Published:  10/30/04

Jay — Fanny M. Devlin, 51, of HC 2, Jay, passed away into the arms of Jesus, surrounded by family and friends and hospice, on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004, at her home.

She was born March 9, 1953, in Plattsburgh, the daughter of Adrian and Dorothy (Thwaits) Joy.

Fanny graduated from AuSable Forks Central School in 1971. She was a deli clerk at McDonalds Store and Devins Deli, both of Jay. She was a nurses aide at Uhlein Mercy Center, Lake Placid, and also a monitor for several years at the AuSable Valley School System, Clintonville. She was also employed at the North Pole, Wilmington, for several years. Fanny was a devoted wife and mother. Prior to her illness, she was an ophthalmologist assistant at Eye Care of the Adirondacks, Plattsburgh.

In September 1971, she married Mark J. Devlin at Holy Name Church, AuSable Forks. She is survived by her friend and caregiver, Mark J. Devlin of Jay; two sons and a daughter-in-law, John and Tammy Devlin, Elizabeth and an unborn child and Trevor Devlin, all of Jay; stepdaughter Michelle Betters of Wilmington; her mother, Dorothy Iceiss of Watertown; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Linda and Ronald Ashe of Keene Valley, Fay and Robert Wallace of Jay and Pam and Jeff Rushia of AuSable Forks; a brother and sister-in-law, Dean and Wanda Joy of Wilmington; two sisters-in-law, Barbara Nelson and Adrienne Devlin; a brother-in-law, Thomas Devlin of Jay; several aunts, uncles; and nieces and nephews.

Visitation hours will be Monday, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Holy Name Catholic Church, AuSable Forks. Burial will follow at Jay Central Cemetery.

Memorials to her may be made to the High Peaks Hospice, P.O. Box 195, Mineville, NY 12956-0195, or the AuSable Forks Volunteer Service. Envelopes are at the funeral home.

Plattsburgh — How do you describe a jewel? Phyllis Jane Wright Llewellyn, 90, of Plattsburgh, died at her home on Sept. 25, 2004, surrounded by her loving family. Alert always, her awareness of the world, prodigious memory and sneaky wit surprised those who met her late in life. She was an encyclopedia of Plattsburgh history but was also interested in the present, be it George W. or the new bike trail memorial. Jane was an amazing woman.

Born in the Point District on Dec. 26, 1913, to Cora and Charles Wright, Jane always considered this historic neighborhood her home. She graduated from Plattsburgh High School in 1932, where she was class officer and involved in many activities. She especially loved sports and was the first female life guard at City Beach. Laps to the breakwater prepared her for swims to Crab Island. She was class officer each year at Plattsburgh State Normal School and earned a lifetime teacher's certificate in 1935. Jane went next to Troy, N.Y., as activity director at the First Presbyterian Day Home, a progressive school that cared for and taught children of working women.

While swimming at the Ore Dock (also known as Sailor's Beach) Jane met her future husband, Don A. Llewellyn, when he was stationed with the U.S. Army 26th Infantry, Company B in Plattsburgh. They married in 1938 and moved by plane, train and steamship to assignments as far flung as Nome, Alaska, and Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico with the U.S. Army-Air Force. She taught at base schools while raising her children, fished for salmon in the Bering Strait and for swordfish in the Caribbean Ocean. Jane loved the adventure.

Launching a new career when her husband retired, Jane joined the staff of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System in 1955. Her love of people, of books and of conversation converged when she became one of the first librarians to staff the bookmobile on its trips through the North Country. The eager anticipation of folks waiting for the bookmobile was something she'd never forget "And the people loved her," said her good friend Mary Leggett. "Whenever I think of Jane I smile."

In 1974 she retired and turned full time to raising her granddaughter, Kimberly Jane and to antiques, auctions, books and bridge. A member of the United Methodist Church and its women's group, she was also a girl scout leader and a member of the League of Women Voters. A longtime supporter of Hospice, Jane was grateful when their assistance enabled her to stay with her family.

Jane leaves behind her son and daughter-in-law, Don and Carol Llewellyn of Long Beach, Calif., her auction buddy, daughter Susan; grandchildren Kimberly Llewellyn Filion, David Llewellyn and Katy Llewellyn; and four great - grandchildren.

Her husband Don in 1979, son Stewart in 2003 and Jane's three brothers and three sisters left this world before her. Many thanks go to her "adopted daughter" Deborah Barrett for tender loving care and Jim Joyal and Yuki Llewellyn for their wonderful support.

One hope that Jane wished for was that everyone have as happy and enjoyable life as she did. At her request, there will be no calling hours and services will be private. Please contact R.W. Walker Funeral Home for information.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Country or to the Plattsburgh Public Library. If you miss Jane, pick up a book and read something special today.

Atlanta, Ga. — Steve was born in Mineville, N.Y. He graduated from Mineville High School and may have been the last member of the football team called the "Red Flame" after winning the State Championship under Coach Davidson. Kay was born in Ipswich, Mass. She graduated from Essex High School and Salem State University. Steve graduated from Plattsburgh State with a teaching degree.

He spent one summer working at the Lake Placid Club where he met his bride-to-be. Her name was Katherine O’Brien, also a teacher, from Essex, Mass. When World War II was declared, he was called to active duty and joined the Ski Troops of the 10th Mountain Division. Before he left for Italy, Kay and Steve were married in Spartanburg, S.C. Steve taught at the Campus School at Plattsburgh State for many years. While living in Plattsburgh, he organized the College Alumni Association and worked for the Chamber of Commerce.

Upon retirement, Steve and Kay moved to Florida and lived there for over 20 years. They enjoyed living in Clearwater, spending time at the beach and on the tennis court. When their health began to fail, they moved to Atlanta, Ga., to be near their two daughters, Christine Hamilton and Stephanie Ashworth and their five grandchildren.

Kay died on Feb. 18, 2004, at the age of 82 and Steve died on Aug. 4, 2004, at the age of 92. Steve was a kind and gentle man, a wonderful husband and father. Kay was a great correspondent, faithfully keeping in touch with friends and family for her lifetime.

They were married for 60 years and together they will be laid to rest in Norton’s Cemetery in Keene, N.Y. Rev. Patrick Mundy of St. Brendan’s Church will conduct the graveside service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004.

Massena — Mr. Leo A. "Pat" Patterson, 80, of 24 Baldwin St., Massena, died Thursday morning, Sept. 23, 2004, at the Highland Nursing Home where he had been a resident since August 30th.

He was born June 11, 1924, in Montreal, Quebec, the son of the late Andrew and Catherine (Snetsinger) Patterson. He, along with his family, moved to Massena in 1939. He attended schools in Montreal, Cornwall, Ontario, and graduated from Massena High School in 1942.

In February 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he became a member of the 29th Division, 116th Infantry Regiment, Company C. His unit was one of the assault units that landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He was wounded by German machine gunfire in both legs in the hedgerow country of Normandy. After being released from the hospital, he played in the U.S. Army Band as a drummer. Among his military awards were the Conspicuous Service Medal, Bronze Star, French Croix De Geurre with Palms, Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Infantry Badge and the Purple Heart. As a veteran, he was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans, Massena Chapter, American Legion Post 79, Gerald R. Roy AMVETS Post 4, and the Earl J. Santimaw VFW Post 1143. He was also a member of the 29th Division Association.

Leo married Thelma L. Riley Loucks on Oct. 23, 1965, at the St. Mary's Rectory, Massena, with Rev. Robert Manning officiating. Mrs. Patterson died Feb. 9, 2001.

Leo first worked in the Accounting Department at Alcoa from December 1942 until September 1957. He later worked for a short time with Electrical Conductors, building power lines. After that, he went to work with the New York Power Authority as a scheduler, retiring on Sept. 1, 1986. Leo and his late wife Thelma enjoyed traveling, having traveled throughout the world, including Scotland, Ireland and England. He was a well-known drummer in the music circles, playing in many dance halls with many different bands. He was also member of the BPOE Lodge 1703, Massena and St. Mary's Catholic Church.

