OBITS: Post-Star 13 Mar 2005; Glen Falls, Warren co., New York text-formatted by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Source: Post-Star http://www.post-star.com Backus, Patricia Grogan QUEENSBURY -- Patricia Grogan Backus, 65, a lifelong resident of the Glens Falls area passed away unexpectedly Friday, March 11, 2005, at her home. Born Dec. 27, 1939, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Claire (Collins) Grogan. Patricia was a communicant of St. Mary's Church in Glens Falls. She was a 1958 graduate of St. Mary's Academy and attended the College of Saint Rose. She was an active member of St. Mary's Alumnae. Patricia was homebound with a debilitating illness for many years. She was a great fan of the soaps, but her greatest enjoyment was her nieces, nephew and friends. Survivors include her brother, Michael J. Grogan of Glens Falls; five nieces and one nephew: Vanessa J. Sperry of Grifton, N.C., JoAnne M. Sperry of Boston, Spc. Michael P. Grogan, U.S. Army, of Fort Campbell Ky., Jamie L. Grogan of Cortland, Hanna L. Wolfe of Grifton, N.C., and Sarah M. Wolfe of Grifton, N.C.; and a longtime friend, Jerry Seeley. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Church, Glens Falls. The Rite of Committal will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, South Glens Falls. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today, March 13, at Singleton-Healy Funeral Home, 407 Bay Road, Queensbury. The family gratefully acknowledges the care and support from the Warren County Departments of Public Health and Social Services. It is suggested that memorials take the form of donations to St. Mary's Church Memorial Fund, 62 Warren St., Glens Falls, NY 12801. Published in the Post-Star from 3/12/2005 - 3/13/2005. Bailey, Richard M. "Dick" WARRENSBURG -- Richard M. "Dick" Bailey, 68, of Burdick Avenue, passed away unexpectedly Friday evening, March 11, 2005, at his home. Born Oct. 27, 1936, in Glens Falls, he was the son of the late Edward and Lillian (Alger) Bailey. Dick married Rose (Beswick) Bailey on Oct. 22, 1960. The couple were members of the former Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Warrensburg and were presently members of the Pine Knoll Alliance Church in South Glens Falls. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather, as well as a hardworking man, who has worked at several local companies. Most recently, Dick retired from Warren County DPW, after 13 years of service. Dick enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his youngest grandson, Brandon, whom he knows as "Poppy." He loved to take long, long drives and spent many happy hours conversing on the phone with his friends. He also enjoyed spending time at McDonald's in Warrensburg, where all three of his children have worked. He was also employed there for a short time, and was affectionately known as "Pops" to his McDonald's family. Dick leaves his beloved wife of 44 years, Rose Bailey of Warrensburg; his two daughters, Deborah Ranous and her husband, Bill, of Warrensburg, and Sheila Curren and her husband, Dave, of Diamond Point; his son, Richard Bailey and his wife, Cyndi, of Warrensburg; six grandchildren: Billy and Aleisha Ranous, David and Matthew Curren, Bethany and Brandon Bailey; three sisters: Myrtle Proctor of Warrensburg, Janet Moffitt of Wevertown and Joanne Philibert of Athol; and several aunts, uncles, nieces nephews and cousins. Friends may call on Dick's family from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Alexander-Baker Funeral Home, 3809 Main St., Warrensburg. Funeral services will be conducted 3 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Thomas Young officiating. Spring burial will take place at Warrensburg Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Warrensburg EMS, P.O. Box 157, Warrensburg, NY 12885, or to the American Diabetes Association, 7 Washington Square, Albany, NY 12205-5512, in Dick's memory. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Baker, Kenneth G. WARRENSBURG -- Kenneth G. Baker, 83, formerly of Woodward Avenue, passed away quietly and peacefully on Friday, March 11, 2005, at the home of his daughter after a long illness. Born on Dec. 12, 1921, in Thurman, he was the son of George and Millicent (Combs) Baker. He was raised in a logging, farming, fishing and hunting family, and attended a one-room schoolhouse in Thurman. His work as a farmhand for Will Cameron is where he met and married his wife of 50 years, Frances M. Cameron, in 1943. He was employed in the 1930s and '40s by the railroad, Najer Lumber as a driver, and local sawmills until going to International Paper Co. in Corinth. In the 1950s, he was known as part of a