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Gordon Robert Benware, 70, of Tupper Lake, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007 at home surrounded by his loving family. Born Sept. 14, 1937 in Tupper Lake, he was the son of Romeo and Gladys (Dupuis) Benware, the second of 10 children. He attended local schools and in 1953 dropped out of school to work. He worked with his father for Earl Fletcher, cutting pulp with a bucksaw on the landing on Big Wolf Park. He then accepted a position with a construction company that was removing the pillars from the top of Tupper Lake High School. When the construction moved on, Gordon went to work for the New York Central Railroad. In 1957, he joined the Air Force and continued his education to receive his General Equivalency Diploma. For the next four years he went from the deserts in Nevada to the Arctic Circle as a heavy equipment operator. After returning home in 1961 he went to work for the Armour Company in Tupper Lake. He continued to work in logging, trucking and with heavy equipment. The Saranac Construction Company hired him to work installing Tupper Lake’s first sewage system. After that, he returned to working in the woods for Joe Weaver, skidding with an old Fordsen half-track with no cab. He went on to driving trucks and building logging roads. Gordon was also employed by Courtney Logging; Kavanagh Trucking with Jerry Kavanagh; Booher Lumber Co. in Lafayette; Open Door Mission in Vt., where he logged the top of Mount Killington; Lassard Logging in Central Square; Hardin Furniture; Tupper Lake Veneer; Bencze Bros. Logging; and Tupper Lake Hardwood. In 1997, Gordon was forced to retire due to illness. On May 18, 2000 he married Donna Pelno, and they shared 19 children and one cat. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his best friend and fishing partner, Denis Brickey. He enjoyed playing cards with the “Golden Girls” — his loving mother, Aunt Lillian LaFave and Aunt Queenie Reid. Gordie also enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife; his mother; 12 children: Robert Benware and his wife Deanne, Jennifer Benware, Tom Benware and Scott Benware, all of Kallispell, Mont., Gordon Benware of Booneville, Mike Benware and his wife Julie of Paragold, Ark., Jeannie Staunton of Colorado Springs, Colo., Doug Benware and his wife Mandy of Cleveland, N.C., Rene Benware and his wife Ginger and Tazania Beach and her husband Geoff, all of Salisbury, N.C., Shayne Benware and his wife Jeannet of Avon Lake, Ohio and Karl Benware of Centerport; five step-children: Rose Flynn and her husband James of Havenhill, Mass., Teddy Leonard and his wife Reanda and Kim Fuller, all of Tupper Lake, William Leonard of Clear Water, and Charlotte Leonard of Schenectady. He is also survived by three brothers: Chuck Benware and his wife Debbie of Tupper Lake, Phil Benware and his wife Denise of Gloversville and Bruce Benware and his wife Callie of Fulton; three sisters: Shirley Facteau of Tupper Lake, Connie Amell of Bloomingdale and Linda McGivney and her husband Danny of Malone; one sister-in-law, Margaret Benware of Tupper Lake; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father; one brother, Richard Benware; two sisters: Nancy and Mary Benware; and one son, Mark Benware. Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake. A funeral service will be held on Friday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Church in Tupper Lake. Memorial contributions may be made to the Piercefield Fire Department, High Peaks Hospice or as a gift to Val Nadeau’s Pet House in Gordon’s memory. Gordie will be truly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Charles “Chuck” M. Easton, 59, of 15 Seneca Ave., Saranac Lake, died Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 at his home after a long illness. Born Oct. 1, 1947 in Elmira, he was the son of Maxwell and Tressa (Cevette) Easton. Chuck married Bonnie M. Sawyer on Aug. 12, 1983 in Saranac Lake. He is a veteran of the United States Army serving during the Vietnam War. Chuck retired form the New York State Department of Corrections in 2001 with 27 years of service. He was a member of the VFW, Moose Club, Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club, and the NRA. Chuck attended the Skip Barber Racing School from 1993 to 1994. He loved the Adirondacks and loved his time in the outdoors. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Easton of Saranac Lake; one son, Marc Easton of Saranac Lake; one brother, David Easton of Painted Post; two sisters: Maxine Schwarzbauer of Elmira and Susan Weigle of Crystal River, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake with the Rev. Mark Demers officiating. Burial will follow at Harrietstown Cemetery in Saranac Lake. Friends wishing to remember Charles “Chuck” Easton may make memorial contributions to High Peaks Hospice or the Victory Junction Gang Camp in care of the funeral home.
