Paul M. Brown (1938 – 2025)
OLD CHATHAM—Paul Morton Brown, 87, of Manhattan and Old Chatham, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend passed away peacefully February 11 holding the hand of his loving wife of 38 years, Ruth Shneider Brown.
He is survived by: Ruth; his devoted daughter, Stephanie; son, William (Cynthia); grandson, Bradley Legg; niece, Jessica Brown (Jeff Allmon and children Hudson and Miles) and nephew, Anthony Brown. He was predeceased by his parents, Irving and Rose (Kresge) and his brother, William.
Born in Brooklyn January 10, 1938, he attended Poly Prep, where he made lifelong friends and excelled in sports, especially as a pitcher. Upon graduation, he was offered a minor league contract by the Dodgers, and opted instead to pursue his education, receiving a BS in economics from the Wharton School in 1959 and a JD from Columbia Law School in 1962.
While at Penn, he pitched for the baseball team and was a baseball camp counselor in the summer. He realized the wisdom of continuing his education when Willie Mays visited the camp and hit two monstrous blasts off his best fastball.
After serving in the army, he began his law career and became a distinguished corporate litigator at Whitman & Ransom, Parson & Brown in which he was a founding partner, and after a firm merger at Satterlee Stephens, and then as counsel at Duane Morris until his retirement in 2024. During his career he enjoyed numerous golf trips to the great American and European courses with colleagues and friends.
He married Helga Fisher Olsson in 1963 and raised their family in Closter, NJ, where he was elected borough councilman and also served as fire and police commissioner. Not surprisingly, he was also a Little League coach. He moved back to New York City after his divorce.
He was an avid Brooklyn Dodgers fan until they moved to Los Angeles when he transferred his allegiance to the Mets, even attending a Mets Dream Week in Port St. Lucie in 1989 where he pitched his last innings. He was also a devoted fan of the Rangers, Giants and Knicks.
He met his wife Ruth on Fire Island and they married in 1986. Soon after they purchased a home in Columbia County where he enjoyed golf, reading, chopping wood, and walking in the woods with his best pals—his Airedales, Charlie, Lucy, LuLu, and most recently, the ever-energetic “Hyper Piper.” Among his reading were western novels which led to their purchase of a condominium in Santa Fe where he enjoyed golfing at high altitudes. He was a long-time member of the University Club, the Old Chatham Hunt Club and Columbia Golf and Country Club.
As a movie buff, he particularly enjoyed films by Mel Brooks and those starring Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. He was a great fan of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Broadway musicals, and he would sing show tunes to anyone who would listen (or not).
He will be remembered for his irreverent sense of humor, generosity, devotion to his family and the joy he brought to everyone who knew him. He will be profoundly missed.
Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.
Terry Moon (1961 – 2025)
GHENT—It is with great sadness that his family announces the death of Terry Moon of East Chatham from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, March 19, 2025. He was born in Pittsfield, MA, January 24, 1961 the son of the late James and Carolyne Champney Moon.
He was predeceased by: a brother, James A. Moon; daughters, Courtney, Amanda and a son, Willy Moon. He is survived by: his wife, Mary (Abrams) Moon; a sister, Sharon Moon and a brother, Brad (Anita) Moon as well as children, Jennifer, Jessica, David (Nicki) and Adam (Breanna) Moon; grandchildren, Alice, Evelyn, Winter and Adam, Jr. and his sister-in-law, Judy Moon.
He was a member of the New York State Police serving from September 22, 1986 and retiring February 28, 2008.
He was well known in the community from his business Chatham Tire & Oil.
Family received friends at the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, Chatham, Saturday, March 22. In lieu of flowers contributions in his name may be made to the Columbia-Greene Humane Society. Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.
Susan M. Winter (1957 – 2025)
ALBANY—Susan Marie Winter, 67, of Craryville died Friday, March 21, 2025 at Albany Medical Center.
Born December 3, 1957 in New Milford, CT, she was the daughter of the late Raymond C. and Julia L. (White) Daley. She was the owner/operator of the Purple Barn Clothing Store in Craryville. She will be missed by her loving son, Ben L. Daley of Craryville and her brother, Daniel R. Daley. There are no calling hours. A Memorial Service is being planned and will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are with the Sacco Funeral Home, Greenport.
