The Scarsdale Inquirer – Hometown newspaper of Scarsdale, New York 10583

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obituary archives

Obituaries

Obituaries for current and former Scarsdale residents are posted online as they are received as a courtesy to family and friends who want to attend services. Obituaries are also printed in the newspaper on Friday if submitted to the editor, Debra Banerjee, by Tuesday at 5 p.m. There is no charge for publication. Submissions may be edited to conform with the paper's editorial style. To have an obituary published unedited, as a paid ad, contact Barbara Yeaker.

Raymond D. Saxe lll

Raymond D. Saxe III died Saturday, June 1, at Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle. He was 50.

Known to his friends and family as “Ray,” he was born in New York City on Nov. 14, 1962, to R. Daniel Saxe Jr. of Winchester, Va., and JoAn Teetor Saxe of New Castle, Ind., and New Orleans, La. He grew up in Scarsdale where he attended Scarsdale High School, graduating in 1980. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Bridgeport in 1985, and an M.B.A. in finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 1990. After working in systems engineering and project management for 15 years at Deutsche Bank AG, he moved to HSBC, where he was senior vice president in charge of global risk technology for the Americas, and later senior vice president/global head for client onboarding.

He was married to Naomi Reinitz, also of Scarsdale, and lived in Rye Brook. They later divorced. They have three daughters: Amanda, Abigail and Rachel.

Mr. Saxe was a devoted husband and father, his family said, and he loved spending time with his family and friends. He loved skiing, tennis, a good mystery and the Grateful Dead. He was an excellent drummer, and he was thrilled and proud when one of his daughters decided to take up the drums too, they said. One of his favorite times of the year was his family’s annual summer vacation at Lake George in the Adirondacks. He has requested that his ashes be scattered there. 

In addition to his ex-wife and three daughters, he is survived by his sister Emily Saxe Nydam of Wellesley, Mass.; and his mother JoAn Teetor Marder of Tucson, Ariz.

A private memorial service for family and friends was held at Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel in Port Chester, officiated jointly by Rabbi Jaymee Alpert and the Rev. Dr. John W. Miller of Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale. There will also be a memorial plaque placed in his memory at the Teetor Mausoleum in Hagerstown, Ind.

He was loved and will be missed, his family said. 

Kirk Richardson

Kirk Richardson of Hartsdale died June 1. She was 89.

Born in Lenox, Mass., on June 29, 1923, Mrs. Richardson graduated from Oyster Bay High School in New York in 1940 and from Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School in 1942. A resident of Scarsdale for 30 years, she spent the last 20 years in Hartsdale. 

An avid golfer, Mrs. Richardson was a member of Scarsdale Golf Club for 65 years where she achieved the ultimate goal in golf: a hole-in-one. She was recently named an honorary life member by the Board of Governors. In addition to her love for golf, she also loved bowling, traveling, music, animals, needlepoint and playing bridge with her friends.

Mrs. Richardson worked for Raymond Loewy Associates and then at IBM for 15 years, before retiring in 1982. She loved her “church family” and was a member at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale for the last 20 years. There, in 2007, she established Kirk’s Fund. In the past 6 years, the fund has grown exponentially and has made an impact on many areas of the church life, its members and their children, by providing children’s bibles, baptismal gifts and support for the music program. The fund has also been used to sponsor a national children’s anthem composition competition, resulting in the addition of two new published pieces of children’s music.

Mrs. Richardson was predeceased by her parents, Frederick and Sara Kirkham; two brothers and a sister; husbands Robert Halsey, Herbert Barnhart and Willoughby Richardson; stepson Spencer Barnhart and stepdaughter Ann Crocker.

She is survived by stepson Robert Barnhart and his wife Judy of Mentor, Ohio; granddaughters Susan Marinac and her husband David of Avon, Ohio, Jennifer Fozo and her husband Michael of Grosse Pointe, Mich.; and four great-grandchildren, Emily and Spencer Marinac and Madison and Stephen Fozo.

The family expressed their thanks for the overwhelming “outpouring of support, and love that Kirk received from her fellow members at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, the supportive visits from her Scarsdale Golf Club friends, the tender care administered by her team at the Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester, as well as to the caregivers involved in helping schedule her final ‘Tee time with the Lord.’”

A memorial service for Mrs. Richardson will be held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 15, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, it was her wish that donations in her memory be given to Kirk’s Fund. Checks should be made payable to Hitchcock Presbyterian Church/Kirk’s Fund, 6 Greenacres Ave., Scarsdale, NY 10583.

Irving S. Gibbs

Irving S. Gibbs, a 45-year resident of Scarsdale, died in Akron, Ohio on Sunday, May 12 at the age of 95.

Born Nov. 29, 1917, to Max and Anna Gibbs in New York City, Mr. Gibbs was the eldest brother to Leon and Israel, both of whom predeceased him.

He worked during the day and went to college at night, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree at CCNY. Drafted in 1941, he attended Officer Candidate School and obtained the rank of captain, serving in Europe during World War II. Called to service a second time, he was also a veteran of the Korean War.

Mr. Gibbs deployed his estimable skills as a CPA on behalf of corporations, nonprofit organizations and private clients, many of whom he counted among his friends, his family said.

He was a member of the Free Synagogue of Westchester for more than 50 years, lending his accounting expertise and “saykhel,” wisdom in Yiddish, to the synagogue’s board, treasury and Men’s Club.

He spoke English, Yiddish and Spanish, was an ardent supporter of the arts and was an intrepid globetrotter who traveled around the world with his wife of 66 years, Ruth, who predeceased him.

He is survived by his sons, Arthur (Sara) and Robert (Wendy,) and his granddaughter, Ella.

Margaret Hambley of Garth Road died peacefully of natural causes May 9 at the home she shared for 43 years with her husband James Hambley. She was 78.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland on May 19, 1934, and raised in New York City, Mrs. Hambley was the middle child of three sisters born to James and Grace Smith.

Since 1991 Mrs. Hambley was the voice of Scarsdale § Edgemont Family Counseling Service as the office manager. Her kind and gracious demeanor welcomed all who came through the agency door.

Executive director Geraldine Greene said, “As Margaret so often said, ‘I love my job,’ and Scarsdale § Edgemont Family Counseling Service loved having her as our office manager. Her warm regard for all who came through the SFCS door was apparent. We will miss her graciousness and kindness to all. She is truly one to be admired.”

Mrs. Hambley was also an active congregant at the Scarsdale Congregational Church where she often volunteered and attended weekly worship.

She is survived by her husband James, her daughter Susan Hanley (Philip Hanley), her son Todd Lemish (Myriam Lemish), three grandchildren, Margaret Hanley, Kyle Lemish and Katherine Lemish, her sister Christine Fast, nephews Jimmy and Jeffrey, and many friends and co-workers.

“Margaret was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother and she will be deeply missed,” her family said.

A memorial service will be held June 22 at 11 a.m. at the Scarsdale Congregational Church, 1 Heathcote Road. Donations in her memory may be made to Operation Smile.

Nadia Belousoff Sechko, 106, longtime resident

By PUCCI McGILL

Nadia Belousoff Sechko of Secor Road died May 3. She was 106.

Her son Eugene said he bought the house in 1968. “When my father died, we were living in Pelham Parkway. My mother didn’t want to live in that house anymore after that,” Mr. Sechko said.

At the time, their neighbor had a gardener who came to cut the lawn. “My mother would invite him for coffee. He told us about a house for sale in Scarsdale, and I went to look at it. I liked it, and so did my mother, and so I bought it. That was 45 years ago.”

Mrs. Sechko was born in 1906 in the Ukraine, and came to New York in 1911 with her mother. They lived in the west 80s in Manhattan, where she attended Wadleigh High School. During World War I, she knitted socks for the soldiers fighting overseas and won an award in high school for her wartime efforts. She also attended Hunter College in Manhattan.

When she was 19, she married Leonard Sechko, a contractor. Mrs. Sechko worked as a cashier at Longchamps, in the Empire State Building, her son said.

“In the basement there was a nightclub with a dance floor and they had all the big bands. I have autographs from Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, they all played there.”

In the early 1960s, Mrs. Sechko raised money for the arthritis association, and won an award for bringing in the most money in her district. Included in the award were two tickets to see Rudy Vallée on Broadway in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Her son said that after the performance, she went backstage and met the actor. A photo of them ran in the Daily News and the Daily Mirror.

Mrs. Sechko was a member of the Scarsdale Congregational Church, the Scarsdale Woman’s Club and the Eastern Star Masonic Temple in Pleasantside. She volunteered at White Plains Hospital for 15 years as a “pink lady,” her son said. She wore a pink jacket and pushed around the cart stacked with newspapers and books.

Her son had no siblings, but he did have Nora, a small poodle. “My mother found it wandering around, really dirty,” Mr. Sechko remembers. “So she cleaned her up and kept her. Nora would sit under the bed and eat caramels.”

Eugene Sechko, who lived all his life with his mother, worked for 34 years as a mechanical engineer for the Board of Education of the City of New York and is also a real estate broker, he told the Inquirer.

Mrs. Sechko outlived all her friends. “People used to ask her, ‘How come you lived so long?’” her son said. “And she’d tell them that whenever she’d go to a doctor and he would give her a prescription, she’d go home and rip it up.”

A meticulous housekeeper, she was very outgoing “and wore beautiful clothes,” said her son. “She wanted to be a designer and I just found some lovely, fragile drawings she was using as shelf liners. She liked to dress up. She always had a beautiful hairdo and wore a different outfit each time she went to the senior citizens in Eastchester.”

Mrs. Sechko was buried at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla.

Robert John Carroll

Robert John Carroll of Fairway Mews in Spring Lake Heights died May 11 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, N.J., with his family by his side. He was 66.

Mr. Carroll grew up in Scarsdale and was a longtime resident of Hartsdale before moving to Spring Lake Heights in 2006.

Mr. Carroll retired from Con Edison in 2007 after 38 years of service. He was a communicant of St. Catharine’s Catholic Church, Spring Lake.

He was an avid chess player, loved movies, and music of the 1950s. He and his family enjoyed the beach and summered at the Jersey Shore, particularly Spring Lake, for many years, his family said.

Mr. Carroll was the brother of Edward Carroll of Pocono Pines, Pa., Elizabeth Mahon of Spring Lake Heights, N.J., James Carroll of Bakersfield, Calif., and his twin sister, Kathleen Smyth of Spring Lake, N.J. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 15 at St. Catharine’s Catholic Church in Spring Lake. Interment followed at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Meridian Hospice by visiting www.meridianathome.com. For further information or to send condolences to the family, visit www.obrienfuneralhome.com.

Helene Scheuer Rosenblatt

Helene Scheuer Rosenblatt, 89, of Mamaroneck, a resident of Scarsdale for more than 40 years, died Friday, May 10. A strikingly beautiful woman throughout her life, she was elegant, warm and loving, said her family. She was admired and respected by friends, family and casual acquaintances alike. At the 1994 commencement at Cornell University, Mrs. Rosenblatt was recognized by university president Dr. Frank Rhodes as the oldest recipient of a bachelor’s degree in the history of the university. Following graduation, she served as a research assistant at Cornell’s Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center, primarily working for professors Phyllis Moen and Karl Pillemer.

Surviving Mrs. Rosenblatt are her daughter Roberta Rosenblatt, sons Ron (Susy) Rosenblatt, David (Robyn) Rosenblatt and Larry (Linda) Rosenblatt, daughter Ann (Stuart) Arbeit and 10 grandchildren. She is also survived by 10 great grandchildren, for whom she was an adored role model, her family said. Her husband Robert Rosenblatt and son Bill predeceased her.

Burial was private. A memorial service is planned for the future. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to www.athomeonthesound.org or to Cornell University College of Human Ecology, c/o Marybeth Tarzian.

Carol Ann Shields Naughton

Carol Ann (Shields) Naughton, a longtime Scarsdale resident, died Friday, April 26, 2013. Born on Oct. 30, 1935, she was a graduate of Mount St. Vincent School of Nursing. She lived in Scarsdale until she and her husband Kevin moved to Somers in 1995. For many years she was a school nurse in Scarsdale, first at St. Pius Elementary and later at Edgewood Elementary School. Mrs. Naughton was known for her soothing manner, magic ice cubes and friendly smiles for all children who needed medical care or just some extra attention, her family said.

Mrs. Naughton was a longtime parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. She especially enjoyed her home on the banks of Fern Lake in Leicester, Vt. There she spent many happy hours enjoying the view of the water, reading and reveling in the company of her children and grandchildren. Her family said she was a large part of their lives, cheering on her grandchildren at sporting events, school plays and concerts. She was proud of her children and the lives and families they created.

She is survived by her five children: Kevin (Heidi) of Darien, Conn.; Patty Foster (Chandler) of Stamford, Conn.; Colin (Sue) of Holliston, Mass.; Maura of New York City; and Carey (Andre) Gattyan of Charleston, S.C. Also surviving her are 11 grandchildren — Chandler, Liam, Chelsea, Maggie, Daly, Claire, Katie, Jack, Henry, Kayla and Bridgette. She was predeceased by her husband, her parents Edward and Beatrice Shields and a brother, Edward (Bud) Shields.

Catholic services were held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Burial was at Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne.

Rose Goldberg Katz

Rose Goldberg Katz, of White Plains, died May 5. She was 100.

Mrs. Katz was born on Nov. 1, 1912, in New York City. She and her husband owned the Gaity Music Shop on Broadway in New York City from the 1930s to the 1970s. In her later life, from when she was 65 to 95 years old, Mrs. Katz worked as a bookkeeper for Linda Blair Design in Scarsdale village.

She was predeceased by her husband, Benjamin Katz, and a daughter, Sally Katz. 

She is survived by her daughter, Ronnee Segal, and her children, Julie Gerstenblatt and her husband Brett, Greg Medow and his wife Ursula; as well as her daughter Janet Marks and her daughter Joanna Ortiz and her husband Gerardo. Mrs. Katz also has five great-grandchildren, Andrew, Zoe, Boden, Sierra and Maya.

Funeral services were held on May 7 at Westchester Reform Temple.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: The Sarah Neuman Center for Healthcare and Rehabilitation, 845 Palmer Ave., Mamaroneck, NY 10543.

Naomi Fortune

Naomi “Sis” Fortune, of Rye, N.Y., died April 24, quietly in her sleep. She was 95.

Mrs. Fortune was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., on Feb. 17, 1918. She graduated from the Emma Willard School and Connecticut College. She was a longstanding member of the Shenorock Shore Club, the Scarsdale Golf Club and the Scarsdale Woman’s Club.

She was predeceased by her husbands, the Hon. Pratt Boice Esser (a former New York State Assemblyman), Edmund Buryan and Phillip Fortune, as well as her daughter, Carolyn Esser.

She is survived by her son, Richard, his wife Julia, and their three children, Lauren, Henry and Megan, as well as her daughter Carolyn's two children, Christina Wilson and Jennifer Wilson-Loving. Mrs. Fortune also has two great-grandchildren, Austin and Aleah.  

Funeral services were held May 1 at the chapel at the Osborn with the rector of Christ's Church officiating.   

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: Christ's Church, 2 Rectory St., Rye, NY 10580 and Church of St. Joseph of Arimethea, 2197 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, NY 10523.

George Stanley Gord

Former longtime Scarsdale resident George Stanley Gordon died April 22 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx after a long battle with the neurological disease Lewes Body Dementia. He was 86.

He was born on Nov. 19, 1926, in Brooklyn, to Emily Millar and George Gordon Sr. His two older siblings, a brother, Leslie Gordon, born in England, and a sister, Elizabeth, born in Ireland, predeceased him.

He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in January 1944. He attended Brown University on a naval scholarship, concentrated in psychology and graduated with a B.A. on June 17, 1946. While a student, Mr. Gordon won two varsity letters in Brown baseball and served as a member of the Brown Key Society, senior class representative, school newspaper staff, radio studio staff, and Platoon Leader of Company MPO V-1. He later played baseball as shortstop for Olean, N.Y., following a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Mr. Gordon earned his rank as an ensign in 1946, obtained a Certificate of Satisfactory Service on active duty status during World War II in 1947, and retired from the Naval Reserves in 1959, when he moved to Ontario, Canada as a brand manager for the National Distillers.

He graduated with an M.B.A. in 1949 from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and later graduated from the Harvard Advanced Management Program in May 1968. At National Distillers (1951-53) his market analysis and research was credited for developing the first comprehensive marketing plan in the liquor industry to the African-American market. He moved to the Benton & Bowles Advertising Agency (1953-57) where he was responsible as an account executive for his first multimillion dollar budget to sell Procter & Gamble products. He transferred to Massey-Ferguson in Toronto, Canada (1957-63) as director of marketing.

He became vice-president-marketing, reporting to the president for Eastern Airlines (1963-68) and created “The Sun Rise at Eastern” marketing program which doubled revenue and increased market share. At Eastern, Mr. Gordon changed the airline industry’s competitive posture. As a result, he won several top awards for advertising and marketing excellence. Resigning from Eastern Airlines, Mr. Gordon started his own advertising agency, Gordon & Shortt, (1968-80), which involved continuing the introduction of new advertising and marketing ideas in the travel and transportation industry, largely through attaining Braniff Airlines and General Motors as major accounts, with corporate offices in New York, Dallas and Detroit.

Mr. Gordon created the campaign of Flying Colors for Braniff Airlines based on the kinetic art of artist Alexander Calder, known for his mobiles.

His many awards included: the Clio, Ad Man of the Year, and Marketing Man of the Year. Mr. Gordon later merged his company with Wells, Rich & Greene.

In 1981, he composed the lyrics for an anthem, “The Westchester Song” with Don Danneman and Noris O’Neill, to promote Westchester County as a place to work, live and visit.

Upon his retirement from advertising, he owned and operated East Hampton Aire (1988-93) and pioneered the concept of developing hubs and utilizing smaller airports in state capitals across the United States. He later sold his airline routes to Continental Airlines. During these years, Mr. Gordon became a theater producer (1988-2008) having won the Outer Critics Circle Award in 1988 for “Oil City Symphony” as the best off-Broadway musical. In 1988, Mr. Gordon sought to translate the five plays from the original Polish of the late Pope John Paul II. He later shared the rights to produce them with the Vatican.

In 1993, he created the Starclone Co., which produced perfume from the distilled pheromones found in human perspiration with a line of “aroma autographs.”

Mr. Gordon was twice divorced, from the late Olive Briggs Gordon with whom he had two daughters, Dana Briggs Parkinson and Kimberly Gordon Marks; and the late Janet Morgan Gordon with whom he had two sons, George Gordon III and Troy Gordon.

Mr. Gordon met his life partner, Nancy McKeever Wareham-Gordon and they had a daughter, Chloe’ Wareham-Gordon. In 1994 Mr. Gordon and Nancy Wareham-Gordon produced the first English version of “The Jeweler’s Shop,” Pope John Paul ll’s play, off-Broadway at the Theater at St. Luke’s and throughout numerous Catholic churches for 15 years.

In 1997-2001, Mr. Gordon became an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship for the University of Connecticut Stamford’s Graduate School of Business. He co-founded the Business Plan Academy (BPA) for start-up businesses and served as a consultant for SmartOnline.Com where he later merged BPA.

From 1999-2002, Mr. Gordon collaborated with artisan Herman Roggeman of Metal Concepts of Cold Spring to form the Calder Airplane Project producing limited edition reproductions of Calder airplane models and derivative mobiles based on designs from the Braniff campaign.

Mr. Gordon completed his book, “Plane Fun,” (yet unpublished, but recently copyrighted) with the writers Alexia Paul and Goldee Greene. He also wrote an opera based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” and left many songs and poems which he composed throughout his life.

Mr. Gordon remained an active parishioner of the St. Philip’s Church in the Highlands, in Garrison, N.Y., from 1999-2008 until the onset of his dementia.

Friends and family are requested to donate funds in his memory to either the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS), 328 West 48th Street, NY, NY 10036, email: ppaspta.org or the St. Philip’s Church in the Highlands, 1101 Route 9D, Garrison, NY 10524, email: stphilips@highlands.com.

In addition to his five children, he had seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A private burial service was conducted by the Rev. Francis H. Geer on April 28 at St. Philip’s Church in the Highlands.

Elliot N. Iver

Elliot N. Iver died peacefully, at sunset, April 25 at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, Wis., surrounded by his loved ones. He was 58.

Mr. Iver was born in Yonkers, moved with his family to Scarsdale in 1966, and graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1972.

He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Milwaukee Area Technical College, pursuing fine art painting, and landscape and architectural design.

His intellect, quick wit, his passion for creating paintings and drawings, and playing music on the guitar and harp were all reflections of his quest for beauty and light tempered by his tender and compassionate heart, his family said. He loved animals and always had a pet by his side.

Mr. Iver is survived by his partner of 22 years, Kazu Kitano, his brother Michael Iver, sister-in-law Cindy, nephew Jeremy, niece Katelyn of Scarsdale, his sister Lorraine of Jupiter, Fla., as well as a close circle of longtime friends.

He was predeceased by his parents, Kate and Morton Iver, and his grandparents.

A funeral was held in the Jewish tradition April 28 at the Cress Funeral Home. Burial followed at Sunset Memory Gardens in Madison, Wis.

Janet Patterson

Janet Baum Patterson, a 50-year resident of Edgemont, died peacefully Saturday, April 27 with her family at her side. She was 82.

Mrs. Patterson was born on Sept. 6, 1930, to the late Berthe and Herbert Baum. She was raised in Larchmont with her brother, Bruce Baum, and was a 1948 graduate of Mamaroneck High School. She studied textile design at Syracuse University, graduating in 1952. Mrs. Patterson worked in the textile design field for a number of years, designing fabrics, towels and sheets.

On March 3, 1962, she married Frank Patterson Jr. who predeceased her in 2010. Together they had a daughter and a son, Anne and Jim.

Mrs. Patterson was an accomplished artist who was a longtime member of the Scarsdale Art Association, serving on the board in the role of secretary. She was also a member of the Grandview Group of artists. She exhibited her work in many local shows, including those at the Scarsdale Library, Mamaroneck Artists’ Guild and Greenburgh Town Hall. She was particularly talented at botanical watercolors but loved to experiment with other art forms and could often be found with sketchbook and pen in hand. Her works are in many local private collections.

Mrs. Patterson was known for her kind, patient and caring ways, her family said. These traits made her an excellent teacher and she led an oil painting class at the Greenburgh Multipurpose Center until recently.

“Janet was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met,” said Gina Thorne, president of the Scarsdale Art Association. “She was kind, giving, an excellent artist and willing to help anyone learn what she did so very well.

She was part of our painting group and participated in workshops. She was a wonderful part of the association.”

“Every so often we are blessed to meet a friend who is thoughtful, generous and talented whose very presence has an uplifting effect on those around her. Such a person was Janet Patterson and her work reflected who she was,” said former president, SAA member Phil Wallace.

An active member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club, Mrs. Patterson participated in their many programs. She was a member of the Westchester County Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni Organization and the Greenville Community Church. She was a good friend to many and will be missed by all, her family said.

Mrs. Patterson is survived by her brother, Bruce Baum of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, her children and their spouses, Anne and Charlie Wilmerding of Villanova, Pa., and Jim and Pamela Patterson of Fairfield, Conn., and five grandchildren, Lila, Olivia and Charlie Wilmerding and Anna and Everett Patterson.

A service in celebration of her life was held at Greenville Community Church on May 2.

Vincent Ermilio, co-owner of Lange’s deli, has died

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Black ribbons adorn the windows of Lange’s Deli in Scarsdale to mourn the death of co-owner Vincent “Vinny” Ermilio, of Mahopac, who died unexpectedly April 6. He was 57.

Mr. Ermilio was diagnosed with a noncancerous tumor of the neck in March and died of complications from an infection he got while recovering in rehab after surgery, said his business partner, Anthony Domini.

Mr. Ermilio and brothers Anthony and William Domini bought the popular Scarsdale eating spot in 1999.

The close-knit counter staff at Lange’s is adjusting to life without Chef Ermilio.

“We are trying to fill the void as best we can,” said Domini.

“He would yell at you and then hug you,” Domini said. “This was his family. He was a good person.”

As executive chef, Mr. Ermilio liked to be creative, Domini told the Inquirer. “His juices were flowing when he got to cook something out of the ordinary.”

Domini said that his partner had taught the kitchen most of his recipes. “We’ll continue to provide the customers with what they want,” he said.

Lange’s was renovated and expanded in 2000, adding more seating indoors and an outdoor café in good weather. The deli is currently expanding further into the space next door.

“Every once in a while it pops into your head that Vinny’s not here,” Domini said. “The community support has been helpful and heartwarming to the family.

Born July 16, 1955, Mr. Ermilio graduated from East Meadow High School on Long Island in 1973. He is survived by his sister, Maria Cerbone and her husband Artie of Mahopac and their family.

A funeral Mass was held April 11 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Tuckahoe.

Community leader Jackson B. Browning Sr. is dead at 91

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Jackson B. Browning Sr. of Sarasota, formerly of Scarsdale and Rye, died at his home on April 23 after a brief illness. He was 91.

Mr. Browning was born in 1921, in Omar, W. Va., son of the late Van Buren and Lilly Clyde (Dee Dee) Herald Browning. He was a graduate of Logan High School, W.Va., and received a B.S. in chemical engineering from West Virginia University in 1943. Jackson served in World War II as an ensign in the Navy where he was a flight instructor. After the war, he received his LL.B. from West Virginia University in 1948 and went to work in the patent department at Union Carbide Corp. in New York. He moved from patents to the Linde Division and then the Carbon Products Division. He finished his career at Carbide as the executive vice president of health, safety and environmental affairs and acted as one of the main spokesmen for the company following the gas leak disaster in Bhopal, India.

After his retirement from Union Carbide in 1986, he started a second career as a real estate broker, working with his wife, Armande, at Julia B. Fee Inc., in Scarsdale and Rye, where Armande was an owner. Mr. Browning served as president and chairman of the board.

Mr. Browning served on the Scarsdale Board of Education during the turbulent late 1960s, from 1968 to 1976, and was elected president of the board in 1970. According to “A Sort of Utopia Scarsdale 1891-1981” by Carol A. O’Connor, Mr. Browning was the dissenting vote against a program to bus students from Mount Vernon to Scarsdale schools. O’Connor wrote: “Jackson B. Browning said that, while he saw ‘no fatal defects in the proposed experiment itself,’ he voted against its adoption because he perceived such action ‘to be in defiance of the public will.’”

Scarsdale never found out how the program would have worked because the Mount Vernon Board of Education elected not to participate in the plan.

Mr. Browning served on the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees from 1977 to 1981.

Longtime family friend Lynne Clark said, “Jackson Browning was a perfect gentleman and a strong leader, whether it be in business or in his many contributions to Scarsdale, including his service on the school board, on the village Board of Trustees, and as an elder at Hitchcock Church. He was president of Julia B. Fee for 15 years, from 1987 to 2002 and it was my honor to work with him to grow the company as vice president. I will miss him.”

Aside from family gatherings, Mr. Browning’s favorite activities were golf at Winged Foot Golf Club where he was a member, Yankees baseball, reading, singing and crossword puzzles. A great storyteller with a keen sense of humor, his stories were always in demand by family and friends, his family said.

Mr. Browning is survived by his wife of 65 years; son Jackson Browning Jr. of New York, N.Y.; son James (Robin) Browning of Westfield, N.J.; daughter Elizabeth (Gregg) Jones of Palmetto, Fla.; daughter-in-law Lisa Browning of Warren, R.I.; grandchildren Christopher, Karen (Christopher Ahern), Jackson, Lauren, Alyssa, Russell and Kristin; sister Betty Fulton of Dallas, Texas, and his nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son Dr. Richard Browning; daughters-in-law Susan Pollard Browning and Becky Shaver Browning; and his brother James Browning.

Burial will be in the Sarasota National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to West Virginia University or the Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, Fla.

Alfred Carl Buehler

Alfred Carl Buehler of Scarsdale died peacefully at White Plains Hospital, surrounded by his family April 14. He was 75.

Mr. Buehler was born on Feb. 17, 1938 in New York, N.Y., to the late Max and Elsie (Brüstle) Buehler of Germany. He grew up, an only child, in the Bronx and worked as an electrical engineer.

On Oct. 4, 1958, Mr. Buehler married Fran Gagliardotto. Together, they had two daughters, Carole and Lori. In 1966, Mr. Buehler moved his family to Scarsdale, where he lived for the past 47 years.

Mr. Buehler had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1990, yet he did not let his illness interfere with his enjoyment of life, his family said. Above all else, Mr. Buehler loved being with his family. He possessed an adventurous soul and greatly enjoyed spending time outdoors fishing and hunting. His other interests included reading, cooking, bowling, watching movies and listening to country music. Mr. Buehler will be remembered dearly for his generous spirit, intelligent mind and witty sense of humor.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Fran Buehler, realtor at Houlihan Lawrence, and their two daughters, Carole Kumar of Scarsdale and Lori Smith of Mahopac. Mr. Buehler is also survived by five grandchildren: Nicole and Kevin Kumar of Scarsdale; and Remie Jr., Keith and Jessica Smith of Mahopac.

