Published: 10/20/04

Fort Covington — Alvin F. Black, 85, of Fort Covington, N.Y., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004, at his home where he was in the care of his family and Hospice of the North Country, Malone.

Born July 29, 1919, in Fort Covington, N.Y., he was the son of the late Edward and Mary O'Brien Black.

He was a graduate of Bombay High School.

In 1944, he enlisted and served with the U.S. Army during World War II, during his tour of duty he received two Purple Hearts. He was honorably discharged in 1946. In 1940, he was employed by ALCOA Operations in Massena until 1959. During this time he also owned and operated a dairy farm until his retirement in 1981.

He was a member of St. Mary's Church in Fort Covington, a member of the American Legion Post 1418 in Fort Covington, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7326 in North Lawrence. A lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council 2176 of Brasher Falls, N.Y., and a member of the 80th Division Veterans New York Post 43.

He enjoyed gardening and hunting.

On Oct. 19, 1946, he was united in marriage to Mary Foley at St. Lawrence Church in North Lawrence, N.Y. She predeceased him on July 12, 2004.

Survivors include five sons and daughters-in-law, James and Barbara Black of Brushton, Robert and Patricia Black of Malone, John and Eileen Black of Saranac Lake, N.Y., Michael and Cheryl Black of Fort Covington, N.Y., and Alvin and Brenda Black of Fort Covington, N.Y.; three daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Alice and Frank Smith of Malone, Claire and William Westermann of Morrisville, Vt., and Gail and Roger Trumble of Brushton; 21 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren; one sister, Margaret Hallahan of North Lawrence, N.Y.; two sisters-in-law, Margaret Black of Fort Covington, N.Y., and Connie Black of McGraw, N.Y.; three brothers-in-law, Paul Foley of St. Regis Falls, N.Y., Philip and Nellie Foley of Bombay, N.Y., and Patrick Foley of Nanuet, N.Y.

Friends may call at the Flint Funeral Home, Moira on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Fort Covington with the Rev. Thomas Rocker officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Fort Covington.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the North Country, Malone. Arrangements are with the Flint Funeral Home, Moira.

Lewis — Virginia Snay, 90, of Mitchell Road died Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004, at the Horace Nye Home in Elizabethtown.

She was born May 5, 1914, in Port Henry the daughter of James and Grace Bronson.

She is survived by one son and a daughter-in-law Charles and Sylvina Snay of Southington, Conn.; three grandchildren, Derrick of Bristol, Conn., and Christopher and Valerie of Southington, Conn.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at W.M. Marvin's Sons Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. A funeral service will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. A committal service will be held in Lewis Cemetery following the funeral.

1922-2004

Springdale, Ark. — Frances Stewart Witherwax, 82, formerly of Peru, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004, in Springdale, Ark.

She was born July 30, 1922, in Lyon Mountain, the daughter of Charles Edward Stewart and Mildred Mabel Shumway.

She worked for General Electric in Scotia, N.Y., in the 1940’s and operated a farm in Harkness for many years. She moved with her husband and young family to Peru where they lived until the mid-1980’s and worked for several years as an aide at Sacred Heart Nursing Home. She was a member of the Harkness Methodist Church and Matron in Keeseville Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in the 1960’s.

She had many interests including reading, cooking, sewing, knitting, gardening and genealogy, which she passed on to her daughters and granddaughters.

Frances was preceded in death by two sons, Earl Leslie and Marc David; and her husband of 60 years, Earl E. Witherwax.

She is survived by three daughters and two son-in-laws, Shirley and Michael DellaVecchia of Bayside, N.Y., Sheila Thorpe of Naples, Fla., and Shari and Ron Wolf of Springdale, Ark.; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Dan and Deborah Witherwax of Peru and Dale Witherwax of Naples, Fla.; 12 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren; one brother, Calvin Stewart of Plattsburgh; one sister-in-law, Mary Stewart-Stiles of Plattsburgh; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Frances and a burial service for both Earl and Frances will be announced in the spring of 2005.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Elks National Foundation, the Shriner’s Hospital or the American Heart Association.

Essex, N.Y./ Bethesda, Md. — Gordon W. McBride, a summer resident of Essex, N.Y., since 1951, died of a stroke on Friday, Oct. 8, 2004, at his home, Hillwood Group Residence, in Bethesda, Md. He was 93.

Mr. McBride was born in Washington, DC, Nov. 24, 1910, son of Russell S. McBride and Gertrude W. McBride.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Yale University in 1931 and his graduate Chemical Engineering Degree from Yale in 1934.

After four years as a chemical engineer with Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati, Mr. McBride returned to Washington where he practiced as a consulting chemical engineer from 1939 to 1956 with his father. From 1957 to 1965 Mr. McBride acted as technical coordinator in the Washington office of Union Carbide Corporation. From 1965 until he retired in 1975, he served as executive director of Industrial Research Institute, Inc., in New York City.

Mr. McBride was a member of the Crater Club and the Split Rock Yacht Club in Essex. He also was a 50-year summer parishioner at St. John's Episcopal Church in Essex.

Mr. McBride was also a singer. He was a member of a group called the Stone Age Quartet in New Haven, Conn., during his college years and acted as a "super" in various operas and ballets while living in Cincinnati. In Washington, he sang in church choirs and with the Cathedral Choral Society of the National Cathedral.

Mr. McBride's wife of 63 years, Martha Evans McBride, died in 2001.

Survivors include a daughter, Bonnie McBride Hamlin and spouse Earl Hamlin in Oakland, Calif.; a son, Jonathan E McBride and spouse Emilie McBride in Chevy Chase, Md.; and three grandchildren.

Contributions may be made in Gordon's name to St. John's Episcopal Church, PO Box 262, Essex NY 12936.

Amelia Colburn, 81, of Earlville Road, Chateaugay died Oct. 19, 2004, at Alice Hyde Medical Center, Malone.

Arrangements are with the Chateaugay Funeral Home and will be announced at a later time.

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