Word has been received of the death of Elmer Brewster, 86, of 31 Curtis Way, Bloomingdale, who died on Sept. 8, 2007 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Calling hours are tentatively set to take place from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A funeral service is tentatively set to take place at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 14 at the Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery in Bloomingdale. Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake.
James A. “Cricket” Carrow, 57, of 22 Sunset Ave. in Tupper Lake, died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Born Sept. 14, 1949 in Tupper Lake, he was the son of Lawrence and Virginia (Tarbox) Carrow. Jim was a lifelong resident of Tupper Lake, where he attended local schools then went into the logging industry. Jim worked for Lizotte Logging for the last 13 years. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt and spend time with his family. Jim is survived by his wife of 30 years, Nancy (Stratton) Carrow; two daughters: Nichole Bedore of Tupper Lake and Jennifer Hughes of Watertown; three sons: Jeffrey of Tupper Lake, James of Watertown, and William and his wife Tammy of Colton; four sisters: Rose Gaurin of Canton, Helen Negus of Concord, N.C., Lola Sharlow of Mt. Morris and Barbara Baxter of Potsdam; two brothers: Joseph of Berkshire and Charles of Abilene, Texas; 12 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents. Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11 at the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake with a funeral service at 8:30 p.m. that evening. Burial will in the Holy Name Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Friends wishing to remember Jim may make memorial contributions to the American Lung Association in the care of the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake.
David H. Weeks, 83, died at his home Aug. 28, 2007. He was the son of the late Rev. David H. Weeks and Ethel Tompkins Weeks of Niagara Falls. A graduate of Syracuse University, he was a decorated World War II veteran of the 82nd Airborne, fighting in the battles of Normandy, Market Garden (Holland) and the Bulge. Among other careers, he was proudest of his work in education as teacher, principal and supervisor in the State Education Department. Always a lover of the Adirondacks, he owned Rock Island in Tupper Lake for 27 years and started hiking and canoeing groups in the early 1990s that continue to this day. He spent many happy holidays and winters at his home on the east coast of Barbados. He is survived by his wife, Alice Walter Weeks; a son, David H. Weeks III; a daughter, Diane Weeks Fernandez; and five grandchildren: Catherine and Trent LaLonde, Alexander and Stephen Fernandez and David H. Weeks IV. There will be a memorial celebration at St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22. A short prayer service will be followed by a social hour and simple luncheon. Everyone is asked to tell one story about Dave. Arrangements are with the Stuart-Fortune-Keough funeral home in Tupper Lake.
Lillian R. Cassavaugh, age 91, of St. Augustine FL died Saturday, August 25, 2007, at the Earl B. Hadlow Center for Caring in Jacksonville, FL. Born in Lisbon, New York on May 26, 1916, she was the daughter of George and Luella (Griffith) Pearson. She married James T. Cassavaugh on August 2, 1931 at the Church of the Assumption in Gabriels NY. He predeceased her on December 13, 1962. Lillian had been a resident of Bloomingdale NY for over 60 years before moving to St. Augustine FL in 1995. She had been a member of the Town of Franklin 55 Plus Club, the Town of St. Armand Senior Citizens Group, was an honorary life member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Father Peter Ward Chapter of St. Paul’s Parish. She is survived by four sons, James Cassavaugh and his wife Sandi of Mesa AZ, Walter Cassavaugh and his wife Jean of Rochester NY, Charles Cassavaugh and his wife Darlene of Rochester NY, and Paul Cassavaugh of Amherst NY; three daughters, Helen D’Avignon of Alexandria VA, Hazel Joyce Fitzsimmons and husband Robert of Hastings FL and Lillian Thompson and husband Richard of Palm Beach Gardens FL. Lillian has 21 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and 11great-great grandchildren and several step-grandchildren. In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her two sons, Francis in 1995 and Edward in 2001, also by three grandchildren, David and Colette Cassavaugh and Rose Marie Kottas. Also her brothers and sisters, Joseph, James, Patrick and Thomas Pearson, Leola Campbell, Agnes Cassavaugh, Hazel Benedict and Zella Pearson. Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Thursday, August 30, 2007 from 2 p.m – 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. A bible vigil service will be held at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Thursday. A mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 31, 2007 at St. Paul’s Church with the Rev. Jeffery Hubbard officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Bloomingdale.
