Sullivan County Democrat
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  OBITUARY ARCHIVES Established 1891 Callicoon, New York  
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November 26, 2002

Memorial Service for
Marjorie A. Lewis

A memorial service will be held Saturday, at 1 p.m. at the White Sulphur Springs Methodist Church, Route 52, White Sulphur Springs, for Marjorie A. Lewis of Liberty. The Rev. Bridgette Le Coney will officiate.

Jean Marie Thony
Ret. Exec. Secy., 81

Jean Marie Thony of Jeffersonville, a retired executive secretary for CACHE of Sullivan County and a 55-year area resident, died Thursday, November 21, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 81 years of age.
The daughter of the late Edward and Helen McDevitt Carney, she was born June 14, 1921, in New York City. She was the widow of Herbert Thony.
During World War II, Mrs. Thony served as an air raid warden. She was a communicant of St. George's Roman Catholic Church in Jeffersonville.
She is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, William E. and Debra Thony and Robert A. Thony, both of Jeffersonville; a daughter and son-in-law, Margaret A. and Marty Genska of Jacksonville, Fla.; three grandsons, William, Nicholas and Steven Thony; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two sisters, Eleanor Knack and Marion Wahl.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at St. George's Church in Jeffersonville with Father Paul Osborne, O.F.M., officiating.
Burial was made in Calvary Cemetery in Youngsville.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. George's Church, Jeffersonville, N.Y. 12748 or to Family Council Unit of Sullivan County Adult Care Center, Liberty, N.Y. 12754.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.

Max J. Jara
Rolling V Driver, 63

Max J. Jara of Livingston Manor, a bus driver for Rolling V Bus Co., the retired 25-year owner of 7UP Distributing Company in Livingston Manor, a retired maintenance supervisor at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, and a lifelong area resident, died Friday, November 22, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 63 years of age.
The son of the late Max J. and Margareta Theuer Jara, he was born December 6, 1938, in Brooklyn. He was the widower of Ann McFarland Jara.
Mr. Jara was a 25-year member and past president of the Hoos Truck Co. of the Livingston Manor Fire Department and a past member and treasurer of the Livingston Manor Rotary Club.
He is survived by his wife, Frances Gerow Jara, at home; a son and daughter-in-law, Max and Kerri Kirchner Jara of Roscoe; a daughter and son-in-law, Jackie and Cliff Cole of Stapleton, Nev.; two grandchildren, Mariah Cole and Troy Kirchner. He was predeceased by a son, Thomas Jara, and a brother, Donald Jara.
Friends may call at the Herbert C. Bryant Funeral Home, 29 Pearl St., Livingston Manor, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Firematic services will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Nadelen officiating.
Burial will be made in the Cooks Falls Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Livingston Manor Volunteer Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 1, Livingston Manor, N.Y. 12758 or to the Tom Jara Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 796, Livingston Manor, N.Y. 12758.

Webster Lewis
Composer, 59

Webster Lewis of Barryville, a self-employed composer and a longtime area resident, died Wednesday, November 20, 2002. He was 59 years of age.
The son of the late Webster S. Sr. and Virgie Gaines Lewis, he was born September 1, 1943, in Baltimore, Md.
A high school graduate in Baltimore, Md., he continued his undergraduate work at Morgan State College in Baltimore where he was a founding father of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity. He received a master's degree in Social Psychology from Boston College and received another Master's degree in Music Composition from New England Conservatory of Music where he served as an associate dean from 1972-1978.
Mr. Webster's music career consisted of conducting and arranging for many musicians including Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Barry White, Tom Jones, Lola Falana and Thelma Houston. He wrote music for several feature films and television specials and was also a recording artist and producer for many companies, including CBS Records. He also wrote music jingles for television commercials and was a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
In a family statement, it was said, "He was known to many as a person with a good sense of humor. He was a good husband, father and friend to many."
He is survived by his wife, Monica Lewis, and a daughter, Yana, both at home; and a son, Webster Courtney Lewis Jr. of Baltimore, Md.
A memorial service was held Monday at the Eldred United Methodist Church in Eldred with Pastor Linda Bohs officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Jackie Joyner Diabetes Foundation, or the New York City Rescue Mission for Homeless People, 90 Lafayette St., New York, N.Y. 10013.

