Obituaries: 1/28/06

Grace Elizabeth Wheeler Thomson

HUDSON FALLS -- Grace Elizabeth Wheeler Thomson, 72, of Hillview Drive, Hudson Falls, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at her home after a long illness. She was the wife of the late Glen Edward Thomson.

Born May 20, 1933, in Utica, she was the daughter of the late Everett Jesse Wheeler Sr. and Marjorie Spice Wheeler. Mrs. Thomson was a 1951 graduate of Utica Free Academy and a 1953 graduate of the Eastman School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Rochester. She began her career as a dental hygienist with the Guilderland Central Schools in 1953. She was married Feb. 11, 1956, in Utica and moved to this area with her husband, who was a native of Glens Falls. She worked as a hygienist for the Glens Falls City Schools in 1956-57, and then for many years she was a hygienist for Sidney M. Colb, DDS, in Glens Falls.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Grace was an active member of The Church of the Messiah in Glens Falls, where she belonged to the Daughters of the King and had served on the Vestry for many years. During her lifetime, she was an accomplished seamstress, an avid bridge player and a fan of all sports. She loved camping and boating on Lake George. Grace devoted many hours of volunteer service over the years to organizations including her church, Meals on Wheels, the Warren Washington ARC and the Hudson Falls Central School District.

Besides her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a brother, Everett Jesse Wheeler Jr.; and a sister, Nancy Wheeler Lawton.

Survivors include her son, Dr. Mark Thomson (Jane) of Morrisonville; three daughters, Jill Thomson of Guilderland, Leslie Peters (Gary) of Forest, Va., and Beth Thomson Woods (John) of Queensbury; 10 grandchildren, Matthew, Evan and Connor Thomson of Morrisonville, Mark and Andrew Pettit of Guilderland, Dana and Julie Peters of Forest, Va., and James, Cassidy and Carly Woods of Queensbury; four brothers, William Wheeler (Darlene) of Boonville, Robert Wheeler (Carol) of Whitesboro, Jon Wheeler (Colleen) of Jacksonville, Fla., and Richard Wheeler of Winter Park, Fla.; two sisters, Marjorie Ann Larlee (Bruce) of Island Falls, Maine, and Ellen Wheeler (James Winter) of Fairport; and several nieces and nephews.

At Mrs. Thomson's request, there will be no calling hours.

Online condolences may be made to www.poststar.com.

Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, Jan. 30, 2006, at 11:30 a.m. at The Church of the Messiah in Glens Falls by the Rev. Scott Harding. A reception will follow in the parish hall.

Grace requested that those wishing to make memorials consider the ARC Foundation of Clinton County, P.O. Box 1515, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

Her family wishes to thank the physicians, nurses and staff of the Glens Falls Hospital for their excellent care during her illness.

Cecelia Chartier

TICONDEROGA -- Cecelia Chartier, of Ticonderoga, passed away Jan. 26, 2006, at Moses-Ludington Hospital.

She was born Dec. 15, 1942, the daughter of the late Paul R. Elethorp and Evelyn (Fay) Webster.

She is survived by her mother; three daughters, Penny and Archie Mosley, Gail and David Mattox and Melody and Pete Borho. She is also survived by Tammy Malbon, who was like a daughter to her and her husband Todd; her brothers, Andy Elethorp, Scott Elethorp, Dale Elethorp, Tracey Elethorp and Jack Webster; her sisters, Rose Grey, Rhonda Connors, Sharon Lounders, Connie King and Debbie Webster; eight grandchildren, Jordyn, Adriana and Nicolas Borho, James Winnie and wife Tina, Jason Mosley, Jolena Jordan and her husband James, Todd Malbon and Kaycee Kolodzey; and three great-grandchildren, Jordynn, James and Mickenna.

She was predeceased by her husband, Douglas Chartier; longtime companion Robert Keast; a brother, Paul Elethorp; and a grandson, Henry Baird Jr.