A funeral service was held Wednesday, April 17 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Scarsdale.

Margaret Barclay Sullwold Moritz

Margaret Barclay Sullwold Moritz died April 5 at home in Hartsdale. She was 98.

She was born Sept. 14, 1914, in St. Paul, Minn., to George John Sullwold Sr. and Margaret Barclay Sullwold. Throughout her life she shared fond memories of the summers she and her family spent at Minnesota’s White Bear Lake.

The family moved to South Pasadena, Calif., where Mrs. Moritz and her brother George Jr. attended South Pasadena High School and UCLA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in French at UCLA and later did graduate work in Chinese at the University of Washington.

She was active with the national YWCA throughout her life, and met her husband, the late Paul Walter Moritz, through his work with the national and international YMCA. They were married in Topeka, Kan., on May 1, 1941.

Margaret and Paul lived in Beijing in 1947, where Mr. Moritz was already working with the YMCA and United China Relief. After about a year in China, Mrs. Moritz returned to California with their two children and Mr. Moritz returned home later. They lived alternately in White Plains and the Los Angeles area (Pasadena and San Gabriel) throughout their married life, and their four children were born alternately on the two coasts. In 1968 while the family was living in White Plains, Mr. Moritz died suddenly at the age of 50. Mrs. Moritz had lived in Hartsdale since 1974.

She was an active community volunteer, working with church groups, PTAs, the League of Women Voters, Girl Scouts and many other community organizations. She served as president of the Women’s Group, a member of the Altar Guild, and as a Vestrywoman and Warden at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in White Plains — the first female Warden in the history of the Diocese of New York. She later served as an elder at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale and belonged to the Women’s Club and the College Club of White Plains.

After her husband’s death she became the director of World Fellowship Education for the National Board of the YWCA in Manhattan. She served as executive director of the Volunteer Service Bureau of Westchester and worked with the Westchester Community Foundation. She also worked for a time in the library at Scarsdale High School.

Mrs. Moritz always tried to put her beliefs into action and was keenly dedicated to social justice. During World War II she regularly visited Japanese-American detainees at a California internment camp, and was proud of her work with the YWCA to combat racism. In her career she made the acquaintance of a diverse array of notable women including Lila Acheson Wallace, Dorothy Height, Betty Shabazz and Mary Rockefeller. In her professional work with the YWCA she traveled to South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Mrs. Moritz spent her free time gardening, sewing, quilting, embroidering, playing bridge, reading, and doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles. She admired the novels of John Steinbeck; adored birds, dogs and cats; and loved the English language, a stickler for its proper use. She had exquisite handwriting and practiced calligraphy. From her own mother she acquired her love of birds and roses and an uncanny knack for baking. She loved to drive and took pride in her house and her family. Despite the untimely death of her husband she carved out a new life for herself, her family said.

Her children are Susan Moritz of Hartsdale; Thomas Moritz of Los Angeles; Ann Moritz Chesnut (Richard) of Lake Peekskill; and Deborah Moritz of Madison, Wis. Her grandchildren are Maggie Chesnut of Brooklyn; Olwen Jaffe of Washington, D.C.; Max Jaffe of Somerville, Mass.; and Dillon Chesnut of Haverford, Pa.

Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation in her name to Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester, 311 North St., Suite 204, White Plains, NY 10605, 682-1484, www.hospiceofWestchester.com.

Herbert Rosenstein

Longtime Scarsdale resident Herbert Rosenstein died April 15. He was 85. He was born April 17, 1927, in New York, N.Y. After high school, he served in the Navy during World War II. He later graduated from City College of New York with a degree in accounting and shortly thereafter received his C.P.A. He retired as the controller of the United Jewish Appeal after many years of service.

Mr. Rosenstein will be remembered fondly as a devoted husband and loving father, his family said.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Eleanor; daughters Roberta (Paul) Delano, Joanne (Philip) Katzman and Nancy (Tom) Griffin; grandsons Leo and Seth Katzman; brother Irwin (Lillian) Rosenstein; nieces and nephews. 

A graveside service was held at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Hastings on April 17. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, HYPERLINK "http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp"http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp.

Gloria Ann Mezzacappa

Gloria Ann Mezzacappa of Scarsdale died April 4 with her family by her side. She was 59.

Mrs. Mezzacappa was born Dec. 24, 1953, to James T. Larmon and the late Alice Lowery.

She married the love of her life, John C. Mezzacappa, her family said, and spent her life dedicated to raising their family. She is survived by her four children, John and his wife Heather, Shana Miller and her husband Richard, Trina and Richard Mezzacappa.

Mrs. Mezzacappa had a huge heart for her two grandchildren, who affectionately called her Gigi, her family said.

“Gloria will most fondly be remembered for her caring and loving nature raising her children. Both her gardening skills and crochet skills exemplified her nurturing character and concern for all living things. Gloria’s endearing smile, gentle charm and good humor will forever be missed by many, but will never be forgotten,” her family said.

She is also survived by her older twin brothers, James and Bruce. 

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Tuesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale. Entombment followed at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, 5526 West 13400 South, #510, Salt Lake City, UT 84096   www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/donate.htm.

 

Spencer Repp, 19, dies in motorcycle accident

By DEBRA BANERJEE and TODD SLISS

Spencer Repp, a 2012 graduate of Scarsdale High School and a star lacrosse player for the Raiders, died Friday, March 29, after injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. The 19-year-old University of Arizona freshman lost control of his motorcycle on a winding Tucson road known as the Mount Lemmon Highway and went over a guardrail. Mr. Repp was airlifted to the University of Arizona Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

Word of his death spread quickly on social media. Friends, parents of friends and teammates quickly rallied to offer support and condolences to his family, Paul and Ellen Repp of Quaker Ridge, and sister Lindsey, a junior at Scarsdale High School. Mr. Repp was well liked and had a wide circle of friends, in both Scarsdale and in Arizona.

“He was a great kid,” said his mother Ellen in a phone interview with the Inquirer. “He had a real passion, a zest for life. He touched so many kids. He had tremendous empathy and patience for everyone. He kept up with people everywhere, checked up on people.”

“He loved working at rec camp,” said his father. “He seemed to be working with kids who had special needs. He gravitated toward helping people who needed things, had tough times. He was first to volunteer to do a race for Down’s Syndrome. That’s the way he was. He hid that from us.”

His mother continued, “Friendship with Spencer, it’s interesting. As a young child, he didn’t have many friends, but he had become all about his friendships.”

Friend Oran Ben-Simon, a sophomore at the SUNY Albany, talked to Spencer the day before he died. “We talked almost every day,” he said. Oran’s birthday was four days later than Spencer’s, Nov. 16, 1993, but he was a year ahead in school. “We’ve been best friends for the past six years. He was like a brother to me,” Ben-Simon said. “He was probably the most honest uplifting kid I know. Never once did he turn his back on me. He taught me so much and I gave him so much in return. We were a great team. There was nobody in my life I was closer with.”

Playing lacrosse was “in his DNA,” his parents said. His father was a lacrosse player.

Sports teams have a built-in support group. With Spencer having played on the Scarsdale boys’ team last year and his sister Lindsey a junior on the girls’ team this spring, coping with the death has not been easy. The teams are getting the support they need, not only from each other, but from youth outreach worker Lauren Pomerantz, who met with both teams on Monday, and their coaches, Tim Weir for the boys and Cece Berger for the girls.

“We’re going to be there,” Berger said. “We’re going to do what we need to do for our teammate. It’s times like this where we become closer.”

Both coaches and their assistants are doing whatever they can for the kids, while also trying to maintain some normalcy when it comes to practices and preparing for the competition season, which started this week.

“You have to take care of the guys, take care of the girls’ team and just rely on other people,” Weir said. “This is when you find out who your friends really are. I’m sure these guys are going to be supported by a lot of their friends. Whatever we can do to help the Repp family get through the situation we’re going to do.”

Lindsey, the top returning player for the girls, was at practice this week and was expected to play in the team’s first game of the season, which was moved from April 2 to April 3 at Ursuline. Coach Berger said that Lindsey is free to be at or miss practices and games based on her needs and the needs of her family.

“On Monday she said, ‘Lacrosse is so much a part of my life that I want to get back on the field,’” Berger said. “For Lindsey to be out here is what we know she loves. Paul, her dad, loves lacrosse and he’s passed on that love to the kids.”

About playing in the opener Lindsey said, “My dad wouldn’t have anything else,” with a smile.

What has struck her through this ordeal is the generous outpouring she and her family have received.

“I could never have imagined the kind of support and love I’ve seen in this community,” Lindsey said. “I never expected so many people to be so warm and loving and to show up at my doorstep, people I haven’t seen in years, to send a note, an email, a text, something on Facebook, a picture from when he was 2 or 3 or 5.”

Lindsey is enjoying hearing all of the stories people have been sharing about her brother, which only reinforces what she feels deep in her heart about him: “He was the best brother. He was always willing to do anything and everything for me. He was willing to have a catch, go for a walk, a bike ride. He definitely put everyone before himself. He was the most thoughtful, sensitive, smart, funny guy I knew. He made everybody around him smile. Tears just come to my eyes thinking about him.”

Berger said that Lindsey was more at peace knowing that her brother knew that she had verbally committed to play lacrosse at Brown for the 2014-15 school year. After all, lacrosse has always been a family sport.

The boys’ team was also supposed to open the season on April 2 and had a road game in Saratoga slated for April 6, but Weir postponed the home opener until April 8 and cancelled the Saratoga trip so everyone can attend the memorial service.

Weir, now in his second year coaching at Scarsdale, only had Repp for his senior year, and is thankful for that opportunity.

“He’s just a great individual, a happy-go-lucky kid, had a lot of friends, very popular,” Weir said. “He was very well respected both on and off the field in the community. He did a lot of work with the rec program, too.”

Repp was coming off an ACL tear that caused him to miss his junior year, and made the most of his final season last spring. He was an All-Section honorable mention.

“I actually remember Spencer back when he was in third grade when I was at one of the elementary schools,” Berger said. “He was very energetic, easy-going. I think I became closer to him when Lindsey came on the team and two years ago I talked to him about his ACL injury because he reminded me of my brother, who tore his ACL and made it back for his senior year. I knew how much work that was. It was cool to see him do so well on the field last year.”

Lindsey is finding strength from those around her after what she called the “mind-blowing” news of her brother’s death.

“I know he’s thinking about us and proud of me, proud of my mom, proud of my dad,” Lindsey said. “We’re all staying strong as much as possible.”

The family left for Tucson this week to bring their son home and to attend a memorial in Arizona.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday afternoon, April 6, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Scarsdale Golf Club.

Dean Holbrook

Former Edgewood resident Dean Holbook died March 28. He was 78.

A graduate of HYPERLINK "http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/princeton-university/?personid=164011289&affiliateID=186"Princeton University and Yale Law School, he practiced law for 50 years in New York City.

Mr. Holbrook was a member of Scarsdale Congregational Church from 1971 to 2009 and was deacon of outreach for a time.

An avid runner, he ran over 20 marathons and competed in races into his 70s. He was a member of the HYPERLINK "http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/rotary-international/?personid=164011289&affiliateID=186"Rotary Club and active in several animal welfare organizations.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Christina Flander Holbrook, three children and four grandchildren. He will be missed by all who knew him, his family said.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 10, at Faith Lutheran Brethren Church, 480 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor. The greeting will be at 10:30, the service at 11 a.m.

Magda Mary Hull

Magda Mary Hull, a former 36-year resident of Scarsdale, died peacefully at her home April 3. She was 101.

Trained in Berlin and at the Sorbonne in Paris, she was certified as a translator. A refugee from Nazi Germany, she worked in 1934 at the Club Heinrich Heine in Paris as a volunteer to help political refugees, married her husband, Max, in 1935, and emigrated with him to the United States in 1937.

She was eternally grateful to her adopted land for the opportunity to begin life again. As she said, “America took us in when no one else wanted us. I will never forget to be grateful.”

As her family described her, she was a devoted daughter, who, through a force of will and with the help of John Foster Dulles, Congressman Sol Blum, and Averill Harriman, managed to get her parents released from internment camps in Vichy France. A supportive wife and caring mother, she instilled her unfailing optimism and a sense of humor in her children. Always concerned about those less fortunate, she tutored disadvantaged children, volunteered at the Institute for International Education, and worked on behalf of Selfhelp, an organization dedicated to the “last surviving relative to all victims of Nazi persecution” that was created in 1936 to help émigrés fleeing Nazi persecution find new lives in America. As a Selfhelp volunteer, she often visited refugees much younger than she and annually provided for the transportation of refugees to a benefit concert.

Predeceased by her husband, Max, she is survived by her children, Roger H. Hull and Cathy M. Hull, son-in-law Neil Janovic, three grandchildren, Roberto F. Hull, Lincoln M. Hull and Julie Janovic Brooks, and two great-grandchildren, Victoria and Harrison Brooks.

Donations in her memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Max Moretti, a longtime resident of Scarsdale, died peacefully at home March 31 surrounded by family and friends. He was 86. 

Mr. Moretti grew up in Bensonhurst, the son of Italian immigrants. After graduating from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the army and fought on the front lines in Germany as part of the glider unit of the 17th Airborne. After occupation duty he attended Wagner College on the GI Bill and always expressed his gratitude to the U.S. government for this education. He obtained a master’s degree in political science from St. John's University and became a teacher. He spent his entire career at Isaac Young Middle School in New Rochelle, first teaching social studies and then as an administrator.
In 1956 he married Gertrude Levinger. They moved to Scarsdale where they lived in the same Edgewood home for over 50 years. In his retirement he loved acting on stage as well as helping backstage with the Greenville Community Theater. He also greatly enjoyed traveling, especially annual trips to Key West, Fla., where his friendly demeanor earned him the title of “Mayor” at his timeshare resort. He loved to read and have dinners out with family and friends. 

He was predeceased by his wife and by his sister Mary to whom he was very devoted and whose children and their families were always a great joy to him, his family said.

He is survived by two sons, Michael (Anne Dowd), Dan (Mary Beth Evans); two daughters, Nicole (Jon Ungar) and Amanda (Greg Lee), nine grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families on both coasts.

“He will be very much missed,” his family said.

By HARRIET ROSS

Janet Jaffin, wife of the late attorney and philanthropist George Jaffin, died peacefully at the Hospice of the White Plains Hospital on Wednesday, March 27, after suffering a massive stroke. She would have reached 105 years of age on May 21.

In a story about Jaffin and her 100th birthday she was quoted as saying, “The one thing I would always advise is to have an optimistic attitude. Most important!”

She practiced what she preached, going full steam ahead on her planning for her 105th birthday party: the date was reserved at her club, the menu was chosen and the guest list made up. 

Everything else she ever undertook was approached with the same deliberately positive attitude. All through her life, you find the same forward-looking bent running like a network of proscribed philosophy for living. Recently, after eye operations, she was heard to say, “After my eyes are fixed, then I’ll take care of my ears.” Her will to live was indomitable. 

Mrs. Jaffin grew up in New York City as the seventh child of immigrant parents, eventually marrying George Jaffin, a childhood friend. In Scarsdale, they owned a home on Oak Lane and lived there for 60 years with their family of three children: Lois, Doris and David. They were both extremely philanthropic, donating the Jaffin Reading Room to the Scarsdale Library among many other gifts. Their house was sold and Janet moved to an apartment at 50 Popham Road after her husband died.

Mrs. Jaffin came to earn the admiration, respect and affection of her fellow residents. She responded by inviting all the residents of her building to a luncheon at her club.

Mrs. Jaffin’s large family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all attended her last rites: her son David and his wife Rosemary from Germany; her daughter Doris Greenberg from Chappaqua with her three sons, Jonathan, Walter and Matthew (from California); her daughter Lois Levine, from Brooklyn Heights, with her three children, Daniella and her husband Dr. Robert Cava with two of Janet’s great-grandchildren, Eliza and Teddy; Lois’s son, Carl Levine, with his wife Helen and another great-grandchild, Chloe, and Julie, Lois’s daughter. Mrs. Jaffin’s niece Nina and her husband, Norman Danielson came from Harwich, Mass. Carmen Martinez, Mrs. Jaffin’s aide of 10 years, was also at the service.

David, a retired Lutheran minister from Munich, Germany, also has two sons, Andreas and Raphael, who gave Mrs. Jaffin two more great-grandchildren, Aron and Amelia. 

She had a wide circle of friends from her bridge group, Temple Kol Ami, the Metropolis Club and other associations.

As her son David said, most important was “the unconditional love she extended to me and others.”

Lothar Simon

Lothar Simon died March 12 at White Plains Hospital. He was 74.

Mr. Simon was born Sept. 17, 1938, in Wuppertal, Germany. A resident of Scarsdale since 1977, Mr. Simon had a long career in book publishing. After finishing school in Germany, he worked in London at Foyle’s, then the world’s biggest bookstore. He emigrated to the United States in 1961 and worked at several bookstores in Washington, D.C. He moved to New York in 1966 to become sales manager at Humanities Press and later was hired by Longman Group Ltd. to launch their American subsidiary, a company he served as president since 1973. After 10 years, he decided to build up his own firm, Sheridan House Inc., which he ran with his wife Jeannine until 2011 in Dobbs Ferry.

He was a lifelong Democrat and a member of the Scarsdale Town Club.

Mr. Simon is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jeannine Simon, and his son, Charles Simon.

A memorial visitation will take place Sunday, March 24 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes, 824 Scarsdale Ave. in Scarsdale.

Arthur Gene Krohn, M.D.

Arthur Gene Krohn, M.D., of Scarsdale died peacefully March 12 of cancer. He was 74.

He was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Manhattan Beach. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and his medical degree from Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse. He did his surgical and urological training at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he later practiced and was an assistant professor. Dr. Krohn was also Fellowship trained at the University of Colorado where he worked with the kidney transplant pioneer Dr. Thomas Starzl and published seminal research on kidney physiology.

In 1976, he moved to Scarsdale and joined a practice in White Plains. He served as chairman of the urology department at White Plains Hospital.

He was also an accomplished pianist, skier, sailor, collector and woodworker. Later in life he and his family enjoyed summers in East Hampton where he windsurfed avidly and tended his gardens.

He is survived by Esther, his wife of 43 years, daughter Lauren, son Maxwell, daughter-in-law Sarah and his mother, Ruth Krohn.

Funeral services were held Thursday at Riverside Chapel in Mount Vernon. The family requests donations to White Plains Hospital in lieu of flowers.

S.G. Ruderman

S.G. (Rudy) Ruderman died unexpectedly March 9 at his home in Scarsdale, where he had lived for 45 years. He was 86.

A lifelong New York-area newsman in print, radio and TV, Mr. Ruderman worked at Voice of America, BusinessWeek, NBC and The Wall St. Journal Radio, among other news organizations. At WNEW radio in the 1970s and ’80s, he was a news and financial reporter, news editor and even part-time Broadway theater critic whose voice was well known to listeners in the New York City metropolitan area and later nationally as a syndicated financial news reporter. He was among the first broadcast reporters to be accepted into the New York Financial Writers Association.

The Inquirer was Mr. Ruderman’s “favorite hometown newspaper” and he enjoyed writing letters to the editor and the occasional humorous column using movie titles.

Born in the Bronx May 30, 1926, he served as a U.S. Army staff sergeant in the 8th Regiment, in Europe during World War ll, seeing combat duty in France and Germany.

He graduated from Antioch College and began graduate studies at Yale University.

His 50-year marriage to Anne Tully Ruderman, a psychotherapist, ended with her death in 1998.

Mr. Ruderman was known for his genuine warmth and kindness, encyclopedic knowledge, love of language, words, puns and puzzles, plus his sharp wit and ever-present sense of humor. He was always the first to find the bright spot and a light touch, even in the most trying circumstances, his family said.

He is survived by his sister, Anita Somers of Brewster, N.Y.; sons Jim and Dan of Larchmont, N.Y., and Great Barrington, Mass., respectively; and four grandchildren.

Private memorial services will be announced by the family.

Emily Shield Barrett

A celebration of the life of Emily Shield Barrett, formerly of Scarsdale, will be held at the Yale Club in New York City on April 27; a reception will follow. Mrs. Barrett died Jan. 3 in Hartford, Conn., following a short illness. Those planning to attend are requested to notify her son David Barrett by April 1 at dsbarrett@aol.com or (860) 539-7275.

Lollo Meyer

Lollo Meyer, a 50-year resident of Edgemont, died Friday, Feb. 22, three months before her 100th birthday, at the Osborn in Rye.

A painter and ceramicist, Mrs. Meyer was born in Vienna on May 28, 1913, to Lily (Freund) and Robert Offer, a doctor. Her given name was Lise Lotte Lucie Charlotte Offer. It had so many l’s and o’s that she was forever known as Lollo.

She attended art school in Vienna and in Frankfurt, Germany, before coming to the United States in 1939. After studying at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a Quaker scholarship, she moved to Manhattan, where she designed textiles, wallpaper and jewelry.

In 1943, she married Charles A. Meyer, a shipbroker who had been the youngest judge in pre-Nazi Germany. They moved to Edgemont in 1951 with their daughter, Pucci. 

As a longtime member of the Westchester Art Workshop in White Plains, Mrs. Meyer studied painting with Archie Rand and, most recently, with David Fox. Her work, mostly large abstracts, hangs in private collections in the United States, Europe and Mexico. Her last painting appeared in an article in The New York Times’s Home section Thursday, Feb. 21, a day before she died.

Wherever she went, Lollo Meyer didn’t go quietly, her family said. She was witty and irreverent, famously outspoken and passionate about art, music and her wide circle of friends and family. At her 90th birthday party, her friend Nola Deutsch of Mamaroneck said, “Lollo is a force of nature!” Well into her 90s, she was still attending museum exhibits in Manhattan and concerts at the Neuberger. A diehard chamber music groupie, she made her final summer pilgrimage to the Marlboro music festival in Vermont in 2011. Last month, her book club members met at her apartment at the Osborn, where they discussed “The Canterbury Tales.”

As her good friend Ruth Stein of Scarsdale said of Mrs. Meyer, “We will never see another one like her come along.”  

The family expressed its immense gratitude to Mrs. Meyer’s great friend and cardiologist Dr. Monica Reynolds, to her oncologist Dr. Anne Moore, her “help-I’ve-fallen-and-broken-my-femur-again” orthopedist Dr. Robert Small, and to Dr. Carl Weber. 

Mrs. Meyer’s husband died in 1993. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her stepson, Thomas (Nancy) Meyer and her son-in-law Michael V. McGill, superintendent of the Scarsdale schools. Also surviving her are her grandchildren, Dr. Karrie Allen of Worcester, Mass., Keith (Betsy) Meyer of Saratoga, N.Y., Rusty Madison Meyer of Los Angeles, Erin McGill (Michael Gustke) of Manhattan, David McGill (Cara) of Long Island, and great-grandchildren Brandon (April Yi), Amanda and Todd Meyer; Maxwell, Jackson and Caroline McGill and Carla, Kerry-Ann and Tichina Mitchell.

A party in celebration of Mrs. Meyer will be held in May.

Carol Dray-Silkowitz

Carol Dray-Silkowitz of Scarsdale died peacefully at her home on Feb. 25. She was 59. Ms. Dray-Silkowitz succumbed to stage IV pancreatic cancer after battling the disease for more than 10 years. She was an inspiration to the doctors and other patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, as her desire to fight the disease was unparalleled, her family said.

Ms. Dray-Silkowitz was born Oct. 5, 1953, in New York, N.Y., and raised in the Bronx. She relocated her family to Scarsdale after her children were born.

Ms. Dray-Silkowitz obtained her undergraduate degree and master’s in social work from New York University, graduating both with honors.

She began a 28-year career as a senior United States probation and parole officer in the Southern District of New York, retiring in 2005.

Ms. Dray-Silkowitz lived for many years in Scarsdale and was active as a community volunteer and in charity work. She had many interests, among them, attending her daughters’ numerous sports activities. She loved animals, music of all types and attending concerts.

She is survived by her two daughters, Jaclyn and Kaitlin.

“Carol was a special person who was loved and cherished by many. Her passion for life was infectious,” her family said.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Lustgarten Foundation to Cure Pancreatic Cancer, 1111 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714, (866) 789-1000.

A wake will be held Monday, March 4, at McMahon, Lyon, & Hartnett Funeral Home, 491 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. Visiting hours are 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held Tuesday, March 5, at 11 a.m. at St. Bartholomew's Church, 82 Prospect St., White Plains. Burial will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 10 West Stevens Ave., Hawthorne.

Paula St. Claire

Paula St. Claire, a longtime resident of Scarsdale and Manhattan, died March 4. She was 53.

Born and raised in Manhattan, Ms. St. Claire was a designer, artist and children’s book illustrator.

Her career included work at Bendel’s and the House of Chanel. Her etchings are in the collections of major galleries and private collections in the United States and Europe.

She is survived by two daughters, Dominique and Marie Louttit of Geneva, Switzerland; sister Ann Louttit of Scarsdale and Manhattan; and brother Robert Louttit of Lafayette, Calif.

“Those of us who knew her will miss her artwork and her sense of humor,” her family said.

Emily Shield Barrett

Emily Shield Barrett of Hartford, Conn., and formerly of Scarsdale, died Jan. 3 following a short illness. She was 93.

Mrs. Barrett grew up in New York City. She received her bachelor of arts at the University of Chicago. She lived with her first husband, Alexander Morin, in Washington, D.C., Boston and Nashville, teaching in a nursery school and starting a family. After his death, in 1950, she married Reginald Barrett and returned to Washington, D.C., where he was a diplomat in the British Embassy. In 1960, Mr. Barrett took a position with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the family moved to Scarsdale.

Later, Mrs. Barrett was a New York City elementary school teacher, retiring in 1986. She lived in Scarsdale, first on Popham Road and then on Garth Road, from 1960 to 2008. In 2010, after 18 months at an apartment in White Plains, Mrs. Barrett moved to Avery Heights Retirement Community in Hartford, Conn.

Mrs. Barrett was a dedicated reader, especially current events, and she enjoyed political discussions. She loved the arts — music, theater and museums; often she took members of her family to exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and performances at Lincoln Center. These trips were a joy to her, her family said.

She supported numerous charities, many of them dedicated to the preservation of the environment and promotion of equal justice for all. She also was a lover of animals, notably cats, and their protection and welfare. Mrs. Barrett had the special ability to welcome people of all ages, nationalities and views into her life, enriching all that knew her.

Her family said that friends turned to her for advice and wisdom. She was a generous, caring person, according to her family.

Mrs. Barrett was predeceased by her husbands. She is survived by a son David Barrett (and wife Jill) of Hartford, Conn.; four daughters: Elizabeth Tilling (and husband Ian) of Washington, Great Britain; Katherine Hoyt (and husband William) of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Janet Fierman (and husband Eugene) of Brookline, Mass.; and Mary Barrett (and husband Jeffrey Arndt) of Sitka, Alaska. Also surviving are grandchildren Stefano and Akane Merlo of New York, N.Y.; Michael and Carrie Merlo of New York, N.Y.; Daniel Fierman and Krista Stroever of Los Angeles, Calif.; Matthew Fierman and Lisa Wittenhagen of Waltham, Mass.; Elizabeth Fierman and Roberto Illanes of Valparaiso, Chile; Ian and Sara Barrett of Fort Collins, Colo.; Christopher Barrett of Hartford, Conn.; and Philip Barrett of Miami, Fla.; and great-grandchildren Theodore and Nora Fierman, Aiden and Nico Merlo and Oliver Fierman.

Donations in Mrs. Barrett’s name may be made to the UNICEF organization (unicef.org) or a charity of the donor’s choice.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Yale Club in New York City on April 27; a reception will follow. Those planning to attend are requested to notify David Barrett by April 1 at HYPERLINK "mailto:dsbarrett@aol.com"dsbarrett@aol.com or (860) 539-7275.

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By DEBRA BANERJEE

Dr. Kenneth Winfred Thompson, scholar, academic and an expert on international relations in the “political realism” tradition, died Feb. 2 of pneumonia at Martha Jefferson House in Charlottesville, Va. He was 91.

During his years in Scarsdale from 1955 to 1975, Dr. Thompson, dedicated to community service, was a member of the Scarsdale Board of Education from 1962 to 1965 and served as its president from 1965 to 1968. He received Scarsdale’s highest honor, the Scarsdale Bowl Award, in 1972.

His eloquent and lofty acceptance speech at the dinner held at the Westchester Country Club, in which he quoted Harvard psychologist Erik Erikson, theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, Abraham Lincoln and heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier, was described as “the finest and most meaningful speech ever heard on such an occasion.”