He is survived by a stepson, Alan Loucks, Weed, Calif.; a stepgrandson and his wife, Keith and Debbie Loucks, Weed, Calif.; a brother and his wife, Bernard and Eleanore Patterson, Malone; a sister-in-law, Laura Patterson, Norwood; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Gerald E. and Andrew Patterson in infancy; and a half brother, Jack Patterson.

Friends may call at the Donaldson Funeral Home, Massena, on Tuesday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. where a memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m. with Rev. Alan D. Shnob, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Massena.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley.

Ballston Spa — Paul V. Vega, 51, of Lilith Fair Street, Ballston Spa, died suddenly Sept. 25, 2004, at St. Peter's Hospital, Albany.

He was born March 21, 1953, in Troy, N.Y., son of the late Valentine and Shirley (Meader) Vega. He was the husband of Linda M. Hebert, whom he married June 1, 1991.

He was a graduate of Stillwater High School. He had been employed as a dispatcher for the Saratoga County Highway Department in Ballston Spa for over 19 years.

Paul was an avid outdoor sportsman, especially hunting and fishing.

Survivors in addition to his wife include, one brother, Alan (Sheila) Vega of North Andover, Mass.; one sister, Betsy Lee Judkins of Lake George, N.Y.; one uncle, Edward Vega of Stillwater; and one aunt, Isabel Hayner of Mechanicville; nieces and nephews, Briana Vega, Wendi Torkelson, Chad and Kyle Judkins, Andrew Mohr and Jillian Yarborough; and several cousins.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. with the Rev. Dr. Charles Woodman, pastor of Stillwater United Church, Stillwater, officiating.

Relatives and friends may call Monday evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Dunn Funeral Homes, Ine., 121 No. Hudson Ave., Stillwater, N.Y., 12170.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Saratoga County ARC, 2907 Rt 9, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, in his memory.

Keene — Lora Pratt Edmonds, a teacher and school administrator who helped guide generations of Adirondack children, died on Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at the Elizabethtown Community Hospital. Mrs. Edmonds, 87, had lived in Keene Valley for 65 years. She was a woman of meticulous professionalism and considerable grace.

Born Aug. 16, 1917, she was the eldest of the three daughters of Verne Pratt and Annie Coffey of Port Henry. Her father's work as a tool and die maker took the family to Buffalo, N.Y., Flint, Mich., Denver, Colo., and finally Detroit where tragedy struck the family when the youngest daughter, Mite, died of scarlet fever. Lora, her sister Leah and their mother returned to Port Henry where Annie Coffey Pratt raised her family through the depression and its aftermath.

The Pratt family home was filled with laughter and music. Lora graduated from Port Henry H.S. and urged by community members, enrolled in Plattsburgh Normal School. When she did not appear at the school in September, the President of the College, Dr. Olds, contacted Port Henry School Principal, Mr. Getmann. He and Mrs. Getmann, together with other community members, mobilized to provide the financial support necessary to enable Lora to attend and find lodging in Plattsburgh. This experience of generosity and caring made her determined to devote her life to improving the opportunities of others through education.

Mrs. Edmonds was an active vocalist from her youngest years, when she often performed with her sister Leah. In Plattsburgh Lora's lovely voice and excellent diction earned her a spot as soprano soloist for various productions and radio shows.

During the summer of 1939, while waitressing at Glenmore, a retreat for educators, Lora met Adrian Edmonds, a young Keene Valley contractor. Adrian and Lora married in December of 1939 and began their lifetime together in Keene Valley, where she again found an outlet for her music, singing the lead soprano in Gilbert and Sullivan's the "Gondoliers" and "Pirates of Penzance" as well as other musical revues.

Upon her graduation from the Normal School in 1939, Mrs. Edmonds accepted her first teaching assignment in Warrensburg, N.Y., where she instructed 50 students. She took a three year hiatus upon the birth of her daughter Martha Lee in 1940, then returned to teach elementary grades 1-8 in Hudson Falls, Whallonsburgh and finally at Keene Central School, where she taught until 1956.

