Published: 5/24/05

Crown Point, NY — Lavica M. DeLorme, 97, of Pearl Street, Crown Point died Sunday, May 22, 2005, at the Moses Ludington Nursing Home, Ticonderoga, N.Y.

She was born Dec. 22, 1907, in Marblehead, Mass., the daughter of John Bright and Mary Strong (Bright) Bennett.

She is survived by her daughter, Shirley Ann Patnode and her husband Robert Sr. of Crown Point; grandson, Joseph Patnode and wife Shirley of Gloversville, N.Y.; grandson, Robert Patnode Jr. and wife Peggy of Crown Point; granddaughter, Marlene Nadeau of Malone; great-grandchildren, Toni, Traci and Torri Patnode, Danyelle Hargraves, Michelle Bourdeau, Maria Conners, Renee Mead and Nichole Wells; great-great-grand-children, Jeffrey Hargraves, Joseph, Cody and Alexis Patnode, Ashley and Rebecca Wells and Maddison Mead.

She was predeceased by her husband, George; her father, John Bright; her mother, Mary Strong (Bright) Bennett; her brother, John; her twin sister, Harriet Hodgdon; and her sister, Florence LaFrance.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday, May 25, 2005, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., at the Harland Funeral Home in Port Henry. A funeral service will be conducted Thursday 10 a.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Lavica’s memory to the Patriot Wing of Inter-Lakes Health Center, Ticonderoga or to the Crown Point Emergency Squad.

SCHENECTADY/AUSABLE FORKS — Richard Joseph Betters Sr., 58, who died Sunday, May 22, 2005, at the family camp in Fern Lake, AuSable Forks, N.Y., while vacationing from Schenectady.

He was born in AuSable Forks, Feb. 22, 1947, the son of Clarence and Dorothy Wilkins Betters. He worked for many years at the Saginaw Lumber Company in Albany, N.Y.

He was a avid fisherman and hunter. He enjoyed doing carpenter work of all kinds. He was a great husband, father and grandfather.

Survivors include his wife, Sheila Bola Betters whom he married Sept. 20, 1969, at the Holy Name Catholic Church in AuSable Forks, N.Y.; one son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Virginia Betters of Schenectady; and two daughters and one son-in-law, Laurie Betters of Schenectady and Heather and Jeffery Bielawski of Glenville, N.Y.; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Danny Betters of Morrisonville and Wayne and Ruth Betters of California; two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Judy and Art Nolan of AuSable Forks and Jane and Ed Millie of AuSable Forks. He has seven grandchildren; several aunts and uncles; and several nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his parents, Clarence and Dorothy Wilkins Betters; and one brother, Robert Betters.

Calling hours will be Wednesday, May 25, 2005, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home in AuSable Forks. The funeral services will be Thursday, May 26, 2005, at 10 a.m. at the Holy Name Catholic Church in AuSable Forks burial will follow in parish cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Holy Name Church and Holy Name School in AuSable Forks.

Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CHAZY, NY — Ruth V. Rynkowski, 86, of 1262 Lake Shore Road, Chazy, formerly of Alden, N.Y., passed away Friday, May 20, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

She was born in Gardenville, N.Y., on Aug. 20, 1918, the daughter of Anthony and Celia (Monin) Keicher.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 63 years, Edward A. Rynkowski; a son and daughter-in-law, David and Kathy Rynkowski of Chazy, N.Y.; three daughters, Susan (and Richard) Bierl, Elaine (and Bruce) Mosher and Ann McNeil; eight grandchildren, Kristen and Lindsay Rynkowski, Amanda and Andrew Bierl, Derek Mosher, Bryan (and Susan) Mosher, Mark (and Jeannie) McNeil and Jason (and Pam) McNeil; and six great-grandchildren.

Ruth and Edward moved to the area after retirement and Ruth had resided on Lake Champlain with her son and family in Chazy for the last three years.

Calling hours will be held at the Charles Meyer Funeral Home in Alden, N.Y., on Tuesday. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday at the Annunciation Church in Elma, N.Y.

Memorial donations may be made to the Chazy Volunteer Fire Department in Chazy, N.Y.

Plattsburgh — Rita Elizabeth Barrett, 79, of Plattsburgh, the loving wife of the late William Matthew Barrett, passed away Friday, May 20, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center.

She was born Sept. 29, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of the late Edward and Elizabeth Flood.

She attended Bushwick High School in Brooklyn, leaving after her third year to work for the telephone company. In April 1944, she married William who was serving in the Pacific with the U.S. Army Air Corps. They were happily married until Major Barrett’s death in 1967.

Rita re-entered the workplace as a teacher’s aid at North Side School at the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base. She earned her GED, and then entered college as a non-traditional student in 1970. She graduated from Clinton Community College, continuing on to Plattsburgh State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1974. Rita worked for several years in Plattsburgh with Senior Services, coordinating community outreach programs for senior citizens. A long time resident of Cliff Haven, she will be missed by many caring friends.

Rita is survived by her loving daughter, Jennifer; son, Terry; her sister, Rosemary McNamara; her brother-in-law, Thomas Birch; her sisters-in-law, Mary Barrett and Matilda Barrett; her niece, Kathy Welch (Michael) of Plattsburgh; and 15 other beautiful nieces and nephews.

Rita was predeceased by her parents; her husband; her sister, Margaret Birch; her brothers-in-law, Edward Barrett and James McNamara; and her nephews, Dennis Birch and Edward Barrett Jr.

Rita will be interred with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery on June 14, 2005 at 2 p.m. Family and friends should arrive at the Administration Building with automobile transportation not later than 1:30 p.m.

Local visiting hours will be held on May 27, 2005, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brown’s Funeral Home, 29 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, N.Y. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. John’s Church on May 28, 2005, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sisters of St. Ursula, 50 Linwood Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12573; St. John’s Church; or the CVPH Medical Center.

WATERFORD — Thomas L. LaBombard, 81, formerly of Broad Street, Waterford, N.Y., died Sunday, May 22, 2005, at VanRensselaer Manor.

Born in Plattsburgh, he was the son of the late Thomas Leo and Mary Leonard LaBombard.

He was a 1939 graduate of St. John’s High School in Plattsburgh and a 1950 graduate of Siena College.

Tom was an independent insurance agent for 40 years having owned and operated Thomas LaBombard Insurance Service in Waterford. He had also been a pharmaceutical representative for Eaton Laboratories in Norwich, Conn.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during World War II with the 42nd Rainbow Division.

He was a former member of the Waterford Council 237 of the Knights of Columbus and was a former member and past president of the Waterford Swimming Pool Association. He was a communicant of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Waterford.

He is husband of Margaret Dowd LaBombard. Father of Thomas J. LaBombard of Keeseville, Mary Huls of Clifton Park, Ann LaBombard of Waterford and James Dowd LaBombard of Halfmoon. He is brother of Patricia Watson of Brick, N.J., Joan Rimawi of Delmar, Michael LaBombard of Cohoes, John LaBombard of Albany and the late Marie Kopcza. 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, also survive.

Funeral from the Philip J. Brendese Funeral Home, 133 Broad Street (Rt. 32), Waterford Friday morning at 10 a.m. and at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Waterford. Interment will be in Saratoga National Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans in care of the funeral home office.

Michael G. Dias, 58, of Wagner Road, North Bangor, N.Y., died Friday, May 20, 2005, at his home while under the care of his family.

He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., July 13, 1946, the son of Milton and Sonya Rabinowitz Dias.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Bruso-Desnoyers Funeral Home Chapel with Reuven Levy, officiating. Burial will be in the Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, N.Y.

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 2005, 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.