Obituaries: 11/15/05

Leon J. Dutil

CHAMPLAIN -- Leon J. Dutil, 54, of Champlain passed away Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005, at the Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, Vt.

He was born Dec. 28, 1950, the son of the late Zozime and Rose (DeLima) Dutil.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1972.

Leon married Kathleen Aubin in July of 1980. He was a member of the American Legion Post 767 in Champlain. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed spending time with his family and reading.

His parents and two sisters, Celine Dutil and Rita LaVergne, predeceased Leon.

Survivors include his wife, Kathleen; two sons, Nathan Dutil of Champlain and Adam Dutil of Champlain; one daughter, Rachel Dutil of Champlain; three brothers, Adrien Dutil and his wife Sharon of Sciota, Dennis Dutil of Champlain and Marc Dutil of Champlain and his companion Laurie Scharf; one brother-in-law, Bill LaVerne of Champlain; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Clark Funeral Home in Champlain. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, at St. Mary's Church in Champlain.

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

Carolyn Collins Henry

PORT HENRY, NY -- Carolyn Collins Henry passed away on Nov. 14, 2005, after a short illness.

She was born on July 9, 1917, in Troy, N.Y., the daughter of the late Francis M. and Elizabeth Collins.

She was a graduate of Catholic High School in Troy, N.Y.

She has lived in Port Henry, N.Y., since her marriage to Stuart R. Henry in 1940.

She is survived by a son, William D. Henry of Ludlow, Mass.; and a daughter, Mary Ellen of Georgia, Vt.; two brothers, Francis M. Collins Jr. of Cheverly, Md., and Thomas Collins of Whitesboro, N.Y.; as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Stuart; and brothers, J. Robert and Richard.

Calling hours will be held at the Harland Funeral Home in Port Henry, N.Y., from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Nov. 18, 2005, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church in Port Henry. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery, Moriah, N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made St. Patrick's Church or the Town of Moriah Ambulance Squad.

Evelyn W. Bender

WESTPORT, NY -- Long-time Westport resident, Evelyn W. Bender, died Sunday evening, Nov. 13, 2005, at the Horace Nye Nursing Home in Elizabethtown.

Evelyn was born Nov. 26, 1905, in Newark, Del., to Norris and Lucy (Brown) Worrall.

A graduate of Newark High School and the Goldy Business School in Wilmington, Del., she was a secretary at the University of Delaware.

She married Ray Bender on April 16, 1930, and they lived in Middletown, N.Y., for a few years before moving to Westport in the mid-1930's.

Evelyn was a member of the Adirondack Art Association and the Elizabethtown-Westport Garden Club. She was an accomplished portrait artist and her works are a legacy treasured by family and friends. Evelyn enjoyed entertaining in her home, Tick Tock Hill. Friends especially looked forward to the annual strawberry parties.

Evelyn is survived by her children, Dianne (and David) Lansing of Essex and David (and Deborah) Bender of Fayetteville, N.Y.; her grandchildren, Daniel (and Patricia) Lansing of Newtown, Conn., Deborah (and Bruce) Miller of Fly Creek, N.Y., Sarah (and David) Greenway of Jamesville, N.Y., and Mark Bender of Constantia, N.Y. She was especially fond of her great-grandchildren, Alexander, Julia and Nicklas Lansing, Emily, Jacob and Joshua Greenway; and Nathaniel and Maria Miller. She leaves two nephews, Bruce Klink of Essex and Stuart Schurr of Pittsburgh, Pa.

She was predeceased by her husband, Ray Bender; her sister, Elizabeth Brewer; her sisters-in-law, Hilda Bender, Jenny Bender, Louise Bender, Elsie (and Harry) Klink and Bessie (and Fritz) Schurr.

At Evelyn's request there will be no calling hours or funeral.

A celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m. in the Essex Community Church on Nov. 26, the 100th anniversary of her birth.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Westport Library, North Country SPCA, the Elizabethtown-Westport Garden Club or a charity on your choice.

Arrangements are with W.M. Marvin's Sons Inc. in Elizabethtown.

Ruth Jaquish

WILLSBORO -- Ruth Jaquish, 87, formerly of Willsboro, died at The Horace Nye Home in Elizabethtown Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005.

She was born in Essex, N.Y., May 8, 1918, the daughter of Clarence and Augusta (Boardman) Bigelow.

For over 45 years she was a beautician and ran her own shop in Willsboro. When she moved to Plattsburgh in her later years she became a member of RSVP and did knitting for hospital babies and Christmas charities.

She is survived by a son and his wife, Don and Karen Nichols of Oswego; a daughter and her husband, Judy and Jack Hamms of Willsboro; stepchildren and spouses, Frieda and Harold Mock of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Patricia and Ken Benway, Marleen and Bruce Pierce and Rodger and Jane Jaquish, all of Willsboro; a sister, Vera (Mrs. Herrick) Cross, with whom she shared a room at Horace Nye; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous stepgrand and greatgrandchildren.

