Obituaries from the
Greenville Press

August 2005

Transcribed by Melanie Fisher Citty
Obituaries provided by April Saccoccio

August 4, 2005 

FLORA MATTICE 

Flora “Pat” W. Mattice, 78, of Coxsackie, died Sunday, July 31, at Albany Medical Center.

She was born in Howells July 16, 1927, the daughter of the late Ralph and Flora (Judsen) Warren.

Mattice had been a Coxsackie resident for 55 years and loved gardening, floral arranging, reading, and working word puzzles.

Survivors include her son, Floyd Mattice of Coxsackie; three daughters Linda Breese and Betty Higgins, both of Coxsackie, and Debra Lee of Albany; her brother Ralph Warren of Wallkill; two sisters, Laura Warden of Kingston and Myrtle Dymond of Syndown; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and Nephews.

Her husband, Floyd B. Mattice; a brother John Warren, and two sisters, Mae Albraze and Frances Wright, predeceased her.

Burial was in Riverside Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American legion Post 166, Coxsackie 12051.

Arrangements were with W.C. Brady’s Sons Funeral Home, Coxsackie.

August 4, 2005

BARBARA POWERS

Barbara Louise Shanks Powers, 74, of Catskill, died Friday, July 29 at Columbia Memorial Hospital, Hudson.

She was born in Albany December 1, 1930, the daughter of the late Clarence and Muriel (Gritmon) Colwell.

She attended Hartwick College in Oneonta and was a 1950 graduate of the Columbia Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

Known as “Shanksy” by her co-workers, she was employed at Greene County Memorial Hospital in Catskill as a registered nurse for 35 years.  She served as a supervisor while pursing her passion of obstetrical and emergency room nursing.

She also did supervisory work at Columbia-Greene Long Term Car, Eden Park Nursing Home and Hutton Nursing Home in Catskill.

She was a member of the New York State Nursing Association, of which she served as union representative.

For the past 15 years she had been employed as a full time private duty nurse in Boston, Ma.

She enjoyed baking and owned and operated The Little Cake Shop from her home, specializing in wedding and special occasion cakes.

She enjoyed organic gardening, was an accomplished seamstress and loved to shop for and give to her family and friends.

Survivors in six children, Dr. Larry Shanks and wife Robin of Molene, IL, Linda Walter, RN, and husband Gene of Boston, MA, Rick Shanks and wife Sherry of Catskill, Mark Shanks and wife Laurie of Apalachin, Lisa Shanks and partner Michael Schumacher of Catskill and Christopher Shanks and wife Lynn of South Glens Falls; two sisters, Marilyn Ferro and husband Salvatore of Catskill and Donna Ames, RN, and husband Earl of West Coxsackie; two brothers, Leroy Colwell and wife Marilyn of Catskill and Clancy Colwell and wife Ann of Hillsboro, NC; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; dear friends Janet and Lyle Brandow and Gertrude Os, all of Catskill; and many nieces and Nephews.

Interment was in Catskill Rural Cemetery.

Arrangements were with Traver and McCurry Funeral Home, Catskill.

August 25, 2005

JOSEPH VEVERKA

Joseph W. Veverka, 95, of Atlanta, GA, formerly of South Cairo, died Sunday, August 21 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta after a brief illness.

Born in New York City March 18, 1910, he was the son of the late Joseph and Clara (Bruckman) Veverka.

Veverka lived in South Cairo from 1936 until he moved of Florida and then to Atlanta.

He and his wife owned and operated McCabe’s White Elks Resort in South Cairo.  He served in the Army during World War II.

He was a past commander and a life member of Cairo American Legion Post #983.  He was a coin collector and loved fishing and hunting.

Survivors include a daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Vazquez and husband Julio of Atlanta; a daughter-in-law, Alma Veverka; five grandchildren, Margaret Ann “Peggy” Vazquez, William Veverka Jr. and wife Patty, Allen Veverka and wife Diane, and Janice Hull and husband Paul; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Margaret A. (Handke) Veverka, in 1990; a son William Veverka; and four sisters Florence, Lillian, Helen and Pauline.

Calling hours are Friday, August 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Richards Funeral Home, Bross Street, Cairo.

Funeral services are Saturday, August 27 at noon at the funeral home, with Rev. Retta Lykens, pastor of the South Cairo United Methodist Church, officiating.

Interment will take place in the Catskill Town Cemetery.

August 25, 2005

BERNARD BURKE

Bernard James “Seamus” Burke, 63, of Catskill, died Monday, August 15 at Columbia Memorial Hospital, Hudson.

He was born in Co. Derry, N. Ireland November 1, 1941, the son of the later Francis and Agnes (Hendry) Burke.

Burke was veteran of the English Navy and a graduate of technical college in Ireland.