Hilda Marie Scheller, age 87, of 89 Greenwood Street, Lake Placid, died Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, NY. Born in Lake Placid, New York on January 20, 1920, she was the daughter of Ervin and Elizabeth (Smith) Pelkey. She graduated from Lake Placid High School 1938/39. Mrs. Scheller attended and received her nursing degree from Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital N.Y.C. She had been employed as a registered nurse at various hospitals and locations before moving to Denver, Colorado where she married and raised a family until the mid 60's when she moved back to Lake Placid. Mrs. Scheller is a veteran of the United States Army serving during World War II as a Sr. Cadet Nurse. She is survived by one daughter Peggy Suzette Brown of New Barnet England. Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A graveside service will take place at North Elba Cemetery on Friday September 7, at 2:00 PM with Rev. Michael Jones assisted by Rev. Beverly Jones both of St. Eustace Episcopal Church in Lake Placid officiating.
Ronald Bethea, age 64, of 9 Tyler Road, Vermontville, NY died Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at home. Born in Latta, South Carolina on September 20, 1942, he was the son of Roosevelt and Dorothy (Davis) Bethea. Mr. Bethea grew up in New York City and later moved to Buffalo, NY for a time. He later moved to Lake Placid, NY where he had been employed as a Senior Counselor at the St. Francis Academy and also for the Lake Placid Radio Station. He was known as "Ron on the radio" and had D.J. a very popular Sunday Jazz Brunch Radio Show for several years. Mr. Bethea also had graduated from North Country Community College with honors. He is survived by two sons Ronald Bethea, Jr. of New York City and Kenneth Bethea of East Orange, NJ; one daughter Sylvia Bethea of New York City; three brothers and one sister; Douglas Davis of Jamaica, NY, Melvin Bethea of New York City, and Carl Mohammed of Chicago, IL and Kathy Bethea Beasley of Liberty NY.; one granddaughter Tara Bethea and one grandson Todd Bethea. He is also survived by his ex-wife Emilia Gibbson, and his long time companion Juanita Wilkerson of Las Vegas Nevada; many close friends including Muna Ezumah and family of Lake Clear, NY, and Mary Ellen Keith and family of Vermontville, NY. Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday September 1, 2007 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake with Pastor Drake officiating. Interment will follow at Union Cemetery in Vermontville. Friends wishing to remember Ronald Bethea may make memorial contributions to St. Paul’s Food Pantry in care of the funeral home.
Antoinette B. Crossman, 90, of Balsam Street in Lake Placid, passed away Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Born June 16, 1917 in New York City, she was the daughter of Mariano and Carmela (Netti) Brucato. She was the wife of Philip C. Crossman. Mrs. Crossman received her Associate’s degree in accounting from North Country Community College and worked as a bookkeeper at the Holiday Inn Resort Hotel in Lake Placid before retiring in 2000. She was a member of the Lake Placid Garden Club, the Lake Placid Center for the Arts and enjoyed listening to the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. She is survived by a sister, Aurora Meola and her husband Nicholas of Surprise; a brother, Rosario Brucato of Syosset; two nephews: Robert M. Brucato of Sound Beach and Richard L. Brucato of Huntington; and two great-nephews: Steven and Michael Brucato of Sound Beach. She was predeceased by her husband on Dec. 10, 1982. Calling hours will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26 at the Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid. A Bible vigil service will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27 at St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid with the Rev. Patrick O’Reilly officiating. Burial will follow at 1 p.m. in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Potsdam with the Rev. Garry Giroux officiating.
Mary B. Daunais, a long time resident of Saranac Lake, died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2007 at the Gladeview Health Care Center in Old Saybrook, Conn. Mary was born in St. Malachie, Quebec, in 1909, the daughter of John E. and Bridget Halligan Lafontaine. Prior to her move to Saranac Lake in 1929, Mary had lived in Rumford, Maine, for four years. She was a communicant of St. Bernard’s Church and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and of the Ministers of Praise. She is survived by her two sons: Robert Daunais and his wife Mary of St. Petersburg, Fla. and William Daunais and his wife Katherine of Madison, Conn.; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; one sister; and one brother. She was predeceased by her husband Russell in 1962, as well as six brothers and one sister. Calling hours will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 at St. Bernard’s Church. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Bernard’s School or the Saranac Lake Adult Center.
