Published: 3/4/04

Chestertown and Lakeland, Fla. — Arthur W. Ford, 73, of Hill Park Road, Chestertown, passed away Monday, March 1, 2004, at Lakeland Regional Hospital in Lakeland, Fla., following a long illness.

He was born on May 6, 1930, in Kingston, the son of the late Joseph and Clemantine (Laferty) Ford.

Arthur was a graduate of Chestertown High School and completed four years of college, receiving a bachelor's degree.

He was a U.S. Air Force veteran from 1951 until 1954 and was stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois and also Korea. Arthur was honorably discharged from the air force with the rank of staff sergeant.

On May 6, 1982, he married Mary Farrington. The couple resided on Friends Lake in Chestertown and wintered in Florida.

Arthur retired from New York Telephone after 34 years with the company in the Warrensburg, Albany and Ticonderoga areas.

His enjoyments included golf and spending time with his beloved wife. Arthur was a member of the NY Telephone Pioneer Club and was raised in the Catholic faith.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years; his son, Michael Shave and his wife Tammy of West Palm Beach, Fla.; two daughters, Dawn Trapasso and her fiancé Thomas Bennett and Ronna Brainard and her husband Jim, all of Warrensburg; his sister, Arlene Jordon of Vero Beach, Fla.; seven granddaughters, Amber, Erin, Kim, Toni, Samantha, Shelby and Courtney; one grandson, Charles; and two nephews, Donald and Robert Jordon.

Friends may call on the family from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Alexander-Baker Funeral Home, 3809 Main St., Warrensburg.

A funeral service will follow the visitation at 3 p.m. at the funeral home with Sister Linda Hogan, Parish Life Coordinator for St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic Church, officiating.

Spring burial will be in St. Cecilia's Cemetery, Warrensburg.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the American Cancer Society or a charity of one’s choice.

CHAZY LAKE — Raymond E. Messenger Sr., of Wilfred King Road, died Tuesday, March 2, 2004, at the CVPH Medical Center.

He was born in Simsbury, Conn., on Sept. 19, 1936, the son of Raymond and Gladys (Holcomb) Messenger.

Mr. Messenger married Helen Severance on Oct. 22, 1956, in Lempster, N.H.

He was a farmer in the Connecticut area for most of his life until retiring due to blindness in 1974. Raymond was an avid bingo player; he enjoyed gardening, cooking, shopping and he loved and cared for his dog, Ralph.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Messenger of Chazy Lake; one son, Raymond Messenger Jr. of Chazy Lake; five daughters and sons - in - law, Mrs. Ronald (Nancy) Strickland of Vernon, Conn., Mrs. Charles (Carol) Sheldon of Plattsburgh, Mrs. Gary (Donna) Barnaby of Chazy Lake, Mrs. Henry (Barbara) Barnaby of Plattsburgh and Mrs. Timothy (Sharon) Barnaby of Chazy Lake; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Alvin "Bobby" Messenger and his wife Shirley of E. Granby, Conn., and Charles Messenger and his wife Mary of Oceanside, Calif.; one sister and brother-in-law, Mrs. Lucius (Anne) Allshouse of Simsbury, Conn.; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held on Saturday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. Burial will be Monday at 2 p.m. in the Center Granby Cemetery in Granby, Conn.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the North Country.

Essex — Elaine J. Curran, 64, of Essex, died Tuesday, March 2, 2004, in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

She was born in Keene, N.Y., on Feb. 5, 1940, the daughter of Edson and Amy (Cross) Reynolds.

Elaine worked at the Horace Nye Home in Elizabethtown for many years. She was an avid bingo player and enjoyed her family very much.

She is survived by a daughter, Dawn Curran; two sons, Kelvin and Randy Curran; four grandsons; three sisters, Shirley Hurlburt of Keeseville, Ethel French and Nina Gay, both of Willsboro; four brothers, Morris Reynolds of Wadhams, Bobby Reynolds, Elton Reynolds and Harold Reynolds, all of Willsboro; and several nieces and nephews.

Her parents; one sister, Ida Benway; and three brothers, Ronald, Phillip and David, died previously.

There will be no calling hours. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Marvin's Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. Burial will be in Reber Cemetery in the spring.

Memorial donations may be made to the Essex Rescue Squad.

Plattsburgh — Mrs. Lena M. Bousquet, 92, of Robert Long Apartments, passed away Tuesday, March 2, 2004, at the CVPH Medical Center.

She was born in Plattsburgh on Dec. 5, 1911, the daughter of Carlton and Adeline (Rock) Fifield.

She was an avid reader, enjoyed word search puzzles, traveling and shopping. Lena was a member of St. Peter's Church and the Rosary and Altar Society of St. Peter's.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Lester Bousquet; and three sisters, Myrtle Frenyea, Catherine Seymour and Dorothy Webber.

She is survived by her children, Al and Betty Bousquet of Cadyville, Joan and Gerald Rock of West Plattsburgh, Ed and Carol Bousquet of Morrisonville, Phil and Anne Bousquet of Arizona and Mary and Bob Wilson of Georgia; a special friend, Betty Kelly of Plattsburgh; one sister, Maud Sorel of Plattsburgh; 16 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

There will be no calling hours.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday at 11 a.m. from St. Peter's Church.

Interment will be at a later date in St. Peter's Cemetery.

Arrangements are by the Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh.

Altona — Mr. Jeremiah D. "Jerry" Mahony, 73, of the Monty Road in Altona, died Wednesday, March 3, 2004, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

He was born in the Bronx, N.Y., on Jan. 10, 1931, son of the late Donal and Ellen (O'Sullivan) Mahony.

Jeremiah's family moved from Logan Avenue, Bronx, to Staten Island in 1947. He graduated from Rice High School in New York City. He worked at Radio City Music Hall as an usher before attending Farmingdale Agricultural and Technical College. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

Jeremiah met his future wife, the former R. Lillian Schoepl, upon moving to Staten Island. They were married on May 14, 1955. They drove to Altona in a 1929 Model A and purchased a dairy farm which he operated until 1988. He enjoyed square dancing, Irish music and playing the Irish sport of hurling with his family. Jeremiah was a member of the Pioneer Association, the Third Order of the Franciscans, Right to Life and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

In addition to his wife, Jeremiah is survived by three daughters and three sons-in-law, Frances and Dan Grue, Tricia and Timothy Fergusson and Nancy and Paul Wood; two sons and two daughters-in-law, Donnie and Ann Marie Mahony and Leo and Darlene Mahony, all of Altona. Jeremiah was also the very proud grandfather of 22 grandchildren, Maria, Nathaniel, Olivia, Gabriel, Ellsworth, Mallory, Colin, Felix, Hannah, Liesl, Zoey, Patrick, Spencer, Benjamin, Ryan, James, Andrew, Nolan, Meghan, Sean, Joseph and Casey. He is also survived by one brother, John Mahoney of Morrisonville; many in-laws; and nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by one son, Steven, on July 6, 1976.

Calling hours will be Thursday, March 4, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home in Altona. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday, March 5, 2004, at 10 a.m. from Holy Angels Church in Altona. Burial will be later in the year in the parish cemetery.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Mooers Rescue Squad.

Cynthia Crystal Meyer, 53, of Pine Ridge Drive, Morrisonville, died Wednesday, March 3, 2004, at her home.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru.

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