Published: 2/11/05

Zephyrhills, Fla. — Ira J. "Ike" Smith, 76, of Zephyrhills, Fla., died Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005, at Tampa General Hospital.

He was a retired pharmacist who had owned and operated Swain’s Pharmacy in Vestal, N.Y., for 15 years and had retired from Kent Drugs in Endwell, N.Y. He had attended Harpur College and graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy and was a veteran of the National Guard.

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife Doris; his children, Kirk F. and his wife Denise Smith of Cary, N.C., Todd E. and his wife Joan Smith of Newark Valley, N.Y., Sandra K. and her husband John Shaheen of Zephyrhills, Fla.; one sister, Mary Lou and her husband Barry Chaiken of Zephyrhills; grandsons, Ira T. Smith, Kenneth R. Smith, Andrew K. Shaheen and Michael E. Shaheen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, Claude F. and Lillian (Livingston) Smith; a brother Paul and sisters Kathlene and Claudia.

Mr. Smith loved books, jokes, yard work, friends, family and home. He also loved his dog and he is survived by Benji.

A funeral service was held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Oakley Funeral Home on West 54 with Rev. Craig Ford officiating. The family received friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday prior to the service. Interment followed the service in Chapel Hill Gardens in Dade City.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to First United Methodist Church, Main Street, Newark Valley, NY 13811.

CHAMPLAIN — Betty M. Leduc, 69, of Champlain passed away Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh after a short illness.

She was born March 27, 1935, in Chazy the daughter of the late Leonard and Lillian (Peryea) Wells.

She married Joe Leduc on June 19, 1954, in St. Mary’s Church in Champlain. To her family she was thought of as the most perfect wife and grandmother in the world. She loved being with her family and especially her grandchildren.

Betty was predeceased by her parents; two brothers, Joe and Dickie; and one sister, Elricka Varin.

Survivors include her husband of over 50 years, Joe Leduc of Champlain; five sons and four daughters-in-law, Nelson and Betty (Menard) Leduc of Champlain, Billy and Donna (Munoz) Leduc of Champlain, Jeff Leduc of Mooers Forks, Tommy and Wendy (Deloria) Leduc of Champlain and Danny and Sharon (Jamison) Leduc of Rouses Point; two daughters, Ann Williams and her husband Jim of Champlain and Connie Menard and her husband Gary of Mooers; 23 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Hubert and his wife Joyce of Plattsburgh and Orville and his wife Lucille of Florida; and four sisters, Yvonne Osterhoudt of North Carolina, Hazel Barie of Florida, Pat Rock and her husband Bernard of Florida and Cathy Garrand and her husband Alton of Florida.

Calling hours will be Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Clark Funeral Home in Champlain. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Church in Champlain.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

Pittsburgh, Pa. — Lynn Allison Mowry, 73, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and formerly of Plattsburgh, passed away with her family by her side on Jan. 19, 2005, at the Pittsburgh, Pa., Presbyterian Hospital.

Mrs. Mowry was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 4, 1931, the daughter of Wesley Allison, MD and Mary Allison.

She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and began a career as an English teacher in Morristown, N.J. Lynn married Harry E. Mowry on June 16, 1951. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this past June.

She put her teaching career on hold and devoted full time to their family of three sons who she loved dearly. She traveled extensively with her husband for career requirements which included moving to Milan, Italy, for three years. Lynn’s passion was reading and theater which she participated in throughout her life. She wrote and directed a musical drama in her community while raising her boys and then on her 70th birthday acted in her son Craig’s film which was shown in the Lake Placid Film Festival. She always looked for opportunities to contribute to her community and clubs. She was also involved with Plattsburgh State College Foundation Activities for many years while living in Plattsburgh and Naples, Fla.

She is survived by Harry Mowry, her husband; Judy Cooke, her sister; Ronald Cooke, her brother-in-law from Pennsylvania; Kurt Mowry, her son, Victoria Mowry, her daughter-in-law of Chazy; granddaughters Kristin and husband Matt Keefe of Plattsburgh, Nicole and Melissa Mowry of Plattsburgh; Scott Mowry, her son, Carol Mowry, her daughter-in-law; granddaughters Bernadette and Caroline of Scranton, Pa.; Craig Mowry, her son; and beloved friend of the family, Peter Hallock of Long Island, N.Y.; Allison, Kristin and Drew Cooke, nieces and nephew and families of Pittsburgh; and many more nieces and nephews from California and Illinois. She also leaves behind many, many great and dear friends.

She is predeceased by her mother, father; sister-in-law Dorothy Mussard of Ohio; and her Aunt Ruby of Florida.

A memorial service was held on Jan. 23, 2005, at St. Paul’s United Methodist in Allison Park, Pa.

Donations may be made to Plattsburgh State College Foundation in her memory.

Gladys M. Van Ess, 92, of 15 Huntington St., Malone, N.Y., died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005, at the Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone. She had been a patient there since Monday.

She was born in Duane, N.Y., on July 9, 1912, the daughter of the late Orin and Anna (Tennyson) Trim.

Calling hours will be Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bruso-Desnoyers Funeral Home in Malone. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Notre Dame Church in Malone, with Monsignor Dennis Duprey officiating. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery in Malone in the spring.

Ruth H. Rock, 80, of Fuller Road, Peru, died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

She was born in Plattsburgh on Dec. 12, 1924, the daughter of Thomas and Esther (Coon) Martineau.

Calling hours and funeral service will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Arrangement are by the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru.

Shirley Nelson Pratt, 80, died Feb. 9, 2005, at Uihlein Mercy Center in Lake Placid, N.Y.

She was born on May 27, 1924, in East Orange, N.J., the daughter of Ira and Inez (Wallace) Nelson.

Services will be at the convenience of the family.

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

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