01/10/2006

Obituaries: 01/10/06

William H. Aborn

JOPLIN, MO. -- William H. Aborn, 66, of Joplin, Mo., formerly of Chazy, N.Y., and Rockville, Conn., passed away at Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005, at St. John's Hospital in Joplin, Mo.

Bill was born Jan. 13, 1939, in Rockville, Conn.

In 1960, he married Patricia Miller and had two children. He was retired and working part-time at R&R Trucking as a dispatcher.

He was a volunteer firefighter for 40 years, a past chief of the Chazy Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the Joplin Elks and a Shriner. He was a loving husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather who will be greatly missed.

Bill enjoyed collecting firefighting memorabilia and spending time with his family. Children always held a special place in his heart and he in theirs.

He leaves his wife, Patricia Aborn of 45 years of Joplin; a son, John Aborn and his wife Amy Aborn of Chazy, N.Y.; as well as four grandchildren, Bethany and Jonathan Aborn of Chazy, N.Y., and Christopher and Joshua Pearson of Vernon, Conn.

He was predeceased by his parents; a sister, Barbara St. Louis; and his daughter, Kimberly Pearson.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005, at Derfelt Funeral Home in Galena, Kan.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Springfield Shriners Hospital, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104.

Norman Lawrence Hess

LAKE PLACID -- Norman Lawrence Hess, 82, 4 Parkside Drive, Lake Placid, N.Y., passed away on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006, after a short illness.

He was born on Sept. 17, 1923, in Ilion, N.Y.

Norm was the first son of Myron D. and Marion E. Hess.

Norm graduated from Ilion High School in 1941, Colgate University in 1949 and Cornell University Law School in 1951.

He married Edith "Jayne" Myers on Dec. 31, 1944, in West Winfield, N.Y.

A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps as a Combat Aircrewman aboard the U.S.S. Lexington in the Pacific Theatre.

He was admitted to the New York State Bar Association in 1951. He practiced law with Schneider and Getman in Ilion, N.Y., from 1951 to 1954.

In 1954, Norm moved to Lake Placid to become a partner in the law firm Isham and Hess. He has practiced law in Lake Placid since that time until the present.

Shortly after moving to Lake Placid in 1954, Norm became involved in a number of civic and sports related organizations. He and wife Jayne became active in the Lake Placid Ski Club. Norm donated hundreds of hours as an alpine gate checker, cross country timer, ski jumping calculator, biathlon official and bob run volunteer. He served as president of the Lake Placid Ski Club during the 50's and was an active member of the Lake Placid Youth Commission. Other organizations to which he belonged, the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce, Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, North Elba Historical Society and he became a member of the Adirondack Community Church.

Norm served as Chief of Calculations for Lake Placid Ski Jumping competitions from 1960 to 1982. He served as Lake Placid Village Attorney from 1954 to 1976, Attorney and General Council for the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Organizing Committee 1974 to 1979 and zoning Attorney for the Town of North Elba and the Village of Lake Placid planning boards board of appeals 1960 to 1975. He served as a New York State Estate Tax Attorney 1966 to 1975. He was a founding member of the Lake Placid Sports Council and served as Chairman from 1964 to 1967. During his term as Chairman of the Sports Council he moved to bring the FISU games to Lake Placid and became the Executive Director of the 1971 Winter World University Games and worked in the Kennedy Games 1969 to 1971. He became a member of the 1969 Olympic Bid Committee in 1962 and was active in every bid committee leading to the 1980 Olympics. He served as Chairman of the 1972 Bid Committee, Council and Chairman of the 1976 Bid Committee, Council for the 1980 Olympic Organizing Committee. During the 1980 Olympics he served as Assistant Chief of Ski Jumping Calculations and Special Transportation Consultant for athletes and officials. Norm also served as a member of the Advisory Committee to New York State Olympic Development Authority 1981 to 1982.

Norm was elected to the Lake Placid Hall of Fame in 1989. He has served on the Hall of Fame nominating committee since that time.

He was predeceased by his wife, Jayne M. Hess who died June 20, 1979; and a brother, Austin Hess who died Sept. 2, 1997.

Norm is survived by his four children, son, Marc Hess and his wife Robin Adair Logan of Stockhohn, Sweden and Tivoli, N.Y., son, Eric Hess and his wife Georgia of Galax, Va.; daughter, Heidi Griffeth and her husband Robert M. Griffeth Jr. of Bluffton, S.C.; daughter, Lori Evangel and her husband Chris of Morris Township, N.J., and Lake Placid N.Y.; a brother, Milton Hess and his wife Ginny of Long Island, N.Y., and N. Fort Myers Fla.; a sister, Marilyn Hilliard and her husband John of Liverpool, N.Y., and N. Fort Myers, Fla.; a sister-in-law, Peggy Hess of Mohawk, N.Y.; four grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Also survived by his very special friend of many years, Elizabeth "Bette" Snow of Lake Placid.

Per Norm's request there were no visitation or calling hours. A memorial service will be held at the Adirondack Community Church during May 2006. The time and date will be announced later.

Friends wishing to remember Norm are asked to consider donations to the Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department or the North Elba Historical Society in his memory.

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

Richard Cronan Smith

LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- Richard Cronan Smith, 65, died of brain cancer on Jan. 8, 2006

He was born June 22, 1940, in Keeseville, N.Y.