Aven A. Kerr (1946 – 2025)
DANBURY, CT—Aven Allison Kerr, 79, of Old Chatham passed away peacefully March 18, 2025 at the Regional Hospice Center of Western CT.
She was born in Albertville, AL, in 1946, the daughter of the late John and Mary Jo Moore Kerr. She graduated from Savannah (GA) High School 1963 and later graduated from Florida State University in 1966.
She was predeceased by her brother, John Kerr of Birmingham, AL.
She worked at the Prudential Insurance Company for almost 30 years, working in Jacksonville, FL; Newark, NJ; Boston, MA, and Ambler, PA. She left the company in 1995 as a senior vice president. She had brief stints at United Healthcare and NovaCare, where she served as COO. She served for many years on the board of directors for the National Bank of Coxsackie.
She retired in her 50s and moved to Old Chatham in 2001. She enjoyed renovating and decorating “The Barn,” her home in Old Chatham. She was a collector of art, jewelry and books, and loved to hunt for antiques. She loved classical music and played the piano.
She served on the Columbia Memorial Health Board of Trustees as well as the CMH Foundation Board for 17 years, serving as secretary, chairman, president and trustee emeritus. She also served on various committees for the Town of Chatham.
She loved dogs and always had a dog by her side, especially her last dog, Pearl, her beloved Jack Russell Terrier.
She traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia with her brother and friends. On one occasion, she met Margaret Thatcher, the prime minister of the UK.
She enjoyed Christmas and every year threw a Christmas party attended by her brother, John and friends.
There will be a private interment at Fairview Cemetery in Albertville, Alabama, alongside her beloved parents and brother.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, c/o Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N Michigan Ave., Floor 17 Chicago, IL 60601. “In Memory of Aven Kerr” or via the website: www.alz.org.
Stanley H. Burch, Jr. (1951 – 2025)
CLAVERACK—Stanley H. Burch, Jr., 73, of Claverack passed away unexpectedly March 11, 2025 with his family by his side. Born July 27, 1951 in Hudson, he was the son of the late Stanley H. Burch, Sr. and Aleta (Doty) Burch.
He owned and operated Burch’s Repair Shop for more than 45 years, a business to be carried on by his sons.
He is survived by: his four children, Stanley III, Adam, Colin, and Tanya; his grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Julie, Madaline, Charlie and Brooke; three brothers, Timothy, Barry and Thomas, along with his girlfriend, Debbie Rogers.
“Stan” will be greatly missed by his friends and family. In following his wishes, there will be no services. Arrangements are with the Bates and Anderson Funeral Home, Hudson.
Thomas D. Ditto (1944 – 2025)
ANCRAMDALE—Thomas Ditto of Ancramdale passed peacefully on Pi Day, March 14, 2025.
Born Thomas David DeWitt August 11, 1944 in New York City, he changed his surname to Ditto at marriage.
He was a husband, father, artist, scientist, Shakespeare scholar, visionary, inventor, actor, mime, filmmaker, clown, teacher, lecturer, colleague, and friend. Recipient of numerous grants, awards and honors in both the arts and sciences, a Guggenheim and NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts fellow, he was a creative genius beyond his time. In addition to authoring scores of papers, he held several patents and invented the first motion capture system and the Dittoscope, a radically new kind of telescope. He was a pioneer in computer generated video, film and performance.
When not hard at work, he was always there to help when needed and he knew how to bring smiles to faces. He loved his family and pets and was supportive of his wife’s cat rescue work. He is survived by: wife, Beverly (Botto); son, David; sister, Alice Pero; nieces and nephews in the extended family. He was predeceased by his parents, David and Madlyn Dewitt and sister, Peggy.
Memorial contributions may be made to any of the following non-profits: Collaborative Cats Inc. P.O. Box 88, Ancramdale 12503 www.collaborativecats.org; eba inc. Dance Theatre Company, P.O. Box 145, Albany 12201 www.eba-arts.org;
Wave Farm Transmission Arts WGXC 90.7 FM, P.O. Box 13, Acra 12405 www.wavefarm.org; American Astronomical Society, 1667 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006 www.aas.org; American Cancer Society, 2678 South Road, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie 12601 www.cancer.org.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place at a future date and will be announced on the funeral home website. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton. To send an online condolence visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com.
