New York State Assemblyman Jacob Edward Gunther III of Forestburgh died Wednesday, July 9, 2003, after a short illness. He was 50 years of age.
The son of Jacob and Betty Gunther, he was born June 11, 1953, in Middletown.
Mr. Gunther attended St. Lawrence University, OCCC and the University of California in Santa Barbara.
After serving as Forestburgh Town Justice for three terms, in 1992, he was elected to the New York State Assembly 98th District and served on several assembly committees including Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, Oversights and Investigations, Racing and Wagering, Property Taxation and Tourism. In January 2001, he was appointed vice chairman of the State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. Gunther was tireless and a proud advocate for his constituents.
In a family statement, it was said, "Jake emitted a beautiful energy that he shared with everyone he came in touch with. His uplifting attitude allowed him to see life through a uniquely positive lens. Jake's lens was like a kaleidoscope. No matter what he looked at, it was different, more beautiful and more complex than others. He was always open-minded and embraced every aspect of life in the fullest and a truly genuine way. As he would say, 'Sheboygan! Choo Choo Wag-my-flagen!' His optimistic philosophy towards life and how to live it has inspired both his children and his friends. It is in this way the Gunthers care to remember their husband and father, with a vivacious appetite for life and a desire to live it to the fullest."
He is survived by his wife, Aileen Gunther, and three children, Mary Alice, Jacob IV and Caitlin; his parents; brothers and sisters-in-law, William and Judy Gunther and LeRoy and Gina Gunther; his in-laws, Eugene and Therese Malone; 16 nieces and nephews, Elizabeth, Sarah, Adam, Jonathan and Andrew Gunther, Daegan, Carrie and Cathy Miller, Declan, Delia and Aidan Ludington and Jack, Casey, Julia, Patrick and Kevin Malone; three cousins, Lise, Eric and Ingrid; an aunt, Barbara Miller; and numerous dear friends.
Friends may call at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Avenue, Middletown, on Friday and Saturday, from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church, Orchard St., Middletown, with the Rev. Daniel Morse officiating.
Cremation will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jacob E. Gunther III Scholarship for Environmental Studies, P.O. Box 621, Monticello, N.Y. 12701.

Bernard Weiner of South Fallsburg, a self-employed real estate broker and a longtime area resident, died Thursday, July 10, 2003, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 75 years of age.
The son of the late Samuel and Ida Marks Weiner, he was born January 4, 1928, in Brooklyn.
Mr. Weiner was a member of the South Fallsburg Hebrew Association, the Knights of Pythias and the Fallsburg Fire Department.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley Weiner, at home; a son and daughter-in-law, Jay and Vicki Weiner of Toronto, Canada; a daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and Charles Bloom of Greenacres, Fla; a brother, Irving Weiner of Brooklyn; a sister, Shirley Carman of New Jersey; and a grandchild, Noah Samuel Bloom.
Services will be held at noon on Friday at the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home, 186 Broadway, Monticello, with Rabbi Isaac Gottlieb officiating.
Burial will be made in the South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Cemetery in Glen Wild.

Philip Kazansky of Monticello, a 67-year area resident, a real estate developer and the secretary, treasurer and business manager for Local #76 of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, died Tuesday, July 8, 2003, at New York University Medical Center in New York City. He was 85 years of age.
The son of the late Meyer and Fanny Adelman Kazansky, he was born February 12, 1918, in the Bronx.
Mr. Kazansky attended James Monroe High School in the Bronx.
A United States Army veteran of World War II, he attained the rank of Master Sergeant and received numerous decorations and citations.
As an official with Local 76, organized in 1954, he was instrumental in improving the lives of hotel workers throughout the Catskill region. Mr. Kazansky was a real estate developer, responsible for Sleepy Hollow Development in Monticello and Camelot Woods on Sackett Lake.
Mr. Kazansky was a member of Landfield Avenue Synagogue, a member of the Jesse Abrams Post No. 209, Jewish War Veterans, and a 44-year charter and life member of Monticello Lodge #1544, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. He was an avid fisherman and boater.
In a family statement, it was said, "Phil was an inspiration to everyone that knew and loved him."
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Alberta "Terry" Kazansky, at home; four children, Richard Kazansky of Monticello, Jeffrey Kazansky of Tucson, Ariz., Linda Siegelman of Phoenix, Ariz., and Sharon Kazansky Green of Monticello and New York City; seven grandchildren, Melissa Amado of Peoria, Ariz., David Kazansky of the Bronx, Matthew Kazansky and Adam Kazansky, both of Brooklyn, Lucas Kazansky and Amber Kazansky, both of Tucson, Ariz., and Matthew Green of New York City; three great-grandchildren, Jacob and Joshua Amado of Peoria, Ariz., and Ariana Kazansky of the Bronx; a sister, Renee Eventoff of Hartsdale; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Wilbur Kazansky.
Funeral services were held Thursday at the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello with Rabbi Ben Zion Chanowitz officiating.
Burial was made in the Landfield Avenue Cemetery.
Shiva will be observed at the family home in Sackett Lake.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association for Research, P.O. Box 3049, Syracuse, N.Y. 13220.

