William J. "Bob" Werneke of Eldred, a retired physical education teacher and coach at Eldred Central School, where he taught for 34 years, and a lifelong area resident, died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at the Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis. He was 85 years of age.
The son of the late Anthony and Elizabeth Stiene Werneke, he was born December 31, 1915, in Jersey City, N.J.
A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of the Eldred American Legion. He was the recipient of a Purple Heart, two bronze stars and a silver star. Mr. Werneke was a member of St. Anthony's Church in Yulan, the Yulan Rod and Gun Club, the New York State Teachers Association and the superintendent and former treasurer of St. Anthony's Cemetery in Eldred.
A 1936 graduate of Narrowsburg Central School, he played basketball and baseball there. He was a teacher and athletic director at Eldred Central School from 1940-74 (except for four years in the armed service) and, when coaching at Eldred, he claimed it was "a joy" to beat his alma mater. Mr. Werneke's teams won one baseball and two basketball league titles. He was also a football coach at the school. In 1986, Eldred Central School named its new gym after him.
In an interview in September of 2000, Al Wojtaszek, then athletic director at Eldred, said, "He was one of the pillars of the Western Sullivan League."
Mr. Werneke is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lulu Wood Werneke, at home; four children, Michael Werneke and his wife, Barbara, of Savannah, Ga., Maureen Brodt and her husband, Joseph, of Prompton Lakes, N.J., Anthony Werneke and his wife, Jill, of Pond Eddy, and Suzanne Werneke of Boston, Mass.; a brother, Francis Werneke of Toms River, N.J.; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass will be offered at St. Anthony's Church in Yulan at a time to be announced in the late spring.
Burial will be made in St. Anthony's Cemetery in Eldred.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 63, Eldred, N.Y. 12732.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Gray-Rasmussen Funeral Home in Barryville.

Abigail Rose VanArsdall of Loch Sheldrake, the infant daughter of George and Michelle Malaguti VanArsdall, died Saturday, March 3, 2001, at the Seelig Division of Community General Hospital in Harris.
She is survived by her parents, a brother, Andrew VanArsdall and a sister, Alexandra VanArsdall, all at home; her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Christine Malaguti Sr. of Waldwick, N.J.; her paternal grandparents, George and Candace VanArsdall of Jeffersonville; her paternal great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hull; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Graveside services and burial were held Monday at St. Peter's Cemetery in Liberty with Monsignor Edward Straub officiating.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty.

Harry Nygard of White Lake, a retired private contractor, died Tuesday, March 6, 2001, at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. He was 81 years of age.
The son of the late Felix and Elsa Sofia Wiiala Nygard, he was born August 13, 1919, in Finland.
Mr. Nygard was a World War II veteran, serving with the U.S. Coast Guard.
He is survived by two nieces, Susan Newham of Jeffersonville and Lori Jeffrey of Richmond, Va.; three nephews, John Nygard of the State of Florida, Randy Nygard of White Lake and Danny Nygard of Woodbourne.
Cremation was made at the Twin Tiers Crematory in Endicott.
Burial of the cremains will be made in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery at a later date.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.

Norbert Gelobter of Kauneonga Lake, a retired lumberman and longtime area resident, died Thursday, March 8, 2001. He was 98 years of age.
Born in Poland on December 24, 1903, he was the son of an opera singer and a sawmill proprietor.
Following the death of his father, he and his younger sister moved to Stryj, Poland, where he went to high school and technical college. He entered the lumber business with his uncle, William Hoffman. Mr. Gelobter survived World War II in Poland, moving to the United States with his wife, Henrietta, and his son, Ludwig, in 1949.
He resumed his career as a lumber executive with Empire Lumber in New York City and retired from Triangle Pacific Corporation in 1969. He and his wife moved to Plantation, Fla., where he pursued his love of golf and tournament bridge. They spent their summers in Kauneonga Lake and wintered in Florida.
Mr. Gelobter is survived by his son, Ludwig; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services and burial were held Sunday at the Temple Beth El Cemetery in Bethel with Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum officiating.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello.