“If in this process we give something to Scarsdale, Scarsdale at its best gives far more in return,” Dr. Thompson said in his speech. “For Scarsdale is the social laboratory in which each of us can test his or her capacity for doing what is right without falling prey to mankind’s persistent blindness and self-righteousness. The local community is one of the few remaining arenas for direct involvement in behalf of others — but also for ourselves in the pursuit of self-respect and human dignity — qualities which call for a union of thought and action with some reasonable prospect of leaving our mark. I believe Scarsdale affords natural and lifelike outlets (not contrived ones of exaggerated self-indulgence) for attaining human dignity while holding self-pride and a sense of superiority in check. It is one thing to profess in intimate little groups how much we love and want to serve one another; it is something else to test that commitment on the anvil of social practice.”

Dr. Thompson’s distinguished service to the community also included governor at large and member of the Education Committee of the Town Club, serving on the board of the Scarsdale Foundation, as chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Scarsdale Teachers Institute and founder of the Friends of the Institute. He also served on the board of the Scarsdale-Hartsdale United Nations Association, as a member of the School Board Nominating Committee, on the board of the Scarsdale Family Counseling Service, on the Advisory Committee of the Mental Health Association, as Boy Scout committeeman of Troop 3, with the Scarsdale Dad’s Club, as a Heathcote PTA officer, on the boards of Scarsdale Fair Housing, Music for Westchester, and on the East Scarsdale Association Zoning Committee, as a Democratic Party committeeman and Democratic Town Club member, on the Scarsdale Adult School program committee, as a trustee of Scarsdale National Bank and on various boards of the Scarsdale Congregational Church.

After leaving Scarsdale Dr. Thompson led the University of Virginia’s Miller Center for Public Affairs, a nonpartisan institute for the study of the presidency, public policy and governance, from 1978 until his retirement in 1998.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, to the Rev. Thor Thompson and Agnes Rorbeck (Thompson), Dr. Thompson graduated from Augustana College in 1943. After serving during World War II in the U.S. Army Infantry and in counterintelligence (1943-46), he completed his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He also was awarded numerous honorary degrees and awards from universities including the University of Notre Dame (LL.D.), Bowdoin College (LL.D.), University of Denver (LL.D.) and Augustana College (LL.D.) and others.  

He began his career teaching at the University of Chicago and then moved to Northwestern University where he also served as the chairman of the International Relations Committee. Between 1953 and 1974, Dr. Thompson worked for the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, ultimately becoming vice president of international programs. He was director of the Twelve Donor Agency Review of Higher Education in Africa, Asia and Latin America (1974-75) also serving as a director at the International Council for Educational Development.

He resumed his teaching career at the University of Virginia, as Commonwealth Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs, 1975-78, and as White Burkett Miller Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs beginning in 1978. In addition to teaching, he became director of the Miller Center.

During this time, he and the center advanced the understanding of the American presidency. Dr. Thompson helped to organize eight national commissions on topics such as presidential disability and selection of federal judges. He edited or wrote dozens of center books during his tenure. Dr. Thompson believed educational institutions could advance civic understanding both inside and outside the classroom. He organized biweekly forums where scholars, top officials (including Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter), and journalists shared their ideas with the public. Under Dr. Thompson’s guidance, the Miller Center grew to national prominence. After retiring in 1998, he continued to lead forums until 2004. The Kenneth W. Thompson East Wing of the Miller Center was named in his honor.

Dr. Thompson, a prolific author, enriched the world’s understanding of international affairs, moral issues between and within nations, and the American presidency. Some of the more than 30 books he wrote are: “Principles and Problems of International Politics: Selected Readings,” with Hans Morgenthau; “Political Realism and the Crisis of World Politics: An American Approach to Foreign Policy”; “The Moral Issue in Statecraft; Interpreters and Critics of the Cold War”; “Morality and Foreign Policy”; “Cold War Theories”; “Toynbee’s World Politics and History, Traditions and Values in Politics and Diplomacy”; and “Schools of Thought in International Relations: Interpreters, Issues, and Morality.” He has also edited numerous volumes and articles including Politics Among Nations.

He was a longtime member of the Council of Foreign Relations, the Century Association and many learned and professional organizations. He was also a recipient of dozens of commendations and recognitions during his lifetime, both domestically and internationally.

He is predeceased by his first wife, Lucile (Betty) Bergquist, and survived by their three sons: Kenneth (Jackie) of Fairfax, Va., Paul (Jeannie) of New York City, James D. (Pamela) of Rochester. He is also survived by his four grandchildren: Courtney, Kiersten, James Jr. and Paulette.

He was predeceased by his wife of 24 years, Beverly B. Cordry, who died in 1998, and is survived by his stepdaughter Carolyn C. Cordrey of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dr. Thompson enriched the lives of his family, his students, his friends and the world, his family said. He often quoted Reinhold Niebuhr’s serenity prayer: “God grant me the wisdom to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

A private family service will be held. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at a future date. Donations may be sent in his memory to the Miller Center of Public Affairs, Attn: Kenneth Thompson Forum Fund, Office of Development, PO Box 400807, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4807.

J. Allen Chao

J. Allen Chao, “Allen,” died Feb. 6.

Born in 1961, Mr. Chao was the son of Samuel Chao, formerly the executive officer of the Department of Public Information of the United Nations, of White Plains, and Dr. Adelaida F. Santos-Chao of Edgemont.

A longtime field officer of several missions of the United Nations in Asia and Africa, Mr. Chao took forward the UN's peacekeeping, bridge and nation-building activities in areas and nations riven by civil strife, including Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Western Sahara, Somalia, Ivory Coast and most recently, Liberia.

A graduate of New York University and Edgemont High School, Mr. Chao married Kit Yu Amanda Li of Hong Kong, China, last week in Las Vegas, Nev.

He is also survived by his brothers, David (Marianne) and Mark of Edgemont, and sister Rowena (Christopher Giattino) Chao of Garth Road.

A viewing will take place at the Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes located at 824 Scarsdale Ave. in Scarsdale, on Saturday, Feb. 16 from 8 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, 3 Strathmore Road, at 10 a.m. and receiving of friends at the home of David and Marianne Chao, 315 Clayton Road, Edgemont, at 11:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, follow the link http://donate.undp.org/ to make a contribution on behalf of Allen Chao toward the United Nations Development Programme’s efforts to combat malaria and other diseases.

Jane Grunbaum Falk

Jane Grunbaum Falk, a resident of Scarsdale for 65 years, born in Seattle, died peacefully at home on Feb. 1, one month after her 105th birthday.

She moved to New York City as a young bride in the 1930s when she married her husband David, enthusiastically taking in the big city in all its diversity. Her lifelong passion for dance and her love of children led her to teach and run dance programs first in Seattle and then in New York.

Her kindness, generosity, sense of humor and energetic love of life were an inspiration to everyone who knew her, her family said. She loved travel – seeing the world and embracing new experiences.

“She was an exceptional, always loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to so many. Jane will always be loved and remembered by her devoted family.”

She is survived by her sons Robert and John, and her daughters-in-law Bobbie and Margee; her six grandchildren, Lisa Leibowitz (Larry), Julie Paget (Adam), Lee Solomon (Heather), Kathy DeWitt (Jeremy), David Falk (Jenn) and Heather Falk; and great-grandchildren, Maia, Ben, Brian, Cassidy, Rachel, Dillon, Jack, Oscar, Lucia and Isak.

“We will always be grateful to her gentle and loving caregivers who were there for her until the end, Jaqui, Dee, Diana, Delfy and Claudia,” her family said.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Jane and David Falk ESL Scholarships at Westchester Community College and Hospice Care in Westchester and Putnam Inc.

Warren Heilbron

Warren Heilbron died peacefully at home on Feb. 5. He was 92.

He was born in New York City on April 14, 1920. Mr. Heilbron was a member of the Scarsdale High School class of 1937 and the Cornell University class of 1941. He also was a founder and trustee of the Scarsdale High School Alumni Association.

Mr. Heilbron spent 39 months in the Philippines during World War ll. He was a medic in a Mash Unit.

He was an active commodity trader and served for many years as president of Alan Grant Inc., Produce Unitrade & Co., and the Rubber Trade Association.

He spent a lot of time on the courts, tennis and paddleball and enjoyed bridge and any sporting event. 

He is survived by his wife Jane, son Alan (Kerry Malawista), daughter Gail (Edgar Steinitz), and grandchildren Lauren and Erica Steinitz, and David and Peter Heilbron, and Anna Malawista. 

“He will be sorely missed by all,” his family said.

Services will be held at Congregation Emanuel of Westchester in Rye at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 8. A reception will be held from 4-6 p.m., on Feb. 8 at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Conn. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

J. Allen Chao

J. Allen Chao, “Allen,” died Feb. 6. Born in 1961, Mr. Chao was the son of Samuel Chao, formerly the executive officer of the Department of Public Information of the United Nations, of White Plains, and Dr. Adelaida F. Santos-Chao of Edgemont.

A longtime field officer of several missions of the United Nations in Asia and Africa, Mr. Chao took forward the UN's peacekeeping, bridge and nation-building activities in areas and nations riven by civil strife, including Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Western Sahara, Somalia, Ivory Coast and most recently, Liberia.

A graduate of New York University and Edgemont High School, Mr. Chao married Kit Yu Amanda Li of Hong Kong, China, last week in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He is also survived by his brothers, David (Marianne) and Mark of Edgemont, and sister Rowena (Christopher Giattino) Chao of Garth Road.

A viewing will take place at the Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes located at 824 Scarsdale Ave. in Scarsdale, on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral mass at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, 3 Strathmore Road, at 10 a.m. Friends will be received at the home of David and Marianne Chao, 315 Clayton Road, Edgemont, at 11:30 a.m.

Salvatore A. Cerni

Salvatore A. Cerni, a Scarsdale resident since 1965, died Jan. 22, after a brief illness. He was 83.

Mr. Cerni was born in 1929 to Philomena and Joseph Cernigliaro of New York City. He graduated LaSalle Academy and received a B.S. and M.A. from Fordham University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict and the Reserves for 24 years. He enjoyed a 32-year career with IBM and was an active parishioner at Saint Pius X Church for 48 years.

His wife of 54 years, Terese (nee McCabe) Cerni of Scarsdale and his daughters, Claire A. Cerni of New York City and Janet E. Cerni of Richmond, Calif., survive him as well as his brother, Joseph Cerni (Dolores), and his sister-in-law, Adrienne Cernigliaro. He was predeceased by his brother, George. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and longtime friends.

His daughter Janet said, “In his 24 years of retirement, he became a great chef and culinary critic. He ran his very own ‘meals on wheels’ for neighbors and relatives who faced illness or heartbreak. Sal was also known for uniting family members far and wide, watching out for neighbors on Nelson Road, devouring New York’s sports teams in all seasons.” 

A wake was held at Edward L. Bennett Funeral Home on Jan. 25 and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 26 by Father Sebastian Bacatan at Saint Pius X Church. Interment is planned at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla. Donations in Mr. Cerni’s memory may be made to the RJM Haiti Fund, 821 Varnum St. NE, 225, Washington, D.C. 20001; The Ursuline School of New Rochelle, 1354 North Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10804; Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Claudia Whitney Krogh

Claudia Whitney Krogh, a dedicated horticulturalist and active community volunteer, died on Jan. 20 in Yonkers. She and her late husband of almost 69 years, James Paulsen Krogh, lived in Hartsdale for more than 60 years prior to their move to an assisted living facility in Ardsley in October 2011. Mr. Krogh died in November 2012.

Claudia Whitney was born in Pittsfield, Mass., in 1918. She graduated from the Brearley School in New York City, Wykeham Rise School in Washington, Conn., and the Ambler School of Horticulture in 1939. She and Mr. Krogh were married in 1943. Aside from brief stints in a defense plant and as a bookkeeper during World War II, her interest in horticulture and landscape design were reflected in the work she pursued for the next three decades as well as the sumptuous flower gardens surrounding their Victorian home in Hartsdale. 

For 20 years, while raising her three children, she represented a Dutch flower bulb grower. She later sold real estate and worked as a guide at the Sleepy Hollow Restoration in Tarrytown. More recently, for almost the last 25 years before their move to Ardsley, Mrs. Krogh assisted her husband in running their Hartsdale home as a bed and breakfast, dubbed the “Krogh’s Nest.” They also enjoyed travel, often staying at other bed and breakfast homes to compare services and rates.

Mrs. Krogh pursued numerous civic and volunteer activities, including the League of Women Voters, assisting her children’s Cub Scout and Brownie groups, fundraising for various charities, and serving as chairman of her local PTA, Red Cross and garden club and as an alumna board member of Wykeham Rise. She also was a longtime volunteer at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, including, as hospitality chairman and the arranging of receptions following concerts. She had a lifelong interest in genealogy and spent countless hours researching her family history.

Mrs. Krogh is survived by her three children, Frank Krogh of Arlington, Va., Claudia Krogh Wald of Yonkers, and James P. Krogh Jr. of White Plains, four grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

A celebration of her life will be held at Atria Woodlands Senior Living, 1015 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, at 2 p.m. on Feb. 16. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, 25 School Lane, Scarsdale, NY 10583.

Carol Ann Hegarty

Carol Ann Hegarty died Jan. 16 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. She was 69.

Mrs. Hegarty was born Dec. 25, 1943 in the Bronx to Richard and Elizabeth Meyer Masterson.

Mrs. Hegarty was a teacher’s aide for the Greenacres Elementary School for over 20 years. She retired in 2009.

“All the teachers loved to have her in their classrooms,” said kindergarten teacher Deb Krisanda. “She was a great friend to the children, their families and the teachers. She took initiative, was collaborative and was very perceptive about the kids, their needs and how to help them. She was very popular in the school community.”

Mrs. Hegarty is survived by her husband John P. Hegarty and her two sons, John and Christopher Hegarty. She was the sister of Patricia and Donald Masterson. She was predeceased by her brother, Robert Masterson.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 22 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Interment was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Elana Rabban died at her home in New York City on Jan. 3. She was 90.

Mrs. Rabban, a resident of Scarsdale from 1957-2003, was a librarian for the Scarsdale School system from 1958 until her retirement in 1994. She began her career at the Edgewood Elementary School and was later appointed head librarian at Scarsdale High School and supervisor of all libraries in the school district. During her tenure at the high school, she oversaw the introduction of computers to the library and opened the library for use by students in the evening. She also spearheaded a series of community poetry readings and talks by well-known figures in the worlds of literature, journalism and publishing.

Mrs. Rabban was active in the Intellectual Freedom Roundtable (IFRT) of the American Library Association and was a frequent participant at meetings of the International Federation of Library Associations. Throughout her career, she was committed to the unfettered use of libraries and to the principles of intellectual freedom.

“I was a student at Edgewood School as well as the Scarsdale High School and remember Mrs. Rabban, as we called her, very well. She was kind, caring and always loving towards all the children. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her, both young and old,” said Alison Williams Pinsley on legacy.com.

She was predeceased by Meyer, her husband of 61 years. She is survived by her children, David, Miriam and Jessica, Jessica's husband Matthew Schofield, and their children Rebecca and Benjamin.

Donations in the memory of Elana Rabban may be made to the American Library Association-IFRT and sent c/o Shumeca Pickett, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611.

Ellen L. Frantz

Ellen L. Frantz of Scarsdale died Thursday, Dec. 20 with her family at her side. She was 70. Mrs. Frantz taught kindergarten for 41 years, mostly at the Greenacres School.

Her husband Steven was the principal of Fox Meadow Elementary School until his retirement in 2006. The couple met while they were both teaching at Edgewood Elementary School.

“Ellen Frantz taught kindergarten at Greenacres for several decades,” said Greenacres principal Gerry Young. “She was an institution here, in some instances teaching the children of students she had taught years ago. For many, she was their introduction to school. She was dedicated to her students and provided an educationally sound beginning to the academic world.”

Mrs. Frantz, daughter of Garnett and Madeline Schell, was born May 18, 1942, in Trenton, N.J.

In addition to her husband of 43 years, and daughter Amber (Jeff) Frantz-Rago, she is survived by her sisters Mary (Dick) Augsbach of Airmont, N.Y., and Joan (Bert) Mount of Birmingham, Mich., as well as numerous loving nieces and nephews and their families.

She was a member of Fox Meadow Tennis Club in Scarsdale and the Education Forum (TVCC) of Scarsdale. She was an avid reader and advocate for environmental causes and animal welfare.

A funeral service for family was held Dec. 28 in the chapel at Ascension Cemetery, Airmont.

A memorial/celebration is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. at the Fox Meadow Tennis Club, 14 Wayside Lane. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741.

Charles I. Petschek

Charles I. Petschek of Scarsdale died Jan. 7. He was 90.

Born in Berlin on April 25, 1922, the son of Czech parents, Charles and Josefa, he attended the College Français in Berlin and the Rosenberg School in St. Gallen, Switzerland, graduating with an Oxford School Certificate. He then earned first class honors in economics from Cambridge University during his year there. In 1944 he graduated with honors from the Stevens Institute of Technology, later receiving an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater. Joining the U.S. Navy during World War ll, he taught courses to incoming naval officers. After graduating from the Harvard Business School in 1948, he joined the staff of the school in the field of finance. Following positions at Shell Oil, Freeport Sulfur, Bear Stearns and Kuhn Loeb, he established his own firm, Charles I. Petschek Investments. He served on the boards of the Harvard Club of New York, Sunningdale Country Club and the Harmonie Club of New York. He was president of the Harvard Business School Club of New York and a board member of the American Jewish Committee, UJA-Federation, the New York Philharmonic, the New York City Opera, the American Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science, the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Foreign Policy Association and the Montefiore Medical Center, and was president of the Scarsdale Heathcote Association and vice president of Congregation Kol Ami of White Plains, where he was a member for over 57 years. He was also benefactor of the Juilliard School, Caramoor, the Westchester Philharmonic, the Beethoven Society of Bonn, Germany, and the Terezin Memorial Museum, among others.  

Mr. Petschek is survived by his wife of 64 years, Elaine, “the love of his life,” and his children, Carol (Martin), Nancy (Stephen), Jill (Joe) and Jay (Marybeth). He was grandfather of Chloe, Marissa, Rebecca, Julia, David, Benjamin, Andrew and Laura. He was the brother of Thea, the late Max (Christine) and the late Thomas (Marie-Luise); brother-in-law to Beverly (and the late Bertram) and of Mimi (Bill).

He was the nephew of his late uncles William, Frank and Ernst. 

“Philanthropist, music lover, world traveler, he shared to the fullest the lives of his extended family and was a trusted and caring friend to many more,” his family said.

Funeral services were held at Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains on Thursday, Jan. 10.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the donor’s favorite not-for-profit organization.

Eileen Bradley Sweeney of Sea Girt, N.J., died Tuesday, Jan. 1, at the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune. She was 80.

She was born on Nov. 26, 1932, the daughter of Peter and Catherine Bradley. Mrs. Sweeney was a resident of Scarsdale for 30 years, prior to moving permanently to the Jersey Shore 16 years ago.

Mrs. Sweeney is survived by her husband of 56 years, John A. Sweeney and her four daughters, Mary Beth George, Kathy O’Halloran, Eileen Flagg, Megan Pacetti and 10 grandchildren. Her brother John Bradley also survives her.

“Eileen was an extraordinary wife, mother and grandma,” her family said. “She devoted her life to her family, and will be terribly missed. She will also be missed by her treasured friends up and down the East Coast, bridge partners, colleagues and patrons at the Sea Girt Library, where she volunteered.”

A celebration of her life and a funeral mass was held Jan. 7 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Sea Girt. Cremation was private. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

For further information or to send condolences, visit www.obrienfuneralhome.com.

Roger Hodgeman

Roger Benjamin Hodgeman of Scarsdale died Dec. 24 in Fairfield, Ohio. He was 59.

He is survived by his wife Myriam Elalouf Hodgeman and sons Cedric, Julian and Steven Hodgeman.

Mr. Hodgeman also leaves his mother Betty Hodgeman, brothers Bob (Carol) Hodgeman, Ron (Natalie Keirn) Hodgeman, sisters Renee (Richard) Harris, Rhonda (John) Kinnemeyer and Rae Lynn (Bill) Spears.

He was predeceased by his father Robert Hodgeman.

Rebold, Rosenacker & Sexton Funeral Home of Cheviot, Ohio was in charge of arrangements. A funeral mass was held Thursday, Dec. 27 at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Burial was in St. Joseph Old Cemetery in Cincinnati.

In lieu of flowers, the Hodgeman family suggests memorial donations to Heartland of Woodridge Patient Activity Fund, 3801 Woodridge Drive, Fairfield, Ohio 45014. Condolences and memorial donations may be made by visiting www.rebold.com.

John J. Lynch

John J. Lynch of Scarsdale died Dec. 27 at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville. He was 81.

Mr. Lynch was born on March 18, 1931, in New York City to John and Bridget Sayers Lynch. Mr. Lynch was a veteran of the United States Air Force as well as a lawyer for many years before retiring.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Donovan Lynch; his children, John Edmund (Betsy), Thomas (Carolyn) and Maureen Lynch; grandchildren T.J., Kevin, Caitlin, Piper and Rory Lynch; and brother Thomas (Mary) Lynch. He was predeceased by his son William C. Lynch and by his sister Mary Ann Lynch.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Interment was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla.

Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes of Scarsdale was in charge of arrangements.

Dr. Nathan Schifrin, pediatrician

Dr. Nathan Schifrin of White Plains and Boynton Beach, Fla., died Dec. 25 at the age of 91.

A much beloved and respected pediatrician in Scarsdale for over 40 years, Dr. Schifrin opened his practice at his home on Heathcote Road in 1957. When Dr. Schifrin arrived on the doorstep with his black bag to make a house call, he dispensed comfort and counsel to anxious parents as well as medicine to sick children. His patients, once grown, brought their own children to him for medical care.

“He was a wonderful, kind, loving man,” said his wife Carol Schifrin. “He was always available. He practiced in the house he loved. He opened the garage door and parents came in the middle of the night. He loved children and worried about his patients. He just loved the close contact the house calls gave. He’s a lost breed.”

Dr. Schifrin received many online tributes from former patients and parents at dignitymemorials.com.

Sandy Greene of Edgewood told the Inquirer, “Dr. Schifrin, pediatrician for our two sons, was not only a good doctor but a kind and caring individual. When our son was admitted into a Manhattan hospital for a serious illness, he came in on a Sunday morning to follow his progress and see how he was doing. He was very special, we were devastated when he retired, and are saddened to hear of his passing.”

When Dr. Schifrin retired in 1999, he wrote about the state of pediatrics in a letter to his patients:

“I think the past 50 years have been the romantic age of this specialty. No longer does a call in the summer of a child with a headache frighten me as a possible case of polio. Chicken pox and measles for the most part have been modified and complications are minimal. The fear of mumps with resulting deafness has been brought to its knees. A sneaky form of meningitis, i.e., hemophilus influenza meningitis where there are no findings other than fever in a 2-year-old child and becomes manifest with a convulsion has lost its severity with a vaccine. And mothers, the sadness of German measles during early pregnancy has abated with rubella vaccine. Rh factor problems have been eliminated. The judicious use of antibiotics is now becoming the vogue. How lucky we are!”

Born Oct. 26, 1921, to Adolph and Rose Schifrin in Brooklyn, Dr. Schifrin attended New York University and New York University Medical School. He completed his residency at Mount Sinai, where he began his practice.

Dr. Schifrin enjoyed playing golf and was a member of the Fenway Golf Club and the Hampshire Country Club.

After the death of his first wife, Naomi, mother of Stephen, Mark and Lori, Dr. Schifrin wed Carol Biederman, to whom he had been married for 24 years.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Schifrin is survived by son Stephen Schifrin and his wife Dr. Eileen Schifrin of Los Angeles; son Mark Schifrin and his wife Kimberlee and their children David, Aaron and Daniel of Bethesda, Md.; daughter Lori Schifrin of San Rafael, Calif.; stepson Daniel Biederman and his wife Susan Duke Biederman and their children Rob and Brooke of Chappaqua; and stepdaughter Patti Robbins and her husband Bill Robbins and their children Ben and Hannah of Mount Kisco.

A funeral service was held Dec. 28 at Temple Israel Center of White Plains. Interment was at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Glendale, N.Y.

Frances Rippetoe Keeffe

Frances Rippetoe Keeffe, a resident of Heritage Hills in Somers, N.Y., Somers Manor Nursing Home and a longtime resident of Scarsdale, died Dec. 21 at the Calvary Hospital in the Bronx after a long illness.

Mrs. Keeffe, also known as “Granny Franny,” delighted children and their families with humorous banter and harmonies as the keyboard specialist for Gigi and the Lend me a Hand Band, a children’s band that plays throughout the region. She performed regionally, at library programs and ran preschool music programs at the Scarsdale Congregational Church and at St. James the Less Church in Scarsdale.

Mrs. Keeffe was raised in Kentucky and West Virginia by a musical family and started performing when she was 4 years old. She was well versed in numerous instruments including piano, voice, ukulele, guitar and clarinet.

A graduate of Oak Hill High School in West Virginia, she was an honor student and the May Queen. At Averett College in Virginia, she was president of the student body and again, was voted the May Queen. 

Working as a laboratory technician at the University of Virginia, she met John Keeffe, a law student. They married and moved to Florida, Virginia and then New York. Together they raised three girls, Virginia Keeffe Schwartzman (Gigi), Cynthia Dunne and Amy Peckham, and had eight grandchildren.

As a resident of Scarsdale, Mrs. Keeffe was very involved in the Scarsdale Congregational Church and held various leadership positions including assistant moderator, chairman of the music and worship committee and other roles. Mrs. Keeffe led a successful campaign to bring a new organ to the church. In addition, Mrs. Keeffe was a Girl Scout troop leader as she raised her girls in Scarsdale. She was a regular performer in local theatrical productions. She was very proud of taking part in the historic Scarsdale Schools campaign to allow children to stay at school for lunch, so that both spouses could work.

Until her death, Mrs. Keeffe was a director of Lakota Children’s Enrichment Inc., a nonprofit corporation founded by her granddaughter, Maggie Dunne, to help children on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Mrs. Keeffe was passionate about helping America’s first people.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Frances Keeffe may be made to Scarsdale Congregational Church, 1 Heathcote Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 and/or Lakota Children’s Enrichment Inc., PO Box 581, Scarsdale NY 10583 or online at http://lakotakids.blogspot.com/.

The funeral will be coordinated by McMahon-Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home, 949-7777.

Former superintendent of Edgemont schools, Dr. Alden A. “Beano” Larson, of Nashua, N.H., died peacefully Dec. 22 with his family at his side. He was 86.

Dr. Larson was a former resident of Seely Place in Edgemont and Falmouth, Mass.

Dr. Larson was the first principal of Woodlands High School in Hartsdale.

He came to Edgemont from Woodlands in 1963 to become principal of Edgemont Junior and Senior High School. In 1966, he became district principal and the job title changed to Superintendent of Schools. He served in that job until June of 1982.

“Alden Larson was my mentor and my friend,” said Edgemont schools superintendent Nancy Taddiken. “He took a chance on me hiring me for my first administrative position as assistant principal at Edgemont Junior-Senior High School. I learned very quickly that Alden was a very smart man, an incredibly witty person, and an administrator who cared deeply for all students, for all faculty members, and for all community members. Even after he retired in 1982 he never lost his interest in all things Edgemont. Alden's death marks the end of a very special era in Edgemont, one during which he ensured that people came first and one during which he cultivated many, many lasting friendships. I will miss Alden very, very much and only hope that, in some small measure, I have been able to carry forward the legacy he left.”

Dr. Larson received his B.A. from Harvard College, his M.A. from Clark University and his Ph.D. from Columbia University.

He is survived by his son, Kurt Larson, granddaughters Kara and Jamie Larson and Kurt’s partner Geri Lehman; his son, Jeff Larson and his wife Leslie Walker, and grandsons Sam and Jesse Larson; and his longtime companion, Rose-Marie Stanton of Nashua, N.H. He is also survived by his son Mark Larson of San Francisco, Calif.

A small graveside gathering will be held at noon, Jan. 5 at Mountain View Cemetery in Shrewsbury, Mass., where he was a 1944 graduate of Shrewsbury High School. A celebration of his life will be held in the Edgemont community in the spring.

“He led a full, active, vibrant, independent life,” his family said.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Edgemont Scholarship Foundation (www. edgemont.org) or Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts (www.plsma.org).

James B. Cohen

James B. (Jim) Cohen of Hartsdale, formerly of Scarsdale, died of a heart attack on a Metro-North train Nov. 28. He was 62.

Mr. Cohen was a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley.

He lived on Paddington Road for many years and coached his daughters’ soccer teams. He enjoyed walking at the Scarsdale High School track.

He was divorced from Ellen Shycon Cohen.

He is survived by his two daughters, Amy and Sara Schmidt (Justin), his grandson Jonah, mother Helen Abrams, stepfather Jack Abrams, and brother Peter.

He also leaves his partner Sharon.

He was predeceased by his father, Bob Cohen.

He was “a warm, funny, and generous person loved by all who knew him. We will miss him dearly,” his family said.

A funeral service was held Dec. 2 at Riverside Memorial Chapel, Mount Vernon.

