Obituaries: 3/23/06

Donald E. Ratta

PLATTSBURGH -- Donald E. Ratta, 85, of Route 9 North, Plattsburgh, passed away Tuesday, March 21, 2006, at the Birchwood Terrace Nursing Home in Burlington, Vt.

He was born in North Hero, Vt., on June 21, 1920, the son of Joseph and Della (Paquette) Ratta. Donald was a veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Army. He was an avid fisherman and loved being outdoors. Donald was a member of the American Legion Post 20, Plattsburgh.

He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Delia Ratta; his wife, Rita Ratta; a son, Donnie Lee Ratta; his brothers, Vernon and Joseph Ratta; his sisters, Margaret Oryell, Jennie Frechette, Gladys Ratta and Bonner Ratta.

Donald is survived by his sisters-in-law, Grace Ratta of North Hero, Vt., Marie Agnew and her husband Alfred of Plattsburgh, Helen Turner of Hudson Falls, N.Y., Clare Turner of Meriden, Conn.; a brother-in-law, Ray Jalbert of Fiskdale, Mass.; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Calling hours will be Saturday, March 25, 2006, from 11 to 12:30 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home, Plattsburgh.

A funeral service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. William G. Reamer, chaplain at the CVPH Medical Center officiating. Interment will be at a later date at St. Peter's Cemetery.

Friends wishing may make donations to the charity of one's choice.

Ian McDonough Guerin

MALONE -- Ian McDonough Guerin, 27, died March 20, 2006, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Watertown, NY.

Ian was born June 15, 1978, in Malone, N.Y., the son of Jon E. Guerin and Elizabeth Martin Guerin of Chateaugay.

In 1996, he graduated from Franklin Academy in Malone, N.Y. He also received a certificate of graduation in Building and Trades from North Franklin Education Center. While in high school, Ian played soccer for four years and ran indoor and outdoor track for four years. In his senior year, he participated in the NYS Track and Field Competition in the 400 meter hurdle event. He was supported and encouraged through his high school career by his guidance counselor, Mrs. Jane Divendorf and we thank her for this.

In 1998, he graduated from SUNY Delhi and was hired as a journeyman mason with Bricklayers and Craftworkers Local 2. Besides many union projects he worked with contractors in Malone, Lake Placid and other areas of New York state. He built many beautiful stone walls and fireplaces in Delhi and Lake Placid. At the time of his death he was working as a mason on a project at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Ian is survived by his mother and father of Chateaugay; a brother, Nathan of Hoboken, N.J.; half brother and sister, Brett and Brittney Guerin of Keene, N.Y., and his girlfriend, Anne Bartholomew of Norwood, N.Y.

He is also survived by aunts and uncles, Carl and Susan Taylor, John and Linda Martin, Danny and Sarah Curtin, Ken and Christina Guerin, Tom and Renee (his godmother) Amello, Thomas and Margaret Mary Cardinal, Peter and Cathy Guerin, Michael and Patricia Stickney, Jim and Tammy Guerin, David Fleury Sr.; and several cousins. Too numerous to mention individually are the friends "accumulated" wherever he went.

He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Dr. Sidney Martin and Mary McDonough Martin; and his paternal grandparents, Oscar and Marie Bouvier Guerin; and an aunt, Jan Guerin Fleury.

Calling hours will be at the Chateaugay Funeral Home on Friday, March 24, 2006, from 2 to 4:30 and 7 to 9 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 25, 2006, at 11 a.m. in St. Patrick's Church, Chateaugay.

Cremation will take place at Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens, Ellenburg Depot. Burial will be in North Burke Cemetery.

Ian had a generous soul and a giving heart. In death he hoped to continue giving through the Finger Lakes Organ Donation program. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ian's memory may be made to the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network, Corporate Woods of Brighton, Bldg. 30, Suite 220, Rochester, NY 14623 or Adams Rescue Squad, Adams, NY.

Alan F. LaPier

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Alan F. LaPier, 48, formerly of West Chazy, died Wednesday, March 15, 2006.

He was born in Dreaux, France on Nov. 19, 1957, the son of Stanley and Leita (Roberts) LaPier.

He was employed as an X-ray Technologist-CT at Scottsdale Health Care at the time of his death.

Alan graduated from Beekmantown Central School in 1975. He then served in the U.S. Navy from 1975 to 1981 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Alan graduated with an associate's degree in radiology from George Washington University in 1979. He owned and operated a portable X-ray service, serving five states, in Silver Springs, Md., from 1985 to 1991. He worked in the X-ray field in hospitals and medical offices in Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, New York and Arizona for 30 years.

He moved to Arizona in 2001.

He enjoyed traveling around the country, movies, bowling, baseball, golf, and was a coin collector. His real passion was his cars and motorcycles.

Survivors include his father, Stanley LaPier of West Chazy; four sisters, Sharon and Tony Garrow of Schenectady, Sheila and Hugh LaMoy of Mooers Forks, Cassandra and Calvin Hewson of Beekmantown and Shelly and James Hurd of Scottsdale, Ariz.; two brothers, Christopher and Diane LaPier of Champlain and Dana and Katrina LaPier of Frederick, Md.; one nephew, Jason LaMoy; three nieces, Jennifer Garrow, Michell Garrow and Heather (LaMoy) Hansen; one great-nephew, Kai Hansen; one great-niece, Chloe Hansen; two godchildren, Mark Rabideau and Matthew Dula and his companion Jill Brockley of Anthem, Ariz. He was predeceased by his mother, Leita M. LaPier on Oct. 27, 2000.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the R. W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church in West Chazy. Burial will be in the spring in the parish cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Champlain Valley Heart Center at CVPH Medical Center or the Diabetes Association.

Deaths:

ALVIN LOUIS BRASSARD, 77 of Chestnut Street, Williamstown, Mass., died Tuesday morning March 21, 2006, at the North Adams Commons.

He was born in Mooers Forks, N.Y., on Jan. 3, 1929, a son of the late Fred Brassard and Marceline (Monette) Brassard.

Calling hours at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals West Chapels, 521 West Main St. North Adams, Mass. are Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.

A Liturgy of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday morning March 25, 2006, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church in Williamstown. Burial will follow in the family lot in Eastlawn Cemetery.