She was predeceased by two husbands, George Nichols and Vanote Jaquish; and a sister, Marion Spear.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to a charity of choice.

Huestis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Harriet McClure

SARANAC LAKE -- Harriet McClure, age 77, of Virginia Street, Saranac Lake, died Monday, Nov. 14, 2005, at her home.

Born in St. Regis Falls, N.Y., on Aug. 12, 1928, she was the daughter of Warren and Mildred (Hollister) Whitman.

Mrs. McClure attended school in St. Regis Falls and graduated from Moira High School in 1945. She was employed by the American Management Association in 1959 as supervisor of registration and retired as the registrar in 1992. She was active in the Business and Professional Womens Club where she held office, was a volunteer at the Visitors Interpretive Center and was an avid golfer and member of the Saranac Lake Golf Club. She was also an active member of the First United Methodist Church where she volunteered for the many bazaars and rummage sales and also assisted in tallying the Sunday collection. Harriet also enjoyed cross country skiing and was an accomplished seamstress.

Harriet was married to Ernest Prichard who died in 1983.

She married Raymond "Bert" McClure on Dec. 5, 1970. He died Dec. 20, 1987.

She is survived by a daughter, Marilyn McClure of Plattsburgh, N.Y.; a son, Thomas Prichard of Puyalup, Wash.; two stepdaughters, Maryanne Affigne of New York and Charlotte Sperling and her husband Richard of Conn.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Warren Whitman; her mother, Mildred Hollister Whitman; and her brother, William Whitman.

Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Friday, Nov. 18, 2005, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with Reverend Merry Waters, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Cemetery in St. Regis Falls.

Friends wishing to remember Harriet may make memorial contributions to the United Methodist Church or High Peaks Hospice in care of the funeral home.

Doris K. Ferns

SACO, MAINE -- Doris K. Ferns, 95, of Wells, Maine, formerly of Mooers, N.Y., died on Thursday, 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.

Doris graduated from Plattsburgh High School. She received her teaching diploma from Plattsburgh Normal School in 1932 where she served as the vice president of her class and as the editor-in-chief of the Cardinal Yearbook. Doris was an honor student and described as "best natured" in her senior yearbook. She also took graduate courses at Albany State University. While attending the rededication of Hawkins Hall in 1999, she received an honorary BA degree along with her 1932 classmates. She was a loyal and devoted Plattsburgh graduate and will be missed.

On Dec. 28, 1947, Doris married Melvin A. Ferns in New York City. Melvin died on Jan. 12, 1985.

Doris was a teacher for 41 years, retiring in 1973. Most of her teaching years were spent at Mooers Central School, teaching 8th and 9th grade English.

She was a member of the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the Saranac Chapter 1142 of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the New York State Retired Teachers Association (zone representative), American Legion Auxiliary 538 of Mooers and the Maramichi Chapter 477 of the Order of the Eastern Star (past Matron). In Maine, she was a member of the York County Retired Teachers' Association and the Historical Society of Wells/Ogunquit.

Survivors include one son, Robert J. Ferns and his wife Wendy of Wells, Maine; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her sister, Marian King Randall; and her brother, Raymond King.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. A funeral service will be held on Friday, Nov. 18, 2005, at 10 a.m. at the Mooers United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Hemmingford Protestant Cemetery in Hemmingford, Quebec.

Memorial donations may be made to the Mooers Free Library, PO Box 286, Mooers, NY 12958 or to the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 127 Beekman Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

Deaths: 

GORDON JOHNSTON, 66, of Johnston Road, Burke died Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005, at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt.

He was born in Bellmont, N.Y., on Aug. 30, 1939, the son of Ernest and Leola (Whittemore) Johnston.

Calling hours will be held at Chateaugay Funeral Home on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. with members of Frontier Lodge meeting at 8 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Nov. 16 in North Burke Presbyterian Church with Rev. Derek Trudell of Burke United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will take place at Sandy Knoll Cemetery in Chateaugay.

EMMA V. OLSHEWSKY, 103, formerly of Ellenburg, died Monday, Nov. 14, 2005, at the Calvin Coolidge Nursing Home in Northampton, Mass.

Arrangements were incomplete Monday evening at the E.F. Drown Funeral Service in Ellenburg Depot.

FRANCES SAMUEL BOWEN, 74, of Lewis, formerly of Willsboro died at his residence in Lewis Monday, Nov. 14, 2005.

He was born in Willsboro on Sept. 24, 1931, the son of Frances and Charlotte (Bragg) Bowen.

A complete obituary will follow in tomorrow's Press-Republican. Huestis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

EDWARD V. ALVAREZ JR., 73, of Fort Brown, Plattsburgh, died Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, at the CVPH Medical Center.

He was born in Nogalaos, Ariz., on Jan. 7, 1932, the son of Edward V. and Irma Alvarez Sr.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, 2005, at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Church with the Rev. Floyd "Jerry" Bleaux, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by the Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh.