John E. Speed (1944 – 2019)
LIVINGSTON—John E. Speed, “Cane Man,” passed away October 20, 2019 after a gallant fight with congestive heart failure.
Born December 13, 1944, he was the son of the late Frank and Florence Speed.
He grew up in Philmont and as a youngster worked with horses at area farms, shoveled snow, mowed lawns and helped his father at his store. Later he would work at various garages including his cousin Skip Speed’s Garage in Mellenville, Rich Shufelt’s Body Shop and his good friend, John Davis’ Shop, Classic Plus. He enjoyed his time there with friends and Davis family members as they would chat up a storm.
He enjoyed old muscle cars from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s. He worked on those cars and painted them. He loved 1950s and 60s music; driving on country roads in the morning and going to the Berkshire Mall.
He is survived, at home, by his fiancée, Jean H. Stoddard and his black cat, Bogey. He leaves behind several cousins, nieces and nephews and first cousins, Kipper and Robbie Speed.
He was predeceased by his brother, Frank, Jr., a niece and a nephew.
Graveside services will be conducted Thursday, October 24, 2 p.m. at the Mellenville Cemetery. Arrangements are with the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, 25 Railroad Avenue, Chatham. To convey condolences visit frenchblasl.com.
Priscilla F. McLoud (1958 – 2019)
COPAKE—Priscilla Fournier McLoud went home to be with Jesus after a long illness October 20, 2019.
She was a spitfire who worked hard for everything she had. She was an employee of the Rutland, VT, public school system for many years and demonstrated her love of the students there daily.
She loved her garden and couldn’t wait to put her hands in the warm spring dirt to bring forth the reddest tomatoes and the most radiant flowers.
“What can you say about this tiny person with the huge, infectious laugh that can do her any justice?” Her reserve of jokes was enormous and her capacity for finding joy in little moments was endless. She will be missed for who she was and loved for who she became.
She is survived by her parents, Roger and Jeannette Fournier of Copake, and a son, Michael McLoud, along with many loving siblings.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, October 24, 2019, 11 a.m. from the Parish of Our Lady of Hope, 8074 State Route 22, Copake Falls.
Also Thursday, friends are invited and may call from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 Route 22, Copake.
Private interment will be in Old St. Bridget’s Cemetery, Copake Falls. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Community Hospice, 47 Liberty Street, Catskill 12414.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Joseph R. Davis (1958 – 2019)
SHARON, CT—Joseph R. Davis, Jr., 61, of Ancram passed away Sunday, October 20, 2019.
He was born January 8, 1958 in Hudson to the late Joseph R. and Cora L. (Hoyt) Davis.
“Joe” was a graduate of Taconic Hills High School and received his degree in construction from Hudson Valley Community College. He was the owner and operator of Cornerstone Construction.
He was a longtime member of the Columbia County Tuesday Night APA Pool League. He loved Sunday game days playing board games, croquet, ping pong and foosball. He also enjoyed organizing and hosting family picnics and Christmas Eve gatherings.
He is survived by: his sister, Emily Davis of Ashley Falls, MA, and was the beloved “JoJo” to Adam and Nicole Wheeler. He also leaves several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Along with his parents he was predeceased by a sister, Vera A. Davis.
A Service of Remembrance will be held Saturday, October 26, 2019, 11 a.m. at the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 Route 22 in Copake. The Reverend Andy Smith will officiate.
Private interment will be in the West Taghkanic Cemetery.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Thomas J. Dalton (1955 – 2019)
SHARON, CT—“Tommy” “TD” Dalton, 64, of Copake passed away Monday October 21, 2019 at Sharon Hospital.
He was born and raised in Eastchester and was a member of Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local #21.
He also served as a volunteer fireman in Eastchester for more than 20 years. He retired to Copake in 2007.
Mr. Dalton loved fireworks and his guns which he will be loading into his ’69 El Camino and shipping to heaven.
He is survived by: his loving wife, Trude; his mother, Anne Dalton; his daughters, Helena and Debra; grandchild, Sophia; his siblings, Nancy, Richard and Robert; three nieces and three nephews.
He was predeceased by his father, Thomas Dalton in 1999.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 26, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Peck and Peck Funeral Home, 8063 Route 22 in Copake.