Richard graduated from Keeseville High School in 1957. He received his bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., his master's from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., and his Ph.D. from the University of California Los Angeles.

He taught physics at Bernard M. Baruch College in New York, N.Y., and was employed at Hughes Aircraft Company in Los Angeles, Calif., and Albuquerque, N.M., and Lockheed-Martin Company in Albuquerque, N.M., and Sunnyville, Calif. Upon his retirement from Lockheed-Martin in 2003, Richard moved to Long Beach, Calif., to be near his family. He was a devoted and much-loved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend. He is greatly missed.

Richard is survived by his mother, Serafina (Smith) Charbonneau of Keeseville; his wife, Ruth Anne Bookstaber-Smith of Long Beach, Calif.; his daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Kemal Kazan of Long Beach, Calif.; his daughter and partner, Ivy Smith and Winona Phillabaum of Lawndale, Calif.; sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Servando Canas of Port Kent; his grandsons, Zekican and Aydin Kazan of Long Beach, Calif.; his nieces Kathryn Pearson of Salt Lake City, Utah and Susan Gregoire of Burlington, Vt. He also leave behind his two dogs, Feather and Happy.

He was predeceased by his father, Richard John Smith.

Family is asks that instead of flower arrangements, that any donations be sent in Richard's name to UCLA Brain Cancer Research c/o Dr. Tim Cloughesy, MD, 710 Westwood Plaza, Suite 1-230, Los Angeles, CA 90095.

Funeral services to be held Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006, at 12 noon at Memorial Chapel, 1500 E. San Antonio Drive, Long Beach, Calif.

Forest Lawn-Long Beach Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Florence M. Gonyea Hackett

PLATTSBURGH -- Florence M. Gonyea Hackett, 101, formerly of Sailly Avenue and the Vilas Home, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, at the Meadowbrook Nursing Home.

She was born in Saranac, N.Y., on June 13, 1904, the daughter of Marcel and Cecile (Livernois) Seney.

Florence was an elementary school teacher and taught in several one room schoolhouses in the North Country.

She began teaching in the Tobin District, then on the True Brook Road, she then taught in Silver Lake and finally on the Military Tumpike. Her last 17 years of teaching were spent as a first grade teacher at Beekmantown Central School.

She was a communicant of St. Peter's Church in Plattsburgh and was a lifetime member of the St. Peter's Altar Rosary Society, the Plattsburgh State University College Alumni Association, the Plattsburgh Senior Citizens and the New York State Retired Teachers Association.

Florence had a great love to spend good times with friends and family. She greatly enjoyed dining out and she always had a little joke to brighten the day.

Florence is survived by many nieces and nephews; and several friends.

She was the last of 11 children. Florence was predeceased by sisters, Cecile Sydney, Clara LaRose, Evelina Seney, Anna Bell, Priscilla McClelland and Sister Agnes Seney; and brothers, Marcel Seney, Louis Seney, Loren Seney and John Seney. Besides her siblings, she was predeceased by two spouses, Napoleon Gonyea who passed away in 1957 and Guy Hackett who passed away in 1992.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Emmaus Room at St. Peter's Church. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at noon in St. Peter's Church. Following the funeral Mass a reception will take place in the Emmaus Room. Burial will take place in the spring in Assumption of Mary Cemetery in Redford.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Emmaus Room at St. Peter's Church.

The R.W. Walker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Audrey A. LaPointe

CHAZY, NY -- Audrey A. LaPointe, 67, of the Ratta Road, Chazy, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

She was born in Plattsburgh, N.Y., on Aug. 10, 1938, the daughter of Austin Leo and Bessie (Griffin) Aubin.

She married Ronald V. LaPointe on Oct. 25, 1958, in Our Lady of Victory Church in Plattsburgh.

Audrey worked for Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals in Rouses Point for 27 years.

She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald LaPointe; three children, Victor and Carol Ann LaPointe of Cadyville, Pamela and Robert Thibault of Chazy and Irene and Francis Garrow III of Chazy: six grandchildren, Luke and Mark LaPointe, Jessica and Ali Thibault and Francis and Dylan Garrow; one brother, Austin Aubin and one sister, Elizabeth "Betty" Bombard, both of AuSable Forks; one brother-in-law, Raymond Devins of Beekmantown; one sister-in-law, Beatrice "Bea" Aubin of Chazy; and many nieces and nephews.

A brother, Jack Aubin; and a sister, Evelyn Devins, died earlier.

Memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church. Rev. L. William Gordon, pastor, will celebrate the memorial Mass. A reception and luncheon will follow in the church hall.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Chazy Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 116, Chazy, NY 12921.

The R.W. Walker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Deaths: 01/10/06

ROBERT V. KRAKES, 63, of Lewald Street, Port Henry, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, at the Community Hospital in Elizabethtown, N.Y.

He was born in Ticonderoga on Dec. 4, 1942, the son of the late Albert and Dorothy (Jones) Krakes.

There will be no calling hours. A memorial service will be conducted at a date

and place to be announced. Spring burial will be in the Valey View Cemetery in Ticonderoga, N.Y.

Arrangements are with the Harland Funeral Home.

ROBERT G. AUBIN JR, 50, of the Military Turnpike, Plattsburgh, died unexpectedly on Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at the CVPH Medical Center.

Calling hours and funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Brown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.