Margaret "Etta" Tubbs of Obernburg, a retired hotel manager and a 15-year area resident, died Sunday, March 11, 2001, at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home in Roscoe. She was 93 years of age.
The daughter of the late John and Catherine Weiss Schwartz, she was born May 23, 1907, in West New York, N.J. She was the widow of Elmer Tubbs.
Mrs. Tubbs was a member of St. Mary's Church and its Rosary Society, both in Obernburg.
She is survived by several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Friends may call at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Callicoon on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Wednesday at noon at St. Mary's Church in Obernburg with the Rev. Ignatius Smith officiating.
Burial will be made in St. Mary's Cemetery in Obernburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.

Julia A. Finkelstein of Ulster Heights, a retired postal clerk at the Ellenville and Greenfield Park post offices and a 56-year area resident, died Wednesday, March 7, 2001, at her home. She was 77 years of age.
The daughter of the late Andrew and Roseann Cahill Mattheisen, she was born April 20, 1923, in Minnesota.
A World War II U.S. Navy veteran, she was a former member of the Ellenville Elks Lodge #1971 Ladies Auxiliary.
She is survived by her husband, Edward J. Finkelstein, at home; two daughters, Sharon Helmhotz of Palo Alto, Calif., and Donna Finkelstein of Divine Corners; a son, Steven Finkelstein of Golden, Colo.; a brother, Emmet "Bud" Mattheisen of Spokane, Wash.; two sisters, Vivian Bepple and Alice Hightower, both of the State of Washington; five grandchildren, Benjamin Avery, Wendy Avery, Michael Finkelstein, Quintana Finkelstein and Alkiera Finkelstein; three great-grandchildren, Brandon Avery, Benjamin Avery Jr. and Michael Finkelstein; and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Saturday in St. Mary & St. Andrew's Church in Ellenville.
Burial was made in the Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville.
Memorial contributions may be made to Castle Point Medical Center, Castle Point, N.Y. 12511.

Claire A. Hobby of Monticello, a retired telephone operator for the New York Telephone Company, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at the Seelig Division of Community General Hospital in Harris. She was 65 years of age.
The daughter of the late Chester and Flora Peterson Kinne, she was born October 25, 1935, in Fallsburg.
Mrs. Hobby was a member of the Hurleyville United Methodist Church.
She is survived by two sons, and daughters-in-law, Butch and Merriann Hobby and Chester and Linda Hobby, all of Hurleyville; three granddaughters, Amy, Kelly and Megan Hobby, all of Hurleyville; and five sisters, Helen Skubon of the state of Florida, Ethel Stratton of Apalachin, Marie Jardin of Monticello, Bertha Cleveland of Utah and Edith Kinne of Harris. She was predeceased by three brothers, Jack, Chester and Albert Kinne, and a sister, Bessie Gibson.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.
Burial will be made in the Old Falls Cemetery in Fallsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hurleyville Fire Department, Hurleyville, N.Y. 12747.

Dorothy L. Roberts of Hortonville, a lifelong area resident and former co-proprietor with her late husband, George, of Robert's Inn in Hortonville, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. She was 76 years of age.
The daughter of the late Harry and Mary Mosher Hahn, she was born October 18, 1924, in Callicoon Center. She was the widow of George C. Roberts who died September 6, 1986.
Mrs. Roberts was a member of St. George's Church in Youngsville.
She is survived by a daughter, Gail Fredenburg of Callicoon Center; a sister, Harriet Gerwin of South Berry, Conn.; a grandson, Daniel Gladu of Hortonville; and a great-grandson, Keith Gladu of Hortonville.
Private cremation was made at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Middle Hope.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Family Council of the Sullivan County Adult Care Center, P.O. Box 671, Liberty, N.Y. 12754.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty.

Irwin Kaplan of Neversink, a 37-year postal employee and a retired assistant postmaster of the Monticello Post Office and a lifelong area resident, died Saturday, March 10, 2001, at the Seelig Division of Community General Hospital in Harris. He was 55 years of age.
The son of the late Meyer and Esther Spetgang Kaplan, he was born April 7, 1945, in Monticello.
A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve for many years. Mr. Kaplan was a member of the Dennis Akerley Memorial Post No. 8648, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Neversink.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Kaplan, at home; a daughter, Melissa Kaplan of South Fallsburg; a son, Jason Allan Kaplan of South Fallsburg; and a step-daughter, Juanita Swearingin of Kerhonkson.
Friends may call at the Harris Funeral Home, West St. at Buckley, Liberty, on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Carl Caskey officiating.
Burial will be made in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 75 Lucas Ave., Kingston, N.Y. 12401.