In lieu of flowers consider a donation to Heal Our Patriots, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or a local chapter of the American Heart Association.
To send an online condolence visit www.peckandpeck.net.
Theresa L. Chu (1937 – 2019)
POUGHKEEPSIE—Theresa Lee Chu, 82, of Elizaville and formerly of Hopewell Junction, passed away Friday, October 11, 2019 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center surrounded by her children.
Born March 29, 1937 in Hankow, China, she was the daughter of the late Kwan Yee Lee and C.T. Yuen. She married Richard Chu on August 24, 1963 in Newark, NJ. She was predeceased by Richard, who passed away September 8, 2012.
Mrs. Chu received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Benedictine College in 1961. After graduating, she worked as a chemist for DeLaval. She took time off to raise her family, and then returned to work as the laboratory chemist for the Town of Poughkeepsie’s Arlington Water Treatment Plant from 1982 to 2000. Mrs. Chu had many accomplishments in her life, but her greatest pride and joy came from being a devoted wife to her beloved husband and a loving mother to her four children.
The day she became an American citizen, April 15, 1968, was a momentous occasion. She was one of six sisters in the Lee Family. The family was forced to flee their childhood home of Hankow, China in 1949, escaping the latter stages of the Chinese Communist Revolution. They spent several years in Hong Kong and Macau before eventually immigrating by boat to Sao Paolo, Brazil in 1953.
It was then that Cardinal Paul Yu Pin, who was a childhood friend of Mrs. Chu’s late father, helped the Lee sisters by bringing them into the United States and placing them in various Catholic boarding schools for their high school and college education. It was years later that Mrs. Chu’s parents would be reunited with their daughters in the U.S. This is one of many reasons the Lee Family held close to their faith and felt a strong commitment to be of service to the Lord.
Mrs. Chu was a longtime communicant of St. Christopher’s Church in Red Hook. She also attended Mass at St. Columba Church and St. Denis Church in Hopewell Junction, as well as Mount Alvernia in Wappingers Falls.
She loved staying active in her community and her church. She was in regular attendance at her local senior exercise classes and helped with the area prison ministry by writing letters to inmates on death row. After her husband passed away 7 years ago, she enjoyed spending the holidays in California with her children and grandchildren. Just last summer, Mrs. Chu returned to her homeland of China for the first time since leaving as a little girl, now accompanied by her children, grandchildren and niece. Making that pilgrimage with her family brought her great joy, and was one of the highlights of her life.
She is survived by: her four children and their spouses, Benjamin and Kara Chu, Benson and Mary Chu, Benedict and Adora Chu, and Bonnie and David Sclafani; her grandchildren, Kelsey, Aaron, Stephen, Lucas, Dylan, Ryan, Owen, Dean, Ty, and Ming Lee; and her sister and brother-in-law, Josephine and Ignatius Lo.
Mrs. Chu loved the Hudson Valley area where she raised her family and formed many lifelong friendships. She touched many lives, formed new friendships wherever she went, and was adored by many.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, October 26, 2019, 2 p.m. at St. Christopher’s Church, Red Hook. Father Patrick Buckley will officiate. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Poughkeepsie at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Chu’s memory and mailed to St. Christopher’s Church, ATTN: Lauren Kerzner, In Memory of Theresa Chu, 7411 South Broadway, Red Hook 12571
Memorial donations may also be accepted online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/theresa-l-chu-in-lieu-of-flowers.
Arrangements are under the direction of Burnett & White Funeral Homes, 7461 South Broadway, Red Hook.
Dale E. Flansburg (1936 – 2019)
ALBANY—Dale E. Flansburg, 82, of Germantown passed away peacefully at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by his family October 19, 2019.
He was born December 4, 1936 in Warrensburg to the late Elwyn Flansburg and Alice Olin. A graduate of Cairo High School, he attended Syracuse University prior to joining the United States Marine Corps in 1959, which became one of his crowning achievements. He spent the rest of his 38-year career at IBM, retiring in 1993.
Mr. Flansburg spent his long retirement being a leading authority on all aspects of the Northeast railways as well as an avid collector of railroad artifacts. When not traveling to auctions or delivering lectures, he volunteered his time with Meals on Wheels and the Salvation Army, most notably responding to relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Germantown Central School Booster Club, spending many afternoons with his hotdog cart at various sporting events.
