Obituaries: 3/30/06

George P. Hammond III

KEESEVILLE -- On Sunday, March 5, 2006, George P. Hammond III, of 1306 Route 9, Keeseville, passed away at home in the presence of family after a long battle with cancer. He was the eldest son of his late parents, George P. Hammond Jr. and Gladys Vanderbilt Bloomer Hammond of Hillsdale, N.J., where he grew up with his two brothers. His surviving brother, Arthur Hammond and his wife Barbara, reside in Westwood, N.J.

George graduated with high honors from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., with degrees in construction engineering and teaching. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers and was a foreman at a local construction company for several years. He was a science teacher of long standing at AuSable Valley Central School. He managed, with his family, to operate a beef cattle turned horse farm on his land in Keeseville until the time of his death. He was a founding member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Plattsburgh, N.Y. He proudly obtained his single engine pilot's license and he was a lifetime member and nautilus instructor at Plattsburgh YMCA. The motto George lived by was "Life is Good!"

He is survived by his five children, his son, George P. Hammond VI, of Bridgeport, Pa., his daughter, Linda Faver and her husband Frank, along with their children and grandchildren, Jaimee and Max Pfeiffer, Danielle Faver and Michelle Faver of Ocala, Fla., his son, John M. Hammond of Keeseville, N.Y., and his children and grandchildren, Corrie Hammond and Katie Hammond of Merritt, Fla., his daughter, Elizabeth Updike and her husband Michael and their daughter, Sarah of Geneva, N.Y., and his daughter Aimee Reardon and her children, Joshua and Kylie, of East Schodack, N.Y.

The memorial service to honor this teacher, engineer, farmer, pilot and family man, will take place at Brown Funeral Home, 29 Broad St., Plattsburgh, N.Y., on Saturday, April 1, 2006, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to a cancer research fund in his name may be made at the memorial service.

James E. Rood

PLATTSBURGH -- James E. Rood, 60, of 159 Sunrise Drive, Plattsburgh, died on Monday, March 27, 2006, at Hospice of the Upstate in Anderson, S.C., after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in Plattsburgh on Nov. 24, 1945, the son of Edward A. and Catherine G. (Gagne) Rood.

He graduated from Mount Assumption and Clinton Community College and attended Plattsburgh State University. He was employed as a correction officer for more than 27 years, retiring from Altona Correctional Facility.

He was a member of St. Peter's Church and was a member and Past Grand Knight of the Monsignor Morris L. Dwyer Knights of Columbus Council 255 in Plattsburgh. He was a former president and treasurer of the MAI/Seton Alumni Association and was also a member of Moose Lodge 2390 of Plattsburgh and Keeseville Elks Lodge 2072.

He enjoyed camping, woodworking, golfing and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Linda (Newell) Rood of Plattsburgh; a daughter and son-in-law, Janine and Mark Wyman of Greenville, S.C.; a brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Ruth Anne Rood of Montpelier, Vt.; his mother-in-law, Jane Newell of Plattsburgh; three sisters-in-law, Carol Vanhise and Ronald Fuller of Plattsburgh, Kathy and Ronald Chagnon of Plattsburgh, Mary and Carl LeClair of Plattsburgh; four brothers-in-law, Robert and Karen Newell of Morrisonville, Ronald and Pam Newell of Plattsburgh, Daniel and Cheryl Newell of Cadyville, Donald and Arleen Defayette of Plattsburgh; and many nieces and nephews.

His parents; a brother, Thomas Brunelle; and a sister, Roseanne Defayette, died earlier.

There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday from St. Peter's Church in Plattsburgh. Entombment will follow at Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Plattsburgh. A reception will follow at Guma's Restaurant in West Chazy.

Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621 or to the MAI-Seton Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, 93 Court St., Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

The O'Neill-Redden-Drown Funeral Home in Plattsburgh is in charge of arrangements.

Helen Durand (Brown) (Bailey) Young

TICONDEROGA -- Helen Durand (Brown) (Bailey) Young died Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at Ticonderoga's Moses-Ludington Nursing Home, where she had lived since 1997.

She was the youngest of the four children of Edith Mary Durand and George Levi Brown, born May 6, 1907, in the white house with cupola, "Fairview," on Route 9 just south of the village of Elizabethtown. Her father George was postmaster, editor of the Elizabethtown Post and author of the 1906 history book, "Pleasant Valley;" her mother Edith was a great-granddaughter of the 1794 pioneer settler of Elizabethtown, Joseph Francis Durand.

