Delaware County, NY Genealogy and History Site

My name is Rusty, I am Teena's son. It is with great sadness that I inform you that Teena died of congestive heart failure on Sunday, June 27th. Thankfully, her sister Terry was with her. As many of you know, in December my mom had a heart attack and during a chest scan they found that her breast cancer of three years ago had spread to her lungs. She endured 6 hard months of chemotherapy. I know we will all miss her kind spirit and wonderful sense of humor, however we can be thankful that she is no longer held back by her or ailing body. As always, it was too soon and I wish we all had more time with her.

According to my mother's wishes she was cremated and no wake or funeral was held. Instead, later in the summer, her family will gather to celebrate her life and her ashes will be spread in her gardens and woods. In lieu of sending flowers, many people have asked what charity they can make a donation in her name. Her family agrees that both the Chestertown Historical Society, an organization that Teena spend a lot of time working with and the Breast Cancer Society, are two organizations that meant a lot to Teena. Addresses can be found below.

As you can imagine my father, Roger is finding it hard to adjust without his wife of 38 years. Therefore, please call or email me if you have any questions.

This is a very sad time for all of us, but we know she's in a place free of pain and suffering.

Thoughtfully yours,

Ron (Rusty) Mueller
973-400-1350
264 Pittstown Road
Pittstown NJ, 08867

Chestertown Historical Society
P.O. Box 34
Chestertown, NY 12817

Breast Cancer Society
https://secure.qgiv.com/cps_donors/?key=breastcancersociety

John R. Whitney

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. —

John Rogers Whitney died Oct. 10, 2009, in Scotts Valley, Calif.

The son of Howard E. and Elizabeth (Rogers) Whitney, he was born in Baltimore on Feb. 8, 1931, and spent his early years in Lancaster and Montrose, Pa.

In 1948, he graduated from Franklin Central School in Franklin.

After a brief enrollment at Cornell University he enlisted in the Navy. A fire control technician, he served four years on the USS William C. Lawe, the flagship for the 14th Destroyer Squadron. The ships tours of duty extended above the Arctic Circle and around Cape Horn, South America, as well as to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Following his discharge in 1955, he attended California Polytechnic State University, graduating with a degree in mathematics in 1958.

That same year, he married Jane Mercedes McConnel, and then began his work at Canoga Park, Calif., with Rocketdyne, which designed and built the rocket engines that powered the Apollo missions to the moon. As manager of scientific computing, Mr. Whitney was in the forefront of technological innovations for Rocketdyne. It was through his guidance that the company transitioned from running computer programs for its aerospace engineers to permitting them to do their own programming.

When Rocketdyne acquired the IBM 360 System computers in the 1960s, Mr. Whitney mastered the system software and was the divisions chief software troubleshooter. He also mastered and taught classes in the IBM APL programming language when it came on the scene; and when the IBM PC appeared in the early 1980s, he learned the details of the operating system and acted as a consultant to division personnel. His associates held him in high regard. He retired in 1990.

His lifelong passion was poetry. He could recite many poems, and could appreciate even a single phrase in a poem that didn't particularly appeal to him otherwise. He also enjoyed golf and driving trips with his family.

Mr. Whitney is survived by his son, Howard E. Whitney (Elizabeth); stepsons Thomas McConnel (Diana), Jeff McConnel, and Jon McConnel (Julie); five grandchildren, John Peter Whitney (Janelle), Irene Whitney, Ben McConnel, Krystal McConnel and Gary Stetson; great-grandchildren, Grace Whitney and Isaac Whitney; two sisters, Jane Whitney Jaegerman (Robert), and Sally Whitney Goodfellow; four nephews and four nieces; 12 great-nieces and nephews; and longtime friends, Carl and Jean Bohman.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane, in 2002; and his brother, Thomas Whitney in August 2009.

