Charles E. Abraham (1935 – 2019)
BRANFORD, CT—Charles “Chuck” Edward Abraham, devoted husband, loving father and dear friend to many, died July 26, 2019 in Branford, CT, at the age of 83. The cause was Alzheimer’s disease.
He was born in Grand Rapids, MI, August 14, 1935. He graduated from Wayne State University with a BA in political science and pursued a doctorate in Japanese political history at Columbia University. He married Kay Aniel Edwards in 1957, and they moved to New York City where they had two daughters, Nancy and Diane, before moving to Montclair, NJ, in 1972.
Mr. Abraham held numerous positions in business including vice president of Peterson’s Ltd, a tobacco importing company. He ran his own computer software company in New Jersey for more than a dozen years, and spent 16 years running Old Saw Mill Farm, a Hudson Valley farm business in Germantown, where he and his wife lived since 2001. He served two years on the Germantown Zoning Board of Appeals.
Mr. Abraham will be remembered as a friend to everyone with a gregarious, kind and welcoming spirit. He was a great conversationalist and storyteller. He had a sharp mind, entrepreneurial drive and a deep knowledge of history, as well as practical knowledge of how to do—or learn to do—almost anything. He was passionate about the Hudson Valley area and sustainable farming. Always up for adventure, he loved to travel internationally, tour the country by RV with his wife, and sail in the waters of New York and Maine. He was a lifelong Democrat, involved in many local and national political and social justice causes, and he avidly supported the political work of his wife.
He is survived by: his beloved wife of more than 62 years, Kay (Edwards); his devoted daughters, Nancy and Diane; his sons-in-law, Colin Brown and Christopher Newlan; grandchildren, Lucy, Sean, Erin and Claire. He was predeceased by his brother, John Abraham. Other survivors include a brother, Shannar “Shanney” Abraham; many nieces and nephews, including James Abraham and grandniece, Jessica Abraham, and numerous lifelong friends whom he treasured deeply. Arrangements were handled by Abbey Cremation Services in Rocky Hill, CT. A memorial will be held in the fall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, CT.
Veronica Fontaine (1925 – 2019)
PHILMONT—Veronica “Ronnie” Fontaine, 94, of Philmont formerly of Hudson, died Thursday, August 8, 2019 at Pine Haven Nursing Home.
Born in Hudson, May 30, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Louis, Sr., and Angela (White) Fontaine.
She was a graduate of Columbia Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and continued her career at Columbia Memorial Hospital, New York State School for Girls, Pine Haven Home and the Firemen’s Home in Hudson.
Ms. Fontaine served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II, stationed at VA hospitals in Alabama and New York. She was a member of the former Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and Holy Trinity Parish in Hudson.
She is survived by: her son, Dr. John Corapi of Trinidad, CO; her daughter, Carol (John) Houlihan of Athens; two grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter, Marianne Corapi and brother, Louis D. Fontaine, Jr.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, August 10 at Holy Trinity Parish, 429 East Allen Street, Hudson with Fr. Winston Bath officiating. Burial followed in Cedar Park Cemetery Hudson. Arrangements were with the Sacco-McDonald-Valenti Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport. To leave online condolences visit www.saccomcdonaldvalenti.com
Robert Herron (1927 – 2019)
AUSTERLITZ—Robert Herron’s memorial celebration will be held at Old Austerlitz, Saturday, August 17 at 12:30 p.m. Mr. Herron, a life-long resident of Austerlitz and well-known expert on American antiques, auctioneer and local philanthropist, died Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the age of 91. He, together with Richard Mugler, Sr., and Richard Mugler, Jr., formed the Austerlitz Historical Society in 1988. The celebration will honor his life and his diligent efforts to establish a place where early American artisans can call home.
George C. Simard (1936 – 2019)
HILLSDALE—George C. Simard, 82, of Hillsdale passed away at his home August 8, 2019 surrounded by his family following a brief illness.
He was born in San Diego, CA, October 8, 1936 to Agnes (Miller) and Romeo Simard.
He is survived by: his wife of 58 years, Joan (Sherman); daughters, Kelly Strobel (Alan) of Chatham and Stacey Funk (Charles) of Clarence Center; six grandchildren, Lauren Strobel, Eric Funk (Cope), Katelynn Strobel, Tyler Funk, Ryan Funk and Daniel Funk; a sister, Ann LeCroy of Georgia; his aunt, Gertrude Duffield of Kinderhook; cousins, nieces and nephews.
Mr. Simard graduated from Ockawamick High School in 1954. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959. A Corvette enthusiast and avid hunter, he was a lifetime member of the Philmont Rod and Gun Club, where he served as president from 1982 to 1992. He was a carpenter having built the home where he and his family lived for the past 31 years.
There will be no services. His body was donated to the Anatomical Gift Program at Albany Medical Center according to his wishes. In memory of Mr. Simard donations may be made to The Community Hospice Foundation, 310 South Manning Boulevard, Albany 12208; Philmont Volunteer Fire Company First Responders, P.O. Box 822, Philmont 12565 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Roy E. Sherman (1932 – 2019)
POUGHKEEPSIE—Roy E. Sherman, 87, passed away Thursday, August 8, 2019 at Vassar Brothers Hospital.
He was born January 15, 1932 in Stanfordville, a son of Ralph and Ruth (Shook) Sherman, Sr.
A lifelong area resident he previously resided in Ancramdale, Millerton and Lakeville, CT. He was employed on the Sommerhoff Dairy Farm in Ancramdale prior to his retirement.
He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret C. (Miller) Sherman in 2010.
Survivors include: his daughter, Sherry Shelton of Hillsdale; his sons, Roy Sherman of Millerton and Milton Sherman of Lakeville, CT; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Graveside services will be held Thursday August 22, 2019, 11 a.m. at the Copake Cemetery. There are no calling hours.
Contributions may be made to assist the family c/o Peck and Peck Funeral Home, P.O. Box D, Copake 12516.
Arrangements are with the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 Route 22, Copake. To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Ralph L. McWhirt (1936 – 2019)
PITTSFIELD, MA—Ralph L. McWhirt, 82, died Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Berkshire Medical Center.
He was born November 9, 1936 to the late Reuben L. McWhirt and Martha E. Pells (McWhirt), formerly of Craryville.
In 1954, he graduated from Roeliff Jansen Central School in Copake. He was a member of the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1960. He was a radar maintenance technician stationed at Lackland AFB Texas and Kessler AFB in Mississippi.
Mr. McWhirt was a former resident of Adams and later Cheshire, Massachusetts. He was employed at the former Sprague Electric Company in North Adams for more than 30 years as a technician in the Standards Department.
After his retirement, he enjoyed tennis and traveling in the company of his companion, Marcia Giroux of Adams. He also enjoyed trips to Lebanon Valley Raceway and NASCAR races with his longtime friends, Kenneth Lefave and his wife the late Joanne Lefave of Adams.
Mr. McWhirt leaves behind: three children, a daughter, Sonia M. McWhirt and her companion Mark Ziemba of Adams, a son, Scott L. McWhirt his wife Stacie L. McWhirt and Scott’s four children, Katie L. McWhirt, Beth A. (McWhirt) Barnes and her husband Daniel Barnes of Cheshire, Emily J. McWhirt and Ethan L. McWhirt, also of Cheshire, a son Matthew A. McWhirt of North Adams and Matthew’s daughter Nikki McWhirt; one brother, Vernon McWhirt of Omaha, Nebraska and his children Lynette (McWhirt) Braun, Lloyd D. McWhirt, and Sean D. McWhirt; several great-nieces and nephews in Nebraska and New York; four great-grandsons, Mitchell Kane, Seth Kane, Riley Barnes and Brady Barnes.
Mr. McWhirt was predeceased by his parents, as well as two brothers, Allen McWhirt and Alvin McWhirt; and the mother of his children, Joan E. McWhirt (Paul).
Graveside funeral services will be held Thursday, August 15, 2109, 11 a.m. at the West Copake Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Arrangements are with the Peck and Peck Funeral Home 8063 Route 22, Copake.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net
Alvin G. Caswell (1934 – 2019)
GUILDERLAND—Alvin G. “Jake” Caswell, 85, of Valatie died Monday, August 12, 2019 at Our Lady of Mercy Life Center.
Born May 18, 1934 in Hudson, he was the son the late Alvin G. and Josephine (Holobusky) Caswell.
He was a veteran, who served with the U.S. Army and was employed as a professional engineer for General Electric in Schenectady and Pittsfield. He loved his home and enjoyed collecting and restoring old cars. Along with his late wife, Elsie, they attended many cruise-ins and car shows with his Model A Ford.
He is survived by: two sisters-in-law, Flora Baller (Russ) of Kinderhook and Margaret Minshell of Valatie; three nephews, Carl and Scott Minshell, Glenn Baller; a niece, Cynthia Hebert; his cousin, Eileen Brothers and many good friends. He was predeceased by his wife, Elsie Caswell.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 17, 2019, noon at the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, Valatie, with the Reverend George Fleming officiating. Calling hours will be held Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m. to noon prior to the service. Burial will follow in St. John the Baptist Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Valatie Rescue Squad or the Niverville Fire Department.
Patrick A. DelGrande, DDS (1928 – 2019)
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA—Patrick Albert DelGrande, DDS, 91, of Hillsdale passed away peacefully Sunday, August 11, 2019 after a short illness and related hospitalization under palliative care at Great Barrington Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
He was born May 15, 1928 in Rochester, to Albert and Philomena (Giordano) DelGrande.
Dr. DelGrande, known as “Dr. Pat,” received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1950, and his dental degree from New York University in 1956. While still attending dental school, he entered the Naval Dental Corps as an ensign and began to see patients at the Naval Health Clinic in the Brooklyn Naval Yard. He then served aboard the U.S.S. Tidewater, a destroyer tender, deployed predominantly in the Mediterranean Sea during the Cold War before returning stateside, where as a lieutenant he served at the Naval Health Clinic at Marine Corps Base Quantico near Triangle, VA.
Dr. DelGrande was honorably discharged as a lieutenant in the spring 1960. Upon leaving the Navy, he and his wife, Yvonne relocated to Hillsdale. He joined the staff at the Rip Van Winkle Clinic, a forerunner to an HMO. In 1964, he and Dr. Irma Waldo opened a shared private practice on Route 22. Dr. DelGrande was a fellow, board member and Scientific Session chairman in the American Endodontic Society. He retired in 2016, having been a dentist for 60 years.
Active in the community, he was a Scoutmaster for Troop 126 in Hillsdale, served on the Taconic Hills School Board as both a board member and president, was a volunteer and member of numerous St. Bridget’s (now Our Lady of Hope’s) Roman Catholic Church committees in Copake Falls and worked with pastors since the early 1960s to foster good stewardship. He was also an active member of the Roe Jan Lions Club, affiliated with Lions Club International for more than five decades, a member of the Notre Dame Alumni Association of the Mid-Hudson Valley, and founder of the Molasses Hill and Western Train Club in Hillsdale, located in the basement of his office, where he and three generations of club members entertained hundreds over the years with their semi-annual train shows.
On April 19, 1952 in Rochester, he married Yvonne Brownell. They were married for 65 years. She predeceased him October 18, 2017 after a long illness battling Alzheimer’s disease.
Survivors include: their children, Charles and wife Patricia DelGrande of Chicago, IL, Michael DelGrande of Philadelphia, PA, Patricia DelGrande of San Francisco, CA, Lori and Patrick Sterrett of Dallas, TX, and Tom DelGrande of Cincinnati, OH; grandchildren, Mary DelGrande of Chicago, IL, Kathleen DelGrande of Austin, TX, Zoe DelGrande of Philadelphia, PA, Kyle Richards of Los Angeles, CA, Amy and Sophie Richards of San Francisco, CA, Michael Sterrett of Miami, FL, Travis and Zachary Sterrett of Indianapolis, IN, Alexandra and Javier DelGrande of Cincinnati, OH, and Justin Johnson of Charlotte, NC.
Dr. DelGrande was predeceased by his daughter, Mary Jo DelGrande in 1976.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, August 16, 2019 10 a.m. from the Parish of Our Lady of Hope in Copake Falls with the Reverend William White officiating.
Interment will follow immediately thereafter in St. Bridget’s Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Thursday, August 15, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 State Route 22, Copake.
Contributions in memory of Dr. DelGrande may be offered to the Hudson Lions Club, P.O. Box 252, Stottville 12172.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Stephen Estok (1952 -2019)
LIVINGSTON—Stephen Estok, passed away Saturday, August 10, 2019.
Born September 25, 1952 in Great Barrington, MA, he was the son of Stephen and Evelyn (Holmes) Estok.
He graduated from Hudson High School, Class of 1970, and furthered his education at Bard College. Mr. Estok was a lifelong farmer, working in the family business, Estok Brothers Farm. He was also a member of the Hudson Fish and Game Club.
Mr. Estok is survived by: his brother, Paul “Pruitt” Estok and Beth Crockett. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by aunts and uncles, Paul and Ed Estok, John Bashner, Betty Milroy, Anna Wallich and Eleanor Remsburger.
Visitation hours will be Thursday, August 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Bates & Anderson-Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home, 110 Green Street, Hudson. A funeral service at the funeral home takes place Friday August 16 at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Livingston Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Livingston Fire Company.
Nancy A. Hogan (1941 – 2019)
RHINEBECK—Nancy A. Hogan, 78, of Red Hook passed away Monday, August 12, 2019 at Northern Dutchess Hospital.
Born March 24, 1941 in Rhinebeck, she was the daughter of the late Clarence and Anna (Tetro) Wheeler. She married John A. “Jay” Hogan, Sr., February 8, 1959 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Barrytown. He survives at home.
In addition to raising her family, Mrs. Hogan worked in the food services department at Bard College for many years, and was the manager of Brook-N-Wood Campgrounds in Elizaville.
Active in her community, she was a former parishioner at St. John’s the Evangelist Church in Barrytown and Christ Church in Red Hook, where she served on the vestry and taught Sunday school. She also served as a Cub and Boy Scout leader and was a member of the Boy Scout Council based in Hyde Park.
She is survived by: loving husband of 60 years, John A. “Jay” Hogan, Sr. of Red Hook; her children, Kandi Eden (Brian) of Rhinebeck, Kelly Hogan of Big Indian, Aaron (Danielle) Hogan of Red Hook and Anthony (Rosalie) Hogan of Kingston; a sister, Sandra Schultz of Livingston; 19 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
A son, John A. Hogan, Jr., predeceased her in 2011.
Friends may call at the Burnett & White Funeral Homes, 7461 South Broadway, Red Hook, Thursday, August 15, 2019 from 4 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home, Friday, August 16, 2019 at 11 a.m. Bural will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Red Hook.
Memorial donations may be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942.
For directions or to sign the online guest book visit www.Burnett-White.com.
