her daughter, Patricia, her parents, and her sisters in Heaven. She was 79.
Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her girls, whether at the lake, in the pool, or shopping. She cherished the precious little time she had with her granddaughters.
She is survived by John, her devoted husband of 57 years, and her heartbroken family, Kathleen and Charles Miscioscio, Elleen and Harold Decker, Joan O'Keefe and John Johnston, Theresa O'Keefe and Bill Crawford, and Agnes and Travis Palmer. She also leaves behind the loves of her life, her two granddaughters, Nicole Godfrey and Janelle Patricia Palmer. She will also be missed by her sister-in-law, Rose Connelly, and Marty Richards, many nieces and nephews and numerous friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to Memorial Gift Treasure Coast Hospices (where Agnes volunteered), 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart, FL 34997, where Agnes volunteered; or Bundle of Hope Ministries, 332 11th Ave. North, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 23 at 10 a.m. in St. Margaret's R.C. Church, Pearl River. Burial will be in St. Anthony's Cemetery, Nanuet.
Arrangements were entrusted to Assumma-Shankey Funeral Home.

Mary A. Smith
Homemaker, 71

Mary A. Smith of Monroe, died Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at O.R.M.C., Arden Hill Campus, Goshen. She was 71.
The daughter of the late Michael and Kathleen Mahoney Murphy, she was born May 17, 1935 in the Bronx.
On May 26, 1956, she wed Lawrence W. Smith in the Bronx; together they moved to the Middletown area in 1966. After Larry's death in 1989, Mary relocated to the Monroe area where she became a member of Sacred Heart Church.
A family statement reads, "Mom was a loving mother to her children and grandchildren and was a very strong woman. She touched the hearts of many children under her care during her lifetime, and she will be missed by all."
Mary is survived by her eight children, Cathy Miller and her husband, Steve, Patty Franck and her husband, Bill, Barbara Erikson and her husband, Russell, Mary Smith and her fiance, Jack Cassidy, all of Middletown, Lawrence M. Smith and his wife, Verina of Goshen, Shawn F. Smith and his wife, Cathy of Monroe, Laura Terpstra and her husband, John of Middletown, and Vincent J. Smith and his wife, Kitty of Bloomingburg; 17 grandchildren, Dawn, Jamie, Billy, Katie, Sarah, Meghan, Ryan, Rachel, Brendan, Brett, Evan, Madison, Mackenzie, Jacqueline, Joe, Colby and Logan.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 23 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 26 Still Road, Monroe.
Burial will follow in the family plot at Hillside Cemetery, Middletown.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 2600 Network Blvd., Suite 300, Frisco, TX 75034.
Funeral arrangements under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home.

Antoinette T. Cheplick
Cashier, 73

Antoinette T. "Toni" Cheplick of Roscoe, formerly of Bolivar and Olyphant, Pa., died Monday, March 19, 2007 at home after an illness. She was 73.
She was the wife of Gene Cheplick, who died in 2001. They had been married for over 45 years.
Born in Olyphant, Pa., daughter of the late Bernard and Stella Pijar Kman, she was a graduate of Olyphant High School and was a homemaker. She was employed for many years as a cashier at Great American Supermarkets and was a member of Gate of Heaven Catholic Church, St. Aloysius Parish in Roscoe. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister who loved spending time with her family and friends, and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.
Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Cheplick of Lindenhurst and Richard Cheplick and wife, Denise of The Woodlands, Texas; grandson, Parker Gene Cheplick; brother, Louis and wife, Angie of Bridgeport, Conn.; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her stepsister, Marie Baranosky.
Friends may call on Friday, March 23, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the John J. Turko & Sons Funeral Home, Inc., 404 Susquehanna Ave., Olyphant, Pa.
The funeral will be Saturday, March 24 at 9 a.m. from the funeral home, followed by a Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church on Willow Street. Interment will be in St. Michael's Cemetery.

Brian Crawford, 45

Brian Keith Crawford of Tampa, Fla., formerly of Monticello, passed away March 11, 2007. He was 45.
Brian was a graduate of Monticello High School. He was proud to be an HIV survivor for 21 years.
He is survived by his life partner of 26 years, Horst Glamsch; his father, Larry; brother, Steven and wife, Karen; sister, Debra Steingart; nephews, Ehren and Christopher Steingart; and many cousins and close friends.
He was predeceased by his mother, Alberta Crawford; and his grandmother, Ethel Ritzel.
A Memorial Service was held Sunday, March 19 at Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Brian wanted the service theme to be "yellow" and not "black."
In lieu of flowers or live plants, etc., memorial contributions may be made to the Francis House, 4703 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33606.
Services were entrusted to Brewer & Sons Funeral Home, Miguel Fuentes Chapel.