Mrs. Edmonds returned to college in 1945, taking night and summer courses, earning her B.S. in Education in 1949 and continuing on to receive a M.Ed. in 1964. All three of her degrees were granted by the institution that is now SUNY Plattsburgh. Throughout her life she remained a staunch supporter of the college and the College Foundation.
At Keene Central School she discovered a passion for the teaching of reading. She became interested in understanding why children who were "very, very able" could comprehend spoken words but could not read and write. She conducted her own testing and came to realize that the difficulty lay in the area of visual perception, a diagnosis which was later understood as dyslexia. In 1956 she began working as a specialist in remedial reading for grades 1-11 at the Willsboro and Elizabethtown Central School. The next year she took a full-time position as a reading specialist in Elizabethtown where she worked until 1968, filling positions of growing responsibility including Elementary Supervisor, Vice Principal and Acting Principal (K-12).

In 1968, wishing to return to her focus on Elementary Education, she began working as the Principal of Lake Placid Elementary School. There she spearheaded the elementary school building project, basing the design upon current research into the value of the open classroom. She continued at Lake Placid until her retirement from education in 1973.

Following her career in education, Mrs. Edmonds worked full-time as financial officer of Adrian Edmonds and Associates and Adrian's Acres Inc., the building and land development companies founded by her husband. She also volunteered her services to Adrian's Acres West Water Company. Mrs. Edmonds' life of service did not stop at the school building door, nor even at the boundary of her community. Inducted into the PSI chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in 1960 she went on to earn her colleagues trust as representative to many professional associations, including: Member of the Board of Directors of NYTSA from the NE Zone, 1965-69; delegate to the NEA Convention from NY State, 1966-68; President of the NE Zone of the Retired Teacher's Association, 1978-79; and member and President of the Keene Central School Board, 1984-93. She also served as President of the Essex Co. AAUW, church moderator, church trustee, and member of the Board of Trustees of the Placid Memorial Hospital, 1988-90. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Adirondack Star Chapter 677, for over 50 years. In 1997 she was honored by the Keene BPW as Woman of the Year.

She is survived by her husband Adrian Edmonds; her daughter and son-in-law, Martha Lee and Frank Owen; her granddaughter Kate Owen; and great - granddaughter Alejandra Bendezu Owen, all of Keene Valley.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a fund being established to benefit teachers and administrators at the Keene Central School. Checks should be made to the "Lora Pratt Edmonds Fund for Educators" at P.O. Box 53, Keene Valley, NY 12943.

A funeral service and celebration of her many gifts will be held Saturday, October 2nd, at 10 a.m. at the Keene Valley Congregational Church. Interment will be at Norton Cemetery in Keene. A reception will follow at the Edmonds' home at the corner of Market and Adirondack Street in Keene Valley.

Helen T. Sprague, Chateaugay, died Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004, at Meadowbrook Nursing Home, Plattsburgh, where she had been a patient since Sept. 13th.

Arrangements are incomplete through the Chateaugay Funeral Home.

Eugene Octave Fortier, 90, of Hebert Lane, Tupper Lake, died Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at the Mercy Healthcare Center in the company of his family and High Peaks Hospice.

He was born July 27, 1914, at St. Gedeon, Quebec, the son of Louis and Delvina (Simmono) Fortier.

Calling hours will be held on Monday, Sept. 27, 2004, at the Richer Funeral Home from 6 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Cemetery at 10 a.m.

Thomas Ash Jourdan, 85, of Lakeview Avenue, Tupper Lake, died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004, at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

He was born July 7, 1919, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of Michael and Delia (Waters) Jourdan.

Calling hours will be held on Sunday, Sept. 26th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Richer Funeral Home in Tupper Lake. A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, Sept. 27th, at noon. Burial at St. Alphonsus Cemetery, with full military honors, will follow.

Rolland Anthony Clement, 62, of Hosley Avenue, Tupper Lake, died at his home on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004.

He was born Oct. 9, 1941, in Tupper Lake, the son of Wilfred J. and Ruth C. (White) Clement.

A graveside service with full military honors will be held on Monday, Sept. 27, 2004, at 10 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Cemetery.

Arrangements are with the Richer Funeral Home, Tupper Lake.

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 2004, 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.