Published: 2/3/05

PUTNAM STATION — Rene Hamel, 80, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., and formerly of Putnam Station, passed away Monday, Jan. 31, 2005.

He was born in Quebec, Canada on Oct. 1, 1924.

Mr. Hamel was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served from 1948 until 1952 during the Korean War.

He was a Putnam resident since 1946. He was self-employed in road construction and logging.

Survivors include three sons, Rene Hamel and his wife Patricia of Putnam Station, Joel Hamel of Portsmith, Maine, and Paul Hamel and his wife Betty of Ticonderoga; two daughters, Annette Dedrick and her husband Robert of Ticonderoga and Pam Cuomo and her husband Jeffrey of Whitehall. He is also survived by many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated on June 11 at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Ticonderoga at 4:30 p.m.

Keene, N.H. — Katherine Watt Saunders, 77, passed away Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, at the Harborside Westwood Nursing Home in Keene, N.H., after a three month battle with cancer.

She was born July 3, 1927, in Berlin, N.H., the daughter of the late Alfred and Alma (Graves) Watt.

Katherine was a 1945 graduate of Berlin High School and the University of New Hampshire in 1949 with a degree in English. She earned her master's degree through the State University of New York system.

She married Dr. George C. Saunders an Dec. 19, 1948, in Holyoke, Mass.

Katherine was an English teacher in Woodstock, Conn., and the New York towns of Bethpage, Gloversville, Newark and Saranac. Upon retirement in 1982, she and her husband moved to Harrisville, N.H., Her genealogical drive prompted trips to over 30 countries to visit the homelands of her forebears.

Besides her husband of 56 years, Katherine is survived by her children, Stephen (Mary) Saunders of Chattanooga, Tenn., Thomas Saunders of Edgewater, N.J., and Carol (Dennis) McCahon of Chelmsford, Mass. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Jeremy, Erica and Elizabeth Saunders and Alison McCahon; and a great-grandson, Jeremy Saunders, Jr.

A memorial service will be held at the Community Church of Harrisville, N.H., at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Contributions in Katherine's memory may be made to Marl-Harris Ambulance Fund, PO Box 399, Marlborough, NH 03455 or the American Cancer Society.

Plattsburgh — Mrs. Viola H. Lucia, 91, of Cogan Avenue, Plattsburgh, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center.

She was born in Champlain, N.Y., on Oct. 25, 1913, the daughter of Joseph A. and Melinda (Reil) Allard.

Vi enjoyed knitting, crocheting and was devoted to watching Daily Mass. She was a member of St. Peter's Church.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Oscar Louis Lucia on June 18, 1964; four sisters, Irene Bridge, Ruth O'Hara, Flora Trombley and Gladys Langlois.

She is survived by her daughters, Marlene P. Murphy and her husband Jack of Plattsburgh and Shirley L. Summerson of Roseville, Calif.; six grandchildren, Jacqueline Allan and her husband William of Peru, Kim Hoyt and her husband Roger of Dannemora, Craig Trombley and his wife Trish of Davis, Calif., Cary Trombley of Roseville, Calif., Christa Trombley of Atlanta, Ga. and Cathy Fader and her husband William of Folsom, Calif.; 13 great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Nathan, Zachary, David, Kristina, Juliana, Kyle, Lanae, Crystal, Stephanie, Justin, Dalton and Dillon; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Norman Allard of Plattsburgh; several nieces and nephews. A special thank you to her care givers, Cheryl Shipman and Beverly Everhart.

Calling hours will be Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh. A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at a later date in St. Peter's Cemetery.

Friends wishing may make donations to St. Jude or have Masses said in her memory.

West Chazy — Cassandra S. "Cassie" Bronson, 54, of Maple Ridge Drive, West Chazy, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

She was born in Plattsburgh, Feb. 23, 1950, the daughter of John C. and Connie (McCormick) Hamilton.

Cassandra "Cassie" Bronson, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, teacher.