Noel Dru Pyne

Noel Dru Pyne died Nov. 16 of ovarian cancer. She was 58.

A longtime resident of Edgemont, she lived recently in Rye and Truro, Mass.

Mrs. Pyne will be remembered for her “joie de vivre,” sense of style in fashion, entertaining and home design. She had a deep love for her friends and family, who will miss her dearly, her family said.

She is survived by her husband David Pyne and her son Dylan Pyne. She was the daughter of the late Richard and Dr. Noel Frackman of Scarsdale. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to Gilda’s Club of Westchester.

David R. Treacy
David R. Treacy, 82, of Pelham, died peacefully Dec. 2, in Boston, where he had recently moved.

Mr. Treacy was a graduate of Scarsdale High School, class of 1947. After serving in the Air Force he received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from New York University and a law degree from Fordham University. He worked as a patent attorney at Phillips Inc. for over 20 years, continuing to consult for them well into his retirement.

He was a strong believer in service to the community. An Eagle Scout himself, he spent over 30 years volunteering as a scout leader at the local and district level. He also spent many years as a volunteer and in leadership roles with St. Paul's Church Historical Society, Pelham Historical Society and on the Larchmont Yacht Club Race Committee. For many years he was a cantor and member of the choir at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church.
Upon his retirement he moved to Frye Island, Maine, and Savannah, Ga., where he quickly became an active member in the community.

Mr. Treacy is survived by his wife, Lois E. Treacy, and his children Karen Santella, David, Alan, Stephen, Bill, Jay, Russell and Sean. His first wife, Marcia Ollinger Treacy, and two sons, Rodney and Phillip, predeceased him. He is also survived by 13 Treacy grandchildren and one great-grandson, by his sisters Pat Gessner, Peggy Egan and Corky Thompson, formerly of Scarsdale, and by his stepchildren Denise Yurkofsky, Greg, Chris, and Eric Bedell, and by nine step-grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday Dec. 8, at St. Julia's Church in Weston, Mass. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Making Choices, PO Box 102168, Denver, CO 80250, Boy Scouts of America, or the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Richard A. Browning

Richard (Rick) Browning, of Barrington, R.I., died Nov. 13, 2012. He was 59.

Dr. Browning was born in 1953 and grew up in Ardsley and Scarsdale. He graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1971. Dr. Browning earned his bachelor of science degree at Brown University, where he also earned his medical degree. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at Rhode Island Hospital, where he served as chief resident. He also completed a residency in anesthesia at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and a fellowship in anesthesia and critical care medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

He returned to Rhode Island in 1985. Dr. Browning was past chief of anesthesia at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital and served as clinical professor of anesthesia at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Browning joined Rhode Island Hospital department of anesthesia in 1985 and had served as chief of that department since 1988. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists; the Rhode Island Society of Anesthesiologists; the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia; and was a Fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Browning was an avid sports enthusiast on and off the field. His passions included golf and paddle tennis. He won many honors and trophies in both sports. In October a golf tournament was held in his honor with the proceeds to fund research and buy imaging equipment for the operating room. The Rhode Island Country Club also renamed its main men’s golf tournament in Dr. Browning’s honor. He was an ardent New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan.

One of his biggest joys was his family. He was predeceased by Becky Shaver, his first wife and a 1971 Scarsdale High School graduate, mother to Chris and Karen, (Chris Ahern), both of Providence.

He married Lisa Minichino in May 1990. Their daughter Lauren, currently a student at Emory University, was born in 1991.

He is also survived by his parents, Armande and Jackson Browning, former Scarsdale residents, of Sarasota, Fla., two brothers, Jack Jr. and Jimmy (Robin), and a sister, Liz (Greg) Jones, two nieces and two nephews.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m., Barrington Congregational Church, 461 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Golf Fights Cancer (designate RAB Fund), 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, MA 02766, (978) 771-6151 or go to www.golffightscancer.org.

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Grace Marie Diaferia (nee Renna) of Scarsdale, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, two weeks shy of her 88th birthday. She died peacefully of complications following open-heart surgery in May. Mrs. Diaferia was featured in an Inquirer article about the surgery performed by Dr. Mehmet Oz and filmed for a TV documentary.

A native of Brooklyn, she was born Nov. 20, 1924, the oldest child of Anthony and Gerolma Renna. Her love of fabrics and sewing was a compelling theme throughout her life. She was a dressmaking major in high school and always made clothing for her family. An active and vibrant woman, Mrs. Diaferia worked in many different fields. She was an administrative assistant to Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon Cosmetics. She also worked for Madame Karinska as an apprentice ballet costume designer for the New York City Ballet. In later years she was a successful entrepreneur and active volunteer for such organizations as the Scarsdale PTA, St. Veronica’s Guild and the Osteoporosis Awareness Group, among others. 

Mrs. Diaferia is survived by her husband of 54 years, Peter F. Diaferia; her daughters Elise Ashe and Dara van Dijk, her son, Peter F. Diaferia II, her son-in law, Michael Ashe, her daughter-in-law, Wendy Diaferia, and her grandchildren: Zachary van Dijk, Jennifer Ashe and Matthew Ashe. 
A memorial service is planned for Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 8 Carman Road, where the family have been parishioners for 48 years. Interment will follow at Ferncliff Cemetery, 280 Secor Road, Hartsdale. An online guest book can be signed at www.elbennettfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The American Cancer Society or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

James Paulsen Krogh

James Paulsen Krogh, a 96-year-old veteran of the U.S. Merchant Marine in World War ll, died on Nov. 4, in Ardsley.

He was born in West Hartford, Conn., in 1916, the son of a Danish immigrant who came to the United States in his teens and became treasurer of a tire company in Hartford. Until Mr. Krogh and his wife of almost 69 years, Claudia Whitney Krogh, moved to an assisted living facility in Ardsley in October 2011, they had lived for 61 years in Hartsdale. For almost the last 25 years before their move to Ardsley, Mr. Krogh had managed their Victorian home in Hartsdale as a bed and breakfast, dubbed the “Krogh’s Nest.” A gregarious host, he noted in a 1995 interview that he enjoyed making the beds, cleaning and preparing breakfast for his guests, “and I whistle while I’m doing it.”

Mr. Krogh graduated from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Mass., attended Brown University and graduated from the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance in 1938. From 1939 until the beginning of World War ll, he served as a ship’s purser on American President Lines vessels carrying military families and other civilians back to the United States. After being rejected by the U.S. Navy for colorblindness, he rejoined the American President Lines and served on Liberty ships carrying military personnel, supplies and prisoners of war for the duration of the conflict.

After the war, Mr. Krogh was a payroll auditor for the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. for 15 years. For the next 18 years until his retirement in 1980, he served as assistant manager of Christ Cella, one of the premier New York City steakhouses. He flourished in retirement, starting his bed and breakfast business in the mid-1980s. He and his wife also enjoyed travel, often staying at other bed and breakfast homes to compare services and rates.

Mr. Krogh is survived by his wife and three children, Frank W. Krogh of Arlington, Va., Claudia Krogh Wald of Bronxville, and James P. Krogh Jr. of White Plains, four grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

Muriel Pravda

Muriel Pravda of Scarsdale died Nov. 5, nine days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was 87.

Mrs. Pravda was the business manager for The Scarsdale Inquirer for more than 30 years.

She was born Sept. 6, 1925, in Brooklyn to Bessie and Samuel Tainsky. She was educated at Brooklyn College. An accomplished businesswoman, before her marriage she was in the business of financing barber shops.

She married Bernard Pravda on July 3, 1957. The couple lived in Scarsdale for 53 years.

Mrs. Pravda was active in the PTA and advocated for the Scarsdale Pool. She was active in Hadassah and ORT and was a longtime member of Congregation Kol Ami.

Mrs. Pravda was the mother of David (Lynn) of Scarsdale, Dr. Karen Pravda (Norbert Elsner) of Scarsdale and Susan (Gabor Garai) of Newton, Mass. In addition to her husband and children she is survived by grandchildren Jacqueline (David), Douglas (Sarah), Elizabeth, Michael, Andrew and Rebecca, and great-grandchildren Michael and Lily.

A private graveside service was held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, www.lustgarten.org.

Heide Sander-Kullmann of Boynton Beach, Fla., formerly of Scarsdale, died Oct. 31. She was 72. Mrs. Sander-Kullmann suffered from diabetes and underwent kidney transplant a few years ago.

She was born in Heidelberg, Germany and moved to Scarsdale in 1976 with her family. After seven years in Scarsdale they moved to White Plains until their move to Florida. She was a graphic designer by trade and loved working with her hands on any project.

She enjoyed her involvement with the Scarsdale Historical Society, her daughter Katrin Laughlin said, where she spent many hours planning events and fundraisers over the years. She loved crafting and gardening.

She was president of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club in 2005 during the Scarsdale Show House when the historic Drake Road property underwent a glamorous renovation and transformation by the American Society of Interior Designers to benefit the American Cancer Society and philanthropies of the club.

She was also involved in the Scarsdale junior and high school PTAs.

“She came to every soccer game and track meet I ever had. She was always there for me,” her daughter said. “She had great friends who will miss her very much.”

She is survived by her husband Wolfgang, son Kai and his wife Sarah of Connecticut, daughter Katrin and husband Bob of Florida, and grandchildren Amy, Michael and Ashley. She is also survived by her sister Gaby Bickenbach of Berlin, Germany. 

“Her love and dedication to her community and friends will so greatly be missed,” her daughter said.

Services will be private.

John C. Eforo

John C. Eforo of Edgewood died Oct. 19 at White Plains Hospital. He was 46.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Berger Eforo, as well as his four children, John, Alexander, Edward and Danielle. He is also survived by his mother and sister.

A funeral service was held at St. James the Less Church on Oct. 24. Interment followed at St. James the Less Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: State Farm College Savings Plan, c/o Vivian Lem, State Farm Insurance Co., 590 Central Park Ave., Scarsdale, NY 10583.

Patricia Meilman

Patricia Meilman of New York City and formerly of Scarsdale died Oct. 13, She was 65. 

Mrs. Meilman received a Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University and was a scholar of Venetian Renaissance art. As a Fulbright grant recipient, she spent two years in Florence, Italy conducting research and fearlessly raising two children overseas, her family said.

Her book “Titian and the Altarpiece in Renaissance Venice” was published by Cambridge University Press in 2000; she then edited “The Cambridge Companion to Titian” in 2004. Mrs. Meilman published numerous articles in her field, spoke often at professional conferences, and was a gifted university teacher.

Mrs. Meilman is survived by her husband of 44 years, Roy Meilman, and their children, Jeremy and Derek Meilman, by her daughters-in-law, Nicola Atherstone and Zeynep Kudatgobilik, and by her grandchildren, Holden, Jasper, Leila and Liam Meilman. She will be missed by countless other family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues, including her sister Geraldine Budd and her brother Ted Mahnken, her family said.

A memorial will be held at the University Club in New York City. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Central Park Conservancy, 14 E. 60th St., New York, NY 10022, earmarked for the Playground Partners (who maintain the playgrounds in Central Park where Mrs. Meilman loved to take her grandchildren).

James Alan Pinsley

James Alan (Jim) Pinsley died Saturday, Oct. 13, after complications of open-heart surgery. He was 60. 

Mr. Pinsley was born on April 27, 1952 in New York City to Herbert and Diane Pinsley at Mount Sinai Hospital.

He was bar mitzvahed in 1965 at Riverdale Temple in the Bronx by Rabbi Charles Schulman.

Mr. Pinsley graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1970 and went to Wagner College in Staten Island and Leslie College in Cambridge, Mass. He received his M.S. in special education from Syracuse University. Mr. Pinsley worked for the Yonkers School District from 1975-2001.

He volunteered at many organizations, including, but not limited to, organizations involved with special needs children and adults, and he also enjoyed sports.

A service was held Oct. 15 at Riverside Memorial Chapel in Mount Vernon, Rabbi Stephen Franklin presiding.

He was predeceased by his father Herbert Pinsley, D.D.S., in 2002.

He is survived by his mother, Diane Pinsley, uncle Bud Feder, brother David Pinsley and sister-in-law Alison Pinsley, along with uncles and cousins.

William J. Greenberg

William J. Greenberg of New York City and formerly of Scarsdale died Oct. 7. He was 88.

Mr. Greenberg was born on March 21, 1924 in New York City where he grew up. His parents had a summer house in Scarsdale for many years.

In 1967, Mr. Greenberg moved to Scarsdale with his wife, Millicent, and two sons, Jonathan and Sanford, where he lived until Sanford’s high school graduation in 1983. 

He is survived by his wife, Millicent L. Greenberg of New York City; Jonathan and his wife Julia and their children, Alexander and Emily, of Cooperstown, N.Y.; Sanford and his wife Stacey and their daughters, Kate, Emma and Lily, of Scarsdale; and his sister Lila Van Vliet of Concord, Mass., formerly of Scarsdale.

Sabino Rodriguez Jr. of Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., and formerly of Norwalk, Conn., and Scarsdale, died Saturday, Oct. 13. He was 87.

Known as “Rod” to family and friends, he was born on Dec. 30, 1924, to Sabino and Dominica Rodriguez in New York City.

He served in the U.S. Army during WWII achieving the rank of technical staff sergeant. Involved in the European theater of war, he participated in the Battle of Bastogne, the invasion of Belgium, Holland and Germany, and was awarded medals and ribbons of distinction.  

He attended Hunter College in New York City and received a master’s degree from Columbia University and advanced credentials from Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Retiring from a 29-year career with the investment banking firm Loeb Rhoades & Co. on Wall Street, Mr. Rodriguez began a second career as a teacher of bilingual education in 1978 in Bridgeport, Conn., where he went on to be named teacher of the year by the State of Connecticut and received the Service Award for the Advancement of Hispanics. As director of multicultural education in the State of Connecticut, his methods propelled the advancement of learning by having students learn subject matter in their own language while concentrating on English as a second language. His bilingual programs saw the dropout rate go from 54 percent to 4 percent with two-thirds of his students at Harding High School receiving honor roll status.

Early in his career, Mr. Rodriguez and his wife Carmen and their two children, Sabino III and Manuel, lived in Caracas, Venezuela, before returning to the United States to settle in Scarsdale, where he served for many years as president of the Scarsdale Democratic Club during the Kennedy/Johnson years and actively campaigned for Bobby Kennedy during his successful senatorial bid. They then moved to Norwalk, Conn., before retiring to Florida, where they have maintained a residence since 1969.

Mr. Rodriguez is survived by his wife, Dr. Carmen Vila Rodriguez, his two sons, and five grandchildren, Laura Zaylea of Philadelphia, Tracy H.R. Forbes of Brookline, Mass., and Lexi Rodriguez, Linnea Rodriguez and Daniel Rodriguez of Connecticut.

A memorial service was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on Oct. 17 in Daytona Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Halifax Health Hospice of Volusia (1-800-272-2717) or Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, www.alz.org/ct.

Betty Menke, community leader and Scarsdale Bowl winner, has died

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Betty Bayer Menke, a dedicated community leader and longtime Scarsdale resident, died at her home at the Osborn in Rye on Oct. 6. She was 92.

Mrs. Menke received Scarsdale’s highest civic award, the Scarsdale Bowl given by the Scarsdale Foundation in 1984.

She was a member of the Scarsdale Board of Education for eight years, 1967 to 1975, becoming its first woman president. She served during a transition when board tenure went from one term of five years to two terms of three years, thus hers was one of the longest terms in Scarsdale history. One of the first actions during her tenure as school board president was the 1971 hiring of Dr. Thomas Sobol as schools superintendent.

With “graciousness” and “quiet authority,” as president, and for four years before that, Mrs. Menke directed the affairs of the school district through an often difficult transition from an era of continuous expansion of enrollment, programs and facilities when funding was never a problem, into a period of retrenchment, when declining enrollment, double-digit inflation and other financial difficulties brought about public pressure on the schools to cut back.

The community was divided over the proposal to bus children from Mount Vernon into Scarsdale, which she supported, and the board implemented a controversial policy to redistrict part of Edgewood into Fox Meadow to even out enrollment. As a result Mrs. Menke was challenged at the polls when she ran for re-election in 1972.

The Scarsdale Alternative School was established during her time on the board as was the Choice program at Scarsdale Middle School. To make the school board more accessible, she established “Open Door” meetings at which the public could speak with school board members on any topic.

She was also the founder and president of the Scarsdale Transfer Education Plan at the high school.

Ruth Friendly, who was the principal speaker at the 1984 Scarsdale Bowl dinner, described Mrs. Menke as a person “with a sense of history and a sense of humanism” and one who “never shies away from controversy.”

At the dinner, Dr. Sobol noted her “patient strength” and spoke about her board presidency. “With no flamboyance, no calling attention to herself, she quietly developed a board presidency of uncommon openness and civility. Every letter was answered, every phone call returned, every appointment made easy.”

Sobol further said, “If we believe that a collective human consciousness transcends individual human lives, if we believe that traditions which shape the behavior of people yet to come can be influenced by those now living, if we understand that the spirit of those who came before can remain an inspiration of those now active, then Betty will affect us for many years.”

In her acceptance speech Mrs. Menke said, “It is only since 1975 that women have been included in the roster [for the Scarsdale Bowl]. I accept in the name of all gifted women who have served in Scarsdale before and with me.”

Mrs. Menke was past president of the Quaker Ridge School PTA. She credited the Scarsdale League of Women Voters, of which she was president from 1959 to 1961, with providing the training ground for her subsequent public service. She also was director and officer of the Scarsdale Adult School and was a member of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services. She was a director of the Scarsdale Family Counseling Service.

Mrs. Menke was active in the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, a board member of the Scarsdale National Bank and White Plains Hospital.

Joining the Westchester Community College Foundation board in 2003 at the age of 83 where she was an “outstanding advocate” and “indefatigable volunteer,” Mrs. Menke was a member of the Gateway Center Campaign Steering Committee and was later named to the Emeritus Board in 2010. She was honored for her support at the foundation’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2008. The foundation presented her with “Betty’s Book of BIG Numbers,” a compilation of the work she did on behalf of the college.

Betty Bayer Menke was born Sept. 9, 1920, in New York City to Alexander and Beatrice Bayer. She graduated from Julia Richmond High School in New York City and Barnard College with a degree in psychology.

She married John Menke in 1945 and moved to Oak Ridge, Tenn., when he was working on the Manhattan Project. Later her husband founded Nuclear Development Corp. of America in White Plains to explore peaceful uses for nuclear power.

In 1951 the couple moved to Stratton Road in Quaker Ridge and later to Ogden Road in Fox Meadow. They had two children, Ellen and David.

In 1996 the Menkes moved to the Osborn in Rye, where even into her 80s, Mrs. Menke was active as president of the Sterling Park Residents Association and was one of the founders of the Academic Achievement Awards for children and grandchildren of Osborn employees.

The Menkes were married for 64 years. Mr. Menke died in 2009.

Mrs. Menke made a beautiful home, loved to entertain and celebrate the holidays with family and friends, and was known for her elegant dinner parties with intelligent, lively discussions.

She was also known for her ladylike chic. One only had to say a “Betty Menke dress,” that is, a dress with a jacket, and the meaning was understood in a certain circle, said Harriet Sobol, who spoke at her funeral service Oct. 10 at Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains. “Betty was a role model for all of us,” Harriet Sobol said. “There are a lot of women out there who are doing important things for organizations and other people who are walking in Betty Menke’s footsteps.”

Both of her children, who eulogized her, spoke of their mother’s warmth and beauty, both inside and out.

“As a little girl I would sit in doorways and on stairs just listening to her conversations with friends and family. They were filled with such grace and laughter and connection. I learned from my mom the skills and joy of social interaction,” Ellen Menke said.

“She made a family and a home for my father, my sister and me. I felt protected and safe,” David Menke said. “I could go out on a limb, take chances, and speak up when others wouldn’t. I had a home. I was loved.”

Mrs. Menke is survived by her children, her daughter-in-law Elvi, and grandchildren Brian, Rebecca and Allison.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to: Westchester Community College Foundation, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595 or The Osborn Charity Care Program, 101 Theall Road, Rye, NY 10580.

Irene Cecelia Walsh, a resident of Bowdoin, Maine, died at her home Oct. 4. She was 89.

She was born Aug. 27, 1923, in Bayonne, N.J., a daughter of Michael and Catherine (Szymanski) Swik. She attended schools in Bayonne and graduated from Bayonne High School. In 1943 she married Thomas John Walsh Sr. who predeceased her in 2000.

The couple lived in Scarsdale for 34 years before moving to Bowdoin in 1989.

She was also predeceased by her son Thomas J. Walsh Jr. who died in 2006.

Survivors include her son, John M. Walsh of Ridgeway, Colo.; two daughters, Kathleen Noonan of Intervale, N.H., and Eileen Hewitt of Deerfield, N.H.; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A graveside service for family and friends will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in the West Bowdoin Cemetery, West Road, Bowdoin. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bowdoin Fire & Rescue Department, PO Box 35, Bowdoin, ME 04287 or to the Coastal Humane Society, 30 Range Road, Brunswick, ME 04011.

Arrangements are being handled by Brackett Funeral Home, Brunswick.

Edward Ryan, a longtime Scarsdale resident, died Saturday, Oct. 6, after a long illness. He was 80.

Mr. Ryan grew up in New Jersey and attended St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, received his master’s degree from Duke University and did his Ph.D. work at Fordham University.

Mr. Ryan taught at Manhattanville College in Purchase for over 40 years. He was economics professor emeritus and a doctor of humane letters. He founded Manhattanville's Economic Freedom Institute, had the college's first endowed chair, the Ryan-Bacardi chair in economics, and was the first recipient of the alumni distinguished faculty award. He was also on the board of the Fund for American Studies and active in the Heritage Foundation.

Mr. Ryan was the author of two books on economics, including “In the Words of Adam Smith — The First Consumer Advocate.” He received a grant to study and do research in Israel on a book on economics and religion.

An avid music lover and sports fan, Mr. Ryan played the piano and was a longtime subscriber to the Metropolitan Opera. He loved the New York Giants and was a longtime ticketholder. Mr. Ryan’s love of travel took him on many trips around the world.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Gerry, the circulation manager of The Scarsdale Inquirer; daughter Sarah and her husband Michael McNulty and their three children of Greenwich, Conn., and daughter Jennifer of London, England.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Oct. 9.

Donations in Mr. Ryan’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2900 Westchester Ave., Purchase, NY 10577.

Former Fox Meadow resident Dan Grabel died Sept. 25, at the age of 91.

Born in New York City in 1921, he graduated from the NYU School of Journalism. He was a pioneer radio and TV newsman, starting in 1946, for The Daily News and WPIX TV. He was with NBC News for 32 years, starting as a writer and reporter with the original “Today Show” with Dave Garroway in 1955. He went on to become a producer for NBC News. He interviewed many top sports figures including Jesse Owens, Pete Maravich, Peggy Fleming and Muhammad Ali. He also interviewed politicians, including President Harry Truman.

Mr. Grabel was a lifetime alpine skier until his 87th birthday. He wrote a ski column for The Scarsdale Inquirer for 20 years, and contributed to many publications, including The New York Times.

During World War II he served in the US Army Signal Corps in the Pacific. He was a longtime president of the Westchester Amateur Ham Radio Club (N2FLR), a member of Scarsdale Golf Club and the Scarsdale American Legion Post 52.
He is survived by his wife Patricia, to whom he was married for 53 years; two sons, Jonathan of New York City and Peter of Greenwich; grandchildren Amanda, Courtney, Spencer and Michael, and daughters-in-law Patti and Mary Ann.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, Sept. 27, 2 p.m. at Westchester Reform Temple. Shiva will be held Thursday, 4 to 8 p.m. at Peter and Mary Ann Grabel’s home 5 Carissa Lane, Greenwich, Conn. and Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Pat Grabel’s home, 52 Doral Greens Drive West Rye Brook.

Rita Marcus Sorrel

Rita Marcus Sorrel, a longtime Scarsdale resident and current resident of Rye Brook and Boca Raton, Fla., died Tuesday, Sept. 25. Mrs. Sorrel was married to Dr. William Sorrel for 52 years. A psychiatrist, educator and psychoanalyst, Dr. Sorrel died in 2002.

Mrs. Sorrel is survived by her children, Ellyn and Michael Zitter of Palm Beach, Fla., Joy and Michael Goldstein of Rye Brook and Beth Sorrel of Scarsdale, and grandchildren Franklin, Robin and Shaun, Brian, Scott, Daniel, Matthew and Marc. Her brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Marlene Marcus, and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jerome and Norma Sorrel, all formerly of Scarsdale, also survive her.

Services will be held at Congregation KTI, 575 King St. in Port Chester on Thursday, Sept. 27.

Donald A. Pegg

Donald A. Pegg, a lifelong resident of Scarsdale, died Sept. 8. He was 79.

Born in New York and raised in Scarsdale, he attended Fox Meadow Elementary School and graduated from Scarsdale High School, class of 1951. He received his B.A. from Yale University, continued his studies in business and earned his M.B.A. at Columbia University. Following in his father’s footsteps, he worked as a financial adviser. 

Mr. Pegg was a loyal, hard-working, and giving person whose sense of humor, compassion and warmth were gifts to those who knew and loved him, according to family.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mary Pegg, his son, Donald J. Pegg, and his family, wife Susan and children Samantha, Emily and Jennifer; and his daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Pegg Frates and her family, husband James and children John and Peter.

Visiting hours will be at Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes, 824 Scarsdale Ave., on Friday, Sept. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, at 9 a.m. at the Scarsdale Community Baptist Church, 51 Popham Road.

Brunella Elena Gottardi-Massa died Sept. 9. She was 85.

Born in Imola, Italy in 1926, she graduated from the University of Bologna with a medical degree in physical and rehabilitation medicine at age 23. She met and married Louis Massa, an American who had come to study medicine on the G.I. bill. They returned to New York, did their residency at Columbia Presbyterian, settled in Scarsdale and raised a family.

She is survived by her daughters, Isabella Tcheyan, Marcella Komisar and Fiorella Corso, and four grandchildren. Her husband of 54 years, Dr. Louis Massa, died in 2007.

Dr. Gottardi-Massa worked for New York Medical College in Valhalla, Blythesdale Hospital, and was a senior consultant at the World Rehabilitation Fund, part of NYU Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine. She went on to become a trustee at the American University of Rome in Italy and consulted at the Vatican Hospital Bambino Gesu. Throughout her career, she successfully combined her love of her work in pediatric rehabilitation medicine and her love of Italy by creating unique working partnerships between medical groups in the United States and Italy.
From 1980 to 1988 she served as the European Regional Adviser for Very Special Arts, which was affiliated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and founded by Jean Kennedy Smith. She traveled all over the world promoting arts programs for and with people who had disabilities. She enjoyed a lively professional interest in making the world better for people who had disabilities, and she was particularly concerned with those with mental disabilities.

She mentored a new generation of young practitioners in the field, and was active in every VSA regional meeting in Europe, and in many international VSA conferences in the United States and South America. Her most amazing feat was to bring over 80 people from around the world to Sicily for a weeklong VSA conference, during which she met Pope John Paul II who hosted a VSA festival at the Vatican.  

“Bruni,” as she was known to her friends, loved Italy and made sure everyone learned to appreciate “la vera Italia.” She spent as much time in Italy as in New York and raised her children in a bilingual household. She was an excellent cook and introduced many of her friends to “la cucina Italiana” long before it was chic. Her home was dubbed “Grand Central Station” by her friends because she always had guests coming and going. People often sought and valued her advice and opinion on matters from medicine to family; to many she was the “big sister,” the “family doctor,” the “wise” family friend. She was well known in the community for her beautiful gardens and her wonderful parties. She was a voracious reader and a strong proponent of early education.

It was her wish to be inurned in Imola with her husband and family in their private mausoleum.

Expressions of sympathy may be made in her name to: New Rochelle Public Library Foundation. Contributions to the foundation may be made by check and mailed to the foundation office at One Library Plaza, New Rochelle, NY 10801.

Louis Francis Henry

Louis Francis Henry, a resident of Scarsdale for 40 years, died on his 76th birthday, Thursday, Sept. 6.

Mr. Henry was born in the Bronx in 1936 to the late Daniel and Bridget Josephine Peyton Henry. He graduated from St. Benedict's Grammar School, St. Helena's High School and Fordham University. He served his country in the United States Army and led a distinguished career as a lieutenant in the New York City Police Department.

He was a longtime parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. A loving grandfather, he was a regular spectator at his grandchildren’s sporting events and concerts, his family said. He particularly enjoyed attending and singing at traditional Irish music sessions where his grandsons played fiddle. His friends and family have grieved his absence from these events since Mr. Henry suffered a severe stroke on Oct. 18, 2011.

