OBITS: Staten Island Advance 27 Aug 2005; Staten Island, Richmond co., New York text-formatted by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Source: Staten Island Advance Death Notices http://www.statenislandadvance.com/ THOMAS O'KEEFE, 87 Purple Heart recipient Saturday, August 27, 2005 Thomas C. O'Keefe, 87, a former Staten Islander, retired courier and a World War II veteran, died Thursday in Morris View Nursing Home, Morris Plains, N.J. Mr. O'Keefe never knew his father, who died in battle during World War I before he was born. A native of Manhattan, he was brought to New Dorp as a child. He lived in New Dorp for 77 years before moving to Morris Plains in 1998. After graduating from Curtis High School, Mr. O'Keefe served in the Army from 1942 to 1945, and attained the rank of private first class. He received the Purple Heart after he was wounded in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. Following his tour of duty, Mr. O'Keefe worked for 30 years as a courier with Fleet Services in Manhattan. He retired in 1988. While he lived on Staten Island, Mr. O'Keefe was a member of the Oakwood Heights Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was a parishioner of St. Charles R.C. Church, Oakwood. Mr. O'Keefe read the newspaper every morning. He loved to sing and he was an excellent ballroom dancer, according to his sister-in-law, Lois O'Brien. Surviving are two brothers, Morgan and Charles O'Brien; two sisters, Mary O'Brien and Sister Agnes Marie O'Brien, and 14 nieces and nephews. The funeral will be Monday from the Casey-McCallum-Rice South Shore Funeral Home, with a mass at 9:45 a.m. in St. Clare's R.C. Church, both Great Kills. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Grasmere. LAURETTE NALLY, 85 Our Lady Queen of Peach R.C. Church secretary Saturday, August 27, 2005 Longtime Staten Islander Laurette M. Nally, 85, a retired church secretary, died Wednesday at her New Dorp home. The former Laurette M. Cameron was brought to Staten Island from her native Manhattan when she was a small child. Her family remained in Oakwood until her father got work in Washington, D.C. -- the family relocated there until the 1930s, when they returned to their former neighborhood. Mrs. Nally married Charles Nally during one of his two-day furloughs from the U.S. Air Force in 1943. In 1959, the couple settled in New Dorp. After attending high school and business school in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Nally worked for 32 years as a secretary to Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp. She retired in 1994. Mrs. Nally was an active parishioner at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, and was also a member of the St. Joseph by the Sea Family Association. In addition to her husband of 62 years, Charles, surviving are her daughter, Louise Napolitano; a sister, Yvette Scaheven; two grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. The funeral will be Monday from the Hanley Funeral Home, New Dorp, with a mass at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. Arrangements include cremation. JOHN SICLARI, 87 Navy veteran worked for EPA, American Airlines Saturday, August 27, 2005 Great Kills resident John Siclari Sr., 87, a retired environmental inspector, died yesterday in St. Vincent's Hospital, West Brighton, after a lengthy illness. Born in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Mr. Siclari also lived in that borough's Flatbush and Marine Park sections before moving to Eltingville 35 years ago. He had lived in Great Kills since 1995. Mr. Siclari worked for the Environmental Protection Agency for 15 years, retiring in 1982. Prior to that, he had worked as a mechanic with American Airlines for 10 years. Mr. Siclari was active in the Republican Party in Flatbush. He was an avid New York Yankees fan. From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Siclari and his wife of 56 years, the former Ann Trezza, enjoyed dividing their time between Staten Island and their winter home in Clearwater, Fla. "They were snowbirds," said their son Michael. During World War II, Mr. Siclari served as a seaman in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. He was a parishioner of St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great Kills. In addition to his wife, Ann, and his son Michael, Mr. Siclari is survived by his sons John Jr. and Pat; a brother, Frank, and a sister, Yolanda Theobolt. The funeral will be Monday from the Colonial Funeral Home, New Dorp, with a mass at 11 a.m. in St. Clare's Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains. DOROTHY EGBERT, 87 Former secretary Saturday, August 27, 2005 A longtime Staten Island resident and former secretary, Dorothy Egbert was very active in her church. On Thursday, the 87-year-old died in 2002 Silver Lake Specialized Care Center, Brighton Heights, where she had resided for a week. A native of the Bronx, the former Dorothy Genthner graduated from