Published: 10/30/04

KEESEVILLE — Gerald A. LaPier, 83, of Keeseville, died Monday, Aug. 30, 2004, at his home on Front Street.

He was born on June 22, 1921, in West Chazy, N.Y., the son of the late Walter and Margaret (Lucia) LaPier.

He is predeceased by one son, Gerard LaPier; five brothers, Walter LaPier, Bernard LaPier, Francis LaPier, Orville LaPierre and Raymond LaPier; and two sisters, Gertrude LaPier and Margaret Hebert.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine LaPier; and his many loving sons and daughters, Gerald LaPier of Peru, Marshall and Kathy LaPier of Schuyler Falls, Gerry Clesowich of Florida, Tony and Lynda Hart of Connecticut, Helen LaPier of Black Brook, Keith and Dorla Collins of Chazy, Gisele and Tom Zajac of Schuyler Falls, Frank Brust of Keeseville, Mike and Tammy LaPier of Keeseville, Carol Brust of Maine, John Alteri of Lake George, James Taylor of Connecticut, Earl and Toni Taylor of Keeseville, Judy Taylor of Peru, Rick and Sharron LaPier of Keeseville, Jeanette Taylor of Keeseville, Elaine LaPier of West Chazy and Anna LaPier of Keeseville; two brothers, Edward LaPier and Theodore LaPier and his wife Margaret; two sisters, Eva Sheridan and Audrey Bulriss and her husband Willard; and many grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Gerald was a veteran of World War II. He retired after several years of service.

Funeral services will be held at St. Augustine's Church at 11 a.m. today. Burial will be at St. Joseph's Church in West Chazy and a reception will follow at the Knights of Columbus in Peru.

Glendora, N.J. — Edward L. Gross, beloved husband of Catherine (nee Trost) died suddenly Aug. 24, 2004.

He was born Sept. 19, 1948, in Litchfield, Ky., the devoted son of Rena L. Pratt, 8 Bushey Ave., Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Ellis Gross and his wife Carol of Florida.

Edward was a graduate of Champlain Central School and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He settled and worked in New Jersey and lived with his family until his sudden death.

Brothers and sisters surviving him are Shirley Niemiec, Massachusetts, Barbara Castine, Florida, Audrey Chapman, California, Linda Fosher, Rouses Point, N.Y., Glenn Pratt, Holyoke, Mass., Anna Bourdon, St. Albans, Vt., Laverne Virgile, Pennsylvania, Larry Gross, Tom Gross, Brenda Jones, Patricia Meinelt, Michael Gross, Larry Hall and Shari Hall, Florida. Also surviving Edward are many sisters and brothers-in-law; nieces, nephews; and friends whose lives he touched.

Those that predeceased him are his stepfather, Kenneth Pratt; a brother, Curtis Pratt; and a sister, Mary Laporte Guastella.

Edward was a member of the Williamstown Masonic Lodge 166 and the Glendora Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8714.

A funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, in Runnemede, N.J. Interment took place at Hillside Cemetery, Roslyn, Pa.

Donations may be made in Edward's memory to the American Heart Association.

Expressions of sympathy may be e-mailed to: Condolences@GardnerFuneralHome.com.

Lewis — Elroy Bronson, 68, died Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, peacefully with his family by his side.

He was born Dec. 29, 1935, in Lewis, N.Y., the son of Clifford and Edna (Smith) Bronson.

Elroy was an avid woodworker who donated many of his pieces to the local charities. He enjoyed hunting and his dogs, but his greatest love was for his family.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Colleen Cushin of Willsboro, Luann and Stacy Pulsifer of Lewis, Jeff Bronson of Glens Falls, Judith and David Kingsley of Chestertown, Corey Bronson of Lewis and Angela and Kurt Williams of Jay; four stepchildren, Jody Bender of Elizabethtown, Bobbie Joe LaMotte of Mineville, Andy Jack LaMotte of Elizabethtown and Travis Wells of Georgia; two brothers, Ernest Bronson of Lewis and Homer Bronson of Port Henry; one sister, Alta Moser of California; and ten grandchildren.

Calling hours will be held Monday, Sept. 6th, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at W.M. Marvins Sons Funeral Home in Elizabethtown, with a funeral service at 1 p.m. Burial will follow in Lewis Cemetery.

A reception will follow the graveside service, at the Stacy and Luann Pulsifer residence on Moss Road in Lewis.

Memorial donations may be made to FitzPatrick Cancer Center, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

Essex — Joseph O. Cumm, 86, died Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh.

He was born June 8, 1918, in Willsboro, N.Y., the son of Ira and Philomeana (Barcomb) Cumm.