Mr. Flansburg was predeceased by his beloved wife, Virginia Flansburg, née Rockefeller.
He is survived by: his daughters, Dawn Johnson of Germantown, Kelli Flansburg (Patrick Cartwright) of Castleton-on-Hudson, Kendra (Brian) McCrae of North Greenbush; grandchildren, Kathleen Murrin, David Johnson, Thomas Maguire, Harper Cartwright, Colin Cartwright, Jonathan McCrae and Liam McCrae; and brothers, James Flansburg of Virginia and Barry Flansburg of Georgia; and very special friend, Nancy Porter of Raleigh, NC.
Services will be held at Burnett & White Funeral Home, 7461 South Broadway, Red Hook. Calling hours will be Friday October 25, 2019 from 3 to 6 p.m., followed by a Marine Honor Guard presentation.
Interment will be at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, 181 Main Street, Germantown 12526. For directions or to sign the online guest book visit www.Burnett-White.com.
Walter T. Leon, Jr. (1925 – 2019)
ALBANY—Walter T. Leon, Jr., age 94, of East Greenbush died October 21, 2019 at the Albany Medical Center following a brief illness.
He was born in New Rochelle to Walter T. Leon and Lucille Nye (née, London). He graduated from New Rochelle High School in 1943 and then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1943 to 1946 as second lieutenant navigator and radar instructor on B29s. Following his military service, he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in management engineering.
Mr. Leon was the devoted husband of the late Marie Leon (née, DuBois), whom he married in December 1949 at the Dutch Reformed Church in Claverack.
Mr. and Mrs. Leon lived in Emporium, PA, and then Manlius, where he worked for Carrier Corporation. In 1956, they moved to Pittsfield, MA, where he was employed by General Electric Company as manager of quality control in the Power Transformer Division. After his 20-year career with GE, he was employed by General Systems Company as a systems engineer, retiring in 1988. He was also involved in many volunteer activities, including Recording for the Blind, small-business consulting with SCORE, and 15 years as a genealogy researcher at the National Archives in Pittsfield. He was an avid golfer and tennis player for many years at the Pittsfield Country Club, where he and his wife were members. He also enjoyed playing bridge, hiking, vacationing at Lake George, and other travel. He was a communicant of the First Congregational Church on Park Square in Pittsfield.
He is survived by: his four children: Laura O’Brien and her partner Timothy Bezler of Fairfield, CT, Linda Paul and her husband Trevor Paul of Chatham, Lesley Spinnicchia of Niskayuna and Stephen Leon of Albany; his grandchildren, Evan and Kylie Paul, Michael Spinnicchia and Denis, Jackson, Harrison and Farrell Leon; great-granddaughter, Penelope Spinnicchia; three nieces and a nephew.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by his sister, Constance Brameier, and son-in-law, Robert Spinnicchia.
Arrangements are with the W.J. Lyons, Jr. Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer. A private graveside service in Schuylerville will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Population Connection, Planned Parenthood or the Nature Conservancy.
Mary A. Tomchik (1924 – 2019)
TROY—Mary A. Tomchik, 95, of Troy, formerly of New Lebanon, passed away at Van Rensselaer Manor, October 16, 2019.
Born in Brooklyn, she was the daughter of the late Thomas V. and Mary Grace Hanson. She had been a resident of New Lebanon since 1964 before moving to Van Rensselaer Manor. She was a communicant of Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon and had worked for many years for her brother at Soil and Material Testing in Castleton.
Mrs. Tomchik is survived by: her step-son, Thomas (Bonnie) Tomchik of NC; step-daughters, Elaine Murphy of CA, and Betty (Carl) Reynolds of NC; sisters, Margaret (Dale) Van Deusen of Nassau and Sister Madeline Hanson of CT; four step-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, George Tomchik and siblings Thomas, William, Joseph and John Hanson. A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 732 U.S. Route 20, New Lebanon. Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery in Ghent. The family thanks staff at Van Rensselaer Manor for their care and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Immaculate Conception shrine repairs, 732 U.S. 20, New Lebanon 12125.
Arrangements were with the Thomas P. Mooney Funeral Home, 11 Elm Street, Nassau.
