Published: 06/15/03

TICONDEROGA — Passing away peacefully in his sleep after a long bout with illness, William H. '"Bill" Catlin, died in Vero Beach, Fla., on Wednesday, June 11, 2003.

Born in Orwell, Vt., on Aug. 25, 1913, Bill was the oldest member of a family that, prior to his death, spanned six living generations. Interested in everything from mechanics and machinery to history, sports and politics, Bill wrote in a daily journal every day for the last 20 years of his life. Notes on the demise of farms in the local area as well as comments on the economy, the weather and "mankind in general" filled the pages of his log books. Keenly interested in local history, Bill knew the name of every farmer living in the Ticonderoga area between 1950 and the present day. Summer visitors often stopped at his farm supply store to ask questions about local people and places, and he never disappointed them or left them without a story.

Bill left "Ti" immediately after graduating from the local high school to begin a career working with construction equipment in the New York City area. Able to operate and repair, practically anything that had wheels or tracks, Bill was drafted at age 30 and sent as a combat engineer to the European Theater where skills like his were desperately needed in World War II. He was a sergeant in General Patton's highly mechanized Third Army and his battlefield experiences had a profound effect on him. Many a time he reminded his children of how lucky they were to "have shoes on their feet and bread on their plates."

At the close of the war, Bill was recruited by an oil company to put his skills to work in Texas. The hot dry plains of Texas, however, were no match for his inborn love of the Adirondacks. With his wife, Ann, and his two children, Patti and Lee, he returned to the East to resume work as an operating engine during the post-war boom in highway construction in New York. In 1950, wanting his family to grow up in the rural environment he had known as a child, he returned to Ti to run the Catlin family farm. By 1957 he had established a bulk grain and farm supply business and enlarged his family by one more child, Dan Edward. After a fire destroyed the original historic store site with its grain elevators and railroad siding access, Bill reopened his business at its current location on Wicker Street.

A firm believer in "giving back to the community", Bill was an active and involved member of several local boards and organizations. For more than 15 years he served as a member of the School District Board of Trustees, giving each of his children their diplomas and attending annual State School Board meetings as well as monthly local ones. He served as the vice-president and then president of the Valley View Cemetery Association for 25 years. He was a 50 year member of the Mt. Defiance Lodge 794 F. & A.M., as well as a member of the Oriental Temple of Shriners.

One of his favorite projects was the building of the "new" middle school on Alexandria Avenue. As the chairman of the building and grounds committee, Bill was responsible for overseeing everything from site development and architecture to access roads and playing fields. He never missed an opportunity to drive past the school and point it out to visiting family and friends. At the time of his death, Bill was also the longest tenured male member of the Ticonderoga Methodist Church, a fact of which he was most proud.

An avid Dodgers fan, Bill had "wintered over" in Vero Beach, Fla., for more than 20 years. He held season tickets for himself and his family for Dodger Spring Training and seldom missed a game. In spite of his gradually failing health he had planned to return to Ticonderoga to celebrate his 90th year operating heavy equipment on his farm. "Running a bulldozer" was probably his favorite occupation. Always willing to share his opinion or just "pass the time of day", Bill's "office" at his store, just like his garage at Vero Beach, was often filled with people stopping by to talk about anything from present day politics to the "good old days". As one of his friends said, "You may not agree with Bill, but you are never in doubt about where he stands." Although his physical health was declining, he was blessed with a clear, sharp wit and mind to the very end.

Bill is survived by his wife, Phyllis Lynn; his daughter and son-in-law, Patti Catlin Hughes and Bill Hughes of Los Gatos, Calif.; his son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Lynda Catlin; and son, Dan Catlin of Ticonderoga.

Interment will be at Valley View Cemetery in South Ticonderoga on June 16, 2003, at the family plot.

BEEKMANTOWN — Roger R. Boire, 64, of 416 Burke Rd, Beekmantown, died Friday, June 13, 2003, at the Fletcher Allen Medical Center in Burlington, Vt.

He was born in Point Au Roche on Sept. 1, 1938, the son of Alexander and Amelia (Tetreault) Boire.

Mr. Boire was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church in West Chazy. He was a member of the Beekmantown Volunteer Fire Department and enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and carpentry.