Charles A. Black of Gloucester, Va., a retired claims representative for National Grange Mutual Insurance Co. with 16 years of service, died Saturday, March 10, 2001. He was 66 years of age.
A native of the Bronx, he was a U.S. Army veteran. Mr. Black was a member of St. Therese Catholic Church in Gloucester, Va., and the Knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his wife, Geraldine "Gerry" Black, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Kerry and Jim Gilsinan of Gloucester, Va.; a sister, Carol B. Calabrese and her husband, Peter, of Conger; a brother, Richard A. Black and his wife, Shirley, of White Lake; and a grandson, Sean Gilsinan of Gloucester, Va. He was predeceased by a grandaughter, Kelly Ann Gilsinan.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Therese Catholic Church in Gloucester, Va.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 7:30 Wednesday evening at the church with Father Lee J. Guarnieri officiating.
Burial will be made in Bellamy Memorial Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, Inc., 1250 Hylan Blvd., Suite 4B, Staten Island, N.Y. 10305-1946.

Thelma May "Susie" Cole of Liberty, a hairdresser and former Hurleyville resident, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at the Seelig Division of Community General Hospital in Harris. She was 58 years of age.
The daughter of Ralph Pinckney and the late Grace Cypert Pinckney, she was born March 11, 1942, in Fallsburg.
She was a life member of the Hurleyville Ladies Auxiliary, the Hurleyville United Methodist Church, the Monticello United Methodist Church and the New York State Hairdressers' Association.
In a family statement, it was said, "Susie was a mother with unconditional love that she gave to her family and friends, and for this she has touched our lives forever."
She is survived by her husband of 30 years, Robert C. Cole, of Loch Sheldrake; two daughters and a son-in-law, Terry S. and Ricky Greenspan of Grahamsville and Robin L. Cole of White Plains; a son, Jim Cole of Loch Sheldrake; her father of Parksville; two sisters, Barbara Villanueva of California and Melody Durso and her husband, Michael, of Ellenville; four grandchildren, Adam, Kayla and Shayna Greenspan, and Ryan James Cole; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two brothers, Robert R. Pinckney and Ralph Pinckney Jr.
Friends may call at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, Main St., Woodbourne on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. David Jolly officiating.
Interment will be made in the Grahamsville Rural Cemetery in Grahamsville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hurleyville Fire Department or the Hurleyville Ladies Auxiliary, Main St., Hurleyville, N.Y. 12747.

Glen W. Hendrickson of Wallkill, a computer technician with Phillips Electronics in East Fishkill and a lifelong area resident, died Wednesday, March 7, 2001, at St. Luke's Hospital in Newburgh. He was 47 years of age.
The son of Ruth Covert Hendrickson and the late Joseph K. Hendrickson, he was born April 12, 1953, in Callicoon.
In a family statement, it was said, "He will be deeply missed. His smiling face will always be remembered."
He is survived by his wife, Sheryl Orthmann Hendrickson, at home; his mother of Tennanah Lake; two sons, Timothy J. and David E. Hendrickson, both of Wallkill; a daughter, Sandra B. Hendrickson of Wallkill; two brothers, Joel C. Hendrickson and his wife, Deborah of Scottsville, and Darrell O. Hendrickson of Walden; an uncle, William Covert of Tennanah Lake; a great-aunt and uncle, Vera and Thomas Nannery of Naples, Fla.; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Services were held Monday at the United Church of Roscoe with the Rev. Bridgette LeConey officiating.
Burial was made in Riverview Cemetery in Roscoe.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 75 Lucas Ave., Kingston, N.Y. 12401.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Harris Funeral Home in Roscoe.

