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OBITUARIES: Dole, Dewitt, Bilotta, White, Light, Alonge, Altomer, Melino

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Jane Dole (1943 – 2016)

ALBANY—Jane Dole passed away February 2, 2016 at St. Peter’s Hospice.

Born April 21, 1943 in Rockville, CT, she was the daughter of the late Earl and Emma Dantono Taylor.

The family moved to Brockton, MA, in 1946.

She attended Brockton schools and graduated from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst in 1965. She taught in Brockton for one year and in 1966 she married Alan Dole and they have resided in the Chatham area since then. They would have been married 50 years August 20.

Mrs. Dole was a member of the Business and Professional Women (BPW) and held several offices including president. She was recently elected to the Delta Kappa Gamma honorary sorority for women educators.

She taught for 32 years at the former Ockawamick Elementary and Taconic Hills Schools.

Since her retirement in 1988 she was active as a substitute teacher there.

An ardent sports fan, she was a board member of the former Twin County Vikings. She and her husband were owners of the Berkshire Mountaineers semi-pro football team for six years. She was currently an Empire Football League assistant and is a member of the American Football Association Hall of Fame as a semi-pro administrator. Mrs. Dole was a dedicated New York Giants fan, but her happiest moments were watching her daughter play sports at Chatham High and Springfield College.

Mrs. Dole also enjoyed winters in Florida, reading, crossword puzzles, casino visits, reunions with high school friends each summer on Cape Cod and reunions with her college friends each summer in Maine.

Survivors in addition to her husband are: her beloved daughter and son-in-law, Kimberly and Thomas Allen of Watertown, CT; her two adored grandsons, Jaiden Gray Allen and Kai Robert Allen; a sister-in-law, Janice Dunn of East Longmeadow, MA; nephew, Sean (Jung) Dunn of Austin, Texas; niece, Julie (Marshall) Smith and grandniece, Mari Smith of California; nephew, Harley (Debi) Dole of Hudson; three close cousins, Diane (Randy) Dodge of Brockton, John (Kathy) Dantono of West Bridgewater, MA, and Maurene Keogh of Dover, NH, along with many other cousins and close friends.

There will be a memorial service in May. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Chatham Rescue Squad.

Arrangements are with the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, 25 Railroad Avenue, Chatham.

Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.

Edgar S. Dewitt (1925 – 2016)

RHINEBECK—Edgar S. Dewitt, 91, of Germantown died Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at Northern Dutchess Hospital.

Born January 20, 1925 in Germantown, he was the son of the late Sherman and Beatrice (Miller) Dewitt.

He served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater of operations during World War II.

He was a member of the Jennings-Willets American Legion Post #346 in Germantown and a 61-year member of the Germantown Fire Company.

Mr. Dewitt was employed for many years with McLean Well Drilling in Germantown, had worked for the Germantown Highway Department and the Bard College Maintenance Department and owned Dewitt Well Drilling in Germantown until his retirement.

Survivors include: his son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Tracy Dewitt of Clermont; daughter, Theresa Vasile of Germantown; brother, John “Jack” Dewitt of East Kingston; sisters, Sylvia Brown of Warrensburg, Elizabeth Takacs of Wappinger Falls and Sally Ross of Wallkill; three grandchildren, Brandon and Colton Dewitt, Tina Fusaro and two great-grandchildren, Gianna and Lara.

He was predeceased by his wife, Irene (Dembosky) Dewitt who died April 3, 2004 and brother, Elmer Moore.

In keeping with Mr. Dewitt’s request, there will be no services. After cremation he will be laid to rest in the Viewmont Rural Cemetery

Arrangements are with the Yadack-Fox Funeral Home, 209 Main Street, Germantown. Condolences maybe expressed at yadackfox.com

Anna Bilotta

TOMS RIVER, NJ—Anna Bilotta, 83, of Toms River, NJ, died Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at home after a struggle with cancer.

She was the daughter of the late Thomas and Mary (Testa) Stamegna of Hillsdale and the wife of the late Nicholas Bilotta.

She is survived by: her sister, Diana Teti of Mamaroneck; her niece, Catherine Jacobson of Ridgewood, NJ; her nephew, Frank Teti of Orefield, PA; stepchildren, Cathy, Joseph and Nicholas Bilotta; many other relatives and close friends. She will be greatly missed.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday February 6, 2016, at 10 a.m. from the Parish of Our Lady of Hope, 8074 State Route 22 in Copake Falls.