Mr. and Mrs. John Whitney's ashes as well as Tom Whitney's ashes have been interred in side-by-side graves in Ouleout Valley Cemetery on Route 357, Franklin. Friends are invited to join family members for an informal gathering to share memories at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 30, 2010, at the cemetery.

DELHI _ Collin Eric Haight, 23, of Delhi, was killed in a tragic farming accident Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007, in York. Born Aug. 12, 1984, in Cooperstown, son of John and Lois (Hebbard) Haight, Collin was employed as herdsman for Donnan Farms Inc. of York.

Collin was known for his ability to connect with people and his relentless pursuit of his goals. He graduated with honors as salutatorian from Delaware Academy with the class of 2003. While at Delaware Academy, Collin was a member of the National Honor Society and served as its vice president for 2002-2003; was senior class president and member of the German-American Club of the Northern Catskills. He was also a member of the track team and the Class C state champion football team of 2001. Always a determined scholar, Collin graduated with honors from Cornell University in May of 2007 with a bachelor's degree in science. While attending Cornell, Collin was a rare triple major of applied economics and management, animal sciences, and crop and soil sciences. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho, the Cornell Dairy Fellows and the Cornell Republicans Association. He greatly enjoyed his interactions with his housemates and friends in Ithaca at 202 Eddy Street and his fraternity brothers at AGR.

Collin was known for his passion and depth of knowledge across a variety of subjects, including family history, agriculture, geography, U.S. presidents and history of Delaware County. He frequently made spontaneous visits to local friends and family, engaging them in lively conversations about politics, history, economics and his master plan. He was a firm believer that agriculture has a future in the region, and he was committed to playing a role in realizing that vision. A lifelong researcher of countless subjects, Collin also enjoyed photography and the study of maps.

Family was of utmost importance to Collin. He was the author of a complete history of the Haight family entitled, "The Haight Family, 1628 - 2002" and was in the process of composing a similar work for the Hebbard family, which Collin had planned to distribute to his family members at a reunion in the summer of 2008.

During his summers and college breaks, Collin enjoyed his employment at various local businesses, including the Catskill Watershed Corporation, Northern Eagle Beverages as well as several local farms, including Ce-Car Farm, Clark Farms, Sco-Gail Farm, Rocky Crest Holsteins, Headwater Holsteins, Elmdale Farm and Ridgecrest Farm (of Genoa).

Collin was also a member of the United Ministry of Delhi and the Sons of the American Legion (Donald W. Gleason Post 190, Delhi). In June of 2002, he attended the American Legion Boys State as the representative from Delaware Academy. He was a firm believer in conservatism and often recalled favorite quotes, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" and, "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both" _Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Collin is survived by his parents, John and Lois Haight, of Delhi; a brother, Seth, and his wife, Erin, and their children, Alexander, Owen and Charles Haight, all of Oneonta; grandparents, Donald and Kathleen Haight and Pauline Hebbard, all of Davenport; several aunts, uncles and cousins, Aunt Eleanor Gardner, Uncle Eric Haight and wife, Claudia, and their children, Chelsea, Lucas and Sarah Haight of Davenport; Aunt Donna Valentine and her children, Amy and Mark (Jennifer) Valentine of Pennsylvania; Aunt Melanie and Doug Wolk and son, Austin, of Spencerport, Aunt Phyllis O'Connell and her children, David (Linda) Adair, Marc (Lori) Adair and Susan (Richard) Spagnuolo, all of New Jersey; Uncle Joseph Cody and sons, Michael and Christopher, all of Brewster.

He is predeceased by his grandfather, the late Herbert D. Hebbard and Aunt Margaret Hebbard Cody. Calling hours will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, and from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 30, at the MacArthur Funeral Home, Delhi, where Collin's fami1y will be in attendance. Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, at the United Ministry, Delhi, with the Rev. Lisa Heckman officiating. A reception for friends and family will be held at the Delhi American Legion immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a memorial scholarship fund being established in honor of Collin at Delaware Academy & Central School, Attention Nancy Hein, 2 Sheldon Drive, Delhi, NY, 13753. Arrangements are by the MacArthur Funeral Home of Delhi.