Jack Jancko
Retired Bldg. Contractor, 80

Jack Jancko of Plantation, Fla., a former longtime resident of Hurleyville and retired building contractor in Sullivan County and the Catskills for many years, died on Monday, March 20, 2007 in Jackson Memorial Hospital Miami, Fla. He was 80.
Jack was born on April 22, 1926 in the Bronx, the son of Nathan and Betty Jancko. He was the widow of Dorothy Chako King Jancko who passed in 1999.
He is survived by his son, Joel Jancko and his wife, Pam of Plantation, Fla.; his two step sons, Thomas King and his wife, Nancy of Masten Lake and William King of New York City; his brother, Ruben Jancko; his grandchildren, Cori Jancko Schwartzberg and her husband, Jordan and Barri Jancko Katz and her husband, Jason; his step grandchildren, Jennifer, Shawn, Ashley and Corey King and his great grandchildren, Lexi and Zoe Schwartzberg and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held Thursday at the Mountaindale Synagogue Cemetery, Glen Wild.
Funeral arrangements were made by Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home Inc., Monticello.

Frank C. Scuderi

Frank C. Scuderi of Forestburgh passed away on Monday, March 19, 2007.
He was the beloved husband of the late Dorothy; the loving father of Anne Gordon, Vincent, Donna Indovino, Diane Stefanuk, Frank Jr. and William Scuderi. He was the dear brother of Carl Scuderi and Marian Hertler, and cherished grandfather of nine.
Friends may call Friday, March 23 from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m. at the Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Homes Levittown Chapel, 2786 Hempstead Tpke. (2 blocks East of the Wantagh Pkwy.)
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, March 24 at 9:45 a.m. at St. Bernard R.C. Church.
Interment will be made in Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury.
Funeral arrangements by Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, 2786 Hempstead Tpke, Levittown.

Frederick Ebbecke
Property Mgmt. Consult., 72

Frederick Bernard Ebbecke of Pasadena, Texas and formerly of Warwick, died March 20, 2007 in Texas. He was 72.
The son of Bernard William and Alma Kubick Ebbecke, he was born October 12, 1934 in New York City.
An Army veteran of the Korean War, he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
While in Warwick, he was a Charter Member, Pasts President and Vice President of the Warwick Valley Civic and Social Club, Town of Warwick Police officer, Orange County, Deputy Sheriff and a Deputy Sheriff in Bernalillo County, N.M. He was a Property Management Consultant for 25 years in Philadelphia, Pa.
He is survived by nine children, Frederick and his wife, Michelle of Pasadena, Texas, Janet Burigo and her husband, Joseph of Westbrookville, Richard and his wife, Debra of Middletown, William and his wife, Christine of Westbrookville, Alice Patterson and her husband, Scott of Westbrookville, Cynthia Green of Bryan, Texas, Luis of Bryan, Texas, John and his wife, Suzanna of Morgan City, La., Michael and his wife, Beth of Oneonta; 25 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren; and numerous friends all over the country. He was predeceased by a daughter, Donna Lee Ebbecke.
Visitation will be on Sunday, March 25, from 2-4 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 26, at St. Stephens R.C. Church, Warwick. Interment will follow in St. Stephens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Childhood Leukemia Foundation, 807 Mantoloking Rd., Suite 203, Brick, NJ 08723.
Arrangements under the direction of Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, Warwick.

Iwanna Nychka
Homemaker, 93

Iwanna Nychka of Astoria and a former resident of Glen Spey, died Thursday, March 15, 2007 at the New York Center For Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Astoria. She was 93.
She was born September 11, 1913 in Ukraine, the daughter of the late Ilyas and Stasyshyn Skoczylas Hornecka.
She was the widow of the late Alexander Nychka who died Sept. 8, 1993. She was a member of St. Volodymyr’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Glen Spey.
Nychka is survived by a son, Dr. Bohdan Nychka of Astoria; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren; also nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her daughter, Christina Bohoslawec.
Friends may call from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, March 23 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 East Main St., Port Jervis. The Panachyda service will be at 2 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24 with a Liturgy Mass at St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Catholic Church with the Rev. Yaroslav Kostyk officiating.
Burial will be made in Glen Spey Cemetery, Glen Spey.