Memorial services will be at the Harland Funeral Home in Port Henry on Monday, Jan. 30, from 1 to 2 p.m. with a service at 2 p.m. with Pastor Nelson Waters officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ticonderoga Emergency Squad or to the Crown Point Ambulance Squad.

Amy "Amelia" Lucia Spence

LONG ISLAND -- Amy "Amelia" Lucia Spence, 90, of Plain Edge, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006.

She was born in Chazy on June 29, 1915, the daughter of Charles and Catherine (Rock) Lucia.

Amelia was an accountant for many years in Long Island.

She married Jack Spence in Jamaica, N.Y., in 1943.

Amelia was an avid Mah Jong player. She volunteered for many years at Long Island area hospitals in Long Island. Amelia also enjoyed politics.

Survivors include her husband, Jack Spence of Long Island; beloved daughter, Bonnie Spence Burke; other daughters, Carolyn, Diane and Darlene, all of Long Island; grandchildren, Kellie, Tammy, Cindy and five other grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; five sisters, Maude Bechard, Catherine Dumar, Florence Corron, Ann Yanowski and Leona Ball.

Amelia was greeted by her brothers and sisters in heaven, Clarence, Charles, Helena and Pauline.

Calling hours will be held Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Chazy. Burial will be at a later date in the parish cemetery.

Mandred "Manny" W. Stein

SCHUYLER FALLS -- Mandred "Manny" W. Stein, 75, of the Norrisville Road, Schuyler Falls, died Friday, Jan. 27, 2006, at the Clinton County Nursing Home in Plattsburgh.

He was born in Plattsburgh, Aug. 7, 1930, the son of William and Hazel (Raby) Stein.

Manny was a retired correction officer, having worked for many years at Clinton Correctional Facility.

He was a member of the AuSable River Lodge F&AM in Keeseville and the Tahawas Lodge in AuSable Forks. He was also a past Shriner.

Manny also enjoyed poetry, dancing and gardening.

Survivors include his wife, Irene A (Martineau) Stein of Schuyler Falls; his four children and one daughter-in-law, Terry Brent and Sue Stein and Richard Jay Stein, all of Schuyler Falls and Kathy Ann Dubuque and Melissa Jean Zielinski, both of Plattsburgh; brothers and sisters and spouses, Beverly and Robert Brown of Florida, Bart and Betty Stein of Morrisonville, Ruth Cummings of New York City, Dale Stein of Keeseville and his wife Patricia and Robin Stein and his companion Joyce of Schuyler Falls; daughter-in-law, Dagmar of Germany; three grandchildren, Brent and Bryan Dubuque and Brandon Stein; one great - granddaughter, Piper Dubuque; and several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru. A Masonic service will be held at the Hamilton Funeral Home Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be in the spring in the Peasleeville Cemetery.

Donations in Manny's memory may be made to Hospice of the North Country or the FitzPatrick Cancer Center in Plattsburgh.

Virginia (Oppmann) Sullivan

KEESEVILLE -- Virginia (Oppmann) Sullivan, 88, formerly of Water Edge Road, Keeseville and later Keeseville Country Gardens, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at the Meadowbrook Healthcare Facility in Plattsburgh.

She was born in Plattsburgh, the daughter of Andrew William Oppmann and Geraldine (Bromley) Oppmann Severance.

Virginia was a 1936 graduate of Plattsburgh High School.

Virginia married Francis J. Sullivan in 1941 at St. Augustine's Church in Peru. Francis died Oct. 27, 1997. Together they owned and operated Sullivan Orchards in Peru for many years.

Survivors include her four sons and daughters-in-law, Patrick and Ren Sullivan and Thomas and Sandy Sullivan, all of Florida, David and Roberta Sullivan of Peru and Bruce and Christina Sullivan of Morrisonville; and several grandchildren; great - grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

She was also predeceased by two brothers, Andrew "Billy" Oppmann and Henry "Donny" Oppmann; and one sister, Helen Ellsbury.