He was the husband of Barbara Henry (nee McDermott) for 50 years and the father of seven children: Ann Henry, Maura Henry Barbour (Robert), Cynthia Kantor (John), Sheila Cecil (Richard), Louis Henry (Emily), Bridget Scott (Andrew) and Catherine Henry. He was also the grandfather of 23 grandchildren: Maeve, Ann, Henry and James Barbour of Alexandria, Va.; Tara, Finbar, Kathleen, Dermot, Margaret, Patrick and Fiona Kantor of Scarsdale; Mary, Jack, Lucy, Daniel, Elizabeth and Michael Cecil of Scarsdale; Anna and Grace Henry of Scarsdale; and Catherine, Andrew, Edward and Jane Scott of White Plains. He is also survived by siblings Mary Henry Gennaro (Julius, deceased) of Rockville Centre; Daniel Henry (Hazel) of St. Helena Island, S.C.; and Catherine Henry Walsh (William) of Northridge, Calif. Mr. Henry also leaves behind 25 nieces and nephews, and the spouses of his siblings who predeceased him: Harry Winterroth (Julia (Lulu)) of Yonkers; Kathleen Henry (Robert) of Savannah, Ga.; Marie Henry (Joseph) of Dunellon, Fla.; and Hugo Holzapfel (Letitia) of Middletown, N.Y.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Monday, Sept. 10. Interment followed at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Edward L. Bennett Funeral Home of Scarsdale was in charge of arrangements.

Ruth Gibbs

Ruth Lippel Gibbs, a 45-year resident of Scarsdale, died in Akron, Ohio on Aug. 25 after living with Alzheimer’s disease for more than 10 years. She was 91.

Born on Dec. 20, 1920, to Adolph and Eva Lippel in New York City, she was the eldest of three siblings. Her father died unexpectedly during the Depression and she subsequently shouldered much of the responsibility of parenting her sister, Gertrude, and her brother, Kenneth.

She worked during the day and went to college at night, eventually earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at CCNY.

Mrs. Gibbs taught art in the Mount Vernon schools for 25 years, serving as department chairman and providing inspiration and guidance for countless students.

As an artist whose work appeared in shows around Westchester, she was an accomplished painter, printmaker and watercolorist. She was also an interior decorator.

Mrs. Gibbs was a member of the Free Synagogue of Westchester for more than 50 years, lending her artistic talents to the synagogue’s Sisterhood’s many charitable and community activities.

Her loving, giving and welcoming nature brought warmth, comfort and joy to family, friends, colleagues and neighbors, her family said.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Irving Gibbs of Akron, her sister Gert, her sons Arthur (Sara) and Robert (Wendy) and her granddaughter, Ella.

Jane Sablow-Edwards

Jane Sablow-Edwards, a graduate of Scarsdale High School, died Sept. 5. She was 60.

Mrs. Sablow-Edwards studied visual arts in Puerto Rico, Ecuador and Spain before returning to settle in New York. Her interests expanded from drawing and painting to sculpture, to theatrical set design for stage, TV and film. Her interest then shifted to computer animation. She began a collaboration with animator and teacher Carl Edwards to develop their own projects. They married in 2001. She wrote, directed, animated, edited and co-produced three short animated films for children, for which she won awards.

She is survived by her husband of New York City, her mother Rhoda Sablow of Scarsdale, her brother Joseph Sablow and his family, wife Gudrun and children Alexander and Alyssa of Ardsley.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society.

Nicholas G. Chantiles

Nicholas G. Chantiles of Scarsdale died Aug. 21 after a long illness. He was 87.

Mr. Chantiles was former vice-president of The Times Mirror Company International Division of the Book Publishing Group who established offices in major cities of the world.

Although he was widely traveled and had lived in Frankfurt, met dignitaries, hired executives and opened offices in major cities, he cherished a childhood memory throughout life that spanned almost nine decades. As a 10-year-old violin student, he witnessed first lady Eleanor Roosevelt tossing a rose from her balcony to Arturo Toscanini following his concert in Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.

Born in York, Pa., in 1924, he moved with his family to Washington, D.C., until his family returned to their homeland, Greece. He was caught up in the Italian and German occupations when a German officer was billeted in his home. He volunteered as a translator for Axel and Elsa Persson of the Swedish Red Cross, and escaped to Athens, where he obtained passage as an American citizen, and returned to the United States. He lived with his sister, Ann, and her family in Ardmore, Pa. He served from 1946 to 1947 in the Army in Fort Lewis, Wash., where he was recommended for promotion for his integrity and willingness to cooperate under adverse conditions. 

Mr. Chantiles was admitted to Haverford College as a junior, and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1950. He earned a master of arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1951. The following year, he married Vilma Liacouras, a journalist with Fairchild Publications. They lived in Frankfurt, Germany, for more than three years, and then in Villanova until they relocated to New York in 1967. During his career in magazine and book distribution Mr. Chantiles represented Curtis Publishing Co. and the Times Mirror Co., establishing offices in seven major cities worldwide.

He is survived by his wife and two sons, Dean Nicholas Chantiles of Palm Springs, Calif., and James Lea Chantiles, of San Diego, Calif., a daughter, Maria Nicole Scott, of Milford, Conn., and two granddaughters, Alexa Nicole and Brittany Jayne Scott. Burial will be private.

Julia Shultz Graham

Julia Shultz Graham of Scarsdale died peacefully at home Aug. 12. She was 96.

“We celebrate the life of Julia Shultz Graham and wish the community she so loved to know of their and our loss,” her family said.

Born in Worcester, Mass., to Eugenia and Andrus Shultz on May 24, 1916, she graduated with honors and received awards for her singing from Worcester Classical High School. She graduated from Becker Business College and shortly thereafter attended Northeastern Law School where she graduated in 1944.

She married Thomas Boyd Graham at the Riverside Church in New York in 1941. His enlistment in the Navy during World War ll and work as a patent attorney took them to Washington, D.C., and then briefly to Chicago before they settled in Scarsdale in 1950.

Mrs. Graham took an active interest in community life. She was a 62-year member of the Scarsdale Congregational Church where she was the first woman to serve as a deacon. In that position, she was instrumental in many changes, taking an active design role in renovations and plantings around the church. She sang for many years in the church choir and at home.

She was an active member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club. Her special interest was plants of all kinds. As a teacher of flower design, judge and a competitor in many design shows, she won many awards for her table arrangements and miniature arrangements. Her easy manner along with her clear organizational skills earned her many admirers.

She loved to garden and delighted in the many forms nature took, whether a flower in full bloom or the shape of its seed pod. Her steadfast trust in the design of nature helped her through her later years as she asked for no interventions but to allow nature to take its course. In this she saw beauty. She shared this sense of the world with her husband.

She was predeceased by her husband, Tom. She is survived by daughter Claudia Goodridge and her husband William, daughter Linda Graham and her husband Ralph Jimenez, son Tom Graham and Robyn Vockrodt and son Peter Graham and his wife AnnMarie. Her survivors also include grandchildren, Hilary Anderson Raupp, Thomas Anderson, Nicholas Jimenez and Jonathan Graham; and great-grandchildren Thomas and Malcolm Raupp, and Henry and Charlotte Anderson.

A private family service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs. Graham’s memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

David Norr, a Scarsdale resident for 47 years, died Aug. 19. He was 89.

He intertwined careers as a financial analyst, investment adviser and certified public accountant. He was the only analyst to have served on the Accounting Principles Board. He was active on several SEC committees on reporting problems and appeared before a Senate subcommittee on stock options. He devoted much effort to improving disclosure for investors and was a frequent speaker and the author of several articles and pamphlets on financial matters. He fought for expensing unsuccessful wells in the oil industry, for expensing the cost of stock options, and was early to advocate stock buybacks. An activist, he ridiculed meager stock holdings of outside directors prior to their being given generous stock options. When active as an analyst he wrote an accounting newsletter for the benefit of members. 

He graduated from Columbia, Phi Beta Kappa, and also held a master’s degree from that university. He served in the Army in World War II. He established eight scholarships in honor of members of his family at universities where each had an affiliation. His father, Henry I. Norr, an immigrant from Russia, graduated from City College, Phi Beta Kappa, and was principal of Evander Childs High School in the Bronx.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Norr, daughter Amy Norr, her husband Jeff Metz and grandchildren, Rachael, Jordin and Melanie Metz of Lower Merion Township, Pa., and daughter Susan Norr and granddaughters Nicole and Julia Norr of Scarsdale. 

Memorial donations may be made to Americans United for the Separation of Church and State or the New York Public Library.

Cynthia King

Cynthia (Toni) King died Aug. 8, in Hanover, N.H. She was 86. She lived in Scarsdale from 1957 to 1970 where she raised her three children and published her first book. More recently, she lived in Bethel, Vt., between 2003 and 2008 and in West Lebanon, N.H., since 2008. Previously she had lived in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Houston, Texas; Fripp Island, S.C.; and College Station, Texas.

She was born in Manhattan on Aug. 27, 1925, the daughter of Elsie and Adolph Bregman. She attended the University of Chicago and Bryn Mawr College.

She has published four novels — “In the Morning of Time, the Story of the Norse God Balder;” “The Year of Mr. Nobody”; “Beggars and Choosers”; and “Sailing Home” — as well as numerous short stories. 

She was an editor of children’s books for The New York Times and published book reviews for the Detroit News, the Los Angeles Daily News and the Houston Chronicle, among other publications. She also was a freelance magazine writer, a creative writing teacher in public and private secondary schools, a lecturer at various writing conferences, universities, schools and libraries, and a director of several symposia on aspects of writing. Most recently she compiled the soon-to-be-published catalogue raisonné of the works of Hugh Townley and was the chairman of the Hugh Townley Foundation.

Among the honors that have been conferred upon her is a creative writer’s grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts and a creative nonfiction award from Detroit Working Writers. She was a member of the Authors Guild, Poets and Writers, and Detroit Women Writers.

Survivors include: her two sons, Gordon King of Boston, Mass.; Nathaniel King, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her third son, Austin, died in 1986. Her husband, Jonathan King, who was best known for his work in the theory and design of educational building systems, died in 1997. Her companion from 2003 to 2008, the sculptor, printmaker and educator, Hugh Townley, died in 2008.

Services will be at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be sent to either: The Jonathan and Cynthia King Memorial Student Research Endowment, Texas A&M University, College of Architecture, College Station, TX 77843; or, to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc., Attn: Online Services Program, 434 W. 33rd St., New York, NY 10001.

Lou Simon

Lou Simon of Rye Brook died Aug. 5. He was 94.

Mr. Simon was born on Aug. 19, 1918, in Brooklyn. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1937, then attended night classes at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, while working at Pratt & Whitney and taking flying lessons during the day.

During World War II, Mr. Simon served as a pilot in the Air Transport Command, ferrying bombers to London and leading an engineering squadron in the 9th Air Force.

Upon his return from the war, Mr. Simon married Marjory (Marj), a woman who herself loved flying. Their union lasted 66 years. The couple lived in Scarsdale from 1958 to 1969. Together they built a successful business, Hillcrest Building Corp., constructing over 700 homes, condominiums and apartments in Westchester County. One of their homes was on Rock Creek Lane in one of the many houses they built in the neighborhood.

In addition to flying, Mr. Simon loved cars and dogs. His auto collection spanned Plymouths to Porsches, as well as miniature gas-powered vehicles that his kids and grandkids drove on the private roads near his home at Sky Meadow Farm in Purchase. He adopted canines of all shapes and sizes, from poodles to wheaten terriers. 

He is survived by his wife and two children, JoAnn (Jan) Vinikoor (Mark) of Harrison and Joel Simon (Rosemae) of Scarsdale. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Jason Vinikoor (Carla), Jennifer Hirsch, Scott Simon (Michelle), Joshua Simon and Lisa Jean (Sav); and great-grandchildren Jack and Emily Hirsch, Madeline Simon, Maya, Abby, and Brooke Vinikoor and Kaylee Jean.

Mr. Simon lived his life with a quiet intensity, interrupted only by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

“He is flying pretty high now, and loving every minute,” his family said. “The family is indebted to Mayolin Andall and Vinnis Grifiths for their love and care of Lou.”

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made out to the Neuberger Museum of Art, “Neu Experiences in Art,” a program for those with Alzheimer’s disease founded by Marj Simon.

Frances Howard Wetmore

Frances Howard (Robinson) Wetmore died Aug. 9, at the Bethel Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Croton-on-Hudson. She was 93.

Mrs. Wetmore was born in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1918, the younger daughter of Edward Wallace Robinson and Maud (Fortier) Robinson. She grew up in Annapolis Royal and Bear River, Nova Scotia, studied at Edgehill School in Windsor and graduated from the University of King’s College, Halifax.

At King’s, she met her future husband, J. Stuart Wetmore. They married in 1940 and remained together until his death in 1999. Mr. Wetmore’s work for the Anglican and Episcopal churches (he ended his career as Suffragan Bishop of New York) took them to postings in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and New York. They lived for over 30 years in Scarsdale, and in retirement from 1986 at the Fountains in Millbrook. From the early 1960s they were summer residents at the Harbourview cottage community in Smith’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Mrs. Wetmore, a gifted artist from her youth, exhibited her watercolors, pastels and oil paintings in group and solo shows in the United States and Canada. She illustrated several books and had great success with projects as varied as greeting cards and set elements for theater productions. She was an excellent and patient teacher, and helped many students, young and old, develop their creative talents.

Mrs. Wetmore worked as a teacher and tutor at the Scarsdale Junior High School for many years helping many young people improve their reading, writing and reasoning skills.

She is survived by her five children, Nancy Faulds, Ted Wetmore, Andrew Wetmore, Mary Bohun and Robin Ward, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A private cremation is planned, with a memorial service to follow on a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Mrs. Wetmore’s memory to Episcopal Relief and Development, 815 Second Ave., NY, NY 10017. See www.hudsonvalleyfuneralhomes.com.

Dr. Thomas Edward Bratter of Salisbury, Conn., died at St. Luke’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, on Aug. 3, after a long illness with heart disease. He was 73.

Dr. Bratter grew up and raised his family in Scarsdale. He was a graduate of Columbia College and Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Bratter also leaves behind a legacy of professional accomplishment as a psychologist dedicated to helping troubled adolescents. Numerous lives were touched and improved through his establishment and work at the John Dewey Academy, a residential high school for bright, troubled adolescents in Great Barrington, Mass.

He loved beautiful things and had a special appreciation for history, art and nature.

Dr. Bratter’s colorful personality and tireless concern for youth and their families will be missed by many, his family said.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Carole Jaffe Bratter, formerly of Houston, daughter Barbara of Houston, son Edward and daughter-in-law Andrea of Newtown, Conn., and three grandchildren, Ben, Max and Ali. He is also survived by siblings Nancy Philipps and family of Scarsdale, Nancy Polikoff and family of Washington, D.C., and Stanley Newman of New York City.

A private service took place in Houston. A service will be held at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Mass., today, Aug. 10, at 2:30 p.m. for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to John Dewey Academy Inc., (nonprofit tax deductible), c/o Mario Verdolini, 450 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017.

Philip S. Hill of Stamford, Conn., died Aug. 1. He was 90.

A longtime resident of Scarsdale, and a lawyer, he formed the firm of Hill, Ullman & Erwin and practiced law in Manhattan and Scarsdale. He served on the vestry of St. James the Less Church in Scarsdale, various community boards and on the board of directors of several corporations.

He was respected for his judgment, integrity and kindness. He was an avid aviator and skier. Much beloved by all who knew him, he lived a fulfilled life, his family said.

Mr. Hill is survived by his wife of 50 years, Gloria. He is survived by his sons Philip and Duncan, his daughter-in-law Frances Hill, his granddaughters Athena Hill and Samantha Brutlag and her husband Benjamin Brutlag, and his great-grandson Lukas Brutlag.

Contact Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Home, 824 Scarsdale Ave., Scarsdale, at 725-1137 for funeral details.

Angelica Rabiecki

Mrs. Angelica Rabiecki died July 31 at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn. She was 87. She was the wife of the late Nicholas Rabiecki Jr.

Mrs. Rabiecki was born June 30, 1925, in Astoria, N.Y., to Nicholas and Maria George. She attended Barnard College and worked in the fashion industry in New York City. Mrs. Rabiecki met her future husband, Nicholas, while vacationing in Connecticut and was married on July 31, 1948. They then settled in Scarsdale.

Mrs. Rabiecki was both an accomplished watercolor artist and a collector of early American paintings. She was a licensed antiques dealer and loved nothing more than the dusty back room of an off-the-beaten-path antique shop.

Mrs. Rabiecki also enjoyed cooking Greek food as a specialty. She was a guiding spirit and conscience to her husband and her two children, Demetra and Nick, her family said.

In addition to her children, Mrs. Rabiecki is survived by her seven grandchildren, Katie, Nicholas, Patrick, Gregory, Carter, Caroline and Thea.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m. at the Southbury Funeral Home of Munson–Lovetere, 235 Main St. North. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from noon until the time of service. For online condolences, www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.

Vernon C. Bailey II died June 25 after a long illness. He was 90.

Born in Ashland, Ky., July 25, 1921, his parents were Vernon C. Bailey and Jane Preston Bailey.

He graduated from Huntington High School and attended Marshall College in Huntington, W.V. When the family moved to Evanston, Ill., he transferred to Northwestern University. His education was interrupted by World War II, when he joined the Army and served in the U.S. Signal Corps in France and Germany. He was honorably discharged from the Army and returned to Northwestern, where he met Katie, the love of his life. Graduating with a bachelor of science degree in June of 1947, he found his first job in Kansas City with Great Lakes Pipe Line Co.

Kathryn Wilkening graduated from Northwestern in June of 1948 and they were married in the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Scott, Kan., Sept. 25 the same year. Three daughters were born during the five years they lived in Kansas City.

Mr. Bailey worked for Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance. A friend encouraged him to work for Avon Products Inc., which led to a 30-year career and took the family to New York.

The family lived in Hartsdale for nine years and Scarsdale for 21 years. Their daughters Janet, Karen and Linda, all graduated from Scarsdale High School.

Mr. Bailey was an elder at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, where he volunteered in many ways. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Hartsdale, serving as district deputy grand master for the Westchester Putnam District representing the grand master of the state of New York. He was a member of the Scarsdale Golf Club.

The couple retired to Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1985. He loved time with family and friends, travel, gardening, photography, computers, writing, reading, cooking and dancing.

Survivors include his wife, daughters, Janet Bailey Beirne of Folsom, Calif., Karen and Michael Cahall of Pittsburgh, Pa., the Rev. Linda Bailey; and six grandchildren.

A service of Affirmation of Faith and a celebration of his life was held at Valley Presbyterian Church in Arizona on July 21. Memorial gifts may be made to Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, 6 Greenacres Ave., Scarsdale, NY 10583, or Valley Presbyterian Foundation at Valley Presbyterian Church, 6947 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Althea H. Mantz, Ph.D.

Miss Althea H. Mantz, Ph.D. of Macungie, Pa., died July 10, in the Henry Health Care Center at Luther Crest Retirement Village, Allentown, Pa. She was 86.

Born in Palmerton, she was a daughter of the late Alonzo L. and Helen May (Graver) Mantz.

Dr. Mantz was a world language teacher at Scarsdale High School from 1960 to 1985. While teaching in Scarsdale one of her students was Liza Minnelli.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 28, at 10 a.m. at Luther Crest Retirement Village, 800 Hausman Road, Allentown, Pa. Trexler Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Cedar Crest College Endowment Fund, 100 College Drive, Allentown, PA 18104. 

Henry Bloch Jr.

Henry Bloch Jr., 85, of Provincetown, Mass., died on June 21 at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass., after a brief illness. Born in New York City, January 11, 1927, the son of Sylvia and Henry Bloch Sr., he attended school at the Ethical Culture Society before moving to Scarsdale. After graduating from Scarsdale High School, he went on to the Choate School and then received a B.A. in economics from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. He worked in White Plains with his father providing financial advice.

Hank was the husband of Jean (Fleischer) who predeceased him in 2001. They made their home in Scarsdale and raised three children: Neil of Cold Spring, N.Y., Emily Bloch (Richard Frost) of Falmouth, Maine, and Dean (Valerie Wilkins) of Jericho, Vt. Mr. Bloch was long active in the Scarsdale Ski Club, serving terms as president and outings director. He and Jean met in the club and traveled with an intrepid band of early members to Franconia Notch, Tuckerman Ravine and elsewhere throughout New England. When they wed in 1957, many from the club participated. Those friendships held steadfast for more than half a century.

Mr. Bloch was active in the Scarsdale Congregational Church and in the Scarsdale Fair Housing Group. He volunteered for many years as a coach of his children’s sports teams, often opting to encourage players who needed the most help. An Eagle Scout, he readily volunteered in his children’s scouting endeavors too. He was an exemplary role model and dedicated himself to the development of his children and many others. En route to Vermont and elsewhere, frequently with friends of the children along, he’d recount in vivid detail “The Red Headed League,” “The Hound of the Baskervilles” and numerous other tales. Many evenings were spent ensconced in Scrabble where he kept meticulous score and awarded the winner a large star.

In 1990, the Blochs moved to Provincetown where they had vacationed as a family and where Jean summered since early childhood. They lived a full life there and in Bondville, Vt. Mr. Bloch was active in the Christian Union Church of North Truro where he served as treasurer. In later years, they traveled the country in a camper, relishing their visits with loved ones.

Mr. Bloch embraced the social change that took root during his life and motivated those around him to invest themselves in the critical issues of the day, encouraging thoughtful and tolerant discourse. Nevertheless, he eschewed many modern conveniences and had a note over his desk listing the simple things he preferred including a bamboo rake, a snow shovel and a simple push lawn mower. Appropriately, he was the author of many an artful handwritten letter.

Mr. Bloch loved the outdoors and avidly pursued downhill, cross country and water skiing as well as fishing, running, sailing and sea kayaking. For many years he ran the annual Wellfleet 5 Mile Road Race and was also a regular at the Truro Treasures Pamet River 5K Run, on occasion with his grandson, Jackson, notable as the eldest and youngest entrants. He became a fixture in the memories of many who saw him on his daily journeys over the dunes, along local roads or on kayak adventures to Long Point and into town for a root beer float (always with coffee ice cream).

As Mr. Bloch loved animals, neighborhood dogs understood that if they presented at his door, he’d share his favorite peanut butter cookies. He understood how vital a connection to nature is for the growing mind and, during his granddaughter Dana’s early years, made a treasured birthday present of a pilot whale vertebrae. Many children over several generations benefited from the special beach finds of Mr. Bloch/Henry/Hank/Gramps.

All who knew him will recall his fundamental sense of fairness and generosity, wide-ranging intellect, sense of playful and competitive adventure as well as his avid interest in the natural environment. Not one to draw attention to himself, Mr. Bloch invested his principled decision making with a sense of personal responsibility. Without preamble, he always made time for others and regardless of any recent infirmity, consistently had a positive and often jaunty word for all around him, inquiring first about their lives and interests.

As family unequivocally came first for Mr. Bloch, he will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. In addition to immediate family, his grandchildren, Jackson and Dana Bloch of Falmouth, Maine, his brother Edward of Latham, N.Y., two sisters-in-law, Carol Boswell and Naomi Bloch as well as six nieces and nephews and seven grand nieces and nephews survive him.

A life celebration will be held for family and friends on the Mayflower Heights beach in Provincetown on Aug. 25 at 4:30 p.m. The next day, Aug. 26, an ice cream social in his honor will be held at the Christian Union Church in North Truro immediately following the regular church service. Donations may be made in Mr. Bloch’s memory to the Massachusetts Audubon Society-Wellfleet Bay, the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and the Provincetown Fire Department-Rescue Squad.

Winston Bradshaw

Winston Bradshaw of Chestertown, Md., died July 13 at Heron Point in Chestertown. He was 93. 

Born in Lansdown, Pa., he graduated from Bennett High School in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1937 and Colgate University in 1941 with a degree in chemistry. He worked for the DuPont Corp. from 1941–45 on explosives development, and served in the United States Navy 1945-46 on Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats in the South Pacific. He worked for Union Carbide Corp. from 1947–83, primarily in chemical sales.

Always a leader and participant in the local community, he was an active supporter of the Scarsdale Congregational Church and volunteered in local organizations in Scarsdale, including organizing and leading the effort to build the Scarsdale Pool. He was the commodore of the Sunfish Sailing Association in Wilmette, Ill., and the chairman of the Coastal Management Zone Authority in Lewiston, N.Y.

After retiring, he began voice lessons and enjoyed singing with the Retired Men’s Choir, the Rainbow Singers of Niagara Falls and the Buffalo Choral Arts Society. In 1999 he and his wife Alice moved to Heron Point in Chestertown. He was active in the Heron Point community in the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown (where he was an excellent baritone voice in the church choir) and was one of the original members of the Chester River Chorale.

An outstanding ballroom dancer and singer, Mr. Bradshaw made kindness, consideration and service to others his life’s work, his family said.

He was the husband of Alice Lyon Bradshaw, father of Pete Bradshaw (and wife Deb Lewis), Lee Bradshaw (and wife Toni), grandfather of Rich Bradshaw (and wife April), Sue Bradshaw and Nicole Bradshaw; and great-grandfather of Neveah, Carter, McKenna and Zakiyah. He is survived by his sister, Helen Bradshaw Stephan.

A memorial service will be held Friday, July 27, at 11:30 a.m. at Wesley Hall–Heron Point in Chestertown. Interment will be in the Memorial Garden at Chestertown Presbyterian Church.

Arrangements are by Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., 130 Speer Road, Chestertown, MD 21620. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.fhnfuneralhome.com.

David W. Brumbaugh Jr. died July 11 after a long illness. He was 72.

Mr. Brumbaugh grew up in Edgemont and went to Edgemont High School. He attended Duke University and graduated from Transylvania College in Lexington, Ky. After two years in the Army served in Germany, he returned to Westchester where he lived for the rest of his life, first in Hartsdale and then in Port Chester.

Mr. Brumbaugh worked in New York City in advertising sales for print media. Scarsdale Golf Club was where he could be found most weekends. Following family tradition, he joined the club in 1969 and earned numerous golf and bowling championship titles over the years.

A fiercely loyal friend, Mr. Brumbaugh maintained many lifelong relationships. He was well known for his sense of humor and unique style of dress. The Candlelight Inn on Central Avenue was his home away from home since high school. He was known as the “Mayor” of the lunchtime crowd.

Mr. Brumbaugh is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 31 years, and his sister Ann Brumbaugh of New York City.

A memorial service will be held at the Scarsdale Community Baptist Church on Saturday, July 21, at 3 p.m. Contributions in his memory can be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.

Marvin Stuart Traub, former Bloomingdale’s CEO, dead at 87

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Marvin Stuart Traub, the former chairman and chief executive of Bloomingdale’s, died July 11 at his home in Manhattan. He was 87. The cause of death was bladder cancer. Mr. Traub and his family lived for many years on Morris Lane in Scarsdale before moving to Greenwich, Conn., in the late ’70s.

Much admired and copied, the retailing impresario transformed the flagship department store at 59th and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan into a trendsetting shopping mecca in the 1970s and 1980s. Mr. Traub invited shoppers into a global marketplace at Bloomingdale’s, with extravagant, theatrical displays of fashion, food and decorative merchandise themed around countries like India, China, France and Israel. Gala events held on a grand scale with celebrities and VIPs were marketing coups.

He retired from Bloomingdale’s in 1992 and founded Marvin Traub Associates, a consulting firm.

Mr. Traub was born in Manhattan on April 14, 1925, the only child of Sam and Bea Traub. His father was a corset-maker and his mother a saleswoman at Bonwit Teller.

He graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School. After a year at Harvard, he was drafted into the Army as an infantry private and was wounded in Metz, France in 1944. He regained full mobility after a year of intensive therapy. He was awarded the Purple Heart and three Bronze Battle Stars. Returning to Harvard to study government, he graduated with high honors in 1947. He enrolled at Harvard Business School and graduated in 1949.

Mr. Traub went to work at Bloomingdale’s in 1950, starting at the bottom, and worked his way up to CEO in 1978.

He met Lee Laufer, a student at Smith College, in 1947. They married on Sept. 2, 1948. The couple had three children, Andrew, Margaret and James, all of whom graduated from Scarsdale High School.

James Traub, class of 1972, an author and writer for the Sunday New York Times Magazine, was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2011.

Mr. Traub enjoyed golf and the annual Marvin Traub Golf Invitational at the Fenway Golf Club drew some high-profile foursomes.

He is survived by his wife and three children as well as four grandchildren.

Donations may be sent to the Marvin and Lee Traub Flexible Financial Aid Fund at Harvard or to Pin Down Bladder Cancer. A funeral service was held at Central Synagogue on July 15.

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Greenacres resident Peter Sauer died Sunday, July 8, while playing recreational basketball in Gardella Park in White Plains. He was 35.

The 6-foot-7 Sauer was captain of the basketball team at Stanford University and helped lead the Cardinal to the 1998 NCAA Final Four.

Sauer collapsed on the outdoor basketball court, falling backward and hitting his head. He was taken to White Plains Hospital Center where he was pronounced dead. The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s office said the cause of death, pending further results, was cardiomegaly, or enlargement of the heart. He also fractured his skull as a result of his fall.