Jean Rosario of the Town of Newburgh, a homemaker and a lifelong area resident, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at St. Luke's Hospital in Newburgh. She was 60 years of age.
The daughter of the late Alfred and O. Louise Niles Lukach, she was born January 23, 1941, in Highland.
Mrs. Rosario was a member of the First Baptist Church of Newburgh.
She is survived by her husband, Frank Rosario, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Glen Blackwell, of Newburgh; a son and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Irma Rosario of Marlboro; three sisters, Donna Raymond of Newburgh, Alice Johns of Jericho, Vt., and Beverly Coleman of White Sulphur Springs; a brother, Alfred Lukach of Red Hook; five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Engel Funeral Home, 5319 Route 9W, Newburgh.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Campbell Thompson officiating.
Burial will be made in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Newburgh.

Frank Schifano of Kiamesha, a professional musician, died Wednesday, March 7, 2001, at his home. He was 73 years of age.
The son of the late Salvatore and Maria Galluzzo Schifano, he was born December 19, 1927, in Brooklyn.
Mr. Schifano was a member of the Sullivan County Conservation Club, the Sons of Italy, Shields, the Ulster County Pistol League, and Wood Pond Rod & Gun Club. He attended Julliard School of Music and was mostly known as a bass player for various famous bands including Dizzy Gillespie.
He is survived by his companion, Celia Duffy, at home; a brother, Nicholas Schifano of Wantagh, L.I.; and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at St. Peter's Church in Monticello.
Burial was made in St. John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Upstate New York Chapter, 6 Automation Lane, Albany, N.Y. 12205.
Funeral arrangements were made by the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home in Monticello.

Owen Joseph Ridgeley Sr. a 60-year resident of Monroe, died Thursday, March 8, 2001, in Goshen.
The son of the late Edward A. and Maybelle Cooke Ridgeley, he was born May 3, 1916, in Washington, D.C. He was the widower of Evelyn B. Ridgeley.
Mr. Ridgeley was retired from the Warwick State Training School, the Monroe-Woodbury Department of Transportation and was a former health inspector for the Town of Monroe. He was a World War II veteran of the U. S. Army and a member of American Legion Post #488 in Monroe.
A member of Sacred Heart Parish in Monroe, he served as head usher for many years. Mr. Ridgeley was one of the original members of the Sacred Heart Holy Name Society, an active member of the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree, Monsignor Foley Assembly, in Washingtonville; a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #2079 in Monroe and served as Faithful Navigator and past Grand Knight. He was a Captain of the Fourth Degree Color Corps of Hudson Valley. Mr. Ridgeley was also a member of the Monroe Lions Club, the Monroe Jolly Senior Citizens, delivered Meals on Wheels in Monroe and was a former umpire of the Monroe Little League.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Owen J. Jr. and Carol Ridgeley of Monroe; a daughter, Rowena M. Reich of Burlingham; five grandchildren, Owen D. Ridgeley, Jamison Ridgeley, Megan Ridgeley, Cristina Ridgeley and F. Kristian Reich; two great-grandchildren; a nephew and a niece. He was predeceased by two brothers, Francis Ridgeley and Charles Ridgeley, and three sisters, Edwina Ridgeley, Marion DeShae and Doris Atkinson.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Monroe.
Interment was made in the Monroe Cemetery in Monroe.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Council, Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage to Lourdes, 18 Hallock Dr., P.O. Box 22, Washingtonville, N.Y. 10992 or to the American Diabetes Association, 200 White Plains Rd., Suite 523, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591.

Martha Ann De Pace of Monticello, who operated Bob's Bar on Cimarron Road in Monticello with her late husband, and a lifelong area resident, died Friday, March 9, 2001, at her home. She was 74 years of age.
The daughter of the late Lloyd and Mary King Bates, she was born March 31, 1926, in Monticello. She was the widow of Jerry De Pace who died in 1984.
She is survived by a son, Dr. Dennis M. De Pace of Philadelphia, Pa.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jeri-Lynn and Darryl "Butch" Mitchell of Rock Hill and Mary Ellen and Anthony Lang of Winter Park, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Dan Fero of Monticello; a special niece, Franci Soloman; three grandsons, Darren, Todd and Jeremy Mitchell; two granddaughters, Dana Schwartz and Erin Coney; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services were held Monday evening at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Monticello.
Cremation was private at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Middle Hope.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.