There will be no public calling hours. A memorial Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2006, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Keeseville, with the Rev. Fr. Rob B. Holman, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Elizabethtown, celebrating and the Rev. Mr. Blair C. Biddle, deacon vicar of St. Paul's, assisting. Burial will be in the spring in St. Augustine's Cemetery in Peru.

Donations in Virginia's memory may be made to the Plattsburgh Salvation Army in support of their ministry to local nursing homes.

The family would like to offer a special thank you to the very caring people of Meadowbrook Healthcare.

Arrangements are by the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru.

Eunice G. Martin

KEENE VALLEY -- Eunice G. Martin, 85, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

She lived at the Keene Valley Neighborhood House, formerly from Keeseville and Keene.

She was born Sept. 2, 1920, in Fall River, Mass., the daughter of Clarence and Gertrude (Wood) Gifford.

Eunice was a member of the Keeseville Methodist Church, where she volunteered at the thrift shop for many years.

She is survived by two sons, Malcom Martin and his wife Judy of Elizabethtown and Glen Martin and his wife Crystal of AuSable Forks; two daughters, Nancy Hemmer and companion William Crossley of Manahawkin, N.J., and Eveyln Kane and her husband Andy of Rochester, N.Y.; one sister, Miron of Michigan; a sister-in-law, Hazel Lawrence of Connecticut; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

Eunice was predeceased by her husband, Glenn Martin, whom she married on March 1, 1939, and who died Oct. 31, 1985.

Calling hours will be Sunday, Jan. 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home in AuSable Forks, N.Y.

Funeral services will be Monday, Jan. 30, at Keeseville United Methodist Church at 9 a.m. Burial will be private at the Norton Cemetery in Keene, N.Y.

Memorials donations can be made to the Keene Valley Neighborhood House in her memory.

Sister St. Rita, FCSCJ

LITTETON, N.H. -- Sister St. Rita, FCSCJ, (S. Irene Brassard), a Daughter of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, passed away peacefully on Jan. 24, 2006, at Mount Sacred Heart Provincial House, Littleton, N.H.

Irene Brassard was born in Mooers Forks, N.Y., on Aug. 10, 1925. She was the daughter of Frederick Brassard and Marceline Monette.

Irene Brassard professed her vows with her religious congregation on July 13, 1943. During her 63 years of religious profession, Sister St. Rita served in various missions in Newport, Vt., Champlain, N.Y., and Littleton, N.H. However, the major portion of her ministry years was spent as a missionary in the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa, from 1953-1990.

Sister St. Rita was a dedicated educator and a zealous missionary, most often combining community administration with her other responsibilities. During Sister St. Rita's years in Africa, the membership of the congregation grew and became more indigenous while at the same time continuing to benefit from the assistance and presence of foreign missionaries. She was a trusted community leader and was instrumental in the establishment of the Congregation's Province of Lesotho, becoming its first Provincial Superior in the late 70s.

Throughout her years as a missionary, Sister St. Rita remained very close to her family and friends in both Canada and the United States. She enjoyed their faithful support personally and for the many missionary projects which needed financial and technical sponsorship. Upon her return to the United States, Sister St. Rita again connected with her home area and gave several years of service to the pastoral ministry at St. Mary's Parish in Champlain, N.Y., before joining the elder community of sisters at the Provincial House in Littleton.

Sister St. Rita was predeceased by her parents.

Besides her sisters in the religious community, she is survived by three sisters, Eldora Decoste of Mooers Forks, N.Y., Beatrice LaValley of Rouses Point, N.Y., and Rita LaValley, Plattsburgh, N.Y.; and two brothers, Arthur Brassard of Mineville, N.Y., and Alvin Brassard of Williamstown, Mass.; as well as many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours were held at Mount Sacred Heart on Thursday, Jan. 26. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated in the Mount Sacred Heart Chapel. Interment will take place at a later date in St. Mary Cemetery in Newport, Vt.

Arrangements are by the Ross Funeral Home, Littleton Chapel.