10/29/2005

Mary Louise Welch

PLATTSBURGH -- Mary Louise Welch passed away peacefully on Oct. 27, 2005, surrounded by family, following a long illness. Louise (Manso) Welch was born on Aug. 10, 1923, in Mechanicville, N.Y. She was one of five children born of Spanish immigrants.

Louise was the loving wife of Thomas M. Welch for more than 59 years and the beloved mother of eight children. She is survived by five sons, Michael (Kathy) of Plattsburgh, Thomas (Tina) of Plattsburgh, Patrick (Ellen) of Rouses Point, James (Diane) of Plattsburgh and David (Tina Soloski) of Port Henry. She also is survived by three loving daughters, Mary McGee (Charles) of Plattsburgh, Ellen (Richard Johnson) of Plattsburgh and Anne (Walter McNally) also of Plattsburgh.

She was predeceased by her twin sister, Alicia Manso; and her brother, Arturo Manso. Louise was recently predeceased by her loving granddaughter, Jennifer Louise Welch. Jenn spent many hours visiting her grandmother during her illness.

She is survived by 10 grandchildren, Jeffery Welch (Patty) of Fairport, N.Y., Chad Welch (Jennifer) of Plattsburgh, Christopher Welch of Rouses Point, Chuck McGee (Marny) of Potsdam, N.Y., Sean McGee (Kristin) of Germantown, Md., Kate, Sara and Emmy Welch of Plattsburgh, James Welch of Plattsburgh and Benjamin Welch of Port Henry.

Also survived by three great-grandchildren, Alexandra and Madeline McGee of Potsdam and Theodora Welch of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

She is further survived by two brothers, Benjamin (Betty) Manso of Mechanicville, N.Y., and Charles Manso and companion Tom of Boca Raton, Fla.; and one sister-in-law, Frances Butler of Plattsburgh; and several nieces and nephews.

She graduated from Mechanicville High School and continued her education at Mildred Ellie Business College. She worked briefly before starting her family.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed cooking, sewing and loved playing games with her family. She was an avid Bingo player. When she became too ill to go out for Bingo, her family brought Bingo to her.

She was a member of St. John's Parish and the Catholic Daughters. She was very active for several years at the Plattsburgh Senior Citizens Club at Robert S. Long Apartments and served as secretary.

Calling hours will be private for the family.

A Mass of Christian burial for all will be celebrated Saturday, Oct. 29, 2005, at 10 a.m. from St. John's Church in Plattsburgh. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery in Plattsburgh.

In lieu of flowers, all memorial donations should be made to the Jennifer L. Welch Memorial Scholarship Fund at Adirondack Community Trust (ACT), 2038 Saranac Ave., Lake Placid, NY 12946.

Arrangements are with Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

Eric Jeffrey Lawrenz

SARANAC -- Eric Jeffrey Lawrenz, 20, of Picketts Corners Road, died Oct. 28, 2005, at Fletcher Allen Medical Center in Burlington, Vt.

He was born Sept. 3, 1985, in Rochester, N.Y., the son of Jeff and Phyllis (Gratto) Lawrenz of Saranac.

Eric graduated from Saranac Central High School in June 2003 and was a full-time student at Clinton Community College. He was also employed at Mountain Valley Tele marketers.

Eric had an avid interest in history and was active in Civil War reenactments. He was also an outstanding athlete, playing baseball, hockey and soccer. Eric enjoyed snowboarding and writing music.

Survivors in addition to his parents, include his brother, Jesse Lawrenz of Saranac; and his sister and brother-in-law, Maria and Ben Gaff of Honolulu, Hawaii. Surviving grandparents are James and Agnes Gratto of Cadyville, N.Y., and Helen Lawrenz of Englewood, Fla.

He was predeceased by his grandfather, Edward Lawrenz.

Calling hours will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, 2005, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

A funeral service will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Turnpike Wesleyan Church.

Donations may be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 16 South Winoski Ave., Burlington, VT 05401 or the Center for Donation & Transplant, 111 Colchester Ave., Smith 243, Burlington, VT 05401.

Richard H. Cross

LEWIS -- Richard H. Cross, 88, of Lewis, N.Y., and Webster, Fla., died Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005, in Florida.

He was born June 26, 1917, the son of Harold and Ida (Moss) Cross.

He is survived by one brother and sister-in-law, Stanley and Thelma Cross of Lewis and a foster brother, Thurman French, who has been there constantly; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; and four sisters, Amy Reynolds and Gladys Nolette of Whallonsburg, N.Y., Helen Carey of Keene, N.Y., and Raeburn Valentine of Lewis, N.Y.

He enjoyed painting pictures and having lots of plants and flowers. He also loved to play music at fairs, nursing homes or just a small get-together at any friend's home. He drove a school bus for the Elizabethtown-Lewis School System for years.

Calling hours will be held Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at W.M. Marvin's Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Lewis Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Lewis Fire Department or the Elizabethtown-Lewis Rescue Squad.

Deaths

GAIL E. DEAN, 58, of Truman Avenue, Plattsburgh, died Oct. 28, 2005, at CVPH Medical Center.

She was born in Plattsburgh on July 13, 1947, the daughter of Carl and Ethel (Smith) Kirk.

Arrangements are incomplete at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

NONA N. MORGAN, 89, formerly of Chula Vista, Calif., died Oct. 28, 2005, at Alice Hyde Nursing Home in Malone, where she had been a patient since April 5, 2004.

She was born in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 23, 1915, the daughter of Edwin and Margaret (Stahl) Dvorak.

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements are through the Chateaugay Funeral Home.

DORIS KING FERNS, 95, formerly of Mooers, N.Y., and Wellsm, Maine, died Oct. 27, 2005, at the Monarch Center in Saco, Maine.

She was born in Plattsburgh on Aug. 21, 1910, the daughter of Charles H. and Eunice Martha (Hayes) King.

Arrangements are incomplete at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.