Published 5/6/02

BLOOMINGDALE — George R. Morency, 79, of Bloomingdale, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2002, at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

He was born Sept. 11, 1922, in Peru, the son of Alice Gregory Morency and Joseph Morency. In 1923, his family moved to Bloomingdale. He attended Bloomingdale Union School. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. from 1939 to 1941, where he worked in Bolton Landing, N.Y. From 1941 to 1942 he was employed by Republic Steel in Witherbee, N.Y. He joined the U.S. Army in December 1942 and received an honorable discharge in 1945. In 1947, he re-enlisted in the Army, serving until his retirement in 1964. Upon his retirement, he had attained the rank of SP-5 Sergeant. During his career in the Army, he served throughout the Pacific Theater, Japan, Korea, France, Greenland and Germany as well as various bases in the United States. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal in 1950 for meritorious service in connection with operations against an armed enemy in Korea. Following his retirement from the Army, he was employed by the American Management Association in Saranac Lake where he worked as a night watchman and in the Maintenance Department. He retired from there in 1984. Upon his retirement, he enjoyed working for himself where he loved doing jobs locally, running his backhoe and dump truck.

He was a past member of the Bloomingdale Fire Department.

While stationed in Japan, he met his future wife, the former Reiko K. Kawagoe, whom he married on Aug. 27, 1951, at the United States Embassy in Tokyo Japan. Their marriage was blessed by the Catholic Church in October 1952 at St. Paul’s Church in Bloomingdale.

Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Robert Gallo of Lake Placid and Nancy and Timothy Curran of St. Petersburg, Fla.; four grandchildren, David Gallo of Bloomingdale, Thomas Gallo of Lake Placid and Michael and Jamie Curran of St. Petersburg, Fla.; three sisters, Pearl Harris of Groton, N.Y., Celia Harris of Rome, N.Y., and Betty Bruso of Westfield, Mass.; one sister-in-law, Joyce Morency of Bloomingdale; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Reiko, who died June 20, 2000; two sisters, Jenny White and Agnes Vachon; and three brothers, Louis Morency, Joseph Leo Morency and Francis "Babe" Morency.

Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, May 6, 2002, at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A veterans service will be held at 7:45 p.m. followed by a Bible vigil at 8. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, 2002, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Bloomingdale with the Rev. Francis Flynn officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul’s Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the St. Armand youth Field Project in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home.

AuSABLE FORKS — Evelyn Shambo, 87, of 1520 El Camino Drive, Pekin, Ill., died Sunday, Feb. 10, 2002.

Evelyn was formerly from AuSable Forks. Born on May 28, 1914, in New York City, she was adopted by Solan and Margaret Gilbert Griffin of Bloomingdale. She married John W. Peckham on Nov. 11, 1931, in Blackbrook Township, N.Y. He died in 1947. She later married Michael E. Shambo on April 17, 1968, in AuSable Forks. He died June 5, 1981.

One great-grandson, Brad Michael Pumphrey) also preceded her in death.

Surviving are one daughter, Veronica "Kay" (Paul) Foster of East Peoria, Ill.; five grandchildren, Sandra (Larry) Dale of Creve Coeur, Donna Volk of East Peoria, Ill., Steven Murphy of Laurel, Dela., Teri (Joe) Trovato of Springer, Okla., and Kathy Mitchell of Evansville, Ind.; eleven great-grandchildren and nineteen great-great-grandchildren.

She worked for the Stickley Furniture family in New York as the caretaker of their summer home. She was of the Catholic faith.

Evelyn enjoyed playing cards and pinochle and doing crosswords and puzzles.

Graveside services will be held 9 a.m. Thursday, May 16, 2002, at the family plot in Holy Name Cemetery, AuSable Forks. Memorials to her may be made to a charity of your choice.

PLATTSBURGH — Wilmer L. Smith, 91, of 11 Brookview Drive and formerly of Richmondville, N.Y., died Saturday, May 4, 2002, at his home surrounded by his family, friends and pets.

He was born in Richmondville on Nov. 8, 1910, the son of Floyd and Leola (Sisson) Smith. On June 24, 1933, Wilmer married Mary Frayer at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmondville. They had been married for 55 years when Mrs. Smith died in 1988.

He graduated from the Agricultural and Life Science Department of Cornell University in 1931.

Wilmer owned and operated a dairy farm in Richmondville until 1966 when he moved to Plattsburgh and became the owner of the Snug Harbor Motel on Lake Shore Road., Route 9 South, Plattsburgh until 1981. He also was a dispatcher for Fort Edward Express Co. in Plattsburgh and an electrician in the Vermont area.

While in Richmondville he served as president of the school board, was town supervisor, was a member of the Farm Bureau, was a 58-year member of Cobleskill Lodge 394, Free and Accepted Masons, a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Church Council of St. Paul’s

While in Plattsburgh he belonged to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer where he held several offices. He belonged to the North Country Squares and Northern Lights Square Dance Clubs.

Wilmer was an avid reader, loved telling jokes and loved his family and friends.

Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Fitzwilliam of Plattsburgh and Allison Bode and her husband, Paul, of Schenectady; a grandson, James Fitzwilliam and his wife, Julie, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; a granddaughter, Dr. Kelly Tamburello and her husband, Dr. Anthony Tamburello, of Bel Air, Md.; and two great-grandchildren, Benjamin and Diana Fitzwilliam.

He is also survived by two sisters, Marion Moof of Richmondville and Marjorie Friend of Delhi, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours at the Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, 171 Elm St., Cobleskill, N.Y., will be on Tuesday, May 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 8, 2002, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Burial will follow in the Richmondville Rural Cemetery.

Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice Care of the North Country.

NAPOLEON "PANKY" PINSONNAULT, 77, of South Acres Road, Plattsburgh, passed away Sunday, May 5, 2002, at the CVPH Medical Center.

Calling hours and funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh.