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George Willis
July 12, 1996
George E. Willis, 71, of 49 Division St., Amsterdam, died this morning at Amsterdam Memorial Hospital after a long illness.
Born April 7, 1925 in Amsterdam, he was the son of Edith T. Schuchardt and Walter R. Willis Sr. He spent his entire life in Amsterdam, was educated in the Amsterdam schools and graduated with the Class of 1944.
He joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He earned the rank of 2nd Class Pharmacist Mate, and became attached to the 6th Marine Division. He served in the battles of Guam, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa. Mr. Willis was awarded the Purple Heart, and his name was proposed for the Navy Cross.
In 1947, Mr. Willis attended Renouard's School for Embalming in New York City. Upon his return to Amsterdam, he served his apprenticeship with Johnson & Lindsay Funeral Home. He became licensed in 1949 and was associated with the firm of Merriam & Waterstreet. Since 1953, he has owned and operated the Willis Funeral Home.
He was a communicant member of St. Ann's Episcopal Church, where he was a past Vestry member and had also served as Junior Warden.
In 1962, Mr. Willis was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, where he served as Chairman of the Board in 1968. Following this, he served as Montgomery County Historian for two years.
He became active in the Fulmont Chapter of the American Red Cross and served as Chapter Chairman from 1959 to 1961; and again from 1972 to 1974.
Mr. Willis was a lifelong member of Artisan Lodge No. 84, F&AM, where he received the Distinguished Service Award and served as Master of the Lodge in 1983 and 1990. He also served as District Deputy Grand Master of the Fulton-Montgomery District from 1990 through 1993 and was awarded an Honorary Membership with St. Patrick's Lodge No. 4, F&AM. He also served as Blood Chairman of the Fulton-Montgomery District for many years. He was a member of St. George's Chapter No. 157, Royal Arch Masons. He was also a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Schenectady, where he served as Most Wise Master of Sigma Chapter of Rose Croix in 1992 and Captain of the Guard of the Consistory in 1995-96. He was the director of the 20th Degree for a period of years and his name had been proposed for the Meritorious Service Award for 1997. He was a member of the Oriental Temple No. 7, A.A.O.N.M.S. Troy, where he was also a member of the "Cast."
Mr. Willis was a past president of the Amsterdam Shrine Club, secretary of the Charities Foundation of Amsterdam Inc., member of the Masters and Officers Association, a member of the Masonic Bowling League, and a former member of the Amsterdam Golf League.
He married Jean D. Ford on Aug. 11, 1946.
In addition to his wife, survivors include four daughters, Linda W. Jenks of Northville; Carole J. Willis of Glenville, Deborah J. DelCostello of Amsterdam and Laura Rose of Gloversville; his grandchildren, Brian W., Gretchen A., and James M. Jenks of Northville; Renee and Sara DelCostello of Amsterdam, and Heather and Amy Rose of Gloversville; a sister, Audrey J. Carp of Pen Argyl, Pa., and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Ann's Church, with the Rev. Christopher Smith officiating the Office of the Burial of the Dead and Holy Eucharist. Interment will be in Fairview Cemetery.
Calling hours will be from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at his home, 44 Division St. A Masonic Ritual Service will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Ann's Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 37 Division St., or Hospice of Amsterdam, 40 Guy Park Ave., Amsterdam.
Richard Hoyt
July 11, 1996
Richard A. Hoyt, 71, of Route 162, Sprakers, died Thursday evening at St. Mary's Hospital after a short illness.
Born June 25, 1925 in the Town of Root, he was the son of Alvin and Lacrecia Darrow Hoyt. He attended local schools and was a lifelong area resident. He owned and operated his own farm on Lynk Street in Sprakers, retiring in 1986.
At one time he was a member of the Mabletown Grange and attended the Currytown Reformed Church.
He married Shirley Bezio Hoyt on June 24, 1956.
In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, John R. Hoyt of Canajoharie; a grandson, Jason Cooper Hoyt of Canajoharie; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 69 Otsego St., Canajoharie, with the Rev. James Foser officiating. Burial will take place in Canajoharie Falls Cemetery.
Calling hours are from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or to the Rural Grove Fire Department.
Beryl Dagostino
July 10, 1996
Mrs. Beryl Dagostino of Deer Creek died Wednesday at home after a brief illness.
Born in Ellsworth, Maine, Mrs. Dagostino lived in the Clifton Park area for the past 30 years. She previously resided in Schenectady.
She was married to Andrew Dagostino.
In addition to her husband, survivors include three sons, Frank Dagostino of Charleston, S.C., Andrew Dagostino of Johnstown and Gerald Dagostino of Clifton Park; two daughters, Judith Crotty and Linda Rumsey, both of Clifton Park; a sister, Vivian Mauran of Fisherville, Va.; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be private and there will be no calling hours.
Arrangements are by the Townley & Wheeler Funeral Home, Ballston Lake.
Helen Chamberlain
June 4, 1996
Helen V. Chamberlain, 94, of State College, Pa., formerly of Palatine Bridge, died June 4 at the University Park Nursing Center of State College, Pa.
Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 60 Otsego St., Canajoharie, with the Rev. Camilus Maurice, officiating.
Burial of cremains will take place at the Fort Plain Cemetery.
Calling hours are Saturday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Frank Bergman
July 10, 1996
Frank J. Bergman, 89, of Rugby Road, Schenectady, died Wednesday at St. Clare's Hospital after a short illness.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisc., he lived in the Finger Lakes region of New York for 50 years, moving to Schenectady in 1987.
He attended Cornell Agricultural School at Cornell University.
Mr. Bergman was a dairy farmer for 40 years in Prattsburg, and a security officer of Keuka College in Penn Yan for 13 years, retiring in 1987.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in Dansville, and Modern Woodman of America.
He was a communicant of St. Helen's Church in Schenectady.
He was married to Helen Mary Bergman.
In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Antoinette McEvoy of Niskayuna; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Jones Funeral Home, 1503 Union St., followed at 9:30 a.m. by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Helen's Church. Burial will be in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands.
Calling hours are from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Helen's Church Building Fund, 1803 Union St., Schenectady, 12309.
Aniela Rusnica
July 11, 1996
Aniela S. Rusnica, 100, of Eden Park Nursing Home, Cobleskill, died Thursday at the home.
Mrs. Rusnica was born Sept. 8, 1895 in Poland. She was educated in Poland and came to the Amsterdam area in 1939.
She worked for the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville as a housekeeper.
She was a member of St. Stanislaus Church.
She married Vincent Rusnica on Jan. 16, 1916. He died Feb. 3, 1949.
Mrs. Rusnica is survived by three sons, Louis Rusnica and John Rusnica of Amsterdam; and Thomas Rusnica of Pattersonville; two daughters, Helen Russell of Amsterdam and Ann Staley of Northville; 23 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She is predeceased by four sons, Ted, Paul, Leo and Michael and one daughter, Pauline Kluska who died in March.
Funeral services will be private and held at the convenience of the family.
There are no calling hours.
Interment will be in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Greater Amsterdam Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Arrangements are by the Amsterdam Funeral Chapel, 11 Belmont Place, Amsterdam.
Joseph Quill Jr.
July 9, 1996
Joseph Stephen Quill Jr., infant son of Joseph S. Quill Sr., and Kristel Pierce of Amsterdam, died Tuesday at birth at St. Mary's Hospital.
In addition to his parents, survivors include his maternal grandparents, Mark and Zellmira Doesburg and Thomas Pierce, all of Amsterdam; his paternal grandparents, William and Linda Lampkin of Amsterdam, and Stephen and Hilda Quill, also of Amsterdam.
Funeral services were conducted today at Fairview Cemetery, Amsterdam.
Arrangements are by the Rossi Funeral Home, 11 Mohawk Place.
Charles Bush
July 12, 1996
Charles A. Bush, 83, of Fawn Lake Road, Lake Pleasant, and Frenchtown, N.J., died Friday afternoon at Nathan Littauer Hospital, Gloversville, after being stricken at his summer home in Lake Pleasant.
He was born Aug. 22, 1912, in Monroe, Orange County, the son of Horace and Mary Smith Bush. He lived most of his life in Frenchtown, N.J.
He was a 1934 graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. A self-employed electrical engineer, he operated Bitronics Inc. of Bethlehem, Pa. He also operated a dairy farm for several years. He retired in 1977 when he sold his company.
He married Margaret VanKeuren July 11, 1936.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include a son, Charles Bush of Flemington, N.J.; two daughters, Nancy Murphy of Gallatin and Janet Huber of Medford, N.J.; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Calling hours are 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Walrath & Bushouer Funeral Home Inc., 51 Fremont St., Gloversville. A private graveside service will take place at the convenience of the family at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in South Bethlehem.
Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church of Lake Pleasant or of Everittstown, N.J.; or to the Speculator Ambulance Corps.