Cassie began her elementary-teaching career in 1973 at the Ellenburg building of Northern Adirondack Central School. In subsequent years she also taught in the Altona and Lyon Mountain buildings. Cassie taught many grade levels and was teaching second grade at the time of her death. Over her 32 years as an educator, Cassie was well-known for many creative and innovative teaching methods especially incorporating her love of art and travel through her classroom 'habitats.' Her students were treated to country Christmases, Chinese New Year's celebrations and field trips to the Montreal Biodome and Lake Placid Olympic venues as they leaned about customs and cultures throughout the world. Cassie's favorite book character, paper doll "Flat Stanley", traveled to all corners of the world with her students' families and then returned in pictures taken with famous people such as Pope John, Nelson Mandela and soldiers of Iraq. As an educator, she truly modeled the spirit of citizenship for her students as they collected Toys for Tots and pop-tops for the Ronald MacDonald House, pencils for children in Iraq and Make-a-Wish angels. She was very active with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a volunteer wish granter, field office chairperson and served on the Board of Directors. She served on many school and teacher association committees, often advocating for her colleagues and students in difficult situations. She was a member of New York State United Teachers, the Plattsburgh chapter of Phi Delta Kappa and was a cooperating teacher inspiring countless teaching candidates from Plattsburgh State. She helped coordinate regional staff development days for educators and was a presenter at many teacher workshops in New York and Arizona. Her smile, enthusiasm and expertise will be missed in the hallways of Northern Adirondack Elementary School and in her profession.

Survivors include her husband, John A. Bronson of West Chazy; her mother, Connie Hamilton of Keeseville and North Palm Beach, Fla.; two children, Kacey Wood of Colorado and Aryn Wood of Boston; one stepson and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Laurie Bronson of New Jersey and their daughter, Hannah Bronson; one stepdaughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and David Hano of Maryland; two brothers and sisters-in-law, John Luke and Kimberly Hamilton of Peru and Jay and Raune Anne Hamilton of Keeseville; four sisters and brothers-in-law, Noli Bingel and Henry See of Plattsburgh, Ruby and Dan Salley of Keeseville, Lisa and Dave Hoff of Ellenburg Center and Darcy and Kyle Castine of Champlain; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her father, Jan. 13, 2000; a daughter, Sara Wood; and two brothers, Chris Hamilton, Jan. 12, 1998, and Daniel Hamilton in 1947.

Calling hours will be held Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Keeseville United Methodist Church with Rev. Sally White, pastor, officiating.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

MARGUERite L. McDONALD, 73, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at the Horace Nye Nursing Home, Elizabethtown.

Marguerite was born Nov. 15, 1931, in Jay, the daughter of Daniel W. McDonald Sr. and Ada (Fairbanks) McDonald.

Calling hours will be Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the Holy Name Catholic Church AuSable Forks Rev. Philip Allen officiating.

FRANCES FLEURY, 76, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

Fran was born Oct. 17, 1928, in AuSable Forks, the daughter of William and Winnie (Snow) Whyman.

There will be no calling hours. A memorial service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Morrisonville Church with Rev. Ken Parker and Rev. Wilfred Meseck officiating. Reception immediately following at the Morrisonville Church. Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Etta Decelle, 71, of the Meadowbrook Health Care Facility and formerly of Chazy, died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, at the Meadowbrook Health Care Facility in Plattsburgh.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

ARLENE M. NOLETTE, 79, of the Franklin County Nursing Home died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, at that facility.

Born Nov. 4, 1925, in Claremeont, N.H., she was the daughter of William and Aurore Landry Coryea.

There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday at 10 a.m. in Notre Dame Church. Spring burial will take place in Notre Dame Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are through St. Mary-Murphy Funeral Home, Inc.

Walter Yamrick, 78, of Racquette River Drive, Tupper Lake, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005 at his home.

Born on May 25, 1926, in Carmicheals, Pa., he was the son of Jacob and Mary Ann (Verobish) Yamrick.

Friends may call at the Fortune-Keough-RennelI Funeral Home in Tupper Lake from 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday. A funeral service will follow at noon Saturday at the United Community Church in Tupper Lake, with the Rev. Jan Blankenship officiating. Interment will be Monday at the Saratoga National Cemetery, Saratoga, N.Y., with full military honors.

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