Phyllis W. Yaworski, 75, of 44 Sanford Lane, Newcomb, died Friday, Aug.17, 2007 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. She was born Dec. 10, 1931 in Saranac Lake, the daughter of Michael and Michilina (Tyrzanski) Yaworski. Phyllis was a 1950 graduate of Tupper Lake High School, where she excelled at sports, in which she lettered in basketball. She was also a 1964 graduate of the Oswego State Teacher College. She taught grammar school and coached soccer at Newcomb Central until retiring in 1991. She was a communicant of St. Therese Church, where she was very active. The church was a large part of her life. She was a member of the Newcomb Senior Center and the New York State Retired Teachers Association.
She is survived by one sister, Barbara Kavey and her husband Martin of Tupper Lake; two granddaughters: Alicia Oro and her husband James of Columbia, Md. and Marcia Cox and her husband James of Ft. Collins, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews.She was pre-deceased by two sisters: Mary Kucipak and Olga Kucipak; and five brothers: John Yaworski, Nicholas Kucipak, Andrew Kucipak, Harry Kucipak and Peter Kucipek. There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Holy Name Church with the Rev. Kris Lauzon officiating. Burial will be in Holy Name Cemetery at 11 a.m. Friday. Friends wishing to remember Phyllis may make memorial contributions to the American Lung Association or the American Heart Association in care of the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake.
Helen R. Arnold, 90, of 78 Will Rogers Road, Saranac Lake, passed away peacefully with her family surrounding her at the Adirondack Medical Center on Wednesday morning, Aug. 15, 2007. Born Oct. 15, 1916, she was the only child of Ernest Rasmussen and Flora Austin. She moved to Franklin Falls as a high school student and graduated from Bloomingdale High School before earning her R.N. degree from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia in 1940. She married Ralph Arnold in 1941. They enjoyed 59 years of sharing a country life together. Helen had a long life of caregiving that included her time as a highly respected professional nurse at both the General Hospital of Saranac Lake beginning in 1958, and Will Rogers Hospital, from where she retired in 1976. Countless friends, neighbors and relatives often benefited from her medical knowledge and skills. After she retired, Helen and Ralph enjoyed extensive travel throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as in Asia. They especially enjoyed their fishing and camping trips throughout Canada. Her concern for others extended to her volunteer activities, which included the Women’s Shelter, Meals on Wheels and the Literacy Project. Although born and raised a city girl, she came to experience, savor and cherish all aspects of a country life. Friends from around the globe enjoyed her style of Adirondack hospitality at their home at the foot of Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid. She is survived by her son, Richard of Taipei, Taiwan; her daughter, Elaine Lamia and her husband Jeffrey of New York City; her granddaughter, Emily Lamia, of Washington D.C.; and James Pan of Hagerstown, Md., who is considered a part of the family. She was predeceased by her husband in 2000. Calling hours will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A private family grave-side service will be held.
Friends wishing to remember Helen may make memorial contributions to High Peaks Hospice, the Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department or the Saranac Lake Vol. Fire Dept. Rescue Squad, in care of the funeral home.
Linda F. Lamb, 59, of 194 0ld Lake Colby Rd., Saranac Lake, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Born in Saranac Lake on April 22, 1948, she was the daughter of Lloyal “Pete” and Violet (Tormey) Farmer. Linda was a lifelong resident of Saranac Lake and was a 1966 graduate of Saranac Lake High School. She graduated in 1968 from the OLVA Secretarial School in Plattsburgh and went to work at the University of Rochester for 10 years, returning to Saranac Lake in 1978. Linda worked as a medical transcriptionist at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake and various other institutions. For the last 10 years, she worked out of her home in the medical transcription field. She was an animal lover who took in stray cats. She enjoyed reading and cross-stitching. She is survived by James Hector Cruickshank of Saranac Lake; three children: Jarrett Cruickshank of Plattsburgh and Wyatt Cruickshank and Carter Cruickshank, both of Saranac Lake; four brothers and sisters: Robert P. Farmer of Saranac Lake, Elizabeth Farmer of Saranac Lake, Steven Farmer of Bloomingdale and Sharon Branch of Saranac Lake; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her mother and father. Calling hours will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. The funeral service will take place at noon Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Thomas Kornmeyer officiating. Burial will follow in the Merrilsville Cemetery in Loon Lake. Friends wishing to remember Linda may make memorial contributions to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society in care of the funeral home.