Mr. Sauer was born in St. Louis, Mo., on Nov. 9, 1976, to Mark and Georgia Sauer. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he attended Shady Side Academy and was a standout basketball player finishing as the school’s all-time leading scorer.

Mr. Sauer was part of the Stanford team that went to four straight NCAA tournaments under former coach Mike Montgomery. He averaged 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in his Stanford career.

“Peter Sauer was one of the most popular players I have ever coached,” Montgomery told The New York Times. He called Sauer “the epitome of the definition of a student-athlete. He was smart; he was tough; he was a winner.”

After graduating with a degree in economics, Mr. Sauer signed with the Atlanta Hawks, then moved to Greece to play for the B.C. Iraklis Thessaloniki professional team.

Sauer left basketball to work in finance. He joined Credit Suisse AG in New York before moving to Bank of America in 2006. He recently left Bank of America where he had been a director of equity research sales since 2007, to pursue a hedge fund venture.

Mr. Sauer married the former Amanda Swank in Pittsburgh on July 7, 2001. She survives him, along with their three young daughters, his parents and brother Alex.

The Sauers were members of Rye Presbyterian Church.

Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes of Scarsdale is in charge of arrangements. Services will be private.

Donald M. Berretta

Donald M. Berretta, police dispatcher for the Greenburgh Police Department for 24 years, died June 29 at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx after succumbing to a long illness. He was 56.

Mr. Berretta was a lifelong resident of Ossining. He was predeceased by his father, Michael Berretta, and his mother, Winifred (Smith) Berretta. Mr. Berretta attended Ossining High School graduating in 1974. He then attended Butler College, Indianapolis, Ind.

Mr. Berretta was a life member of the Ossining Volunteer Fire Department, joining in 1982 as a member of Rescue 14. He was a member of the Washington Hook and Ladder Co., where he served as a dispatcher from 1986 to the present. Mr. Berretta was affiliated with the Westchester County Fireman’s Association, the Hudson Valley Volunteer Fireman’s Association, and the Royal Order of Blue Vest, F.A.S.N.Y.

He is fondly remembered for serving as Santa Claus for the Ossining Fire Department, and in past years at the Town of Greenburgh Police Department annual P.B.A. children’s Christmas party. He is survived by his sister, Michele Caldwell of Miamisburg, Ohio, his nephew Graham Caldwell, aunt Doris Smith, and many cousins.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at the Ossining United Methodist Church, 3 Emwilton Place, Ossining. Interment will be private. Arrangements are being handled by the Dorsey Funeral Home, Ossining.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Small Change Fund, c/o the Fireman’s Home of the State of New York, 125 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson, NY 12534.

Alfred Barsuhn

Alfred Barsuhn, 80, a resident of Poughquag for 14 years and formerly of Scarsdale, died July 2 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. He was 80.

Born in the Bronx on Feb. 16, 1932, he was the son of the late Fritz and Frieda Yuakstein Barsuhn. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army and was employed as the tax director for Alcatel in New York City.

Mr. Barsuhn was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Scarsdale for over 60 years, had served as the president of the church congregation and was a member of the choir for many years. He had also served as the treasurer for the New Rochelle Maenner and Damen Choir and president of the Arthur Manor Association.

On June 19, 1955 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Mr. Barsuhn married Cynthia Kassmel who survives him. He is also survived by his children and their spouses, Alesia “Lisa” and Nicholas Lombardo of Harrison, Paul and Carrie Barsuhn of Dover Plains, Keith and Gloria Barsuhn of Greensboro, N.C., and Glenn and Lisa Barsuhn of Charlotte, N.C.; and his grandchildren, Sofia Lombardo, Nicholas Lombardo, Matthew Barsuhn, Brian Barsuhn, Andrew Barsuhn, Christopher Barsuhn, Elizabeth Barsuhn and Sasha Barsuhn.

Calling hours will be held today, July 6, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the McHoul Funeral Home Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. Additional viewing will be held on Saturday, July 7, from 11 a.m.-noon at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 25 Crane Road, Scarsdale. The service will be held at noon with the Rev. Merlin Rehm officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in Kensico Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 25 Crane Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583.

For online condolences and memorial donations, visit Mr. Barsuhn’s Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.

Gordon List Hamilton, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 60 in Scarsdale, died July 2. He was 55.

Born Sept. 20, 1956, Mr. Hamilton lived most of his life in Scarsdale. After going through the Scarsdale schools, he graduated from the Culinary Arts Program at SUNY Cobleskill. He worked many years as a baker and pastry chef, and later worked on the custodial staff at Scarsdale High School.

A longtime scoutmaster of Scarsdale Troop 60, he was active in Boy Scouts of America programs, including National Youth Leadership Training, Klondike scout camporees, and national and international jamborees. He received the Silver Beaver Award and was a Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow, Ktemaque Lodge #15 WWW.

Assistant scoutmaster Nicholas Thompson, a member of Troop 60 since 1997, said, “Gordon was truly a leader who cared about scouting. He was a person that went above and beyond to help anywhere he was needed. He truly lived up to the Boy Scout oath and law.”

He was active with Scarsdale Congregational Church and will be remembered for the gingerbread houses he baked every year, which were auctioned to benefit the church.

He was a member of the Scarsdale Rotary Club and received the Paul Harris Award in 2012.

He was an avid collector of coins and scouting memorabilia.”

He is survived by his mother, Ellen B. Hamilton of Naples, Fla., his sister, Laura Hamilton of Kailua, Hawaii, and his brother, Craig Hamilton of Mountain View, Calif.

A memorial service will be held this Saturday, July 7, at 11 a.m. at the Scarsdale Congregational Church, followed by a reception in Dyckman Hall of the Parish House.

His family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Westchester-Putnam Council Gordon Hamilton Camp Scholarship Fund to support scouts in need and be sent to the Westchester-Putnam Council, 41 Saw Mill River Road, Hawthorne, NY 10532.

Joseph Reich

Joseph Reich, a resident of Scarsdale since 1958, died June 15, at his home. He was 94.

Mr. Reich was born June 14, 1918 in the Bronx, the son of Solomon and Eva Reich. Mr. Reich received a B.A. from New York University in 1938 and an M.A. from Columbia University in 1940. Mr. Reich was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Mr. Reich was predeceased by his wife, Aida Fuchs Reich, to whom he was married for 67 years. He is survived by his five children: Jimmy Reich, Lee Reich, Andrew Reich, Ginger Reich-Bugaighis and Peggy Reich; his sister Doris Haskel of Bethesda, Md.; and his 12 grandchildren: Jimmy Reich Jr., Jody Soares, Jeffrey Reich, Jackie Reich, Justin Reich, Genevieve Reich, Allegra Reich, Dustine Reich, Mona Bugaighis, Aaron Landini, Lana Kenyon and Michael Landini. 

Mr. Reich was the founder of Fox-Rich Textiles in 1945. The family business continues with not only his son, Jimmy, but with two of his grandchildren, Jeffrey and Justin. 

A longtime member of Westchester Reform Temple, he was active in its Men’s Club.

His family remembers him as a loving, kind, hardworking, generous husband, father and grandfather.

A private family funeral was held on June 18. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in his memory to Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale.

Former Edgemont resident and Scarsdale High School teacher LeRoy Robert “Bucky” Stemer died peacefully June 11 in Sunrise, Fla. He was 86. Mr. Stemer had spent the last 10 years of his life battling Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s. 

Mr. Stemer was born Feb. 14, 1926, in Patterson, N.J., the son of Morris Stemer and Ann Goodman Stemer. He attended Eastside High School where he played football and ran track. He was the New Jersey State champion in the 100-yard dash in the 1940s and had his name and picture in the daily newspaper often for his athletic achievements.

He graduated from Trenton State College in the late 1940s where he lettered in track and football. He also served his country in the United States Navy. After college, he began his teaching career.

Mr. Stemer and his wife Caroljane Gitnick Stemer were married for over 50 years. They had two boys, Dean and Jonathan Scott, who they raised in Edgemont. Mr. Stemer was a devoted family man and husband who loved to watch his boys play sports at Edgemont High School. He loved to jog and could often be seen jogging around the Edgemont track.

He is best known and will be remembered for the time that he spent as a teacher and coach at Scarsdale High School from the 1950s until his retirement in the 1980s. Mr. Stemer loved the relationships that he formed with the many students he taught and coached during his career. He received the honor of having the 1966 Bandersnatch yearbook dedicated to him. The strong bonds that he developed with students lasted throughout his lifetime.

“He was a warm, intelligent, generous, kind man who loved his family and friends. Whether in the role of husband, father, teacher, coach or counselor he always had time for anyone who needed his attention. He had a gift for making whoever he was communicating with feel important. He was always willing to listen and offer support to the many people whose lives he touched during his lifetime,” his family said.

Mr. Stemer is survived by his wife and sons.

An online memorial for him can be seen and contributed to at: www.forevermissed.com/leroy-robert-bucky-stemer/.

Charitable contributions in his name can be made to the National Parkinson Foundation: http://www.parkinson.org/ or the Alzheimer's Foundation of America: http://www.alzfdn.org/.

James Cardinal, a lawyer and chief administrative judge, died Monday, June 11 in Danbury, Conn. He was 83.

Mr. Cardinal was the village historian of Scarsdale from 1970 to 1974, where he was best known for taking part in a successful campaign to save the Cudner-Hyatt House from demolition. It purchased by the town in 1972 and in 1974 the property became a museum and the home of the Scarsdale Historical Society.

Mr. Cardinal was the director of the New York regional office of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), an executive branch agency of the federal government. He was responsible for the adjudication of appeals from over 230,000 federal employees working in New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Territory of the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. He was appointed in April 1982 under President Ronald Reagan. A member of the State Bar of New York, Mr. Cardinal was admitted to practice in the State of New York, before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals.

Previously, Mr. Cardinal was a supervisory attorney-examiner with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) New York district office, where he established the New York Hearing Unit with responsibility for conducting hearings on EEO appeals by federal employees.

From 1972 to 1979, Capt. Cardinal was on active duty with the United States Navy, Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He served as district judge advocate and director of the Law Center for the Third Naval District in New York until 1974. From 1974 to 1978, he headed the Navy Legal Office in London, England and he finished his tour of active service as a defense counsel and magistrate at the Navy Legal Office in Norfolk, Va. In 1972, he graduated from the Naval Justice School with distinction, attended the U.S. Army Military Judges Course at the University of Virginia, and was qualified as a military judge. He retired with the rank of captain from the Judge Advocate General’s Corp, U.S. Naval Reserve.

Prior to this, Mr. Cardinal was in private legal practice and served as assistant district attorney in the Westchester County district attorney’s office under Carl Vergari. He had previously been an associate in the trust and estates department at Kelley Drye Newhall Maginnes & Warren.

Mr. Cardinal received a bachelor of arts degree in government from the University of Miami, Florida in 1953, and a juris doctorate degree from Fordham Law School in 1960. He was a member of the Fordham Law Review and represented the school as a regular panel member of the Student Press Conference on WNYC Radio. He had been with Chase Bank in the trust and estates department. He was assistant law clerk for Judge Learned Hand, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, engaged in legal research and the preparation of memorabilia of law.

Mr. Cardinal volunteered with the U.S. Army in 1946 following World War II and served in Gorizia, Italy. He volunteered for a second tour with the U.S. Army at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and was awarded the combat infantry badge and the bronze star for valor while he served in I Company, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

Mr. Cardinal was also involved in the failed attempt to save the Westchester County Courthouse, White Plains, from demolition to prepare the ground for the construction of the Galleria Mall. His series of articles, “Eight Who Were Hanged” on the history of public executions in White Plains through the 19th and 20th centuries, was an attempt to bring interest to the historical importance of the courthouse. He has had numerous articles published on subjects of local history.

James Cardinal was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 14, 1929, to Vincent Cardinale and the former Vivian Marvin. He was raised in New York City and Nanuet, N.Y. He lived in Scarsdale from 1962 until 1985 and most recently in Ridgefield, Conn.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Julia Sheila Hanley of Ridgefield; three children, Roger Cardinal of New York City, Kenneth Cardinal of Ridgefield, and Valerie Cardinal Fry of Centerville, Mass.; and his sister, Joan Giacopino of Northport, N.Y.

Mr. Cardinal will always be remembered for his love of books, learning and history, his family said.

Funeral services will be held at St. Anthony’s Church, Nanuet, on Friday, June 15, at 11:30 a.m., with burial to follow at St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Higgins Funeral Home of New City, N.Y., is in charge of arrangements.

Nancy Willstatter Gordon

Nancy Willstatter Gordon died June 4. She was 91.

Born July 22, 1920, the daughter of Alfred and Florence H. Willstatter, she received a B.A. in 1941 from Agnes Scott College, and an M.A. from Manhattanville College in 1972. She was a resident of Lantana, Fla., and Hartsdale.

Mrs. Gordon was an active member of the community, a hospital volunteer, and was involved in the foreign exchange students’ program and the women's club. She was an arts and culture enthusiast, loved travel and golf. She was a tireless homemaker and perpetuator of family traditions, nurturer, collaborator and philanthropist, her family said. “A sweet lady with taste and principles. An achiever for subsequent generations of women to follow and men to honor.”

She was the wife of Dr. Samuel L. Gordon, and mother of Samuel L. Gordon Jr., Jack B. Gordon II and Dr. Peter A. Gordon. She was mother-in-law to Marylou, Diana and Norma, grandmother to Kara, Lisa and Jeffrey.

She was an aunt and cousin to a global family, her family said.

A service and burial was held at Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, on June 7.

Jane Whitehill

A graveside memorial service for Jane Whitehill, who died May 13, will be held Friday, June 15, at 10 a.m. at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y.

Ms. Whitehill died on Mother’s Day in Lake Tahoe, Calif., where she made her home with her daughter Clare. She was 82.

Born Oct. 4, 1929, Ms. Whitehill was born in White Plains Hospital and grew up in Scarsdale. She and her family lived on Mamaroneck Road until 1999.

She loved to garden, was a renowned antiques dealer and collector, and loved dogs.

“She was an elegant woman and great entertainer. Our home was always where everyone felt welcome,” her family said.

She is survived by five children, Stephen, Paul, Tom and Jon Spitalny, and Clare Foster; nine grandchildren, Tara, Josh, Robin, Samantha, Fiona, Rosemary, Lily, Jack and Ben; three great-grandchildren, Brandon, Donovan and Izel; and by her former husband Frank Spitalny.

Lawrence Suslow
Lawrence (Larry) Suslow of Mandeville, La., and formerly of Scarsdale, died peacefully June 1. He was 86.

Mr. Suslow enlisted in the army at age 17 and served his country in World War ll. He was an accomplished attorney, real estate developer and certified public accountant. Additionally, he was the youngest member of the Internal Revenue Service in New York and was a contributing writer of the current New York Tax Code, his family said.

He graduated with a juris doctorate degree and a master’s in taxation degree from New York University.

Although he was an accomplished attorney, and real estate developer, he always put his family first. He coached all of his children in their school sports, and was always a supportive, generous, nurturing and loving husband, father and grandfather, they said.

He and his wife Kiki retired to Mandeville, La., where they enjoyed the last 17 years of his life spending as much time as possible with his grandchildren, reveling in all of their accomplishments, and when physically able attending their sporting, scholastic and religious events.

Even in his last days, his and Kiki’s friends of over 50 years, and his children's friends of 40 years, remembered him fondly and sent their prayers and love. He will be remembered by all who knew him as a warm, funny and generous man, who was a sports enthusiast, sports memorabilia collector and bridge player, his family said. He enjoyed traveling, cheering for the Yankees, Giants and Saints, playing poker and bridge where he earned the honor of Silver Life Master. A former marathon runner and tennis player, in recent years he could be found as a regular at Franco’s Athletic Club riding the bicycle, and making friends with everyone he came in contact with.

In addition to his wife of 50 years, he is survived by his children, Chris Aubert (Rhonda), Dany Papell (Lee) and Tracy Gold (David); 11 grandchildren, Christine, Jake, Max, Kyle, Zach, Roch, Jackson, Paul, Vance, Sam and Mark; his sister Eleanor Hope McCarthy; and four nieces and a nephew. He was predeceased by his sister, Joan Begun, and his brothers-in-law, Donald Hope, Peter McCarthy and Robert Begun. He is also survived by a son, Richard Rivman.

He lived a long and very full life. All who knew him were touched by his genuine kindness, enthusiasm and love of life. His death will leave a void in the lives of all who loved him, filled only by the wonderful memories of his compassion and love.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at Northshore Jewish Congregation, 1402 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, on Friday, June 15 at 2 p.m. He will be interred at Lakelawn Cemetery in Metairie at a private family service. An online memory book is available at www.lakelawnmetairie.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Michael J. O’Neill, former editor of The New York Daily News, died May 29 at home in Scarsdale. He was 89. The cause of death was complications of pulmonary fibrosis, his family said.

Mr. O’Neill, who joined the Daily News in the Washington bureau in 1956, rose through the ranks to become managing editor in 1968, executive editor in 1974 and executive vice president in 1979. It was during his tenure in the 1970s that Daily News coverage riveted readers with the now famous headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” when President Ford refused to bail out New York City during its financial crisis, and coverage of the Son of Sam serial killer murders gripped the city.

Mr. O’Neill hired some of the paper’s star columnists, including Jimmy Breslin, Liz Smith and Pete Hamill. He expanded coverage, brought computers into the newsroom, started an op-ed page, and always a writer’s writer, oversaw the editorial page, writing many editorials himself.

Mr. O’Neill was president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors for a year. In 1982, he was concerned about the growing power of the media and its adversarial coverage of government. In a farewell speech to the group, he called for more “responsible and compassionate journalism.” “The communications revolution which is profoundly reshaping all of Western society has also altered the basic terms of reference between the press and American democracy. No longer are we just the messengers, observers on the sidelines, witches’ mirrors faithfully telling society how it looks. Now we are deeply embedded in the democratic process itself, as principal actors rather than bit players or mere audience,” he said.

Mr. O’Neill resigned in 1982 to concentrate on writing. In 1986 he wrote “Terrorist Spectaculars: Should TV Coverage Be Curbed?,” which encouraged networks to limit coverage of terrorism to prevent glorification of criminal acts.

His book, “The Roar of the Crowd: How Television and People Power Are Changing the World,” (Times Books/Random House 1993) espoused “preventive journalism,” a complement to investigative journalism, to root out causes of unrest and societal problems before they erupted into crisis.

In 1993 Mr. O’Neill was a member of a Jimmy Carter Center team that went to Moscow to monitor coverage of parliamentary elections by Russian TV.

In 2005 Hampton Press published his essay “The Legacy of McLuhan” which argued that surging technology and globalization separate the “haves” and the “have-nots” on a greater scale.

Mr. O’Neill was much admired by his fellow editors, including Scarsdale’s Seymour Topping, former managing editor of The New York Times who said, “I was privileged to know Michael O’Neill not only as my close, beloved friend but also because of his distinguished career as a leading editor and correspondent. He will be missed by his family, friends and neighbors and by journalists throughout the newspaper profession.”

Michael James O’Neill was born in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 19, 1922. Enrolled at the University of Detroit, he left to serve in the Army in World War ll, where he served as a journalist, earning a bronze star for battlefield reporting. He returned to school and earned a degree in 1946. He received an honorary doctorate from that institution in 1977.

He came to journalism by accident, he told the Inquirer in 2006, after a teacher submitted one of his essays to the school newspaper. “That was the beginning of the end,” he said. “I never did escape from then on.”

Beginning in 1950 he worked as a correspondent first for United Press International wire service and then for the Daily News, covering foreign affairs, the State Department and the White House. Mr. O’Neill’s work took him all over the world. He traveled through Asia with President Eisenhower, went to Vietnam on a fact-finding mission with President Johnson, and was in Berlin with President Kennedy for the “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” speech.

Mr. O’Neill and his wife Mary Jane moved into a brand new house on Cayuga Road in 1966 when he took over the editorial department at The New York Daily News. Mary Jane had been a journalist for The Detroit Free Press.

In his retirement Mr. O’Neill took up his boyhood hobby of woodworking, making everything from bowls to tables, bookcases and intricate pieces like china cabinets. His woodworking hobby was the subject of an Inquirer feature on Feb. 17, 2006. He never had a lesson in woodworking, but beginning with just a saw and hammer and a few hand tools, his skills became more sophisticated and his basement workshop grew to include all manner of equipment, a lathe, band saw, a planer, drill press and milling machine.

His other passion was sailing and sailboat racing. The O’Neills were longtime members of the Larchmont Yacht Club where he succeeded in winning the club’s prestigious Lipton Cup. His boat “Moonlighter” was paid for by many freelance writing assignments.

Mr. O’Neill was also past chairman of the Fund for the City of New York, an organization that seeks to improve urban government and improve the lives of New Yorkers through many innovative programs.

“My dad was my hero — hardworking, fair-minded and deeply caring,” said his daughter Kathryn. “Even friends of mine who only met him once all say the same thing: He was a great guy.”

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary Jane O’Neill; his children Michael of Scarsdale, Maureen of Princeton, N.J., Kevin of Mount Kisco and Kathryn O’Neill of Boston, Mass.; daughter-in-law Deborah O’Neill; and grandchildren Erin and Matthew Weinstock, Alison and Kathleen O’Neill, and Jennifer Katz. He was predeceased by a son, John O’Neill.

A memorial service will be held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on Friday, June 8, at 10:30 a.m. Arrangements are being handled by the Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes in Scarsdale.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Fund for the City of New York, 121 Avenue of the Americas, 6th floor, New York, NY 10013.

Macdonald Flinn

Macdonald “Don” Flinn of Lakeside, Mich., died suddenly May 24. He was 88.

Mr. Flinn grew up in Wilmette, Ill., and Mount Lebanon, Pa. He graduated from Mount Lebanon High School and began his freshman year at Princeton University in the class of 1946. At Princeton he played freshman football and enjoyed all aspects of the college, only leaving at the end of his freshman year during World War II to join the Army Air Corps. He flew in B-29s in the air war over Japan. At the end of the war he returned to Princeton where he graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He then attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1951. Recalled in 1951 during the Korean War, he served as a trial counsel for the U.S. Air Force Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.

After the Korean War he joined the law firm of White & Case in New York City and had an illustrious career as a senior partner in the litigation department. He argued and won many antitrust cases at all levels of courts including several before the United States Supreme Court.

He met his wife Rosemary Jaicks in New York City and they were married in 1956 in Hinsdale, Ill. The family, consisting of three children, Andrew, Susan and Ross, lived in Scarsdale where Mr. Flinn served as an elder of Hitchcock Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed many days playing golf and tennis at the Scarsdale Golf Club where he served on the Board of Governors. Despite his heavy work schedule and business travel, he always found a way to spend quality time with his family. He often worked very late in his office on weekday nights so that he could attend his children’s weekend sports activities, some of which he coached. After retiring from White & Case in 1990, he and his wife moved to their summer home in Lakeside, Mich., making it their permanent home. Mr. Flinn became active locally, helping to establish a land preservation trust and enjoying life in the country among extended family and many good friends.

On the day he suffered cardiac arrest, which brought about his death three days later, he presented a program to a group of men who met monthly to discuss important topics. The program went very well and he was happy. Only hours later he collapsed.

In addition to his wife of 56 years, he is survived by his son Andrew Macdonald Flinn (wife Nicola), daughter Susan Flinn Cobian (husband Randy), son Ross Gillies Flinn and two grandchildren, Jasper Macdonald Flinn and Cara Elsa Flinn. The Flinn family will be holding a celebration of his life Sunday, June 3, at 11 a.m. at Chikaming Country Club in Lakeside. The family asks that memorial contributions be sent to Chikaming Open Lands in Lakeside, the land preservation trust that Mr. Flinn was instrumental in establishing.

Richard A. Olson of Scarsdale died May 24. He was born on July 17, 1923, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was 88.

Mr. Olson was a talented artist, art director and photographer, who worked for major corporations and magazines during his career.
At the age of 18, during World War ll, Mr. Olson was drafted into the Army, where he was trained as an airplane mechanic, working on B-26 bombers. In addition to keeping the planes in working order, he painted beautiful women on their sides. On June 6 1944, Mr. Olson landed on Utah Beach during the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, where his regiment was assigned to scale the cliff to secure a field for the allies to land and repair their airplanes. Mr. Olson’s regiment was later shipped out to Japan, but en route, the Japanese surrendered, and his troop’s ship was the first to arrive in New York Harbor. Walking down the plank, he was handed an ice-cold bottle of Coke. He said it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
After the war, Mr. Olson started his advertising career working for ZCMI in Salt Lake City, America’s first department store, where he met his future wife, Maribeth Taylor. They eloped to Las Vegas three months later, on Sept. 9, 1948. Under the GI Bill, Mr. Olson attended the prestigious Art Center of Pasadena, and after graduation, became an art director at J. Walter Thompson in New York City. Mrs. Olson was a successful fashion illustrator for Bonwit Teller, Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. Their first home was in Poet’s Corner in Hartsdale. In 1962 they moved to Greenacres in Scarsdale.  

Mr. Olson also worked as a freelance photographer for Coke, Jell-O, Kodak, Prudential and Ford, and won several awards for his work. In the ’80s and ’90 s, the Olsons worked from their home studio as pioneering artists creating anamatics for commercials.
Mr. Olson loved the theater, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, collecting antiques, playing tennis, westerns, dancing with his wife and body surfing. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was the best Santa his church ever had. He made Swedish pancakes every Sunday morning, loved his home in Scarsdale, and especially loved being with his grandchildren.
Mr. Olson was predeceased by his daughter Greta and his wife. He is survived by two daughters, Anna Derwin (Dan), Inga Bodine (Brad) and five grandchildren, Taylor, Drew and Elizabeth Derwin, and Connor and Greta Bodine.

William Edward Penny

William “Bill” Edward Penny, former chairman of the Scarsdale Republican Town Committee, died May 24 of a heart attack at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He was 72.

Mr. Penny was born on June 11, 1939, in White Plains, the son of the late Everett Joshua Penny and Helen Margaret Penny.

His academic achievements included a B.A. from Williams College, a master’s degree from Middlebury College, a Ph.D. from Stanford University, and a law degree from Pace University.

Mr. Penny was an avid racket sports enthusiast as a member of the Fox Meadow Tennis Club, where he enjoyed tennis and paddle tennis throughout his life. During his career he was a teacher, a junior high school principal and a lawyer in the White Plains court system.

He is survived by his two children, son William Penny Jr. and his wife Ida, daughter Lisa Penn Wrobel and her husband John; and his siblings, brother John Penny and his wife Janet, brother Ralph Penny and his wife Anne, and sister Bonnie Verses.

A funeral service was held May 30 at the Hitchcock Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the memorial donations may be made in Mr. Penny’s name to Williams College.

Christine E. Rothschild

Christine E. Rothschild died May 12 quietly at home after a short illness. She was 74.

Born Nov. 15, 1937, Mrs. Rothschild was the wife of 50 years of retired Scarsdale history teacher and village historian Eric Rothschild. 

She was a graduate and class officer of Simmons College in Boston. In her professional life, she served as a supervising public health nurse for the Westchester County Department of Health. Upon retirement, she volunteered with adults learning to read. She loved classical music and for many years she sang with the Hoff-Barthelson Festival Chorus.

Her most notable trait, though, was her enduring love and dedication to her family. She will be missed and remembered by her husband and also by her sons Adam and Alan, her daughters-in-law Kathy and Sayada, and her grandchildren Ellen, William, Jaan and Gemma, her family said.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to Literacy Volunteers of Westchester County.

A memorial service for Christine Rothschild Tuesday, May 29, at 4 p.m. at the White Plains Woman's Club.

Steven R. Belasco, an Edgemont resident for 38 years, died May 8 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital of organ failure resulting from a virulent bacterial infection. He was 65. Mr. Belasco and his wife, Fran Schwartz Belasco, had returned home from a three-week vacation in China celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary before he began feeling the effects of the infection. The funeral was held on May 9 at Temple Israel Center, White Plains, where Mr. Belasco was a longtime member.

Mr. Belasco was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Jan. 16, 1947, to Edythe and Philip Belasco. His older brother, Richard Belasco, is a resident of Boca Raton, Fla., where Mr. Belasco and his wife had established a second home in 2011. At an early age, Mr. Belasco developed a clear understanding of who he was and the contributions he would make in life. As a teenager he began to seriously collect stamps, which became a lifelong passion. He also became interested in law and accounting.

Mr. Belasco was a cum laude graduate of Brooklyn College (B.S., 1967), and earned professional degrees at the University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 1970) and New York University School of Law (LL.M., 1974). He worked for 33 years at Colgate-Palmolive Co., becoming an officer and vice president of taxation and real estate. He was responsible for all Colgate domestic tax activities, global tax planning strategies, and global real estate, and played an active role in planning and negotiating numerous acquisitions and dispositions before retiring in 2005.

