Published: 01/03/03

Merrill — Lumina Florence LeClair, 87, of the Blanche Road, Merrill, died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2002, at CVPH Medical Center, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

She was born in Canada on April 17, 1915, the daughter of Bazil and Florence (Ezrow) Patenaude.

She was married to Leo LeClair on Aug. 3, 1938, in St. Patrick's Church, Chateaugay. He predeceased her on Dec. 12, 1983.

She was a homemaker and mother of 11 children.

Lumina will be missed by three daughters and a son-in-law, Florence LeClair of Merrill, N.Y.,

Cynthia LeClair of Merrill, N.Y., and Grace and Marion "Red" France of Johnson City, Tenn.; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Lawrence LeClair of Southberry, Conn., and Raymond and Mabel LeClair of Caseville, Mich.; 16 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; three sisters and a brother-in-law, Grace and John Ryan of Chateaugay, Lavinia Boyea of Chateaugay and Leona Boyea of Witherbee, N.Y.; and a brother, Ernest Patenaude of Plattsburgh.

Besides her husband, she was predeceased by four sons, Donald, Leo Paul, William and Ernest LeClair; two daughters, Leora and Margaret LeClair; and a brother, Raymond Patenaude.

Calling hours will be held at the Chateaugay Funeral Home on Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, from 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4th, in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church with Rev. Howard McCasland officiating.

Burial will take place in the spring at Immaculate Heart Cemetery, Churubusco.

Donations in her memory may be made to Lyon Mountain Rescue or Ellenburg Rescue.

Mineville, N.Y. — Augusta Forkas, 89, of Champlain Drive, Mineville, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at the Moses-Ludington Hospital, Ticonderoga, N.Y., surrounded by her family.

She was born on Aug. 15, 1913, at Witherbee, N.Y., the daughter of Peter and Lucy (Fortine) Basie.

She is survived by her son, Amos (Gus) Ploufe and wife Sandra of Mineville; her daughter, Betty Moore and husband Carl of Mineville; her grandchildren, Tony Ploufe and wife Kathy, Linda Tabor and husband Gary, John Ploufe and wife Tracy, Rex Coburn and wife Cindy, Susanne LaForest, Robert Colburn, Bryan Coburn, Timothy Coburn and wife Angela and Daniel Coburn and wife Lia; and 15 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, John Forkas, in 1996.

Calling hours will be held Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Harland Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003, at 10 a.m. at the Church of All Saints, Mineville, N.Y., with Rev. Michael Toth officiating.

Spring burial will be in St. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Moriah, N.Y.

Memorial donations may be made to the Town of Moriah Ambulance Squad.

Jewett City, Conn. —

Arcelia Jodoin Larick passed away on Dec. 31, 2002, at Haven Health Care in Jewett City, Conn.

She was born in Glasgo, Conn., on July 7, 1909, the daughter of Azare Doyon and Arcelia (Lacroix) Doyon.

She graduated from the Boardman School in Glasgo, which is now preserved at the Mystic Marine Museum as an example of the New England one-room school.

Arcelia was predeceased by two husbands. She married Ulderic E. Jodoin in 1930 and the union continued until his death in 1953. She later wed Benjamin Larick in Melbourne, Fla., in 1983. Mr. Larick passed away in June of 1989.

She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law from her first marriage, Elton and Valerie Jodoin of Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Ronald and Elizabeth Jodoin of Jewett City. She also leaves six grandchildren, Cathleen Downs and Michael Jodoin of Plattsburgh, Alan Jodoin of West Chazy, Mark and Scott Jodoin of Jewett City and Holly Courville of Danielson, Conn. Eight great-grandchildren also mourn her passing.

After her first husband's death, Arcelia worked for the State of Connecticut at Uncas on Thames Hospital in Norwich for many years. Upon retirement, she moved to Florida and used it as a base for her love of travel until declining health led to her return to Connecticut.

Two experiences in her younger years inspired a lifelong dedication to a pair of causes. She contracted tuberculosis while in her mid-twenties but fully recovered after a long hospitalization. This led to a constant effort on her part as a dedicated fund-raiser and contributor to causes that sought to stem the disease. During World War II she lost a brother, Odell Doyon, during the invasion of Iwo Jima and Arcelia became an ardent advocate of Marine Corps causes.

There will be no calling hours. The funeral services will be conducted at St. Mary's Church in Jewett City at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2003.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Griswold Community Ambulance, P.O. Box 282, Jewett City, CT 06351.