that borough's Morris High School. Soon after, she began working as a secretary for the vice president of what was then known as the Sperry Rand Corp. in Manhattan -- a position she held for several years before dedicating herself to her home and family. In June of 1951, she wed Minnesota native Gustaf Egbert in the Bronx. The couple resided there before moving to West Brighton in 1963. The Egberts would live there for the remainder of their 50 years of marriage. "My parents did a lot of things together. They especially loved to go on long walks together," recalled their only child, daughter Lois Morvillo. "They'd go walking three times a day. They were like two love birds, always holding hands. Everyone in the neighborhood knew them for that, they'd always see my mom and dad walking together." Mr. Egbert, a decorated World War II Army paratrooper who later became a civilian electronics technician for the Coast Guard, died in April 2002. Around 1970, Mrs. Egbert returned to secretarial work, employed for five years at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. office in St. George. Very involved in the activities of Salem Evangelical Free Church in West Brighton, she participated in its bible studies and in Cornerstone, the church's senior group. Mrs. Egbert was also, along with her husband, a volunteer teacher for the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Greater New York City. "My mother's passion in life was to share the love of Christ with others," said her daughter, noting that her mother taught Sunday school for years at several different churches, including the former Bible Fellowship Church of Staten Island in West Brighton. Mrs. Egbert is also survived by a sister, Constance Micheli, and a grandson. The funeral service will be Monday at 9 a.m. in the Harmon Home for Funerals, West Brighton. Burial will be in St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens. DANIEL BUCKLEY, 94 Fire lieutenant loved golfing, gardening, traveling Saturday, August 27, 2005 Daniel P. Buckley, 94, of Oakwood, a retired city Fire Department lieutenant and lifelong Staten Islander, died Thursday in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze. Born in Great Kills, Mr. 2001 Buckley grew up there. He moved to New Dorp after his marriage and to Oakwood 30 years ago. He had been a patient in Clove Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Castleton Corners, for three months. Mr. Buckley worked in various firehouses throughout the city before becoming a lieutenant. His last station was Engine Co. 165/Ladder Co. 85 in New Dorp. He retired in 1972 after 35 years on the job. Mr. Buckley also worked for the former New York Telephone Co. in Manhattan before he became a firefighter. "He loved his grandchildren -- Daniel, Michael and Therese -- and his daughter-in-law, Betty Buckley," said his son, Dennis. Mr. Buckley belonged to the Fire Department Retirees and the Staten Island Baseball Oldtimers. He was a parishioner of St. Charles R.C. Church, Oakwood. Mr. Buckley's family said he loved golf, gardening and traveling, and remained active well into his 90s. At the age of 85, Mr. Buckley accompanied family on a tour of Istanbul, the Greek Isles and Athens. His wife, the former Janet Thompson, died in 1991. In addition to his three grandchildren and his son, Dennis, surviving Mr. Buckley are his two daughters, Sheila and Linda Buckley, and a sister, Mary Cassidy. The funeral will be Monday from the Colonial Funeral Home, New Dorp, with a mass at 9:15 a.m. in St. Charles Church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Grasmere. ARLINE FERRETTE, 68 With 'zest for life,' secretary enjoyed fine dining Saturday, August 27, 2005 Arline Ferrette of Graniteville, a retired secretary, died Thursday in St. Elizabeth Ann's Health Care & Rehabilitation Center, Stapleton, where she had been treated for two weeks. She was 68. "She had a genuine zest for life, her friends, her family and, most importantly, her grandchildren, Ryan and Kristin," said her daughter-in-law, Maureen Ferrette. Ms. Ferrette worked as a secretary for 20 years, the last 15 of them at TAG Associates, a financial management firm in Manhattan. She retired in 2003. The former Arline Boyle was born in Brooklyn, where she graduated from Bushwick High School. She moved to Queens in 1963 and settled in Graniteville in 1993. "She loved the gourmet meals prepared by her son-in-law, Frank," said her daughter-in-law. "Her friendship and upbeat nature was treasured by all who knew her." Ms. Ferrette traveled to Ireland, England, Italy, France and Las Vegas, and enjoyed occasional trips to Atlantic City. She was also an epicure. In addition to her two grandchildren, surviving are her son, Richard; her daughter, Deborah Budnick, and a brother, James Boyle. The funeral will be Monday from the Casey Funeral Home, with a mass at 10:30 a.m. in St. Teresa's R.C. Church, both Castleton Corners. Arrangments include cremation.