PALM BAY, Fla. - Paul Sylvester Cerquoz, 80, passed away Friday, Nov. 18, 2005.

Paul was born in East Branch and resided in Unadilla for many years until he moved to Florida in 1982.

Paul spent many years in Boy Scouts and worked with the Delaware County Genealogy and History site compiling his family history.

His survivors include his present wife, Virginia Cerquoz; two children, Patricia Ferrara of Sidney and Robert Cerquoz of Chesapeake, Va.; sister-in-law, Jean Cerquoz of Chugwater, Wyo.; brother-in-law, Richard Hartwell of Lakeland, Fla.; daughter-in- law, Lorrie Koch of Mt. Vernon, Ill.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many beloved friends.

His mother, Arretta Cerquoz, brother, Lloyd Cerquoz and first wife, Eileen Cerquoz, preceded Paul in death.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sidney Historical Museum.

A memorial will be held in Highlands Cemetery, Sidney Center, at a time to be determined.

Arretta Lee Early passed away at her home in Downsville on April 17, 2005. She was born on Jan. 20, 1929, in Binghamton, the daughter of John L. and M. Marguerite (Forester) Lee.

She was married in Hancock, on June 12, 1953, to Loren Early of East Branch.

Survivors include three sons, Kyle Early, and his wife, Elizabeth of Downsville; Craig Early of Downsville and Curtis Early and his wife, Kayla, of Missouri, as well as five grandsons, Brandon, Joshua, Erik, Aaron and Loren Early. She is also survived by two sisters, Bertha Jenson of Deposit and Vivian Leonard and husband, Gerald, of Hancock; three brothers, Corbett Lee and wife, Joan of Milton, Fla.; Orvile Lee and wife Vicki of Windsor and Burt Lee and wife Frances of Deposit. Also surviving is a brother-in-law, Maurice Early and wife, Mary Ellen; a sister-in-law, Katherine Cochran; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preeceased by her husband, Loren, in June 1994, and a brother, Earl Lee, of Afton in March 2002.

Arretta was a member of the Colchester Community Church and a past matron of Chehocton Chapter 327 Order of the Eastern Star. Her employment included assistant clerk of the Delaware County Board of Supervisors from 1965 to 1981, and clerk of the board unitl her retirement in 1991.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Henderson-Biedekapp Funeral Home in Hancock. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Colchester Community Church of Downsville or to Catskill Area Hospice, 116 Main St., Delhi, NY 13753. Calling hours will be on Friday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. at the Henderson-Biedekapp Funeral Chapel, Rev. John Wall will officiate.

CAMILLUS — Donald G. Palmer, 66, of Camillus died Friday, Feb. 20, 2004, at home after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Oneonta, on April 8, 1937, he was the son of Clarence Edward Palmer and Agnes Mae Eckert. He lived in central New York before moving to Camillus 10 years ago.

Mr. Palmer was a graduate of Franklin High School and Delaware Literacy Institute. A truck driver for ABF Freight Systems in Syracuse for more than 35 years, he retired in 1998. He was most recently employed by Reserve Supply in East Syracuse for six years.

A member of Syracuse-Geddes Microd and Quarter Midget Club, Mr. Palmer was an avid genealogy enthusiast and enjoyed collecting antiques. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends at his camp on Duck Lake.

Mr. Palmer is predeceased by his son, Timothy Guice; brother, Clarence Palmer Jr.; and sister, Barbara Palmer.

Surviving are his wife, Jeanne Updike Ferguson; daughters, Christina "Sam" Palmer of Solvay, Mina Caci of Weedsport, Tonya Palmer of Syracuse, and Donella Rumbaugh of Texas; sons, Seth Palmer of Syracuse, Sean Palmer of Clay, and Randy Guice of Arizona; stepson, Andrew Ferguson of Camillus; brother, John Palmer of Masonville; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus, with the Rev. Dr. Joseph Jankowiak officiating. Friends may call preceding the funeral from 4 to 7 p.m.