Joe enjoyed playing poker and was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He is survived by his wife, Leola Cumm of Essex; three daughters, Betty Sherman of Plattsburgh, Charlotte Lacey of Lewis and Judy Dickerson of Willsboro; one son, Ronald Stafford of Keeseville; two brothers, Anthony Cumm of Essex and Robert of Maryland; 16 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; one great - great - granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; four brothers, Arthur, Howard, Lawrence and Henry; and one sister, Margaret Allard.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at W.M. Marvins Sons Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. A funeral will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. also at the funeral home. Burial will follow in New Burt Cemetery in Whallonsburgh.

Plattsburgh — Shirley Anne St. Dennis, 69, of Alpert Lane, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

She was born in Dannemora on Oct. 9, 1934, daughter of Kenneth R. and M. Florence (Carter) Talford.

Shirley was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 125 Ladies Auxiliary, a member of the Eagles, Peru Rod and Gun Club and a member of Our Lady of Victory Church in Plattsburgh.

Shirley is survived by her husband, Clarence W. St. Dennis Sr.; they were married on May 21, 1955 in St. Joseph's Church in Dannemora; seven children, Eileen M. Wrisley and her husband William of Plattsburgh, David B. St. Dennis and his wife Bella of Woodbridge, Va., Tina A. Peabody and her husband Jereme of Plattsburgh, Clarence William St. Dennis Jr. and his wife Emma of Nobleville, Ind., Anthony T. St. Dennis and his wife Annette of Liverpool, N.Y., Jonathan E. St. Dennis and his wife Holly of Camden, N.Y., and Neal K. St. Dennis and his wife Karen of Schuylerville, N.Y.; 19 grandchildren; two great - grandchildren; a sister, Marilyn of Florida; two brothers, Rodrick Talford and his wife Lil of Putney, Vt., and Frederick Talford and his wife Margaret of Cadyville; a brother-in-law, Joseph Yelle of West Chazy; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at 3 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home Chapel in Plattsburgh.

Donations in her memory may be made to the FitzPatrick Cancer Center at CVPH Medical Center.

Altona — Robert L. King, 69, of Alder Bend Road, died Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany.

He was born on March 13, 1935, in Chazy Lake, the son of James and Mabel (Agoney) King.

Mr. King was employed by the Bricklayers Local 2 of Albany. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a member of the Sorrell-Woodward American Legion Post 1623 in Lyon Mountain.

He enjoyed reading paperback westerns, yard sales and berry picking.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Estherine M. (Burdo) King of Altona; his children and their spouses, Diane and Richard Vopelak of Ellenburg Depot, Norma and Raymond J. Barber of Altona, Arlene Horton of Lake Placid, Shirley and Thomas O'Neill of Pensacola, Fla., Annette and James Demarais of Altona and Robert M. King of Ellenburg; 14 grandchildren, Daniel and Donald Vopelak, Matthew, Sarah and Michael Barber, Jeremiah, James and Shawn Horton, Jennifer and Katrina O'Neill, Jonathan and Joshua Demarais and Robert M. King Jr.; a brother and sister-in-law, James and Hildred King of Chazy Lake; three sisters, Esther Donah of Chazy Lake, Elsie Mundy of New Hartford, N.Y., and Rachel Sain of Crestview Lake, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

Two brothers, Harry and Earl; and five sisters, Roseanna Foley, Valeda Stacey, Marie LaFountain, Dorothy Sylvia and Rita Kent, all died earlier.

Calling hours will be held on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the E.F. Drown Funeral Service in Ellenburg Depot. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday from Holy Angels Church in Altona. Interment will follow at Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Ellenburg Depot.

Robert L. Mitchell, 62, of Robinson Road, Plattsburgh, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, at his home.

He was born in Plattsburgh on Sept. 19, 1941, son of Leo and Doris (Light) Mitchell.

A memorial service for Robert and his wife Patricia will be held at a later date and will be announced.

A complete obituary will appear in the Plattsburgh Press-Republican.

Arrangements with Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

Donald Macdonald, 90, of Bonnie View Road, Wilmington, passed away Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, at the Adirondack Medical Center in Lake Placid.

He was born in Irondequoit, N.Y., on March 18, 1914, the son of Chester and Ada (Painter) Macdonald.

There are no calling hours. Services will be held at the convenience of the family.

The Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid is in charge of arrangements.

Jennette Carte Weidner, 83, of Rochester, N.Y., died Aug. 11, 2004, at her home.

She was born in Peru, N.Y., the daughter of the late Noah and Essa Carte.

A funeral Mass was held on Aug. 14, 2004, at Holy Rosary Church in Rochester. Interment was in Holy Sepulchre 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

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