After retirement, Mr. Belasco worked for several years as executive director of the Philatelic Foundation in New York City, a not-for-profit educational organization, and later served as a trustee. A scholar as well as a collector, Mr. Belasco published numerous influential articles in stamp journals since the 1980s, and wrote a book, “Guide to United States Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations 1907-1927” (U.S. Stamp Society, 2009), which was the first survey of his specialty since 1945. At the time of his death, Mr. Belasco was preparing a manuscript for a book about the postal history of early stamp collecting, based on his six-part series of articles published in The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues (Nov. 2009-May 2011). In addition to stamps, Mr. Belasco also collected memorabilia from the American space programs of the 1960s and ’70s. A contemporary art enthusiast, his collection includes works exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum and American Indian Community House (N.Y.).

The Belascos moved to Edgemont in 1974, and his three children attended the Greenville School and Edgemont Junior/Senior High School. The youngest graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry.

Mr. Belasco was a dedicated public servant of the Town of Greenburgh, serving the past 17 years on the town zoning board, and since 1999 as chairman. He was also a member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee. The Greenburgh Town Board had a moment of silence in his memory and flew the flag at Town Hall at half staff on May 9.

Mr. Belasco loved to travel and celebrate with his family. He leaves his survivors — wife Fran, children Daniel, Judith and Sara, daughter-in-law Risa Kaufman, son-in-law Mark Berkowitz, and grandchildren Frieda, Noah and Reuben — with a lifetime of memories.

Mr. Belasco was generous, kind and devoted to his family, friends, community and profession. He was highly ethical with a strong moral compass, earning great trust and respect from others. “Steve made the world a better place and will be greatly missed by all who knew him,” his family said.

Those who wish to make a charitable gift in memory of Steven Belasco may send donations to the Brooklyn College Foundation, 2900 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210-2889, with a note that it should be directed to The Steven Belasco ’67 and Fran Schwartz Belasco ’73 Scholarship.

Dr. Harold R. Galef

Harold R. Galef, M.D., of Scarsdale died May 13. He was 83.

An associate professor emeritus in clinical psychology at Albert Einstein School of Medicine, as well as a former director of the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, he was a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis. He also maintained a private psychiatric practice in New York City and Scarsdale.

Born in Manhattan the year before the stock market crash, Dr. Galef graduated from William Howard Taft High School at age 16 and from Syracuse University four years later. He earned a master’s degree in psychology at Columbia University and went on to receive his M.D. from Chicago Medical School, after which he served as a psychiatrist in the Public Health Service. He married Winifred Kron and began training at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute, graduating when he was 40. Widowed at 41, he later married Bernice Schutzer, who survives him.

A lifelong music devotee, he sang in the Collegiate Chorale and other choruses and had a fling with playing the cello. An avid tennis player until knee injuries sidelined him, he was a keen walker until his last years. Always eager for new experiences, he traveled all over the world with his family, from Europe to South America, China and India. Of all countries, Italy held his fascination most, leading to investments in Italian lessons and many home espresso machines.

He possessed a caustic wit, with an affinity for puns and spoonerisms. He also wrote poetry and recited others’ poems, such as W.E. Henley’s “Invictus,” especially the lines “I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul.” Most of all, he had a real verve for life, an enthusiasm he communicated to his family, friends, patients and supervisees. Independent in his work, he was not affiliated with any specific school of analysis. He loved to teach and, from many accounts, his students loved their teacher.

In addition to his wife, his survivors include his children, Debby and David Galef; his stepchildren, Dena and David Schutzer; his sister, Marian Weinberg; and seven grandchildren. A memorial will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club, 37 Drake Road.

Christine E. Rothschild

Christine E. Rothschild died May 12 quietly at home after a short illness. She was 74.

Born Nov. 15, 1937, Mrs. Rothschild was the wife of 50 years of retired Scarsdale history teacher and village historian Eric Rothschild. 

She was a graduate and class officer of Simmons College in Boston. In her professional life, she served as a supervising public health nurse for the Westchester County Department of Health. Upon retirement, she volunteered with adults learning to read. She loved classical music and for many years she sang with the Hoff-Barthelson Festival Chorus.

Her most notable trait, though, was her enduring love and dedication to her family. She will be missed and remembered by her husband and also by her sons Adam and Alan, her daughters-in-law Kathy and Sayada, and her grandchildren Ellen, William, Jaan and Gemma, her family said.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to Literacy Volunteers of Westchester County.

Arnold George Edson

Arnold George Edson of New Rochelle died May 1. He was 95.

He was the husband of Marian Edson who taught at Quaker Ridge School for 25 years. He was a board member of the Scarsdale Adult School, Congregation M’Vakshe Derekh in Scarsdale, and the American Institute of Archaeology in Scarsdale.

He was a major in the United States Marine Corps during World War ll and a war hero at Guadalcanal and Saipan-Okinawa. He was a proud USMC veteran and a life member of the Westchester detachment of the Marine Corps League. His decorations include the Presidential Citation Medal and Pacific War Ribbon with three battle stars. He was a man of great wisdom, clarity and immeasurable strength and courage, his family said. “His unconditional love and constant humor leave us with lifelong memories and comfort.”

In addition to his wife, Mr. Edson is survived by his children, Andi Edson of Newton Centre, Mass., Richard Edson of Los Angeles, Calif., Steven Edson of Belmont, Mass., Jennifer Edson of New York City; by grandchildren Eric Sterne of New Orleans, La., Gabe Sterne of Boston, Mass., Imogene Edson of Newton, Mass., Henry Edson of Newton, Mass., Danielle Cohen of New York City and Alex Cohen of New York City.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, May 6, at 2:15 p.m. at the Friends Meeting House/Congregation M’Vakshe Derekh, 133 Popham Road. Donations in his memory may be sent to the National World War ll Museum, 945 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130-3813.

Robert I. Rosenbloom

Robert I. Rosenbloom of Cambridge Road in Scarsdale died peacefully at home on March 24. He was 92.

Born in Boston, he moved to Scarsdale in 1961 where he lived with his wife Pauline (Waldstein) and where they raised their four sons. Their eldest son James died in 2010.

Mr. Rosenbloom grew up during the Great Depression. In World War ll he served four years in the Army in the Pacific Theater and was award the Purple Heart.

He was a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts of Boston University and received a master’s degree from Columbia University.

He worked for S. Gang & Co. for many years in New York City and remained with the firm when it was acquired by KPMG. He continued to work with the special clients that he had been assigned by Gang & Co. until his retirement from KPMG in 1999 at age 80. He enjoyed his work and approached his daily life with duty, honor, achievement and courage.

Mr. Rosenbloom was a soft-spoken, gentle, caring, patient and loyal man who enjoyed travel, dancing with his wife, playing cribbage with his sons and grandchildren. He liked to do crossword puzzles and was adept at sudoku. Finance was always of interest to him.

Being with his family was his greatest pleasure. He enjoyed a good meal, and watching old movies and sporting events on TV. He loved both classical music and jazz, particularly Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Joe Williams, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. His favorite band was Benny Goodman’s.

Mr. Rosenbloom is survived by his wife Pauline, son Peter and his wife Lisa of Ladera Ranch, Calif., son Thomas and his wife Jessica of Wellesley, Mass., and son Jon and his wife Evalyn of New York, N.Y. He also leaves his grandchildren, Jessica, Sarah, Nikki, Raquel, Alana, Michael and Everett Rosenbloom. He was the brother of the late Melvin Rosenbloom.

A graveside service was held March 27 at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Hawthorne. Donations in his memory may be made to Disabled American Veterans, POB 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250; American Support for Israel, POB 3263, Washington, DC 20010; or Freedom Alliance, 22570 Markey Court, Suite 240, Dulles, VA 20166.

Bernice Lipton Hermann died peacefully at home in New York City on April 8. She battled multiple myeloma, cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow, for seven years. She was 74.

Mrs. Hermann and her husband Richard (Dick), who predeceased her in November 2010, had been area residents for 24 years, first living on Garth Road from 1969 to 1975, and then on Barclay Road in Edgemont, where they lived until 1993, when they moved to Manhattan. She was a member of the congregation at Temple Israel of New Rochelle and active in Hadassah. She and her husband were also active members of Bonnie Briar Country Club and later, Elmwood Country Club.

Born Oct. 2, 1937, Mrs. Hermann grew up on Walton Avenue in the Bronx, the daughter of Samuel and Hilda Lipton and sister of Beverly (Robert) Coleman. She attended Hunter College and the New York School of Interior Design.

Mrs. Hermann worked at various specialty stores in Scarsdale Village, including Relativity and Eclat. She also volunteered in the French Lab and Resource Room at Edgemont High School. Later on, she worked in several showrooms in the D&D Building and at her late husband’s company, Originit Fabrics, both in New York City.

Mrs. Hermann will be remembered for her quiet, understated elegance and her courage, fortitude and love for those around her, her family said.

She is survived by her daughters, Susanne (Stephen) Engel, Edgemont High School class of 1978; Allison Craigie, Edgemont High School Class of 1982; her sons, Jeffrey (Lisa) Hermann and Robert (Stacey) Hermann, both Edgemont High School Class of 1983; grandchildren Julie and Brady Engel, Sam and Jillian Gelfand, Jake and Nicole Hermann, Korey and Sydney Hermann, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Sally Ann Drachman

Sally Ann Drachman died peacefully at home in Auburndale, Mass. She was 91.

Formerly of Scarsdale and Mamaroneck, she was born in New York City on Dec. 15, 1920, to Solomon S. and Helen Goldsmith Rudolph.  

She was a graduate of the Fieldston School and Cornell University. She was the wife of the late Dr. Stanley R. Drachman and the late Charles Brand; mother of Virginia of Newton, Mass., Susan of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Josh of Seattle, Wash., and Dori of Peterborough, N.H.; grandmother of Wendy and Andrew Van Raalte, and Abigail and Eliza Drachman-Jones. She was the sister of the late Alan G. Rudolph of Clinton Corners, N.Y., and niece of the late Reuben, Isaac, and Benjamin Goldsmith of Goldsmith Brothers Stationers, New York City.  

She was an avid reader, an adventurous traveler and an eternal optimist. Contributions may be made in Mrs. Drachman’s memory to the Ethical Culture Fieldston School or WGBH Boston.

Julia Gibson Axtell, a leader in efforts for peace and social justice in Scarsdale and Westchester for over three decades, died in Vernon, Vt., on March 22. She was 87 and suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on October 27, 1924, in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Axtell was the daughter of Lloyd Camden Gibson and Helen Andrews Gibson. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas, Washington, D.C., and New Rochelle, before moving to Scarsdale. Mrs. Axtell graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1942.

She studied art, architecture and zoology at Smith College from 1942 through 1944. In January 1945, in response to a recruiting call for medical staff following the Battle of the Bulge, she left college and enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps, serving as a surgical technician at Oliver General Hospital, Augusta, Ga., until 1946. She completed her studies at Smith in 1947.

Mrs. Axtell worked as an architectural draftsman in Northampton, Mass., and White Plains following her college graduation. In 1949 she served as the guide for a house designed by Marcel Breuer and erected in the garden of the Museum of Modern Art. It was intended to serve as an example of affordable modern architecture for young homebuyers.

On March 31, 1950, she married John P. Axtell, who served a long career as a trust officer for Scarsdale National Bank and was a tireless advocate for peace and justice issues with his wife. In 1954, on the recommendation of Lawrence Perkins, designer of Heathcote School, they hired White Plains architect Roy Johnson, who created a house on Lincoln Road in harmony with the neighboring school’s architecture. Mrs. Axtell and her husband lived and raised their four children there prior to moving to a condominium in downtown White Plains in 1992.

Following the graduation of her youngest child from high school, Mrs. Axtell returned to school and received an M.B.A. from Iona College in 1981. She worked for the White Plains planning firm Divney & Associates until 1988, helping to develop their computer-aided drafting system and working on the planning of several of the corporate headquarters buildings along Interstate 287 in Westchester.

From the time she was married until shortly before her death, Mrs. Axtell worked on local and national efforts to achieve racial and social equality and to promote peace through diplomacy. Organizations in which she was active include the Scarsdale Fair Housing Group; the Student Transfer Education Program (STEP); George Washington Carver Center in White Plains; many programs of the Scarsdale Congregational Church, including the Open Arms program for homeless individuals and the East Harlem Tutorial Program; the annual Foreign Student Weekends of the American Friends Service Committee; the Council for a Livable World; the United Nations Association; and the League of Women Voters. She served as president of the Scarsdale Junior High PTA and the White Plains YWCA.

Mrs. Axtell took pride in the fact that she and her husband were included on Richard Nixon’s enemies list due to their political activism. In 1988 Mr. and Mrs. Axtell traveled to the Soviet Union with the American delegation to the Chautauqua-Soviet Conference, a person-to-person diplomacy effort that preceded the end of the Cold War.

Mrs. Axtell was a passionate gardener in Scarsdale and at the farm she shared with several of her children in Whitingham, Vt. Her love of country life began with childhood visits to her grandparents’ farm in Conneaut Lake, Pa. She was a lifelong hiker and skier, and was still skiing with her youngest grandchild at the age of 82. She was an enthusiastic traveler, whether on road trips with her family in a succession of Volkswagen microbuses, on multiple trips to Europe, or to the annual family gathering at Chautauqua, N.Y.

Mrs. Axtell’s husband died in 1994. She is survived by two daughters, Ann Axtell Kanter and her husband Jonathan of Ithaca, N.Y., and Sarah Axtell of Whitingham, Vt.; two sons, John and his wife Diana Ames of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Daniel and his wife Charlotte Gifford of Westminster, Vt.; as well as five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Axtell is also survived by her sister, Mary Gibson Masich Friedlander of Bellevue, Wash., and her brother, Robert Gibson of Fort Myers, Fla. She will also be deeply missed by STEP student Deborah Rooks Willmann of Mauk, Ga.

A memorial service will be held on July 21 at 10 a.m. at the Scarsdale Congregational Church, 1 Heathcote Road. The family suggests that donations in Mrs. Axtell’s memory be made to the United Nations Association of the USA, 1800 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington D.C. 20036, or the YWCA USA, Development Department, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 550, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Albert Louis Elias, authored book on living with disability

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Albert Louis Elias, author of the book “A Life With More Ups Than Downs,” about living with cerebral palsy, died March 27. He was 65.

Mr. Elias was born in New York City on Nov. 9, 1946, with cerebral palsy. He was educated at the American School in London and at Greenwich High School (class of 1965). He went on to earn a B.A. in philosophy and government from Boston University. After graduation in 1969, he returned to London, where he worked in the marketing department for Norman, Craig, and Kummel, until he returned to the United States in 1977. While in London, he was active in Shelter: the National Campaign for the Homeless, the Camden Council for International Relations, the United Nations Association and the Unitarian Church.

Mr. Elias returned to New York and lived in Scarsdale from 1977-97, working in the purchasing department of United Cerebral Palsy. During those years he was active in the Greenville Community Theater, the Scarsdale Audubon Society, the Unitarian Church and the United Nations Association.

In an article in The New York Times published Jan. 5, 1986, Mr. Elias wrote about his experience of attending a New York City Ballet performance of his favorite “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a terrible snowstorm. With no taxis or buses available, Mr. Elias walked from Grand Central to Lincoln Center, falling several times along the way. Near Rockefeller Center as he was picking himself up after falling yet again, a young man jeered at him and pushed him down once more.

“Just as I had gotten to my feet, he reached over and shoved me back into the snow. ‘Have a nice day,’ he said, and, laughing loudly, he took off.

“Lying there, I felt the cold from the snow penetrate my pants, and my legs began to ache. Again I heard my father's voice. ‘I hope you're staying home today ... I think you're foolish.’

“Maybe I should have listened to him. But I didn't. And I was here in New York with two tickets for my favorite ballet in my pocket.

“I thought about this awful man. Was I going to let him spoil my day? I got up, brushed the snow off my pants and continued walking uptown.”

Mr. Elias enjoyed the ballet in an almost empty theater. “I thought about the theater and all the empty seats around me. So many people had missed that wonderful ballet because they were afraid. And I knew my father was afraid for me. But a long time ago he had given me something he couldn't take away. He must have forgotten what a good job he had done! “Thank you, Dad, I said silently. Thanks for giving me the confidence to experience life without fear. While most of the world stayed home, I have had a day I'll never forget.”

Mr. Elias also wrote several pieces on living and traveling with a disability for The Scarsdale Inquirer.

In 1997 Mr. Elias retired to Florida, and lived in West Palm Beach until his death.

Mr. Elias was predeceased by his father Albert and his brother William. He is survived by his mother Rea; his niece Vanessa; two nephews, Jon and Ben; and his three great-nieces, Stella, Ava and Sophie.

Donations can be made in Mr. Elias’s name to United Cerebral Palsy of New York City or Habitat for Humanity International.

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Former Scarsdale Board of Education president Robert (Bob) Macy of Ojai, Calif., died peacefully at home March 24. Mr. Macy suffered a massive stroke at UCLA Medical Center after undergoing successful surgery March 12 for cancer of the parotid gland. He was 77.

Mr. Macy was a member of the Scarsdale School Board from 1994 to 2000 and served as its president during the 1999-2000 school year. He and his family lived on Brite Avenue for 32 years.

Mr. Macy was an unusual candidate for school board. Described as a “senior citizen with his children long gone,” he brought credibility to the board.

Macy had never held elected office or attended a PTA meeting. He found the answer to why he chose to serve, he said, at a state school board conference in his first year of service: “The only thing we will be remembered for is our children.”

“There is no such thing as a monolithic board member,” Macy said at his last board meeting. “The common thing is our willingness to care about kids.”

At his final meeting, board vice president Jackie Irwin said Macy set the tone for the board’s transformation from a collection of individuals to “a body with a common endeavor, enhancing the well-being and development of students.”

His tenure included two superintendent searches, labor negotiations, and  “the largest budget in 11 years,” according to board member Rita Golden.

Mr. Macy was an influential force on the Scarsdale Adult School board beginning in the 1980s and served for more than 20 years until he left Scarsdale.

“The school was founded in 1938, and Bob brought a business mentality to the school and improved it in that regard,” said Anita Malina, former longtime adult school board member.

In the years before terrorism became a part of American lives, Mr. Macy developed a course for the adult school on terrorism. “We looked at it with horror,” said Mrs. Malina. “Who was going to take this course? But it was well subscribed, an eight-week course with speakers like Richard Holbrooke.”

“He was really brilliant,” Mrs. Malina continued. “He gave a lot of time and brought leadership.”

Robert Macy was born Aug. 3, 1934, to Robert and Deborah Macy when they were living in Washington, D.C. Growing up, he lived in Virginia, California, Switzerland and France.

After attending Harvard and Stanford, Mr. Macy earned an M.B.A. from George Washington University. After serving in the U.S. Navy and a stint in Africa, he began his 26-year investment banking career (“when it was still honorable,” he would sometimes say).

Very athletic throughout his life, he played tennis and platform tennis. He also enjoyed hiking and was especially proud of being an Adirondack Mountain 46er (having climbed all 46 Adirondack peaks higher than 4,000 feet while in his 60s and 70s).

Mr. Macy loved mental challenges, from his early intelligence work with the Navy, to crossword puzzles, to heading the board of education and learning to fly his own plane. He was also always organizing complicated events including, most recently, contributing to the Ojai Tennis Tournament, which has the distinction of being the oldest amateur tennis tournament in the United States.

Characteristically, Bob met his wife Julia (Judy) Howard on a tennis court when he was a student at Harvard University and she at Simmons College. They married 55 years ago, in June of 1956. The couple had three children: Deborah, Peter and Michael. Mr. Macy was hugely devoted to his children even when taking exception to their life choices. He coached their sports teams, supported their university studies and helped them with their first homes, but what he did most was to love them unconditionally and equally, his family said.

The family lived in Hawaii (when it was just a protectorate), Virginia, Switzerland, New York (New Rochelle/Scarsdale), the Ivory Coast and Maryland. Eventually the Macys built a second home, “Still Point,” at the edge of a pond in the Adirondacks. After retirement they moved from their home in New York to Ojai, Calif., but continued to spend their summers in the Adirondacks.

In retirement, he taught foreign affairs courses through an adult education program in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Mr. Macy was forever looking for the next place to travel and for many years made it possible for his children to join him and his wife on global adventures. Family connectedness was very important to him and he spent hours researching and traveling to places of the Macy family ancestry and organizing family reunions. Even in his last days he brought his family — otherwise spread throughout the globe — together one last time. “For that we know he was grateful,” said his wife.

In addition to his wife and children, he leaves behind his sister, Claudia.

A memorial service will be held in Ojai on Saturday, April 14, at Ojai Presbyterian Church. A memorial gathering will take place this summer at the family home in the Adirondacks.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Scarsdale Adult School or Global Sojourns Giving Circle, http://www.gsgivingcircle.org/current-projects/join-the-giving-circle/.

By DEBRA BANERJEE

Alan F. McBrien of Beekman and formerly of Kinderhook and Staten Island, died on Monday, March 12, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. He was 65.

Mr. McBrien was a Spanish teacher at Scarsdale High School for 33 years until his retirement in 2006.

A highly educated man, he was bilingual and had a great knowledge of not only the Spanish language but the arts and cultures of the countries. He was highly respected and loved by his students and colleagues.

As news of his death spread, former students emailed tributes to the languages department at Scarsdale High School and colleagues were eager to remember him.

“Alan McBrien was a very dear friend of mine and a treasured colleague,” said SHS Spanish teacher Carol D’Angelo. “He was my mentor as a young teacher at the high school. I learned so much from him about effective teaching and so admired his ability to connect with young people.

“I spoke for Alan when he retired and I cannot begin to tell you how many SHS graduates sent me fond memories of Señor McBrien and told me about the impact he had on their lives.”

SHS Spanish teacher Sandra Cisco recalled, “When I was new to SHS in 1994, the chairman of the department, Elliot Silverman, said to me, ‘Go sit in on Alan's classes. You will learn more about teaching from watching him than in any grad course.’ He was right. Alan was a master teacher, well-educated in his subject and radiating love of Spanish.”

In 1996 Mr. McBrien received the yearbook dedication, a big honor at SHS. At his funeral, a photo of him giving the speech at graduation was prominently displayed.

“Teachers are people that leave a lasting footprint on your life, and impact you in ways you may not realize until years have passed. Señor McBrien was no doubt one of those teachers for me,” said Blair Turoff, SHS class of 2003. “Señor McBrien was one of those teachers who you could tell was deeply invested in his students and their success. He struck the perfect balance between feeling like a friend with whom you could laugh and joke around, as well as an authority figure for whom you wanted to study your hardest and achieve the good grades. His caring and encouraging nature made it easy to want to succeed.”

Scarsdale High School English teacher Pam Kroll, SHS class of 1987, was one of his students. “He was somebody I thought about long before I came back to teach. He was very caring, genuine, warm, an invested and dedicated teacher, and he had a great sense of humor. He loved his students and had a good appreciation for all kinds of students and personalities.

“He was one of the people who inspired me to become a teacher. You don’t come back to a school to teach unless you have those kinds of experiences. He made that kind of impact, in a subject that was not necessarily my favorite. He made it important to me.”

Mr. McBrien’s commute to Scarsdale was “legendary,” Kroll said. At one point he traveled three hours to his job, a source of stories that became part of teaching lessons on Spanish verbs.

Born in Staten Island on Dec. 4, 1946, he was the son of Albert and Sylvia Barrella McBrien. On Sept. 28, 1968, in Staten Island, Mr. McBrien married Blanca Quintana, who survives him.

Mr. McBrien’s interest in Spanish began as a young man living in Staten Island. As a high school student he taught English to Cubans, recent arrivals to the U. S. after Castro came to power. He created wonderful friendships with some of his young Cuban students. He loved the language and shared his passion with his students for many years.

Mr. McBrien and his wife loved the water and had boats on Lake George until 1996 when they moved to Dutchess County. He also loved the ocean where he spent time with his wife in this country, as well as off the coast of Spain and France, where the couple had many friends.

He was an animal lover, and over the years he and his wife adopted three dogs and seven cats.

He is also survived by his sister, Norma Nebus of Fords, N.J.; nephews Gary and Arthur Nebus; nieces Judy Darlington and Lori Froelich and their spouses; several great-nieces and nephews and great, great-nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Thursday at St. Denis Church in Hopewell Junction, where he was a parishioner, followed by interment in St. Denis Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Dutchess County SPCA, 636 Violet Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12538 or the Mid Hudson Animal Rescue Foundation, 54 Simmons Lane, Beacon, NY 12508.

To offer online condolences and memorial donations, visit www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.

Norma S. Wall of Scarsdale died March 16 at the NYU Langone Medical Center from a recurrence of breast cancer. She was 63. She was the daughter of the late Otis and Thelma Sanford of Scarsdale.

Mrs. Wall was born in 1948 and lived in Westfield, N.J., until her family moved to Scarsdale in 1955. She attended Scarsdale public schools and graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1966.

During her freshman year at Mount Holyoke College, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She received more than 100 radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan-Kettering over the next three years, but the disease continued to progress. Despite missing a semester of college for cancer treatment, which she made up at Harvard summer school, she graduated in 1970 with an A.B. in English history magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

On her first day at Stanford Law School in September 1970, she met her future husband, John Wall, whose mother worked at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., and knew about a clinical trial of multidrug chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the NIH Clinical Center. Near death in Stage IV B, she was accepted into the study, and her disease went into remission soon after the start of treatment. She later appeared in a TV program about the NIH Clinical Center.

The Walls were married at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in 1972 and moved to Scarsdale in 1973. Mrs. Wall completed law school at NYU, receiving her J.D. in 1979. She subsequently practiced law with the firms of Chadbourne & Parke and Siegert & Grillo.

Mrs. Wall traveled to 17 countries and 24 states with her husband. She was active in Scarsdale with citizens opposing the Penn Central downtown development plan, and she worked as an election inspector.

In 1983, Mrs. Wall was treated successfully for breast cancer at NIH. Over the past 15 years she suffered delayed onset neurological damage from radiation and chemotherapy and ultimately was unable to walk due to radiation damage to the spinal cord.

Mrs. Wall is survived by her husband and by her sisters, Carol Baldwin of Ballwin, Mo., and Shirley Dudley of Bloomfield, Conn.

Sandra Rudel Zwillinger

Sandra Rudel Zwillinger died March 7 of a heart attack at her home in Bethesda, Md. She was 80.

Mrs. Zwillinger and her husband Eugene, who predeceased her in April 2008, had been Scarsdale residents for 28 years, first living at 3 Claremont Road from 1970 to 1983, and then building a new home at 45 Murray Hill Road, where she lived from 1983-98. She was an active member of the congregation at Westchester Reform Temple. 

Born on October 14, 1931, Mrs. Zwillinger grew up in Parkchester, N.Y., the daughter of Eva and Max Glickman. She was a bright and eager student who relished reading. She attended City College of New York, graduating in 1952. 

Starting her career in the brokerage business in the 1960s, Mrs. Zwillinger became one of the pioneering women on Wall Street in the 1970s. She rose to prominence as one of the senior executives of Gruntal & Co., before joining Oppenheimer & Co. in the late 1980s shortly after the sale of Gruntal to the Home Insurance Companies in 1987. At the time of her death she was still actively working as an account executive at Kenneth Jerome Inc.  She loved her work and never retired.

Mrs. Zwillinger will be remembered not only for her professional achievements, but as a consummate hostess, with annual parties for New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July that were on the calendar of many Scarsdale households. She took great joy in bringing people together and planning celebrations. She was generous and caring to those she loved, never missing a birthday, anniversary, bar mitzvah, wedding or birth. 

She is survived by her son, Marc Zwillinger, Scarsdale High School class of 1987, and the managing partner of the ZwillGen law firm in Washington, D.C.; her daughter-in-law, Kirsten Chadwick; her brother and her sister-in-law, Jerome and Diane Glickman of Delray Beach, Fla.; two grandsons, Jonah and Gabriel, and her nephews and niece. Interment will be private.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Jewish Communal Fund, 575 Madison Ave., Suite 703, New York, NY 10022.

Dorothy Brenner Rostov

Dorothy Brenner Rostov died peacefully at her home in Greenwich, Conn., on March 2 with her daughters Terry Heinzmann and Jan Rostov by her side. She was 90.  

The Rostovs lived in Scarsdale from 1955 to 1985.

Mrs. Rostov was born on June 11, 1921, in New York City, the daughter of Philip and Esther Brenner. A world traveler, she first journeyed overseas to Japan at the age of 13. In September 1972, Mrs. Rostov and her late husband Charles were among the first 50 private United States citizens to visit the People’s Republic of China seven months after relations were re-established. An inveterate seeker, she hiked throughout Nepal, journeyed to Lhasa, traversed the Khyber Pass, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and swam off the coast of Borneo. She lived a full life exploring uncovered corners of the world, all while raising her two daughters and her son Gene. Mrs. Rostov pursued much: she diligently played the flute, skied black diamond runs, sculpted life into stone, played a fierce net game in doubles tennis, made hollandaise sauce the old fashioned way and entertained with the grace of a bygone era.