Meyer Berman
Ret. Civil Engr., 75

Meyer Berman of Montvale, N.J., a former 40-year resident of Monticello and a retired 30-year civil engineer with the State of New York, died Friday, November 22, 2002, at his home. He was 75 years of age.
Mr. Berman was a Navy veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Bernice, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Douglas Vincent of Montvale, N.J.; a son, Howard Berman of Poughkeepsie; a sister, Frieda Levy of the Bronx; and a granddaughter, Kayla Vincent.
Services were held Sunday at the Wien and Wien Inc., Memorial Chapels in Engelwood, N.J.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Hackensack, N.J., or to the Landfield Synagogue, Monticello, N.Y. 12701.

Oscar L. Sherman
Ret. DPW Foreman, 68

Oscar L. Sherman of Yulan, a foreman for the New York State Department of Transportation in Monticello and a lifelong area resident, died Saturday, November 23, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 68 years of age.
The son of the late Maurice and Catherine Distel Sherman, he was born July 14, 1934, in Ellenville.
Mr. Sherman was the founder and a life member of the Ulster Heights Rod and Gun Club in Ellenville; a 31-year member and two-term past chief of the Yulan Fire Department; a past captain of the Fire Police; Town of Highland constable from 1967 through 1989; and a member of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church in Yulan.
He is survived by his wife, Elma Sherman, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Craig Burkle of Narrowsburg; a sister and brother-in-law, Rita and Donald Exner of Ellenville; two grandchildren, Brett and Kristina; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Gray-Rasmussen Funeral Home, Route 97, Barryville, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Anthony Moore officiating
Burial will be made in St. Anthony's Cemetery in Eldred.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Yulan Fire Department, Yulan, N.Y. 12792; the Eldred American Legion Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 63, Eldred, N.Y. 12732 or to the Huntington's Disease Society of America, 158 West 29th St., 7th Floor, New York.

Robin Litton
Program Coord., 64

Robin Litton of Woodstock, with residences in Anna Maria, Fla., and LaTour D'Aigues, Provence, died November 20, 2002, in Albany. She was 64 years of age.
She was born March 8, 1938, in Rice's Landing, Pennsylvania, and was predeceased by her longtime companion, actor-writer Joseph Leon who died in 2001.
She was a 1960 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 1982.
Ms. Litton worked as a program coordinator for ABC-TV Entertainment during the 1970s and was senior program controller for special events for ABC-TV News during the 1980s. She was a member of Kappa Delta Zho social fraternity and Phi Mu Alpha Sintonia, professional musician's fraternity.
A member of the Board of Directors for Maverick Concerts in Woodstock, she was a benefactor of the Museum at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
She is survived by a sister, Joyce Krause, a brother, John Krajnak, and several nieces and nephews, all of Pennsylvania.
Interment was made in the Woodstock Artists' Cemetery in Woodstock.
Memorial contributions may be made to Maverick Concerts or the Museum at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Foundation for IUP, Sutton Hall, Indiana, Pa. 15702.

Stella Ivanick
Homemaker, 82

Stella Ivanick of Livingston Manor, a homemaker and a 50-year area resident, died Friday, November 22, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 82 years of age.
The daughter of the late Peter and Asta Lizak Rotko, she was born May 20, 1920, in Ansonia, Conn.
She is survived by her husband, John Ivanick, at home; and several nieces and nephews.
There will be no visitation.
Graveside services and burial will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Program, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105-1905.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Herbert C. Bryant Funeral Home in Livingston Manor.

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