Helen graduated from Elizabethtown High School in 1924, attended the nursing program of Bellevue Hospital in New York City and graduated from Albany Business College. While working for New York state in Albany, she met Claude Bailey of Ballston Spa. They were married in 1928. In 1941, Claude died and she sent her three children to live with relatives so that she could continue to work. Charles and Dorothy went to her sister in Ticonderoga and James went to Elizabethtown with his grandmother. In 1944, while working at the Watervliet Arsenal, she meet and married George Young of St. Regis Falls. They moved back to Elizabethtown where Helen had secretarial jobs at various businesses, including Stratopanel, John Deming Law Office and HP Johnson's Chevrolet. George died in 1971. Helen retired from work at Essex County Social Services Department.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Elizabethtown and of the United Congregations Church into which it merged. She was active in church groups, in Adirondack Chapter Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary and the Champlain Chapter D.A.R. Helen was correspondent for Elizabethtown for local papers and was town historian for a few years.

Her son Charles died in 1994. She was also predeceased by siblings Edith (Mrs. Claude) Saunders, Analita (Mrs. Frank) Stevens and Thomas Brown; by their spouses; by her son-in-law, Fred Provoncha; by two grandsons, Ricky Bailey and David Bailey; and by nephews Durand Stevens and Thomas Brown Jr.

Helen is survived by daughter Dorothy B. Provoncha of Ticonderoga; son James Bailey and wife Anne of Plattsburgh; and daughter-in-law Shirley Bailey of Crown Point. Also by grandchildren Fred, Robert and John Provoncha, Julie Provoncha Halliday, Walter Bailey, Dawn Bailey Wranosky, Maureen Bailey Haran and their spouses; by 12 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; by three generations of Stevens, Brown and Bailey nieces and nephews; and by numerous Durand cousins.

Calling hours will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 30, at W.M. Marvin's Sons, Elizabethtown. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 1, at United Church of Christ, with burial at a later date in Riverside Cemetery, Elizabethtown.

Memorial donations may be made to United Church of Christ, Elizabethtown, or to the Essex County Historical Society, PO Box 829, Elizabethtown, NY 12932.

Kenneth Gerald Rowe

ELLENBURG DEPOT -- Kenneth Gerald Rowe, 86, of Ellenburg Depot, died Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at the CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh.

He was born in Clinton Mills on Sept. 10, 1919, the son of Norman and Jenny (Mellon) Rowe.

He served in the Conservation Corps at Bolton Landing and Utah and retired from Laborers Union Local 186 of Plattsburgh in 1981. He was a groundsman at the E.F. Drown Funeral Service and the Blue Haven Campground for 16 years, retiring in 2000 at the age of 80. He was a past member of the Mount Herman Lodge 572 F.&A.M., past member of the Churubusco Fire Department and past council member of the Churubusco Town Board for 12 years.

He was well known as a chowder maker for many years at the Churubusco, Ellenburg Depot and Ellenburg Center field days.

He is survived by his wife, the former Marjorie Cole, whom he married Sept. 10, 1948; his children, Darlene and Russell Bilow, Colin and Michele Rowe, Darla and Allan Bilow, all of Ellenburg Depot; a sister, Mrs. Alfred (Rita) Sweet of Chateaugay; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mrs. Donald (Jeannette) Rowe of Ellenburg Depot, John and Thelma Greiner of Churubusco, Naomi Keough, Alice St. Thomas of Zephyrhills, Fla., Florence Cole of Ellenburg Depot, Inez Cole of Peru, Gertrude Cole of Plattsburgh, Katie Cole of Tupper Lake; his grandchildren, Mrs. Jamie (Leslie) LaBarge, Mrs. Tim (Kim) Coplen, Cory and Courtney Bilow, Kiley and Kelly Rowe; step-grandchildren, John and Michelle Lester, Daniel Lester, Bryan Lester and Dessarrae Potter; great-grandchildren, Koby, Kendall and Kade Coplen, Bryce and Bailey LaBarge; special friends Connie Ryan, Melissa and Paul Maney, Elizabeth and Sarah Ryan; and several nieces, nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews.

His brothers, Harold, Vernon, Morton, Donald, Ross; and a sister, Helen Brady, died earlier.

Calling hours will be held on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the E.F. Drown Funeral Service in Ellenburg Depot. Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Friday from the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Sheldon Hill Cemetery in Ellenburg Depot.

Memorial donations may be made to the Churubusco, Ellenburg Depot or Ellenburg Center Fire Departments.

Deaths:

CHARLES BEGOR, 33, of 189 Kiwassa Road, Saranac Lake, died Monday, March 27, 2006, at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

He was born in Saranac Lake on Nov. 27, 1972, the son of Marvin and Marsha (Nobles) Begor.

Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Thursday, March 30, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Bible vigil will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. A Mass of Christian burial will take place Friday, March 31, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Church in Bloomingdale with the Rev. Jeffrey Hubbard officiating. Cremation will follow at Whispering Maples in Ellenburg Depot. Burial will be in St. Paul's Cemetery, Bloomingdale, in May.

EUGENE N. GUERIN, 91, of Mooers Forks, died Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at his residence.

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