Interment will follow in St. Bridget’s Cemetery, Copake Falls. Arrangements are with the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 Route 22, Copake. To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.

Palmina A. White (1937 – 2016)

HUDSON—Palmina “Pam” A. White, 78, of Hudson passed away Wednesday February 3, 2016 at home, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Hudson March 21, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Elmo and Josephine (DeLuke) Polidor.

She was a 1955 graduate of Hudson High School and was a high school cheerleader. She worked at the Greenport School as the library aide, then in advertising sales for the Hudson Register Star and the Catskill Daily Mail for more than 35 years. Later, she worked for the Hudson River Sampler for several years.

Mrs. White was active in her community and church. She was chairperson for the City of Hudson Bi-Centennial Ball in 1985, and won the BPW Woman of the Year award in 1983-84. She was a member of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Holy Trinity/ St. Mary’s Church and Christian Service Committee, Greenport Seniors, Treble Choraliers and the Historical Society. She loved to travel with her family to Thailand and to her favorite home away from home in St. Maarten, also the occasional trip to her “slots.”

Above all, she loved her family.

She will be greatly missed by her husband of more than 60 years, Edward F. White, Sr. at home; daughter, Pamela and (Charles) Ward of Valatie; son, Edward F. and (Patricia) White of Guilderland; the love of her life and only grandson, Chase Ward of Valatie; her special (like son) friend, Michael A. Ferrari and her best friend, Wanda Ferrari Nitsky.

Calling hours will be held Sunday, February 7 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Sacco-McDonald-Valenti Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport. Services will be held Monday, February 8, 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home followed by the celebration of a Mass of Christian Burial, 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish/ St. Mary’s Church, 429 East Allen Street, Hudson with Father Winston Bath officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Park Cemetery. To leave an online condolence visit www.saccomcdonaldvalenti.com

John C. Light (1934 – 2016)

DENVER, CO—Professor Emeritus John C. Light, one of the first scientists to describe the dynamics of chemical reactions on a molecular scale and longtime editor of the Journal of Chemical Physics, died January 18 in a Denver hospital following a severe illness. He was 81.

Mr. Light rose to prominence in theoretical chemical dynamics in the 1960s. Before then, scientists relied on macroscopic-scale experiments, such as pouring one type of fluid into another, to study how chemicals would react with each other. But then physical chemists began colliding molecular beams of reactants under vacuum conditions and examining the angles at which product molecules were found, in order to measure the probability that a chemical reaction takes place.

These molecular beam experiments inspired Mr. Light to understand chemical dynamics at a molecular scale.

He was born November 24, 1934, in Mount Vernon. He received his bachelor’s degree with honors from Oberlin College in 1956, and his PhD from Harvard University in 1960. From 1959 to 1961 he was a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow at Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. Mr. Light became an instructor in UChicago’s Department of Chemistry and the James Franck Institute in 1961. By 1970 he had earned the rank of professor.

Mr. Light also held appointments as a visiting professor at Yale University in 1968; as a research associate at Argonne National Laboratory from 1975 to 1980; and as a visiting scientist at JILA, a joint institute of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in 1976 to 77. He consulted for the Institute for Defense Analyses, IBM Research Laboratories and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory.

Administratively, Mr. Light served as director of UChicago’s Materials Research Laboratory from 1970 to 1973, and as chair of the chemistry department from 1980 to 1982. As a research mentor, he oversaw the work of 31 graduate students and 25 postdoctoral fellows. Many of them are actively conducting research at universities worldwide.

Although he retired as professor emeritus in 2001, he continued to attend the occasional scientific meeting.

In 2004, Mr. Light and his wife retired to Colorado’s Arkansas River Valley, to the town of Nathrop, CO. There he enjoyed the community, skiing, hiking, horseback riding and their dog, Libby.

Mr. Light was a fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also was an elected member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science; a member of Sigma Xi, the international honor society of science and engineering; and of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society

He is survived by: his wife, Phyllis Kittel, whom he married in UChicago’s Bond Chapel; a brother, Richard Light of Austerlitz; three sons by his first wife, the late Nancy Seaburg Light, David (Rose) Light of Chicago; Robert (Alison) Light of Boston; and Erik (Jenny) Light of Washington, D.C.; 10 grandchildren, Isabella, Ethan, Bryce, Michael and Clara Light of Chicago, Alex, Hazel and Ian Light of Boston and Christine and Jennifer Light of Washington, D.C.

The family will hold memorial services near the home in Colorado and at the Light family estate in Austerlitz.

Francis A. Alonge (1927 – 2016)

HUDSON—Francis A. Alonge, 88, of Hudson died Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Columbia Memorial Hospital.

Born in Hudson March 25, 1927, he was the son of the late Gaetano and Caterina (Trafficante) Alonge.

He was a veteran of World War II, and served with the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater in Okinawa Japan. He was a salesman for National Shoes in Hudson along with his brother Tony, and retired in 1990. He was married to the love of his life, Anna S. (Scalera) Alonge May 6, 1951. She predeceased him September 26, 2009.

Survivors include: his brother, Guy (Dorothea) Alonge of Troy; one sister, Teresa (Frank) Tanzillo of Tucson, AZ, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by: three brothers, Charles, Vincent and Anthony; as well as, five sisters, Udienza, Lillian, Vincenza, Sarah and Marguerite.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday, February 9, 2016 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sacco-McDonald-Valenti Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport. Funeral services will be Wednesday, February 10, 11 a.m. at the funeral home with his niece, the Reverend Katherine Alonge-Coons officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Cedar Park Cemetery. To leave an online condolence visit www.saccomcdonaldvalenti.com

John J. Altomer (1925 – 2016)

STUYVESANT—John J. Altomer of Stuyvesant passed away Thursday morning, February 4, 2016 at the age of 90.

He was the revered patriarch of his family and farmstead and as such, will be deeply missed by his loved ones.

He is survived by: his wife of 68 years, Elma (Strang) Altomer; children, Diana Altomer (Peter) Morelock, John (Lucretia) Altomer and Steven Altomer; seven grandchildren, Peter Morelock, Jr., Karin Carreau, Michael Altomer, Carrie Kment, Marisa, Cheri and Stephanie Altomer and 10 great-grandchildren, all of whom share fond memories of visiting and romping on the farm he so loved.

Born in Stockport March 14, 1925 to Francesco and Michelina (Vizza) Altomare of Cosenza, Italy, he grew up as one of the youngest among his six siblings: brothers, Thomas, Michael, James and Patsy; sister, Josephine, each of whom predeceased him, and sister, Elizabeth, who resides in Stuyvesant.

He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and World War II veteran and a talented mechanic employed by Schwerman Trucking Company in Hudson. His happiest days were spent working his land, bailing hay and enjoying the fruits of harvest with his family.

He was often a serious task-centered man to most, but to his family, especially his grandchildren, he was also a mischievous, softhearted soul with an infectious giggle who relished the details of their triumphs and offered strong shoulders in times of despair. He had a curious nature about the world beyond his farm and was particularly interested in his family’s travel log of faraway lands, especially Italy.

His family will grieve his loss at the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, Valatie, where calling hours will take place Monday, February 8, noon to 2 p.m. with funeral services immediately following. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Stuyvesant Falls. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Valatie Rescue Squad.

Frank Melino (1931 – 2016)

HUDSON—“On February 4, Frank Melino grasped hands with the Lord and walked toward the eternal light to join his beloved wife of 60 years Gloria (Moore).

Now together in eternal peace, they can watch over and guide their family which was their main source of joy and happiness.”

He was born February 3, 1931 and lived for most of his life in Hudson.

Mr. Melino leaves behind: three children, Frank (Ellen), Karen (Karl) Scherer, Laurie (Edward) Unkel; seven grandchildren, Kristin Koloniaris, Ryan Melino, Jason Scherer, Kara Tiernan, Trevor, Travis and Tyler Brodowski and 14 great-grandchildren.

He was the son of the late Joseph and Lucinda Melino and was predeceased by 13 brothers and sisters.

Mr. Melino had a great love for life and together with his wife loved to travel and have a good time. He will surely miss his good friend, Bill Martin whom he spent hours with chatting over coffee and bagels at the Firemen’s Home. He was a life-time member of Hudson Elks Lodge and an avid golfer which earned him the nickname of “Down the Middle Frank.” He was as passionate about a hard day’s work as he was about everything else. Those passions lead him to many successful business ventures over the years. He was the president of FJR Contractors, a contracting business he started with his brothers, Joseph and Ralph in 1962; a partner in FM Development Company started in 1985, and a partner in Bagel Tyme started in 1989.

Mr. Melino will be laid to rest at the Cedar Park Cemetery beside his wife, Gloria and at his request there will be no calling hours.

Arrangements are with the Sacco-McDonald-Valenti Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport. To leave an online condolence visit www.saccomcdonaldvalenti.com

 

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