Contributions may be made to Hospice of Central New York, 990 Seventh North St., Liverpool, NY 13088-6148 or to Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central New York, Inc., 120 Madison St., MONY Tower II, Suite 900, Syracuse, NY 13202.

Allan Lloyd Davidson, a resident of Walton, died Tuesday, February 10, 2004, at Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown. He was 78.

Born October 23, 1925, in Bovina, he was the son of Fletcher and Lois Ormiston Davidson. He married Patricia Despaw on April 14, 1954, in White Plains. She predeceased him in 1987.

A 1943 graduate of Delaware Academy, he was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War.

He worked as a union electrician for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, based in Binghamton.

Surviving are his children, Brenda Madriz of Escondido, CA, Bruce Davidson and wife Sue of Scranton, PA, Cindy Davidson of Walton, Mary Jane Davidson and her husband, Roger Gray, of Walton, Michael Davidson and wife Kelly of Grand Rapids, MI; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Edward Davidson of San Diego, CA, and Richard Davidson of Chula Vista, CA.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 14, at the Walton United Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. James F. Martin officiating. Burial will be in the spring.

Friends may call this evening, February 13, from 6-8, at the MacArthur Funeral Home in Delhi.

from the Delaware County Times - February 13, 2004

Charles R. LaFever, a lifelong resident of Bovina and its former town Supervisor, died Saturday, January 24, 2004, at O'Connor Hospital in Delhi. He was 72.

Born August 27, 1931, in Delhi, he was the son of Benson A. and Anna Bell Barnhart LaFever. He attended school in Bovina and graduated from Delaware Academy in Delhi in 1949. He married Leona M. Edwards on August 29, 1950.

For more than 40 years he worked as a heavy equipment operator with LaFever Excavating in Bovina, retiring in 1994. He also ran a television and radio repair service for many years and operated the local cable service in the hamlet of Bovina.

He began his work in local government in the early 1970s when he became a member of the Bovina Town Planning Board. In 1975, he was elected town councilman, and two years later he was elected supervisor. He served for 12 terms, a total of 24 years, and, at his retirement in 2001, he had the distinction of being Bovina's longest-serving supervisor. At the time of his death he was the town historian.

During his tenure, he worked hard to keep Bovina's post office functioning in the community. He also worked to get federal and state funding for town projects, including a major upgrade of the town's water system.

At the county level, he served as vice-chairman of the Delaware County Board of Supervisors and was chairman of the Public Works Committee for many years. As chairman of the committee he helped to establish the county's recycling and composting facility. He was also on the board of the Coalition of Watershed Towns, and, at his death, was serving on the board of directors of the Catskill Watershed Corporation.

In addition to his work and public service, he had a variety of interests. He soloed as a pilot before he had a driver's license, and earned his pilot's license in his early 30s, flying single engine planes for many years. He was an avid ham radio operator and received his license for that endeavor in the 1970s. He enjoyed tinkering, figuring out how things worked and using creative means to repair things when they didn't. He found pleasure in caring for his property, chugging around on his John Deere lawn tractor and watching the antics of his cats, Rufus, Rusty and Fred, and the neighbor's dogs, Lili and Mimi.

He was a lifelong member of the Bovina United Presbyterian Church, the Delhi Masonic Lodge and a charter member of the Bovina Historical Society. He also held membership in the Bovina Fire Department.

Surviving are his wife, Leona; his daughters, Susan Hughes and her husband Gary of Schenectady and Diane LaFever and her companion, Warren J. Avis of Kingston; his son, C. Raymond LaFever of Cohoes; two grandsons, Patrick and Adam Hughes of Schenectady; two brothers, Howard LaFever and his wife Laura of Polk City, FL, and George LaFever and his companion, Valerie Weinmann, of DeLancey; an uncle, Sylvan LaFever of Woodbine, MD; several nieces nephews and cousins, and his dear friends and neighbors, Brian And Marcia Olenych of Bovina.

Funeral services were held January 27 from the Bovina United Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Scott A. Conrad officiating. Burial will be in Bovina Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Catskill Area Hospice.

Arrangements are by the Hall & Peet Funeral Home, Delhi.

BOVINA - John Wilbur Barlow died peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003, at Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, following a brief decline in health beginning on Saturday, Aug. 30, following the celebration of his 75th birthday on Aug. 29. Born in 1928, as the second son of Howard and Myrtle (Hall) Barlow, John graduated from the A.L. Kellogg School, and married Thelma Warren on Sept. 17, 1950, in Treadwell. John and Thelma were farmers initially on Tupper Hill out of Treadwell, moving to the Chas. H. Lee farm in Bovina in 1957.

Following the sale of the cattle in 1986, John continued to maintain the Lee Hollow residence as a place of beauty for anyone fortunate enough to visit or drive by.

He was on the Bovina Town Board for two terms. John worked at Delhi Tech and was a Delaware Opportunities driver for several years following his retirement from active farming, but always continued to support any person who maintained an active farm.

Bowling, reading, being an active member of the Bovina Presbyterian Church, where he served two terms as a trustee, and communicating and visiting his children and grandchildren kept John's spirit younger than his age.

Survivors include John's wife, Thelma, of 53 years; children, Dale (Rita Lashley) Becea, Ky., and Peter (Gayle Monaghan) Taos, N.M.; grandchildren, Gabriel, Morgan and Brooke; brothers, Ralph and Roger.

John's parents, his older brother, Robert, and an older sister, Eleanor, predeceased him. There will be no calling hours. A memorial service celebrating John's life will be conducted by the Rev. Bert More at the Bovina United Presbyterian Church, Bovina Center, on Oct. 2, 2003, at 1 p.m. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. The family requests donations be made to the Delaware Opportunities in the absence of flowers. Arrangements are with the MacArthur Funeral Home, Delhi.

Connelly B. VanValkenburgh, 80, of Sidney, passed away Friday, April 4, 2003, at his home. He was born December 1, 1922, son of the late Wesley J. and Evelyn (Scudder) VanValkenburgh in Halcott Center, N.Y. Connelly graduated from Sidney High School and 40 years later received his Associates degree in Electrical Engineering from Broome Tech. He served his country as a paratrooper in the United States Army during WWII. Connelly married Daisy Sites on June 24, 1942 in Masonville, N.Y. He worked at Scintilla for several years, then left to work his father's farm in East Masonville. In 1961 he went to work for the Sidney Central School District, and retired in 1984 as Superintendent of Building and Grounds. After retiring, Connelly enjoyed working his large vegetable garden and working on genealogy. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Sidney and the Southern Tier Genealogical Society. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Daisy, Sidney; daughter, Julie Vogt, Sidney; granddaughter, Victoria and James Hutchison, Hinesville, Ga; grandson, Arthur Vogt, Denver, Colo.; three great-grandchildren, Audrey, Brittany, and Madeline Hutchison; and several cousins.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, at C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St., Sidney. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, at the funeral chapel. Rev. David Masland, Pastor of the United Methodist Church in Sidney, will officiate. Burial will be in Masonville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sidney Emergency Squad.

from the April 7, 2003 issue of the Press & Sun-Bulletin, published at Binghamton, NY

from Patricia Wright -- Les and his wife Dorothy contributed much information to the Delaware County History website. I visited my mother, Florence Howland Cable and she gave me a box with many family items in it. This picture is of her cousin, Leslie Edgar Howland, as a young man (Les Howland, born June 1927 and died 17 Mar 2001 in California) His parents were Thomas "Knox" Howland (Brother to my grandfather, Edwin Robert Howland) and Helen Anne Leslie. (Helen's parents were James W. Leslie and Jane Nichols).