A graduate of Goucher College who then attended the Yale School of Drama, Mrs. Rostov was an ardent lover of the arts as student, viewer, volunteer, collector and philanthropist. Most treasured was her house and farm in southern Vermont that, with Charles, she redesigned and brought back to life: some of her greatest joys over her last 42 years were there. In addition to her three children, Mrs. Rostov leaves her two sisters, Suzanne Geller of La Jolla, Calif., and Greta Rosen of Weston, Mass., a brother-in-law Jerome Rosen, her grandson Eli Kutler, her son-in-law John David Heinzmann and daughter-in-law Heather Knapp, along with many nieces and nephews. Interment will be private.

Contributions in her memory may be made to The Center for Healthy Aging (c/o The Greenwich Hospital Foundation, 5 Perryridge Road, Greenwich, CT 06830), whose staff skillfully helped Mrs. Rostov navigate her later years.

Visit www.leopgallaghergreenwich.com.

Jane Chilson Dunne

Jane Chilson Dunne of Obry Drive, Scarsdale, died peacefully of leukemia surrounded by her family on March 5 at Calvary Hospital.

Born in 1934 in New York City, she moved at an early age to Scarsdale and called it her home place where she lived with John, her husband of 33 years, who predeceased her in 1992, and where she raised her four sons.

A graduate of Skidmore College, Mrs. Dunne was very active in her church, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for 30 years taught in the parish School of Religion, leading their confirmation program, and for 10 years taught English to newly arrived immigrants at the Adult Learning Center in New Rochelle. Mrs. Dunne was also a longtime member of the Scarsdale Woman's Club.

Mrs. Dunne rejoiced in her family and was proud of her sons' lives, her family said. She delighted in her grandchildren, her daughters-in-law, her entire family and all their activities. She will be remembered by her many friends for her gracious style, and a personality that was both joyful and peaceful. She loved books and she liked laughter, telling stories, listening to her friends' adventures, with a big smile on her face.

Mrs. Dunne is survived by her four sons, Tim, John, Tom and Matt; her daughters-in-law Cindy and Anna; by her grandchildren Sean, Maggie, Deirdre and Alekha; her sisters Mary T. Kiley and Nancy Steinmann; and will be mourned by her longtime caregiver, Lois Tierney.

Mrs. Dunne will be waked at Bennett's Funeral Home on Scarsdale Avenue on Friday afternoon and evening, March 9, and a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10.

Donations in Mrs. Dunne’s name may be made to the Lakota Pine Ridge Childrens' Enrichment Project LTD, PO Box 581, Scarsdale, NY 10583.

Elizabeth Butler Close

Elizabeth Butler Close of Dallas, Texas, formerly of Scarsdale, died peacefully in her sleep on Feb. 1 of natural causes. She was 95.

She was born Oct. 13, 1916, in Chicago, Ill., to Charles Butler and Daisy Pugh Butler. Mrs. Close grew up in New Rochelle and graduated from New Rochelle High School. She then attended Connecticut College, graduating in 1939. In 1941, she married Walter Harvey Close Jr. and they were married for 50 years until his death in1991. They lived in Scarsdale after World War ll, a place where she had deep roots and many friends. Later in life, she moved to Dallas to live near her daughter.

Mrs. Close was active in the Junior League, the Scarsdale Woman's Club, Greenville Community Church and White Plains Hospital. She and her husband spent happy times playing golf at the Scarsdale Golf Club and on many courses around the country.

She was predeceased by her daughter Valerie Bowen, and survived by two daughters, Cynthia Larkin of Dallas and Roxane Hays of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif; six grandchildren, Eric Hays, Trevor Hays (Melissa), Stephen Bowen (Carolyn), Daniel Bowen, Kathleen Larkin Nadelson (Adam) and Daniel Larkin. Her life will be celebrated in a memorial service, a date to be determined, in April at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas. Memorial donations may be made to Cancer Care (HYPERLINK "http://cancercare.org/"cancercare.org) or the HYPERLINK "http://media2.legacy.com/adlink/5306/1516284/0/3380/AdId=1103286;BnId=1;itime=533010028;ku=1192175;key=ACS;nodecode=yes;link=https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/donateonlinenow/Legacy/index?dn=mem&fn=Elizabeth&ln=Close"American Cancer Society (HYPERLINK "http://cancer.org/"cancer.org).

The Rev. Dr. Roger William Johnson, former minister of Scarsdale Congregational Church, died peacefully Feb. 17 from complications of a stroke at St. John’s Hospital in Yonkers. He was 82.

Born in Rockford, Ill., he was the second of four children of David Phillip Johnson and Elsie (Lundin) Johnson. The family was active at First Covenant Church in Rockford where, in addition to his profession as an accountant, Dr. Johnson’s father directed two large choirs.

Dr. Johnson graduated from East Rockford High School in 1947, where he was an outstanding leader in academics, athletics, music and school government activities. He was captain of the basketball team, Illinois State Championship tennis player, president of the National Honors Society, president of the A Cappella Choir and class valedictorian.

He had scholarships throughout his entire higher education, which included North Park University, Chicago, Ill.; Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.; and Harvard University. At North Park he was editor of the yearbook, co-captain of the basketball team and elected to the North Park Vikings Hall of Fame.

At Augustana College, he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society, was captain of the basketball team and voted most valuable player. He was president of the renowned Augustana Choir under Henry Veld, which performed in Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, Constitution Hall, Kleinman Hall, among others. He graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Johnson received his ministerial training at North Park Theological Seminary. Later he transferred ordination credentials to the United Church of Christ. While a seminary student he wrote and edited an extensive three-year curriculum for post-high school young people for the Evangelical Covenant Church of America.

He married Charlotte Julin Johnson in 1953, also of Rockford. They attended the same Sunday school, church, high school and colleges, and both were proud of their Swedish ancestry.

While serving the Brighton Congregational Church in Boston, Dr. Johnson earned a Ph.D. at Harvard University where he was privileged to study with theologians Paul Tillich and Richard R. Niebuhr, among others. During this time he also had a family of five children, the youngest of whom were twin boys.

Dr. Johnson’s parish ministry included churches in the New England/New York area and Minnesota: Glendale Congregational (Covenant) Church, Everett, Mass., (1955-57); Brighton Evangelical Congregational Church, Boston (1957-64); Edina-Morningside Congregational Church, Edina, Minn. (1964-68); Scarsdale Congregational Church (1970-82); the Community Church of Little Neck, N.Y. (1985-87). He also served interim positions at First Congregational Church, Poughkeepsie; Broadway United Church of Christ, Manhattan; and West Center Church, Bronxville.

In addition to being pastor in Minnesota, he was adjunct professor at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Later he served as chaplain and professor of philosophy and religion at Rockford College (1968-70), and was also instructor at the Catholic Post-Conciliar Center in Rockford.

Dr. Johnson’s life was devoted to serving humanity. He had a profound spirituality expressed in his deeply caring and involved ministry to his parishioners. He was a leader and dedicated activist in religion, social welfare and education. He received the Ethics in Action Award by the Westchester Ethical Humanist Society, and the Citation for Community Leadership from the Westchester County Board of Legislators. His work with the disenfranchised included volunteering at the Bronx House of Detention, and serving as president of the Board of Directors of the Healing Community for Handicapped and Alienated. He was a committed member of the Scarsdale Appeal for Peace Steering Committee, a board member of the Day Care Council of Westchester, and involved with the Scarsdale Fair Housing Committee. His concern for public education led him to be president of the Advisory Committee for the Scarsdale Teachers Institute.

Dr. Johnson held positions with the United Church of Christ as president of the Board of Directors of the New York Metropolitan Association, and Executive Council chairman of Conference Personnel Committee of the New York State Conference. Throughout his career, he chaired clergy associations in Boston, Edina and Scarsdale.

He was chosen to participate in the British-American Bicentennial Preacher Exchange in 1976, where he preached in various parishes in Scotland, the homeland of the subject of his doctoral dissertation, John Baillie.

Dr. Johnson had a respectful, ecumenical attitude to people of all ethnicities, faiths and economic levels. During his active ministry he was often called upon to conduct interfaith marriages. He loved multicultural areas including the apartment building in Yonkers where he lived with his wife since 1990 in a diverse community.

In his retirement years, one of the things Dr. Johnson cherished most with his wife was to begin each morning with a devotional sharing called the Three Rs: Reading, Reflecting, and Remembering, followed by a hymn which he sang while his wife accompanied him on the piano. Then a hug and a kiss before beginning their individual activities for the day.

Dr. Johnson often summarized his life by saying, “How blest I was.”

A website celebrating Dr. Johnson’s life is being constructed: HYPERLINK "http://www.pulsarnet.com/rwj/"www.pulsarnet.com/rwj/.

Dr. Johnson will be missed as devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather and cherished friend, his family said. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, children and their spouses: Scott Johnson of Mamaroneck; Cynthia E. Johnson-Boka and Jim Boka of Washington, D.C.; Sally and Tom Conrad of Katonah; Daniel and Caroline Johnson of Shelburne Falls, Mass.; Brian and Nancy Johnson of Southampton, N.Y.; and grandchildren Noel and Julia Conrad, Jonathan Boka, Elliot and Liam Johnson, and Lana Johnson. He is also survived by his sister Priscilla Johnson Hopp of Evanston, Ill., and many nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Scarsdale Congregational Church at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in his memory may be made to Jansen Hospice, Habitat for Humanity, or to a favorite charity: Jansen Hospice and Palliative Care, 69 Main St., Tuckahoe, NY 10707, 961-2818, HYPERLINK "http://www.jansenhospice.org/"www.jansenhospice.org/; Habitat for Humanity, 524 Main St., New Rochelle, NY 10801, 636-8335, HYPERLINK "http://www.habitatwc.org/"http://www.habitatwc.org/.

Kenneth J. Swan

Kenneth J. Swan of Scarsdale died suddenly on Feb. 27. He was 62.

He was the husband of Joanne M. Swan with whom he shared 37 years of marriage.

He grew up in Scarsdale and was the son of Ruth and the late William K. Swan. Mr. Swan was a 1968 graduate of Scarsdale High School, and following his graduation he attended Jacksonville University.

Mr. Swan began his career at Alexander Grant & Co. Throughout his career he held key leadership roles in several nonprofit organizations, including Trinity Wall Street, YWCA NYC, Helen Keller International, and was most recently a principal at Kiwi Partners Inc. He loved his job and the people he worked with.

Mr. Swan was a longtime member of Leewood Golf Club, Old Tappan Golf Club and Spanish Wells Club. He was an avid golfer, reader and walker. He loved spending time with his family and friends, especially at Yankee Stadium. In the summer, he and his family traveled to Hilton Head, S.C., where he enjoyed playing golf and spending time relaxing and walking on the beach. He lived life to the fullest and was always looking for his next adventure. 

Mr. Swan and his wife were longtime residents of Scarsdale, where they raised their children Pamela and Kimberly. In addition to his wife and children he is survived by his mother Ruth Swan, a sister Carol Martin and her husband Jack, a brother William Swan, an aunt Dorothy Ruggiero, five sisters-in-law Constance Chase and her husband Robert, Suzanne Soucy, Patrice Soucy, Elaine Soucy and her companion Clifford, Eileen Shahin and her husband Omar, a brother-in-law Mark Soucy and his wife Maryanne, many cousins, nieces, nephews and

friends. 

Visitation will be at Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes, 824 Scarsdale Ave., Scarsdale, Friday, March 2 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. A funeral service will be held at Scarsdale Community Baptist Church on Saturday, March 3, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are requested to Juvenile Diabetes Association, HYPERLINK "http://www.jdrf.org"www.jdrf.org.

Carole K. Schragis

Carole Kaskel Schragis of Scarsdale and Palm Beach, Fla., died peacefully Feb. 17, surrounded by her family.

She was the wife of 60 years of Alvin; mother of Cathy (Lloyd), Steven (Donna), and Gary; grandmother to Amy (Ethan), Maggie (Rory), Rachel and William; great-grandmother of three.

Mrs. Schragis was a longtime designer of Doral Country Club sportswear at the Florida hotel founded by her family, well known in the real estate industry as builders and developers of properties in New York, Florida and Chicago.

Services were held Feb. 20 at Westchester Reform Temple where she was a longtime member.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.

Ronald Walter

Ronald Walter of Shrub Oak, N.Y., died Feb. 17. He was 61.

Mr. Walter was the property manager for Scarsdale Improvement Corp. in the village for 13 years.

“He was exceptionally well regarded, knowledgeable and knew all of our tenants and was attentive to their needs,” said Rush Wilson, president of Scarsdale Improvement. “He falls into the category of the rare employee who will be difficult to replace. You get spoiled having the likes of Ron around. We’ll miss him.”

Mr. Walter was born May 9, 1951, to Kenneth and Arline Walter in Jersey City. He married Mary Ann McGuire Aug. 30, 1985 in New Jersey and relocated to Shrub Oak in 1986.

In addition to his wife he is survived by two daughters, Meghan and Brianna, and mother Arline. Mr. Walter was predeceased by his father and two brothers, Kenneth Jr. and Bruce.

A Mass of Christian burial was held at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Shrub Oak on Feb. 21. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mohegan Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Sally Gordon

Sally Gordon, a former special education teacher at Scarsdale Middle School, died peacefully at home in Manhattan on Feb. 20. She was 63.

She is survived by her husband, Michael, her children, Erik, Amy, and David, and her daughter-in-law Rachel.  

A lover of music and art, her loss will be felt not only by her family and friends but also by those who filled her classrooms in Scarsdale and New York City, her family said. 

A funeral will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 W. 76th St., New York City, followed by a private burial.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to either the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (877-722-6237) or the Ovarian Cancer Translational Research Group (212-659-8500).

By DEBRA BANERJEE

John “Jack” Bliss died Feb. 19 at his home in Tuckahoe. He was 64.

Mr. Bliss and his family owned Central Taxi of Scarsdale. He was also an attorney at Appeals Press in White Plains.

Taxi patrons at the Scarsdale Station will recall seeing Mr. Bliss at all hours and in all weather standing outside the taxi office with his clipboard, assigning passengers to various cars.

Before there were bus routes, parking garages and regular train service, there was Central Taxi. In the dispatch office at the train station hangs a black and white photo circa early 20th century that depicts the area 100 years ago — a green expanse, unpaved roads, a taxi hut and an early era automobile.

Central Taxi of Scarsdale and White Plains has been in business since 1912. The Scarsdale division split off as a separate business in the 1930s, recalled Peter Blier, Pat DeSantis and Rich Goldstein, dispatchers at Central Taxi who were devastated by the loss of their boss and friend.

Mr. Bliss’s family owned the business for over 50 years. He and his brother David took over the business in the late ’60s.

Mr. Bliss was manager and afternoon dispatcher Monday through Friday.

“He cared about what he did,” Blier said. “He’d also come in on Sundays and take people to the airport.”

“He was very customer oriented. It was all about the customer,” said Goldstein, “much to the drivers’ chagrin.”

“People would call up and say, ‘Can you pick up my kid, but he doesn’t have money,’ he’d come. Sometimes they paid, sometimes they didn’t,” said DeSantis.

Blier, who grew up in Edgemont, DeSantis in Sherbrook Park, and Goldstein in Edgewood, began their careers at Central Taxi in their teens as part-time summer drivers, as did many Scarsdale youth. The business also had many off-duty Scarsdale policemen and firemen on the driver roster.

“Back then it was more local people driving. The business has changed,” Blier said. “Insurance has changed. You have to be 23 to drive. Now we have a lot of professional drivers and retirees.”

Although Mr. Bliss saw “hundreds of drivers” during his tenure, “there are people who have been here for decades, which is highly unusually in the taxi business,” Blier said.

From the six or seven cars back then, the fleet has risen to 22, and Mr. Bliss rolled with the changes. “Jack could dispatch in a busy situation better than anyone. He was willing to put himself out there. Nothing fazed him,” Goldstein said.

Mr. Bliss took great pride in keeping the taxi service open during blizzards and storms when everything else was closed. “We never closed. Jack would always be here. That was a big part of who he was,” DeSantis said.

Mr. Bliss was an attorney at the Appeal Press of White Plains, a company founded in 1992 to provide appellate printing services to the legal community.

“He was an enormously hard worker,” Blier said. “He did law in the mornings, he was here in the afternoons, and at home at night he did woodworking. He was a master woodworker.”

Mr. Bliss was a Jets fan, loved history, theology, science and was a big fan of Irish roots music and early rock ‘n’ roll.

He graduated from Stepinac High School in White Plains, Georgetown University and Fordham Law School.

“He was very intelligent, a good scholar,” Blier said. “He believed that individuals should always improve themselves, and he encouraged everyone he knew to do so.”

“He touched and aided generations of people who lived and traveled through Scarsdale. He will be greatly missed,” Blier said.

Mr. Bliss is survived by his wife, June Varley Bliss, a Scarsdale native; his children, Kevin and his wife Jaime; Stephanie and her husband Nicholas; Kimberly; Jesse and his wife Leticia; and Theresa. He also leaves his grandchildren Jacob, Benjamin and Emma.

A service was held at Ferncliff Chapel, Hartsdale Feb. 22.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapter, 1311 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 330, White Plains, NY 10605.

George Chester Seward, the honorary life president of the International Bar Association based in London and founding partner of Seward & Kissel LLP, a New York City based law firm, died Feb. 15 at his home in Scarsdale. He was 101.

In 1953, Mr. Seward joined Meyer, Kidder, Matz & Kissel, the law firm that would later become Seward & Kissel.

Mr. Seward was born Aug. 4, 1910, in Omaha, Neb., the son of Frank G. Seward and Ada L. Rugh Seward. A brother, Leslie Rugh Seward, died at age 8 in a swimming accident.

He devoted himself principally to his law practice and was well known as a business lawyer and director of a number of companies. He became a partner of Seward & Kissel in 1953 and under his leadership the firm became a well-known business law firm, recognized worldwide for its work with clients in the private investment/hedge fund, banking and transportation industries. Mr. Seward was a partner until December 1983 and had been senior counsel to the firm since that date, maintaining his strong work ethic by working at the firm three or four days a week through the end of 2011.

Mr. Seward was an active member of the American Bar Association as chairman of a committee that developed a model corporation act to govern the creation and operation of business corporations, which is used in whole or part by more than half of the American states. He was chairman of the ABA’s Section on Business Law and a member for 14 years of its governing body, the House of Delegates. In addition, he became involved on behalf of the ABA in the International Bar Association in the early 1960s when the IBA was a federation of bar associations. He played a key role in developing the IBA into a world organization of business lawyers as well as a world organization of bar associations. Mr. Seward, as the organizing chairman of the individual member side of the IBA, became its honorary president-founder and the IBA made him its honorary life president. Three heads of state — Rajiv Gandhi of India, Dr. Mario Soares of Portugal, and Hon. Arpad Goncz of Hungary — have, on invitation from the IBA, given “George Seward” lectures.

Among the other organizations in which Mr. Seward had been involved as an officer or trustee are University of Virginia Arts & Sciences Council (president), Phi Beta Kappa Associates, a fundraising arm of the United Chapters (president), Edwin Gould Foundation for Children (trustee), New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (trustee), and the American Bar Foundation Special Committee on Model Corporation Acts (chairman).

Mr. Seward was the author of “Basic Corporate Practice” and co-author of “Model Business Corporation Act Annotated.” He authored a book, “Seward and Related Families,” about his branch of family. Mr. Seward was distantly related to William H. Seward, Lincoln’s Secretary of State, sharing the secretary’s great-grandfather as a common direct ancestor.

He graduated from Louisville (Kentucky) Male High School, cum laude, and the University of Virginia, where he received a B.A. degree and an LL.B. degree, Phi Beta Kappa, Order of the Coif and was a member of the university’s Raven Society.

Mr. Seward’s wife of 54 years, Carroll Frances McKay Seward, died in 1991. He is survived by four children: Gordon Day Seward, Patricia McKay Seward (Mrs. Dryden Grant Liddle), Dr. James Pickett Seward and Deborah Carroll Seward (Mrs. Roy Thomas Coleman); five grandchildren: Andrew Seward, Dryden Liddle, Ashley Liddle (Mrs. Andrew James Cole), Eric Coleman and Paige Coleman; and seven great-grandchildren, Nichole Seward, Thomas Seward, Connor Seward, Thea Cole, Sofie Cole, Beatrice Cole and Alastair Liddle.  

Mr. Seward was a member of a number of social clubs, including: New York Yacht Club, the Knickerbocker Club and the Down Town Association in New York City; Scarsdale Golf Club; Gardiner’s Bay Golf Club and Shelter Island Yacht Club; Greencroft of Charlottesville, Va.; Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C.; University Club of Chicago, Ill.; and the Bohemian Club of San Francisco, Calif.

Family members and Seward & Kissel are planning a celebration of his life to be held this spring at the Down Town Association.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests a gift to either the donor’s own charity or to University of Virginia to the George and Carroll Seward Fund for scholarships, University of Virginia Development Office, University of Virginia, PO Box 400220, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4220.

Albert Christiano

Albert Christiano of Greenwich, Conn., formerly of Edgemont and Scarsdale, died Jan. 28, at the age of 91.

He was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., the son of Eugenia and Peter Christiano. Mr. Christiano was a World War II Army veteran who served in Panama.

After the war, he returned to New York where he attended business school at Pace Institute. He was a broker with the Allstate Insurance Co. and worked in Manhattan until his retirement at the age of 75.

Mr. Christiano and his wife Norma moved to Greenwich after 42 years in Edgemont and Scarsdale. Their daughters attended the Edgemont schools.

The Christianos were longtime members of the Scarsdale Golf Club where Mr. Christiano served on the Board of Governors. He also served on the Board of Directors at the Scarsdale Chateaux, where they lived just prior to their move to Greenwich.

He loved spending time in Southampton where the Christianos had a house for many years, and where he was able to surf cast and spend happy times with family. After retirement, he and his wife spent winter months in Scottsdale where they enjoyed the company of family and friends. He was an avid golfer as well as fisherman, and a big fan of the Yankees and Giants, holding season tickets to Giants games for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Norma (Trapasso) Christiano, three daughters, Virginia (Ginger) Sillari and her husband Raymond of Scottsdale, Ariz., Alice Flynn and her husband Robert of Southampton, N.Y., and Jane Alix and her husband Bryan of Westport, Conn.; grandchildren Eric, Jean, Christopher, Scott, Johanna, Abigail, Daniel and Andrew; great-grandchildren Emily, Michael, Samantha, Christian and Phineas; niece Patrice Galterio, nephew Thomas Christiano and grandnephew Jon Christiano.

Mr. Christiano was predeceased by his brothers John and Philip and their wives Annie and Kathryn.

“Everyone who knew Al knew his easy smile, his enthusiasm for life, his modest, kind and gentlemanly ways, his positive attitude, and his gratitude and appreciation for every single day. He adored his wife Norma and was a model husband, father and grandfather, exemplifying what it means to be considerate, loving, happy and just plain nice,” his family said.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Feb. 25 from 2:30–4 p.m. at the Leo Gallagher Funeral Home, Arch Street, Greenwich, Conn. Memorial donations may be made to the World Wildlife Fund.

Starr F. Schlobohm

Starr F. Schlobohm of Wolfeboro, N.H., died Feb. 3 at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, Mass. He was 83.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 27, 1928, he was the son of the late Frederick George Schlobohm and Ina May (Starr) Schlobohm.

Mr. Schlobohm graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1950 as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, summa cum laude, also as a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, the debate team and editor of the yearbook during his junior year. He also graduated from Harvard Business School in 1952, with high distinction, ranking first in his class of 500. From 1952 to 1954 he served his country with the United States Air Force, being discharged as a lieutenant.

Mr. Schlobohm worked for Reader’s Digest in New York City, from 1960-75 as director of marketing/advertising sales. During this period of time, Mr. Scholbohm lived in Greenacres.

After leaving Scarsdale, he received his doctorate degree in marketing and economics from New York University. From 1975-92, he was a professor of economics and business administration at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School. Mr. Schlobohm also owned Starr F. Schlobohm Oil Operations and Royal Drilling Inc. of Russell, Kan.

Predeceased by a son, Jeffrey Robert, he is survived by his wife Dorothy Burns (nee Whittemore) Schlobohm of Wolfeboro; two children, Pamela Kay Schlobohm of Santa Monica, Calif.; Starr F. Schlobohm Jr., of Cape Cod, Mass.; four stepchildren, Kenneth Burns of Wilton Manors, Fla.; Martha Burns of Nashua, N.H.; Dana Burns of Chelmsford, Mass.; Andrew Burns of Hamilton, Ohio; a sister, Joan Stapf of Parma, Ohio; a niece, Karen Walters; a nephew, Brian Stapf; two great-nephews, a great-niece and six step-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Wolfeboro. Donations may be made in his memory to the Pay It Forward Scholarship Fund, c/o First Christian Church, 83 North Main St., Wolfeboro, NH 03894.

The Baker-Gagne Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Wolfeboro is in charge of arrangements. To pay condolences online, go to www.baker-gagnefuneralhomes.com.

John G. Cronin

John G. (Jack) Cronin of White Plains, formerly of Scarsdale, died on Feb. 6, after a brief hospital stay at Westchester Medical Center. He was 77.

Mr. Cronin was born on Aug. 17, 1934, to the late John D. and Elizabeth (Greene) Cronin and was raised in Scarsdale. He graduated from Stepinac High School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a B.S. in chemical engineering and economics. He retired from Pfizer Inc. in 1997 after a long and distinguished career.

He was actively involved in the Church of St. James the Less, having served as its Warden. He was also on the board of the Gedney Commons Homeowners Association, having served as its president.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lois (Billington); daughters Tenley Cronin (Ian Gilmore) of Watchung, N.J., and Christine (Cornelius) Gallagher of New York, N.Y.; son, Douglas (Stefanie) Cronin of Newton, Mass.; seven grandchildren, Jenny, Allie, Kate, Tim, Katie, Jack and Will; and by his brother Richard of Wenatchee, Wash.

He will be remembered for his devotion to his family, his keen sense of humor, his warm and compassionate spirit, and his love of the outdoors, especially sailing and reading at the shore, his family said. “Jack lives on in the hearts of the family he so dearly loved.”
A service was held Feb. 9 at the Church of St. James the Less in Scarsdale.

Katharine Jaretzki Eisner

Katharine Jaretzki Eisner of Scarsdale died Feb. 2. She was 88.

“Dotsy,” as she was called, was the youngest child of Alfred Jaretzki Jr. and Edna Merson.

She attended New York University and received her degree in early childhood education. She taught nursery school in Manhattan and volunteered for many years at the Headstart preschool program in Mamaroneck. She was active in her children’s lives as a leader in Cub Scouts and the PTA.

She loved to read, knit, needlepoint, paint, travel, and play bridge with her bridge group of several decades.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Gerald Eisner; her children, Kenneth, Roger and his wife, Patricia, Carolyn and her husband, Alan Twombly, Deborah and her husband, Scott Rutter; her grandchildren Brian, Matthew, Rachael, Sara, Casey and Taylor.

She was predeceased by her brother, Paul Jaretzki, and is survived by her sister, Josephine J. Lipman, her brother, Alfred Jaretzki III, and many nieces and nephews.

She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and friend, her family said.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Ethical Society, 7 Saxon Wood Road, White Plains. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the White Plains Hospital Center, Davis Avenue at East Post Road, White Plains, NY 10601.

Richard P. Leavitt

Richard Perry Leavitt died at his Hartsdale home early Wednesday, Feb. 1.

He was 67 years old.

Mr. Leavitt was director of science information at the March of Dimes in White Plains, where he had worked since 1972. While at MOD, he contributed to the Encyclopedia Britannica entry on genetics. Dr. Jennifer Howse, president of the March of Dimes Foundation, said, “We greatly admired Dick for his erudition, dedication to scientific accuracy, and compassion for families affected by prematurity and birth defects.”

Mr. Leavitt was a longtime volunteer and past board member of the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps and volunteered for many years in White Plains Hospital’s emergency room.

He was born July 8, 1944 in Boston to Donald and Christine Perry Leavitt. He graduated from Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Mass., and from Yale University with a degree in Russian studies in 1966. He was an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1969, serving as education officer at the Naval Air Facility in Naples, Italy, where he enjoyed learning Italian, exploring the country and taking photographs. Returning to the United States in 1970, he wrote for education and hospital trade magazines for two years before joining MOD.

Mr. Leavitt married Linda Carpenter in 1966 in Scarsdale. The couple divorced in 1998.

He is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Leavitt Wipf of Bethel, Conn., and Alison Khalaf of Brooklyn; three grandchildren, Michael and Diana Wipf and Gavin Khalaf and a brother, Edmund Leavitt of Seattle.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, at 3:30 p.m. at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church.

The Scarsdale Inquirer  • P.O. Box 418, 14 Harwood Court, Scarsdale, NY 10583  • (914) 725-2500  Fax (914) 725-1552 • www.scarsdalenews.com

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