Shirley Saperstein Kramer of Woodridge and Los Angeles, Calif., died Tuesday, July 8, 2003, in Los Angeles. She was 81 years of age.
The daughter of the late Nellie and Morris Mandel, she was born November 4, 1921, in the Bronx. She was the widow of Sol Saperstein, David Weintraub and Henry Kramer.
A longtime Woodridge resident, she owned and operated Saperstein Trucking from the 1940s through the early 1960s with her late husband, Sol Saperstein, which lead to the creation of Big "S" Oil Company.
Mrs. Kramer was a past member of Hadassah and B'nai B'rith and volunteered her services to many charitable organizations.
She is survived by two sons, Louis Saperstein and his wife, Bella, of Woodridge, and Barry Saperstein of Los Angeles, Calif.; a daughter, Susan Slater of Miami, Fla.; a brother, Nathan Mandel and his wife, Harriet, of Del Ray Beach, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Eric, Alex and Matthew Saperstein of Los Angeles, Scott Saperstein and his wife, Shari, of Santa Monica, Calif., Elana and Jill Saperstein of New York City and Amy and Steven Slater of Miami, Fla.; two great-grandchildren, Leo Davis Saperstein and Ashlin Slater; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the Woodridge Synagogue with Rabbi Irving Goodman officiating.
Burial will be made in Workman Circle #281 Cemetery in Glen Wild.
Shiva will be held at the home of Louis and Bella Saperstein in Woodridge.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hebrew Day School of Sullivan and Ulster County, Kiamesha Lake, N.Y. 12751; Woodridge Synagogue, Woodridge, N.Y. 12789; or to a charity involved in the fight against cancer.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello.

Herbert Saperstein of Woodridge, a lifelong area resident, died Monday, July 7, 2003, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris, after a long illness. He was 66 years of age.
The son of the late Morris and Sophie Saperstein, he was born March 19, 1937, in Monticello.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen Saperstein, at home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cheryl and Martin Gudowitz of Miami, Fla., and Dale and Steven Gindi of New York City; a sister and brother-in-law, Rita and Joel Rosenshein of Woodridge; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held Tuesday at the Woodridge synagogue with Rabbi Irving Goodman officiating.
Burial was made in the Workman Circle #281 Cemetery in Glen Wild.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Skilled Nursing Unit Fund of Catskill Regional Medical Center, P.O. Box 280, Harris, N.Y. 12742.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello.

Daniela Stefanescu of Queens and Highland Lake died Sunday, July 6, 2003, at her home. She was 52 years of age.
The daughter of George Ristea and the late Maria Lepadatu Ristea, she was born October 26, 1950, in Romania.
Mrs. Stefanescu was active with the Eldred Central School District and was a fundraiser for the craft fairs.
She is survived by her husband, Marian Stefanescua and a son, Andrew Stefanescu, both at home; a daughter, Diana Stefanescu of San Francisco, Calif.; her father of Queens; two brothers, Ion Ristea of Bayonne, N.J., and Daniel Negulici of Queens; her mother-in-law, Condza Stefanescu and a brother-in-law, Cornel Stefanescu, both of Queens; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Liturgy Mass was offered Thursday at St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Glen Spey with the Rev. Nestor Kowal officiating.
Burial was made in Montoza Cemetery in Eldred.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 41, Glen Spey, N.Y. 12737.

Milton "Pappy" Traver of Middletown, a retired machinist for Clemson Brothers Inc., died Saturday, July 5, 2003, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 90 years of age.
The son of the late Archie and Mary Olver Traver, he was born August 28, 1912, in Honesdale, Pa. He was the widower of Luella Sager Traver who died December 23, 1986, after 46 years of marriage.
Mr. Traver was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the AARP, and the NRA, all of Middletown.
He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Adelaide and John Walsh of Middletown, and Gladys and Larry Shelley of Martinsburg, Va.; three sons and two daughters-in-law, John and Rosemary Romer of Wurtsboro, Aunger and Florence Traver of Ravena and Allen Romer of Virginia; two sisters, Marion Wallace of Cape Cod, Mass., and Evelyn Herrings of the state of Florida; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, George Romer, and a brother Aunger Traver.
Services and burial were private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 419 East Main St., Middletown, N.Y. 10940, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 254 Rt. 17K, West Wing Building, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.

Marjorie H. Deitz of Port Jervis, a retired floorlady at Andmore Sportswear in Port Jervis and a lifelong area resident, died Monday, July 7, 2003, at the Milford Senior Care Facility in Milford, Pa. She was 75 years of age.
The daughter of the late Walter and Hazel Morgan Horton, she was born August 11, 1927, in Port Jervis. She was the widow of Henry Deitz.
Mrs. Deitz is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Raymond Rothstein and a son, Charles "Rick" Deitz, all of Port Jervis; two sisters, Helen Brundage of Port Jervis, and Grace Clausson, formerly of Port Jervis; a brother, George Patterson of Port Jervis; six grandchildren, Denise Eyth, Tania Ranich and Jon Kaufman, all of Port Jervis, Sherri McKinley of Eldred, Tara Rothstein of Savannah, Ga., and Karissa Rothstein; six great-grandchildren, Kyle Eyth, Nicholas Eyth, Dania Ranich, Courtney and Rachel Hofaker, and Tina Swaggart; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were private.
Burial was made at the Pine Hill Cemetery in Sparrowbush.