Published: 10/30/04

PLATTSBURGH — Benjamin Thomas Davies, 79, of Lake Forest Drive and formerly of Chazy, died Friday, Oct. 15, 2004, at the Evergreen Valley Nursing Home.

Benjamin and Mary Gertrude (Thomas) Davies emigrated from Wales to Worcester, Mass., in the early 1900s, where their dear son Ben was born on March 25, 1925.

Ben's musical talent was noticed at an early age. When he graduated from South High School in June 1943, he received a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. However, Uncle Sam had other plans for him and he was drafted into the army soon after graduation. He was sent to Europe and fought with the 11th Armored Division under General Patton's Third Army. He received three battle stars: Battle of the Bulge (Ardens), Rhine Valley (Siegfried Line) and in central Europe where he received the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in January 1946.

In September 1946, Ben joined the freshman class at Boston University College of Music. His major was music education, with minors in trombone and piano. He graduated in June 1949, receiving a bachelor’s degree in music education. He received his master of music education degree also from Boston University College of Fine and Applied Arts. In 1971, while on a sabbatical granted by Beekmantown Central School, he was accepted as a Doctoral Candidate at Boston University.

Ben's first job was music supervisor in the Monson, Brimfield, Wales, Mass., school district, where he taught vocal music to all grades and instrumental music in the Monson High School. In June 1951, he married his sweetheart, Mildred Larson and in July 1952, his son Steven Thomas was born.

During the summer of 1952, Ben and his family moved to North Adams, Mass., where Ben was the instrumental music teacher and band director at Drury High School. In April 1954, his son Eric James was born and his daughter Melissa in February 1956.

He learned of the job opening at the Beekmantown Central School District for an instrumental music teacher and band director. He decided that this was the place for his children to grow up and where is family would be happy to live. Ben taught at Beekmantown Central School from 1956 until retiring in 1984.

During his tenure at Beekmantown Central, his band participated each year in all the Clinton County Music Educators Concerts and May Festivals. His band earned a 6A score, the highest score, and very difficult to achieve.

Ben became the Outing and Ski Club faculty advisor. He became a 46er in January 1986, having climbed all the mountains which are over 4,000 feet high. Ben also loved our Lake Champlain. He bought his first power boat the summer after he moved to Plattsburgh and loved to explore the bays, coves and islands with his family. He became an excellent water skier and taught many young people how to water ski.

Ben has also been active in community music programs. As soon as he moved to Plattsburgh, he joined the College Community Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Angelo LaMariana, as a trombonist.

Ben has also taken part in many area church music programs. He was a member of the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists and performed in a recital in Lake Placid. He has served as organist at the First Methodist Church, the First Presbyterian Church and the Rouses Point Presbyterian Church. He directed several large orchestral performances of both the Christmas and Easter portions of Handel's "Messiah" which included large ecumenical choruses. He has served as choir director at the First Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church. While he was choir director at the First Presbyterian Church, he composed a number of beautiful choral responses for the choir. He has also served both as a deacon and elder at the First Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for 40 years. Ben was also an excellent tenor soloist and has sung the tenor roles in many oratorios, including Benjamin Britten's "Saint Nicolas", which was performed in Redpath Hall, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

During the summers, he taught music at Plattsburgh State's Upward Bound program for 25 years. Also at Plattsburgh State, he was an accompanist for Dinner Theatre productions. After he retired from the faculty of Beekmantown Central School, he became the rehearsal accompanist and a member of the orchestra for Chazy Central School's Music Theater productions. He was involved from the first show "Annie" in 1989 to "Children of Eden" in 2000.

One of Ben's proudest accomplishments was the building of his house on Lake Champlain in Chazy, where he lived happily for 19 years.

Survivors include his wife Mildred of Plattsburgh; two sons, Steven Davies and his wife Diane and their son Michael of Latham and Eric Davies and his wife Hulya and their daughter Denise of Greenbrook, N.J.

He was predeceased by one daughter, Melissa Davies.

Many years ago, Ben sang a song which seems to summarize his optimistic and energetic approach to life. The words are "I Love Life, and I want to live, to drink of life's fullness, take all it can give. I love life, every moment must count."

Calling hours will be held on Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Plattsburgh, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.

Private burial services will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Chazy.

Memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, for their Youth Ministry.

Port Henry — Grace Lois (Baker) Killeen, 83, of Port Henry, N.Y., died Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, surrounded by her loving family, following a long illness.

She was born in Port Henry on Jan. 29, 1921, the daughter of George A. Baker and Lois (Durgan) Baker.

She married Peter J. Killeen on Aug. 29, 1948.

Grace was the valedictorian of her graduating class from Port Henry High School in 1938. She was employed at Bryant's Lumber for many years. She was a long time correspondent for the Plattsburgh Press-Republican and Denton Publications. She spoke fondly of her time as a telephone operator at Republic Steel and New York Telephone. She was also a long time member of the Moriah Ambulance Squad Auxiliary.

Grace will be remembered as a prolific writer, photographer and family historian. She enjoyed many hours of collecting and organizing letters, books, paintings and photographs that spanned many generations. She especially enjoyed the company of family and friends, as well as taking invigorating walks throughout the Lake Champlain countryside. She was inquisitive and had a wonderful sense of humor, which she maintained throughout her lifetime.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Rose Lavender; a daughter, Lois Bridget Killeen of Severance, N.Y.; four sons, Matthew and Ann Killeen of Newmarket, N.H., Thomas and Debbie Killeen of Mobile, Ala., Kevin Killeen and Christie Jennings of Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Patrick and Mia Killeen of Terre Haute, Ind.; a special niece, Linda Hickok of Moriah, N.Y., who provided extra loving care and support; 12 grandchildren; five great - grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, George and Lois Baker; her husband of 40 years, Peter Killeen (1988); her sister, Emma "Mollie" Phinney; a brother, George A. Baker Jr.; and her companion, Locksley "Ray" Miller (1998).

Calling hours will be held on Sunday, Oct. 17th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Harland Funeral Home, Main Street in Port Henry.

A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday at Saint Patrick's Church in Port Henry. Burial will follow at Moriah Union Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Keene Valley Neighborhood House, P.O. Box 46, Keene Valley, NY 12943 or the Moriah Ambulance Squad, Moriah, NY 12960.

Plattsburgh — Captain Matthew John Burke, 52, of La Paz, Mexico, formerly of San Pablo, Calif., died Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004, at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, N.Y., following a short and courageous battle with cancer.

Born March 28, 1952, in Oakland, Calif., he was the much beloved son of the late Barbara Irrmann Blackwell and the late Marvin Burke.

Matt graduated from J.F.K. High School in Richmond, Calif., and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara. He was the owner of M. Burke and Associates in Oakland, Calif., for many years before closing his business to pursue his life's dream of cruising the seas on his much loved boat "Gusto".

Matt is survived by his much beloved son, Aaron Matthew Burke of California; his loving sister, Candace Campbell of California; his niece, Barbara Klinger of California; and his cousin, Barbara Quein of California. Matt is also survived by his loving, devoted companion and co-captain, Cindy Doorey Zeglis of La Paz, Mexico, and Peru, N.Y., and her son and daughter-in-law, Kris and Michelle Doorey and Matt's grandson, Brady, of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

He leaves behind his very close childhood friend, Scott Vallerga (Meagan) of Marco Island, Fla., and Don and Kris Simpson of Ignacio, Calif. Also many, many loving friends and fellow cruisers.

At Matt's request, there will be no calling hours or funeral services. His final wishes were for family and friends to hold parties in his honor to celebrate life. Parties will take place at later dates in Peru, N.Y., San Rafael, Calif., and La Paz, Mexico.

Arrangements with Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

Clintonville — Vesta Bashaw, 78, of Route 9N, Clintonville, passed into the arms of the Lord, surrounded by her family and caregivers, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004, at her home.

Vesta was born July 19, 1926, in Ellenburg Center, the daughter of Harold D. and Anna Hazel (Gilmore) Coolidge.

She enjoyed working in her flower garden and giving articles of clothing to different organizations for people in need. Vesta loved her home and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her special pet was her golden retriever, "Tilly".

Survived by her husband, Oril Bashaw, whom she married Oct. 14, 1947, at the Methodist Parsonage in Jay; two sons, Toby Bashaw and his companion Elizabeth Hendrix of Massachusetts and Brian Bashaw and his wife Patty Demeo of Plattsburgh; a daughter, Cathy and Ron Kodra of Tennessee; six grandchildren, Nathan, Jonas, Molly, Korey, Evan and Austin; four great-grandchildren, Marissa, Robert, Cameron and Logan; two brothers, William Coolidge of Florida and Robert Coolidge of California; three sisters, Margaret Gilroy of California, Virginia Palmatier of New York and Helen Coolidge of Vermont; her aunt, Helen Bashaw of Malone, who will be 101 in December; and also several nieces and nephews.

Vesta was predeceased by her parents; and a sister, Carol Coolidge.

There will be no calling hours or funeral service and burial will be at a later date at the convenience of the family.

Memorials to her may be made to the FitzPatrick Cancer Center, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home, AuSable Forks, is in charge of arrangements.

Patrick Joseph Houlihan, 89, died Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at the Horace Nye Home in Elizabethtown, in the arms of family and friends.

"Joe" was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1915, the loving son of William and Bridget (O’Connor) Houlihan in Brooklyn, N.Y.

A Mass and memorial service will be held for Joe on Thursday, Oct. 21st, at 10 a.m. at the Horace Nye Home, with a reception to follow.

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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