Mr. Boire married the former Rosemary Fessette at St. Joseph's Church in 1973. He was a diesel mechanic and welder for the Town of Beekmantown for 28 years until retiring in 1994.

Survivors include his wife, Rosemary; four sons, Robert Boire and his wife Shari of Sciota, Ronald Boire and his wife Cathy of Monroe, N.Y., Dames Boire and his wife Yvette of Yorktown, N.Y., and Alex Boire and his wife Lisa of Beekmantown; one daughter, Deborah Shaw and her husband Matthew of Altona; five stepsons, William Deyo and his wife Gina of Beekmantown, James Deyo and his wife Penny of West Chazy, John Deyo and his wife Linda of Ingraham, Peter Deyo and his wife Cathy of Point Au Roche and Paul Deyo and his wife Gayle of Chazy; four stepdaughters, Ella Deyo and Jane Favreau both of Beekmantown, Mary Lou Burl and her husband Preston and Rosemarie Ero and her husband Terri all of West Chazy; six brothers, Leo Boire of Clinton, Mass., Donald Boire and his wife Genevieve of Ingraham, Orel Boire and his wife Theresa of Chazy, Marcel Boire and his wife Joyce of Altona, Gabriel Boire and his wife Marie of Westboro, Mass., and Arthur Boire and his wife Jean of Point Au Roche; two sisters, Madelaine Favreau and her husband Donald of Chazy and Germaine Giles and her husband John of Seffner, Fla.; 24 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Two brothers, John and Louis Boire; and two sisters, Gloria Boire and Loretta Favreau; all died earlier.

Calling hours will be held Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church in West Chazy, followed by burial in the parish cemetery.

Donations may be made to the St. Joseph's Church Altar Fund in his memory.

ALBANY — Paul Vincent Lawton Sr., 74, died Thursday, June 12, 2003, at St. Peter's Hospital.

Born in Albany, he was the son of the late Harwood and Julia Redmond Lawton.

He was a graduate of Albany High School and attended Russel Sage College.

Mr. Lawton was an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He retired from the NYS Employees Retirement System after 43 years of service. Mr. Lawton was long time communicant of St. Teresa of Avila Church, past president of the Albany Fort Orange Chapter 1593 AARP and a member of the Colonie Elks BPOE 2192. Paul was active in the NYS Audit and Control Bowling League, St. Teresa of Avila Bazaar, Mercy High School Board and the CBA Fathers Association.

His interests included his family, traveling, casinos, NYS Lotto and his clown collection. His laughter and jovial personality will be missed forever among his family and friends.

He was husband of the late Gloria Cinney Lawton; father of Paul V. (Eileen) Lawton Jr., of Albany, James H. (Jacqueline) Lawton of Plattsburgh and Judith M. (Jay) Ragotzkie of Guilderland; brother of the late John Lawton; brother-in-law of Cecilia and Rosemary Cinney both of Albany, George A. Cinney Sr. of Colonie and Dolores Horwedel of Albany; grandfather of Justin, Brandon, Paul III and Kyle Lawton and their mother Lyn Desch-Lawton and Brenden and Maggie Ragotzkie; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. from the Daniel Keenan Funeral Home, 490 Delaware Ave. thence to St. Teresa of Avila Church. Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will follow the Mass in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands.

Those who wish may send donations to St. Teresa of Avila Church, 435 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY 12208 or St. Peter's Hospital Foundation/CCU, 315 So. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.

Ticonderoga — Dr. George Peter Cook, prominent dentist, local historian, musician and community volunteer, died at home with his family on June 12, 2003.

Pete, as he preferred to be called, began each day with a zest for living; his wise counsel, sense of humor and dedicated commitment to helping others will be deeply missed.

Dr. Cook was born on Aug. 10, 1915, in Ticonderoga, N.Y., the second son of George O. Cook and Florence (Joubert) Cook.

He grew up on his family's Heart Bay farm and graduated from Ticonderoga High School in 1934. As a boy and young adult, he earned his living by playing the trumpet in clubs throughout the North Country. From 1936 to 1938 he was enrolled in The University of Buffalo's pre-dental program and while there founded and directed the University of Buffalo Band. He went on to the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery at The University of Maryland from 1939 to 1943, graduating near the top of his class.