family logging business until 1972, when he partnered with his brother, Sharkey, and friend, Stewart Baker, to open Thurman Lumber Inc., from which he retired in 1984. Ken was an avid outdoorsman. He hunted and fished all the mountains and streams of the area. Fly-fishing was his true passion. He also excelled in big-game hunting. In the 1940s, he loved preparing for the future by wiring his house and buying his electric appliances long before the electricity came through town. It was not uncommon to have his living room filled with family and neighbors on Friday night, lining up for Ken to give haircuts while waiting to watch boxing matches on a 3-inch TV screen. He moved his family to Warrensburg in 1958, where he resided until his death. In retirement, he enjoyed telling stories, horseshoes and NASCAR racing. He took much joy and a little frustration in gardening, often tending his vegetables at daybreak. The standard humor about Gramp's flawless garden was that he stood guard over it so well that the weeds were afraid to grow. The late summer and fall were filled with harvesting, pickling and canning, while telling the young ones stories about his own childhood. The winter brought hunting with his sons, harvesting of venison, preparing it for canning, and more storytelling with his boys. He was really a quiet man of few words and a good neighbor. In recent times, he had been the source of much laughter and wonderful humor. His attitude about his illness was inspiring and encouraging to all who cared for him. At his passing, he felt rich with family and satisfied with his life. He will be sorely missed by many and fondly remembered by all who knew him. Survivors include his children: John Baker and his wife, Heidi, of Thurman, Myra Morgan and her husband, Richard, of Warrensburg and Kathey Bentley and her husband, Joe, of Johnsburg; 18 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Grace B. Stone of Warrensburg and Florence Dingman and her husband, Lloyd, of Florida; two brothers, Sharkey of Florida and Dempsey of Warrensburg; and many nieces and nephews. Aside from his parents, Ken was predeceased by three brothers, Georgie, Milford and James Baker; and two sisters, Lena Baker and Ida Goodnow. His wife of 50 years, Frances, passed away in 1993. Three sons, Eugene, Roger, and David, also died before him. Friends may call on Ken's family from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday at Alexander-Baker Funeral Home, 3809 Main St., Warrensburg. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 12 p.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. Dawn Robbins, pastor of the Warrensburg First United Methodist Center, officiating. Spring burial will take place in Reynold's Cemetery, Thurman. At Mr. Baker's request, in lieu of flowers, donations made to High Peaks Hospice, 286 Glen St., Glens Falls, NY 12801, will be appreciated. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Bordwell, Helen R. QUEENSBURY -- Helen R. Bordwell, 87, concluded her life's journey on Friday, March 11, 2005, at Glens Falls Hospital surrounded by her family. Born on July 27, 1917, in Rockaway, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Michael and Mary Reese. Helen was educated in the Rockaway, N.J., schools. Upon graduation from high school she entered Orange Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and received her registered nurse degree in 1938. On Dec. 20, 1941, Helen entered the United States Army, serving for five years in the Army Nurse Corps, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. She served during World War II and was stationed in Panama, the Philippines and California. Helen was honorably discharged from the Army on March 31, 1946. Helen married Stephen Bordwell on June 17, 1950, at St. Cecelia's Church in Rockaway, N.J. After their marriage, Helen moved to her husband's hometown of Glens Falls, and it was here that they raised their family. In 1957, Helen began her nursing career at Glens Falls Hospital, where she remained until her retirement in 1980. She was the charge nurse on 2 South for many years. Upon retirement, she was active in many organizations including Meals on Wheels. She worked as a volunteer for the Red Cross blood bank and at blood pressure clinics in the area. Helen was a member of St. Mary's Parish. She was a dedicated Eucharistic Minister, delivering Communion to the homebound of the parish. She was also active in the Catholic Daughters of America. Helen was a proud, dedicated and loving mother and grandmother. Her greatest times were when her family were together. She had a wonderful sense of humor, loved to read, and was always ready for a discussion on current events. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Stephen Bordwell, who passed away on April 25, 1968; her sisters, Mary Amato and Margaret Backstrom; and her brother, Michael Thomas Reese Jr. Helen is survived by her children: Margaret A. Shulga and her husband, F. Joseph, of Cohoes, Mary E. Bordwell and her life partner, Claudia Bailey, Nashville, Tenn., Evelyn M. Bordwell of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., Stephen W. Bordwell of Cohoes, and Catherine Casey and her husband, Alan, of Queensbury; her grandchildren: Anne Shulga of Denver, Colo., Andrew Shulga of Cohoes, Hannah Casey and Sara Casey of Queensbury, Jarrett Bordwell of Albany, and Alexander Bordwell of Cohoes. Friends may call on the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 14, at Radloff Funeral Home, 136 Warren St., Glens Falls. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Church, 62 Warren St., Glens Falls, with the Rev. James Mackey, pastor, celebrating the Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Helen's memory to High Peaks Hospice, Inc., 286, Glen St., Glens Falls, NY 12801. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Brock, Herbert D. FORT EDWARD -- Herbert D. Brock, Dean of Administration Emeritus of ACC, died on Friday, March 11, 2005, at Glens Falls Hospital. Born on May 6, 1921, in Brooklyn, he was the son of the late Emil W. and Mabel M. (Werckmann) Brock. He married M. Anne Killian on Dec. 29, 1951, at St. Mary's Church in Hudson Falls. After graduating from Kingston High School, he attended the State University of Albany, where he received a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in administration. Mr. Brock was a business teacher at Richmondville, Margaretville and Windham central schools for 12 years. In 1956, he became principal for business affairs for the South Glens Falls School District for five years. He was hired as one of the first employees of Adirondack Community College as Business Administrator in 1961, and was named Dean of Administration in 1967. He headed the college's business and fiscal affairs from its founding until he retired on Feb. 29, 1984. He loved all his 23 years of association with ACC. Altogether, he spent 40 years in the field of education. During his career, Dean Brock was a member of Kappa Phi Kappa, the National Education Honor Society; the State Community College Business Officers' Association; and the State and Capital Area Associations of School Business Officials. He formerly was a member of the Glens Falls Lions Club, having served as president from 1966 to 1967, and had served on the Fort Hudson Nursing Home Board and the Fort Edward Planning Board and was a committeeman of Boy Scout Troop 83. He was also a member of Network I and Network II (retirees) of ACC and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Glens Falls Lodge No. 81. Mr. Brock was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church in Fort Edward. He was a loving and devoted husband and father. He loved to travel, garden, golf and be with family. He worked tirelessly on his home and had a special talent for fixing things. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, Frank Brock and Ted Brock, his sister, Mary Brock, and nephew, Frank Brock Jr. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Anne Brock of Fort Edward; sons: James Brock and his wife, Kit, of Glens Falls, Robert Brock and his wife, Dr. Monique LaRouche-Brock of Exeter, N.H, Thomas Brock and his wife, Marie of Barre, Vt., and Peter Brock and his wife, Cindy, of Flower Mound, Texas; daughters: Kathleen Brock Knipe of Bethel, Conn.; Jeanne Brock Barber of Fort Edward, and Marjorie Layden and her husband, Dr. Michael Layden, of Glens Falls; grandchildren: Nicholas, Genevieve, Isabelle, Gregory and Gabrielle Brock of Exeter, N.H.; Jeannette and Kerri Knipe of Bethel, Conn., Thomas Barber of Fort Edward, Emily and Patrick Brock of Barre, Vt.; Megan, Chelsea and Nicholas Brock of Flower Mound, Texas, Brock, Marjorie and Jacqueline Layden of Glens Falls; stepgrandchildren: Matthew Twardy and his wife, Michelle, of Glens Falls, Becky Twardy of Glens Falls, Justin Perry and his wife, Angela, of North Caroline, and Curtis Perry of Utah; as well as four stepgreat-grandchildren; his brother, Clifford Bro ck and his wife, Sandra, of Oregon; and several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday at Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main St. in Hudson Falls. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Joseph's Church in Fort Edward, with the Rev. Joe Xavier Arockiasamy, administrator, officiating. The Rite of Committal will be in the spring at St. Joseph's Cemetery in the town of Fort Edward. The family would like to thank the nursing staff at Glens Falls Hospital and Drs. Richard Hogan and Amy Hogan-Moulton for the wonderful attention and care they gave him. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that memorial contributions be made in his memory to Adirondack Community College Foundation, Bay Road, Queensbury, NY 12804; St. Joseph's Church, Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828; Washington County Hospice, 415 Lower Main St., Hudson Falls, NY 12839; or the Alzheimer's Association, Capital District Chapter, 85 Watervliet Ave, Albany, NY 12206-2083. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Mitchison, Catherine E. WHITEHALL -- Catherine E. Mitchison, 95, formerly of county Route 12, passed away Friday, March 11, 2005, at Indian River Rehabilitation and Health Center in Granville. Born on May 24, 1909, in Whitehall, she was the daughter of the late Newell E. and Alice Mitchell Morse. Catherine was a homemaker, caregiver and enjoyed crocheting and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, John T. Mitchison, who died on April 11, 1992; her granddaughter, Karen Mitchison Wenz; three brothers, William Morse, Ernest Morse and Stanley Morse; and two sisters, Evelyn Parrott and Christina Smith. Survivors include two daughters, Joyce McCarthy and her husband, Lawrence, of Kirkland, Wash., and Sandra Rozell and her husband, Wilbur, of Whitehall; two sons, Raymond Mitchison and his wife, Meredith, of North Chatham, and Thomas Mitchison and his wife, Lyn, of North Chatham; one sister, Mary Morse of Bomoseen, Vt.; 14 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, at Jillson Funeral Home, Inc., 46 Williams St., Whitehall, with the Rev. C. Don Wheeler, pastor of the Whitehall United Methodist Church, officiating. Interment will be in the spring at Greenmount Cemetery in Whitehall. Family and friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today, March 14, at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of a contribution in Catherine's name to the First Baptist Church, c/o Arlene Rozell, 38 Skene St., Whitehall, NY 12887 or the Skenesborough E.M.S., P.O. Box 333, Whitehall, NY 12887. Following the service, family and friends are invited to Skenesborough Rescue Squad for a time of fellowship and refreshments. Published in the Post-Star from 3/13/2005 - 3/14/2005. Rice, Jane Loy QUEENSBURY -- Jane Loy Rice, 81, of Queensbury and formerly of Ballston Lake, died Saturday, March 12, at Saratoga Hospital. Born in Albany, Aug. 23, 1923, she was the daughter of the late John and Julia Loy. Jane was a homemaker and a member of St Mary's Catholic Church in Ballston Spa. She was predeceased by her husband, Lt. Col. Edward P. Rice, and her sister, Margaret Lomax. Survivors include her children: Edward P. Rice Jr. of Tucson, Ariz., John S. (Lisa) Rice of Albany, Jane (David) Kelley of Gloversville, and Margaret (Christopher) Stein of Glens Falls; five grandchildren: Justin, Melissa and Christopher Rice, and Mary and Edward Kelley; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Relatives and friends are invited to calling hours, Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Armer Funeral Home, Inc, 39 East High St., Ballston Spa. Burial will be at a later date at St Mary's Cemetery, Ballston Spa. Memorial contributions may be made to Saratoga Care Foundation, 211 Church St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Riley, Barbara E. HUDSON FALLS -- Barbara E. Riley, 76, passed away Sunday, March 6, 2005, at the Fort Hudson Nursing Home, where she was cared for with compassion and dignity. She was born Oct. 3, 1928, in North Attleboro, Mass., to Violet and Gilbert Park, but lived most of her life in the local area. Barb spent her life working in the restaurant and service industry. She loved cooking and baking, especially for others. She had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed being around people. After she retired from Adirondack Community College, Barb enjoyed being on the go. She loved traveling with her husband of 22 years, John (Jack) T. Riley. She was always busy creating ceramic pieces for her family, hunched over a jigsaw puzzle, or reading a book. Her favorite pastime was playing bingo, which she did for many years, where she was well-known in the community. Besides her parents, Barbara was predeceased by her brother, John Rhude of Rhode Island. She is survived by her husband, Jack of Albany; her brother, Ronald Rhude of Burnt Hills, and her brother, Robert Park and his wife, of Rhode Island. Barbara is also survived by her children: Barbara Winters and her husband, Bill, of Queensbury; Bob Ireland and his wife, Terri, of Woodbridge, Va., and Bonnie Gossett and her life-partner, Chris Depew, of Argyle. Barb had several nieces and nephews, but will be missed most by her grandchildren: Michael, Ryan, Josh, Adam and Christian Winters, Erin, Kara, Brett and Bryan Ireland, and Joseph Gossett. She had one great-granddaughter, Savannah Rose Gossett. There will be a memorial service in Barb's honor at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2005, at the United Methodist Church in Hudson Falls. A reception at the church will follow. Since Barb unselfishly donated her body to the Anatomical Gift Program at Albany Medical College, there will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Barb's memory be sent to the Fort Hudson Nursing Home, 319 Upper Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828, where Barb received superb care, or to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Roberts, Allen Joseph GREENFIELD CENTER -- Allen Joseph Roberts of Stonewall Lane, died Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at Saratoga Hospital. He was 57. Born on March 6, 1948, in Saratoga Springs, he was the son of Frances (Arpey) Mersky and the late Allen Roberts. Allen was a 1966 graduate of St. Peter's Academy in Saratoga Springs. After high school, he served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. After being honorably discharged in 1970, he went on to attend college at Schenectady Community College and then transferred to Rochester Institute of Technology, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Allen worked for many trucking companies over the years, including Roadway Express, Branch, ARA Smith, Holmes, and for the past 17 years, he was a terminal manager for New Penn Motor Express in Troy. He was a member of the New York State Breeders Association and owned nine harness horses. Allen also enjoyed bowling, computers, sports and cars. In addition to his father, he was predeceased by his stepfather, Arthur Mersky. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Brenda (Williams) Roberts of Greenfield Center; his three children: Jennifer Comstock and her husband, Kenneth, of Wilton, Melissa Roberts-Oprencak and Geoffrey Roberts, both of Greenfield Center; his grandchildren, Alexis K. and Martin K. Oprencak, as well as a new grandchild on the way; four sisters: Stephanie Zabala of Greenfield Center, Cassandra Marrone of Massachusetts, Frances Smith of Kentucky and Leslie Allen of Ballston Spa; and many nieces and nephews. A Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will be conducted at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, at Bethesda Episcopal Church on Washington Street, Saratoga Springs. The Rev. Thomas T. Parke will officiate. Burial, with military honors, will follow at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 584-5373 or online at www.burkefuneralhome.com. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, North Eastern NY Area, 440 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005. Soderberg, Dorothy A. SCHUYLERVILLE -- Dorothy A. Soderberg, 62, a resident of Burgoyne Street, died Friday, March 11, 2005, at the Saratoga Hospital. Born Sept. 21, 1942, in Norwalk, Conn., she was the daughter of David and Millicent Borden Mellen, and grew up in Victory Mills. Dottie was a former employee of the New York State Department of Transportation in Schuylerville, and more recently was manager of the Meals on Wheels in Schuylerville, and had been a school crossing guard for the village. Her enjoyments were gardening, her seniors at the Meals on Wheels site, painting, and spending time on the beach. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a sister, Sharon LaPier. Survivors include her children: Arletta Austin of Lake Luzerne, Karen Dastmalchain of California, Dianne Cravens of California, Jeannine Butler of Corinth, Scott Stephenson of Massachusetts, Shawn Soderberg of Gansevoort, and Dawn Brooks of Saratoga Springs; her brothers: James Mellen of Schuylerville, Richard Mellen of Texas, and Mike Mellen of California; her sisters: Marion Barton and Patti Booth of Victory Mills, and Arletta Stein of Glens Falls; 12 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at Flynn Bros., Inc. Funeral Home, 13 Gates Ave., Schuylerville, with the Rev. Charles Huff, pastor of Faith Chapel Assembly of God in Schuylerville, officiating. Spring interment will be at Victory Mills Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home prior to the service. The family suggests memorials in her name be made to the Old Saratoga Reformed Church Youth Choir, Pearl Street, Schuylerville, NY 12871. Published in the Post-Star on 3/13/2005.