Valley Cottage, N.Y. — Mrs. Cora M. Grenier, 91, formerly of Plattsburgh, and recently residing at the Nyack Manor Nursing Home, passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, Dec. 30, 2002.

The former Cora Mercedes Fifield, was born in New York City, on May 20, 1911, the daughter of Frederick and Cora (Shutts) Fifield.

She moved to Plattsburgh as a small child and lived all of her life there until August 2001, when she moved to Nyack Manor Nursing Home in Valley Cottage, N.Y.

Mrs. Grenier retired from Georgia Pacific Paper Company in Plattsburgh.

She was active all her life as a member of the Ladies of the Elks Club, Catholic Daughters of America and the Home Bureau.

Mrs. Grenier is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Leo and Isabel Grenier of Grand Haven, Mich., and John and Roberta Grenier, of Granville; two daughters and one son-in-law, Cora and Tom Gillette, of Pomona and Ann Grenier of Lewiston; one brother and sister-in-law, Stephen and Elizabeth Fifield of Scottsdale, Pa. She is also survived by eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Grenier was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, Leo A. Grenier, who passed away in 1986.

Calling hours will be Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003, at St. Mary's of the Lake Church on Cumberland Head at 11 a.m.

Friend wishing may make donations to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association or the Clinton County Meals on Wheels program.

Bakersfield, Calif. — Shirley Keeler passed away peacefully at home with her family on Dec. 23, 2002, after a lengthy illness.

Shirley was born Jan. 26, 1938, in Altona, N.Y. She married Philip V. Keeler of Willsboro, N.Y., in 1954 and they moved to Bakersfield, Calif., in May of 1959.

Shirley was a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker. She was a very talented craftsperson who blessed her family and friends with lovely handmade gifts year after year. Shirley had a lively personality and a wonderful sense of humor. She always had a new joke to tell you.

Shirley and Phil enjoyed their retirement years by traveling in their RV visiting friends and relatives. She enjoyed watching her grandson Kevin play ice hockey for the Bakersfield Dragons and she attended Condor games regularly until her illness.

Shirley was a past president of the Kern County Fire Department Women’s Auxiliary during Phil’s employment with the fire department. They moved to Bodfish, Calif., in 1981. She became a member of the Kern Valley Hospital Women’s Auxiliary working in the hospital gift shop. They were members of the "Dam Dancers" square dancing club and United Methodist Church in Lake Isabella. They moved back to Bakersfield in 2001 due to her illness.

Shirley is survived by her husband Phil of 49 years; her mother, Charlotte Patnode of Saranac, N.Y.; two sons and two daughters-in-law, Philip and Amber of Bakersfield, Calif., and Michael and Debbie of Porterville, Calif.; her grandchildren, Kevin, Leanne, Michael and Clarabett; three sisters, Iola Mesler of Colon, Mich., Dawn Staley of Saranac, N.Y., and Francis Baker of AuSable, N.Y.; a brother, Larry Woodward of Saranac, N.Y.; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Shirley’s wishes were for no services.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Shirley’s name to Hoffman Hospice, 6501 Schirra Ct., Ste. 301, Bakersfield, CA 93313 or to the American Cancer Society.

Catherine H. Fleury, 97, formerly of Keeseville, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at the Evergreen Valley Nursing Home in Plattsburgh.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Keeseville with Msgr. Leeward Poissant, pastor of the Catholic Community of Keeseville, officiating. Burial will be in the spring in St. John's Cemetery in Keeseville.

Charles Zmitrovitch, 93, of Plattsburgh, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 2003, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

Arrangements were incomplete Thursday evening at the O'Neill-Redden-Drown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

DOROTHY RYAN PRUE, 63, of South Street, Malone, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003, at her home. She was born on March 27, 1939, in Malone, N.Y., the daughter of John J. and Emma (Johnston) Ryan.

Calling hours will be Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in St. Mary-Murphy Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, Jan. 4th, at 10 a.m. in the St. Mary-Murphy Funeral Home chapel with Msgr. C.J. McAvoy officiating. Spring burial will take place in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Ft. Covington Street Road.

Catherine G. Wilson, 87, of Sand St., Westville, N.Y., died Thursday, Jan. 2, 2003, at the Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, N.Y. She had been a patient there since Jan. 1st.

She was born in Westville on June 22, 1915, the daughter of the late John and Georgiana (Griffin) Rockhill.

Calling hours will be Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bruso-Desnoyers Funeral Home in Malone. A funeral service will be held Monday at 10 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Tom Davis officiating. Burial will be in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Westville in the spring.

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