In 1943, he married Marjorie Werther Cook, daughter of Otto and Grace Werther of Baltimore, Md. From 1943 to 1944 he completed an internship with The United States Public Health Service at the Marine Hospital in Brighton, Mass. Called to active duty with the United States Naval Dental Corps, he served from 1944 through 1946. Dr. Cook continued to serve with the U.S. Naval Reserve until 1975, when he retired with the rank of Captain. Dr. Cook returned to Ticonderoga in 1946 where he opened a private dental practice and he and Marjorie raised their four children.

Over the years Dr. Cook was active in community, civic and professional organizations. Locally, Dr. Cook served on the staff and was past-president of the Moses Ludington Hospital and was the volunteer dentist for the Hague School. Dr. Cook served as general chairman of the Ticonderoga School Construction Program; was president of the Board of Directors of the Ticonderoga Community Building and past-president of the Ticonderoga Historical Society. He was on the Board of Directors of PRIDE, the Ticonderoga Bicentennial Committee and volunteered with the American Legion, the Elks and numerous other community projects and functions.

Professionally, Dr. Cook was the Dental Director of Medicaid for the New York State Department of Health serving six counties from 1969 to 1996 and was a frequent guest lecturer on hypnodontics (the use of hypnosis in dentistry) at Green Mountain College He was past-president of the 4th District Dental Society; consultant for the Albany Regional Medical Program, general chairman NYS Dental Society of NYS and Delegate to the National Dental Society. He was a Fellow of The International College of Dentists, The American Society of Public Health, The American Society of Dentistry for Children and The American Society of Psychosomatic Dentistry and Medicine.

Throughout the years, Peter continued his love of music, playing trumpet at every opportunity and conducting the Ticonderoga Community Band. Pete was a loving parent , an involved grandparent, an avid gardener and groundskeeper, a fierce tennis player and a talented handyman.

In recent years Dr. Cook volunteered countless hours to his beloved Hancock House and to the preservation of local history. An amateur historian, he loved to regale people with stories of Ticonderoga and the early years on Lake George.

Dr. Cook is survived by four children, Dr. Dean Cook, Bonnie Cook, Susan Hill and Majorie Tierney; three sons-in-law and one daughter-in-law- Peter Skinner, Robert Hill, Scott Tierney and Terrina Russell-Cook; eight grandchildren, Marnie Cook Wikel, Diana and Juliet Cook, Tara and Nicole Hill, Christopher Cook and William Skinner and Eain Tierney; and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Geraldine Cook.

Dr. Cook was preceded in death by his brother, Warner Cook; and his cherished wife Marjorie Cook.

Donations in his memory can be made to The Ticonderoga Historical Society at the Hancock House and to The North Country Hospice.

A memorial service will be held later this summer.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Wilcox & Regan Funeral Home of Ticonderoga.

Harold J. Benware, 72, of Cherry Street, Malone, N.Y., died Saturday morning, June 14, 2003, at the Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone where he had been a patient since June 10. He had previously been a resident of the Alice Hyde Nursing Home since January of this year.

Born in Keeses Mills, N.Y., on Feb. 16, 1931, he was the son of the late Ezra and Mildred (Belanga) Benware.

Calling hours will be on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the Bruso-Desnoyers Funeral Home in Malone. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church, Malone, with the Rev. Thomas Moody officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery on the Lake Titus Road, Malone.

Scott V. Hare, 47, of Cascade Road, Lake Placid, died Friday, June 13, 2003, at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

He was born in Lake Placid, Feb. 9, 1956, the son of Clarence and Jeanne (Blanchard) Hare.

Friends may call at the Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid, Sunday, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Monday, June 16, at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Rev. Kenneth Mihill, pastor of the Adirondack Church of the Nazarene in Lake Placid will officiate. Burial will be in North Elbe Cemetery.

To contact the Press-Republican, Phone: (518) 561-2300 or send mail to:
Press-Republican, 170 Margaret St., P.O. Box 459, Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Copyright 2003, Plattsburgh Publishing Co., Plattsburgh, NY,  Division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc., Campbell Hall, NY. The information you receive from Press-Republican Online is protected by the copyright laws of the United States. The copyright laws prohibit any copying, redistributing, retransmitting, or repurposing of any copyright-protected material.