OBITS: Staten Island Advance 6 Sep 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/ Batignani, Richard BATIGNANI FLAG NYFD Richard Batignani of Eltingville on September 2, 2005. Beloved husband of Gail I. Loving father of Devon and Cristin. Cherished grandfather of Frank, Bridget and Carli. Funeral from MATTHEW FUNERAL HOME INC., 2508 VICTORY BLVD., AT WILLOWBROOK RD., on Tuesday 10:15 A.M. Mass of Christian Burial Our Lady Star of the Sea RC Church 11 A.M. Entombment Moravian Cemetery. Friends may call Sunday 7-9 P.M. and Monday 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. www.SiLive.com/obits Published in the Staten Island Advance from 9/3/2005 - 9/6/2005. PAULINE KNEESHAW, 84 Retired bookkeeper lived in New Dorp Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Pauline C. Kneeshaw, 84, of New Dorp, a retired bookkeeper, died Sunday at home. Born Pauline Remuzzi in Brooklyn, she moved to Midland Beach in 1937. From 1945 to 1955, Mrs. Kneeshaw lived in New Dorp. She then lived on Todt Hill until she returned in New Dorp in 1962. A graduate of New Dorp High School, Mrs. Kneeshaw was a bookkeeper at the Lane Service Station, New Dorp, for 18 years, retiring in 1987. As a young woman, she took part in many programs at St. Margaret Mary R.C. Church, Midland Beach. It was there she met her future husband, John, while a member of the church choir. She later was a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church, New Dorp, where she was a member of the Rosary Altar Society and taught religious education classes. She was also a member of the Mother's Club at the parish school. She was a member of the Hillside Swim Club, Bulls Head, for many years. A crafts enthusiast, Mrs. Kneeshaw also enjoyed gardening, dancing, cooking and knitting for her grandchildren. In addition to her husband of 60 years, John; surviving are two sons, John and Jeffrey; a daughter, Cheryl Frankewich; two sisters, Joan Kirby and Barbara Remuzzi, and five grandchildren. The funeral will be tomorrow from the Hanley Funeral Home, New Dorp, with a mass at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. Burial will follow in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp. LORRAINE KAPUZYSKI, 80 Corporate trust administrator lived in New Brighton Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Lorraine Kapuzyski, 80, of New Brighton, a corporate trust administrator, died Sunday in St. Vincent's Hospital, West Brighton. Born Lorraine Dowd in 1955 1924, she lived in New Brighton until 1954. Mrs. Kapuzyski traveled with her husband to Japan and several states across the country while he served in the Air Force from 1954 to 1965. From 1980 to 1999, Mrs. Kapuzyski lived in West Brighton before returning to New Brighton in 1999. Mrs. Kapuzyski was a corporate trust administrator for Banker's Trust, Manhattan, for 22 years. She retired in 1988. Mrs. Kapuzyski enjoyed reading novels, magazines and newspapers. She liked crossword puzzles, cooking and enjoyed spending time with her grandsons, according to her family. Mrs. Kapuzyski also enjoyed traveling and visited London in 1996 and 1997. Her husband of 40 years, Victor J. Kapuzyski, died in 1994. Surviving are her daughter, Susan Carey; a sister, Janice Romando, and three grandsons. The funeral will be tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the Harmon Home for Funerals, West Brighton. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, West Brighton. JOSEPH KOETH, 79 Retired cook was active in Scouting Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Joseph "Tiny" Koeth Jr., 79, of Westerleigh, a World War II veteran and retired cook, died Saturday at home. Born in Annadale, Mr. 1986 Koeth graduated from McKee High School where he was the first male ever to be enrolled in their cooking program. Mr. Koeth served as cook third-class in the Navy during World War II, stationed in the South Pacific, from 1944 to 1946. He then worked for Manufacturers Hanover Bank, Manhattan in its commissary as a cook and butcher for nearly 40 years. He retired in 1987. He also worked part-time at Bloomingdale's, Manhattan, for over 25 years. After marrying the former Antoinette (Ann) Cafaro, in 1947, the couple relocated to West Brighton and then moved to New Brighton in 1970. They settled in Westerleigh in 1996. Mr. Koeth was an avid camper as well as a knot expert and was able to practice both for the 45 years he served as an assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 74 at Sacred Heart School, with the Boy Scouts of America. He was also a Vigil member of the Scouts Order of the Arrow and was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He was a member of the American Legion, Gold Star Post; the Assumption Council, Knights of Columbus, West Brighton, where he reached the rank of 4th Degree Knight in 2003 and was named Staten Island Color Corpsman of the year for 1998-1999. Mr. Koeth was also a member of the West Brighton AARP chapter. He also liked woodworking, gardening, and collecting coins and stamps. Mr. Koeth was a parishioner of Holy Family R.C. Church, Westerleigh. In addition to his wife, Ann, surviving