He was employed by SUNY New Platz as a plumber/electrician and as bartender in the Catskill Mountains resort areas.

Survivors include his former wife, Mary-Ann McGarry-O’Neil of Cairo; his son and daughter, James and Helen Burke, both of the metropolitan New York area, his stepdaughter, Maura O’Neill of Cairo; his brother, Michael Burke of Co. Derry, N. Ireland; a sister, Rosemary (Burke) Harkin of Cheshire, England; his grandson, Michael McGarry McCarthy O’Neill; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a stepson, Michael McGarry O’Neill.

Private cremation took place at the Albany Rural Crematorium, Menands.  Interment of his remains will take place at the convenience of the family in the Old St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Catskill.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Lung Association of Northeastern New York, 3 Winners Circle, Suite 300, Albany 12205-1187.

Arrangements were with Richards Funeral Home, Cairo.

August 25, 2005

MILDRED HAVERLY

Mildred Haverly, 90, of Westerlo, died Sunday, August 21 at the Child’s Nursing Home in Albany.

She was born in Croton Point on July 21, 1915, the daughter of the late Frederick and Marietta (Lane) Tuttle.

Haverly resided in Westerlo for the last 24 years, having moved there from Croton-on-Hudson in 1971.

She had been a member of the Asbury Methodist Church and the Rebekkah Lodge of the International Order of Odd Fellows in Ossining.

Surviving are her two daughters, Barbara Haverly of Albany and Dhyan Rogers and Husband Joseph of Westerlo; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was predeceased by her husband, Allen Haverly, two sisters and one brother.

Burial was in Bethel Cemetery, Croton-on-Hudson.

Arrangements were with the Cunningham Funeral Home, Greenville.

August 25, 2005

LOUIS GRAMMAS

Louis R. Grammas, 66, of Catskill, died Friday, August 19 at home.

Born in Brooklyn September 16, 1938, he was the son of Victor Grammas and the late Nobilla (Maurer) Grammas.

Grammas was retired from American Tree and Wreath, formerly of Coxsackie.

Besides his father, survivors included his wife, the former Charlotte Girillo, whom he married May 14, 1980 at the United Methodist Church of Coxsackie; his stepdaughter, Sherrie and husband J.D. Donnelly of Coxsackie; a brother Kenneth Maurer of Plattsburgh; a sister, Jean Mattice of Coxsackie; a grandson, Shawn Donnelly; two step-grandson, Jason and Evan Donnelly; and many nieces and Nephew.

His brother, Ernest Maurer, predeceased him.

Arrangements were with Sopris-Murray Funeral Home, Coxsackie.

August 25, 2005

DOROTHY PFEFFER

Dorothy Pfeffer, 78, of West Coxsackie, died Tuesday, August 23 at St. Peter’s Hospice.

Survivors include here daughter and son-8nlaw, Carol and Roy Purtell of Troy; sister Betty Deyo and Agnes Spence of Coxsackie and Mary DeStefano of Hoboken, NJ; grandchildren Bryan and Adrianne Purtell of Troy; and several nieces and nephews.

Her husband, John W. Pfeffer died February 4, 1996.

Funeral arrangements are with W.C. Brady’s sons Inc. Funeral Home, Coxsackie.

August 25, 2005

ANNIE BOYLE

Annie Ryan Boyle, 79, of Freehold, formerly of the Bronx, died on Monday, August 22 at St. Peter’s Hospice Inn in Albany.

She was born in Cloniara, Co. Clare, Ireland, on July 11, 1926, the daughter of Patrick and Honora (Collins) Ryan.

Boyle was retired from a career in nursing, having worked in hospitals and nursing homes in England, Canada and New York.

She loved knitting, crocheting, sewing, photography, gardening and most of all, spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her children, Anna Marie Wilson and husband John of Freehold, NJ, Francis Boyle and wife Annemarie, Patricia Focken and husband Robert and Mary Theresa Boyle, all of Greenville; her brothers Patrick and Lawrence Ryan; her sister Maryann Francis; and nine grandchildren, Annie, Kimberly, Francis and Dermott Boyle, Jack, Clinton, Caitlyn and Victoria Wilson and Marissa and Chrissy Focken.

Her husband, Francis Joseph Boyle, and her brothers Daniel and James Ryan, predeceased her.

Funeral services are today, August 25, at 10:30 a.m. from Cunningham Funeral Home, 4898 Route 81, and Greenville. A Mass of Christian Burial is celebrated at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, Greenville.

Interment will be in the Cemetery of Gate of Heaven in Valhalla at 2:30 p.m.

Contributions may be made in her memory to Community Hospice of Columbia-Greene, 47 Libery Street, Catskill 12414.