Published: 10/23/03

Fuquay-Varina, N.C. — Arnold James LaPlante, 78, of Muirfield Drive, Fuquay-Varina, N.C., died Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003, at home.

He was born Oct. 21, 1925, in Beekmantown, N.Y., to the late William and Nettie Taylor LaPlante.

He served in the Army in World War II and retired from Matteawan State Correctional Facility in Beacon, N.Y.

He is survived by his wife, Louise E. LaPlante of Willow Spring, N.C.; daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne M. and Joseph W. Gavis; and grandson, Hunter R. Gavis of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; son and daughter-in-law, Mark S. and Kathy LaPlante of Kingston, N.Y.; brothers, Claude LaPlant and wife Marge of Largo, Fla., and Ken LaPlante and wife Ellen of Morrisonville, N.Y.; and very good friend, Anne E. Thomson of Toccoa, Ga.

In addition to his parents, Arnold was predeceased by his sister, Marion Quinn of Malone, N.Y.

A private family service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 3131 RDU Center Drive, Suite 100, Morrisville, NC 27560 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, Ohio 44720.

Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

Clearwater, Fla. — Mr. Owen H. Barcomb, 60, of Wickford Street East in Safety Harbor, Fla., passed away Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater.

Owen was born Jan. 16, 1943, in Moriah, N.Y., the son of Harold and Alice (Gokey) Barcomb.

Owen attended Chazy Central Rural School, graduating in 1962. He was a member of the Chazy Central Rural School Alumni Association. A longtime employee of Anchor Motor Freight in Champlain, N.Y., and Joule Yacht Transport in Clearwater, Fla., he was also a member of the American Truck Historical Society and a former member of the Antique Car Club, with a strong interest in Lozier collectibles. Owen was also an avid photographer.

Owen is survived by his parents of Chazy, N.Y.; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Peggy and Jeffrey Mitchell of Mooers, Kathy Barcomb of Plattsburgh and Sherry and Robbie Boire of Rouses Point; one son and daughter-in-law, Ricky and Marianne Barcomb of Deltona, Fla.; one brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Vesta Barcomb of Chazy; and one sister and brother-in-law, Sheila and Leonard Drown of Mooers. Owen is also survived by five grandchildren, Nathan MacCallum, Christopher Barcomb, Andrew Barcomb, Carissa Boire and Cayley Boire; and a special friend, Kathy Otting of Safety Harbor, Fla. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home Inc. in Plattsburgh. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Mooers Wesleyan Church. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery in Mooers.

Friends wishing may make donations to the American Diabetes Association or the Mooers Wesleyan Church.

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — Jason "Jay" Pugh, a life-long resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died Sept. 14, 2003, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

He was born in Plattsburgh, N.Y., Feb. 25, 1977, the son of Jane of Wilkes-Barre and Donald of Plattsburgh.

Jason was a 1995 graduate of Meyers High School and attended Luzerne County Community College where he received Dean’s List honors. Jason loved bike riding with his daughter and reading stories to her. Jason also loved riding his motorcycle and visited one if his favorite places, the Adirondack Mountains, in the beginning of September.

He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Louis Pugh Sr. and Mary Dolores Pugh of Cadyville.

He is survived by "the light of his life", his daughter, Katie; sister, Shana, a second year student at Widener University School of Law; brother, Peter Kneidinger, a junior at Meyers High School; maternal grandparents, Robert and Marion Leonardo of Mountain Top, Pa.; and step-father, Joseph Kneidinger. Jason is also survived by eight aunts and uncles and nine cousins.

Jason’s uncle, Deacon Christopher Beckmann of St. James Lutheran Church, conducted services at Lisman Funeral Home in Wilkes-Barre.

PLATTSBURGH — Lucius R. Smith, 78, of Sheridan Avenue, Plattsburgh, died Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003, at CVPH Medical Center.

He was born in Plattsburgh Sept. 5, 1925, the son of John and Frances (Gillan) Smith.

He married Constance M. Thompson in Peru, N.Y., July 26, 1980.

Mr. Smith was a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1967, retiring after 23 years. He served both in World War II and the Korean War and served aboard the USS Valcour, the USS Forrestal and the USS Walworth, among others. He then was a cameraman for Channel 5 News for 12 years retiring in 1980.

Smitty was a life member of both Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 125 and American Legion Post 20 in Plattsburgh and the Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 44, Chesapeake Bay, Va.

He enjoyed traveling with his wife in their RV and fishing. He formerly liked hunting at his camp in Onchiota, N.Y.

Survivors include his wife, the former Constance Jabaut Thompson of Plattsburgh; four sisters, Mary Miller and her husband, Roma of Syracuse, N.Y., Ethel Bretthauer of Saranac, Edith Owen of Pouce de Leon, Fla., and Shirley Williams and her husband, Scott of Forestell, Mo.; two stepsons, Lee K. Thompson of Bakersfield, Calif., and Allan J. Thompson and his wife, Charlotte of Altamont, Tenn.; and several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel. Entombment will follow in Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens, Tom Miller Road, Plattsburgh.

Donations in his memory may be made to Rescue Hose 5 Fire Department.

Helen C. McLellan, 81, of Harmony Road, Mineville, died Friday, Oct. 17, 2003, at Community Hospital in Elizabethtown.

She was born Jan. 8, 1922, in Witherbee, N.Y., the daughter of Frederick and Mary (Woods) Begnouche.

A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Union Cemetery in Port Henry.

Arrangements are with Harland Funeral Home, Port Henry, N.Y.

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