are two sons, Joseph J. III and Richard; two daughters, Barbara and Virginia Ann (Ginny) Koeth; a brother, Robert; three sisters, Alice Koeth, Nancy Reinhart and Penelope Parello, and four grandchildren. The funeral will be tomorrow from the Casey Funeral Home, Castleton Corners, with a mass at 11 a.m. in Holy Family Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains. HENRY FRANCIS, 40 Truck driver enjoyed spending time with family Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Henry E. Francis Jr., 40, a truck driver, died Thursday at Jacobi Medical Center, the Bronx, of a heart-attack. Born in Mariners Harbor in 1995 1965, he moved to Dongan Hills in 2003. A graduate of Port Richmond High School, Mr. Francis was a truck driver for 20 years, working for many companies on Staten Island. Mr. Francis liked watching football and swimming. He also enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. Mr. Francis was a parishioner of St. Michael's R.C. Church, Mariners Harbor. Surviving are his wife of one year, the former Joan Herlihy; a brother, Robert; and two sisters, Patricia Rosado and Deborah Pierzynkowski. The funeral will be Thursday from the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home, Port Richmond, with a mass at 10 a.m. in St. Michael's Church. Cremation will follow in Rosehill Crematory, Linden, N.J. GRACE LEOTTA, 95, Retired seamstress enjoyed making pizza Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Grace Leotta, 95, of Great Kills, a retired seamstress, died yesterday in the Clove Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Castleton Corners. Born Grace Daluise in Italy, 2000 she was brought to Staten Island as a child. Mrs. Leotta lived in South Beach until moving to Hudson, Fla., in 1974. She settled in Great Kills in 1990. She began working as a seamstress at the age of 15 and retired 30 years ago. Mrs. Leotta was a member of the Great Kills Friendship Club. According to her family, she was a very good cook and one of her specialties was pizza. Mrs. Leotta also enjoyed baking, crocheting, knitting and spending time with her family, including her daughter-in-law, Angela. Mrs. Leotta's husband of 60 years, Mario, died in 1990. She is survived by a son, Angelo; a daughter, Grace Marino; five grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be Thursday from the John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Eltingville, with a mass at 11 a.m. in St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great Kills. Arrangements include cremation. DOROTHY CONNELLY, 54 Registered nurse was former Island resident Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Dorothy Newman Connelly, 54, a registered nurse, died Saturday at her home in Milford, Del., after a long illness. Born Dorothy Newman, 2000 she grew up in West Brighton where she lived until 1971 when she moved to Castleton Corners. In 1982, she moved to Warwick, N.Y., and 10 years ago moved to Milford. A graduate of Curtis High School, Mrs. Connelly graduated from St. Vincent's Nursing School in the early 1980s and began her career at St. Vincent's Hospital in West Brighton where she worked for seven years. She retired in 2002 from Bayhealth Medical Center and Kent General Hospital in Dover, Del., where she had worked for seven years. Her husband of 34 years, Edward A. Connelly, said his wife, "loved to spend time with her children and her grandson, Adrian, and kept Christmas in her heart throughout the year." She was a member of the Southern Delaware Street Rod Association and a parishioner of St. John the Apostle R.C. Church, Milford. In addition to her husband, Edward, Mrs. Connelly is survived by a son, David E.; two daughters, Susan Connelly-Power and Peggyann Connelly; her mother, Margaret Newman; two brothers, Robert Newman and Gregory Newman, and one grandson. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. in St. John the Apostle R.C. Church, Milford. Burial arrangements, which are being handled by the Lofland Funeral Home, also Milford, are private. ANTOINETTE LACERTOSA, 83 Retired bookkeeper enjoyed knitting Tuesday, September 06, 2005 Antoinette D. Lacertosa, 83, of Spotswood, N.J., a homemaker and former Staten Island resident, died yesterday at home. Born Antoinette D. Prignoli in Port Richmond, she also lived in Great Kills and New Dorp before moving to Monroe Township, N.J., where she lived for 15 years before settling in Spotswood in 1998. A graduate of Curtis High School, Mrs. Lacertosa was a bookkeeper for Manufacturers Trust in Manhattan during the 1940s. She was a member of the Busy Bees of Monroe Township. Mrs. Lacertosa enjoyed knitting, crocheting, reading and playing cards and Bingo. Her husband of 50 years, Pasquale, died in 1995. Her son, Patrick J., also died in 1995. Surviving is her son, Donald; a daughter, Marianne Wexler; a brother, Carl; two sisters, Mary Castle and Lena Martin, and five grandchildren. The funeral will be Thursday from the Lester Memorial Home, Jamesburg, N.J., with a mass at 9 a.m. in St. James R.C. Church, Jamesburg. Entombment will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick, N.J.