Gerhard P. "Jerry" Graf of Wurtsboro, a truck driver for Tubelight in Moonachie, N.J. died Friday, January 9, 2004, at the Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, N.J. He was 74 years of age.
The son of the late Anna and Gustave Graf, he was born February 16, 1929, in Austria.
Mr. Graf was a member of the Mamakating Senior Citizens and was active at the Rock Hill United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Loretta "Lori" Graf, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Cathy and Ralph Lane of Rock Hill; his twin brother, Otto, and his wife, Hanni, in Germany; four grandchildren, Thomas Jonathan and Daniel Lane and Jillian Dernbach; and many nieces, nephews, his extended family and friends. He was predeceased by a sister, Helena Lindner, and triplet grandsons, Andrew, Joshua and Nicholas Lane.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday at the Rock Hill United Methodist Church. Friends are invited to visit from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the church.
Cremation was private
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rock Hill United Methodist Church Expansion Fund, P.O. Box 4, Rock Hill, N.Y 12775 or to the charity of one's choice.

Arthur R. Koberlein Sr. of Beach Lake, Pa., a retired farmer and a lifelong area resident, died Monday, January 12, 2004, at the Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pa. He was 83 years of age.
The son of the late Edward and Lena Rutledge Koberlein, he was born May 20, 1920, in Cochecton Center. He was the widower of Beatrice Koberlein who died May 19, 2003.
Mr. Koberlein was a U. S. Army veteran of World War II. He attended the Beach Lake United Methodist Church.
He is survived by five children and their spouses, Margaret and Charles Cowger of Lake Ariel, Pa., Arthur R. Jr. and Bonnie Koberlein of Beach Lake, Pa., Harold and Bernadette Koberlein of Telford, Pa., David and Patrice Koberlein of Orlando, Fla., and Karen and Douglas Miller of Beach Lake, Pa; a sister, Elsie Lechner of Narrowsburg; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two sisters, Grace and Margaret, and four brothers, Sam, Ernest, Ivan and Louis.
Services were held Thursday at the Rasmussen Sons Funeral Home in Narrowsburg with the Rev. Gordon Weightman officiating.
Interment was made in the Glen Cove Cemetery in Narrowsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tusten Ambulance Corps, Narrowsburg, N.Y. 12764 or to the Beach Lake United Methodist Church, Beach Lake, Pa. 18405.

Mildred Gawenus Pearce of Narrowsburg, the co-owner of Silver Lake Farms for 13 years and an area resident since 1945, died Monday, January 12, 2004, at the Ellen Memorial Health Care Center in Honesdale, Pa. She was 94 years of age.
The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dorman, she was born January 9, 1910, in Queens. She was the widow of Karl Gawenus who died in 1956 and of Harold Pearce who died in 1989.
Mrs. Pearce was a member of St. Tammany Chapter No. 492, Order of the Eastern Star, in Callicoon.
She is survived by two children, Richard Gawenus and his wife, Ann, of Horseheads, and Wanda Winglovitz and her fiance, Joseph Borowski of Homossasa, Fla.; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Rasmussen Sons Funeral Home in Narrowsburg from noon until 2 p.m. on Friday.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home with the Rev. Phyllis Haynes officiating.
Burial will be made in the Glen Cove Cemetery in Narrowsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, Narrowsburg, N.Y. 12764.

Antolin Pagan Garcia of South Fallsburg, a homemaker, died Thursday, January 15, 2004, at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home. She was 93 years of age.
The daughter of the late Miguel and Gumersinda Vasquez Garcia, she was born October 19, 1910, in Puerto Rico. She was the widow of Pedro Pagan.
Mrs. Pagan is survived by four sons, Pedro Pagan of South Fallsburg and Antonio Pagan, Perfecto Pagan and Modesto Pagan, all of Puerto Rico; a daughter, Delia Pagan of Pennsylvania; and many grandchildren and great-grandchidren.
Friends may call at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 Main St., Woodbourne, on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Church of St. Peter, 10 Liberty St., Monticello with Father Ginel officiating.
Interment will be made in St. Peter's Cemetery in Monticello.

Minnie Marie Rheinheimer Frey of Verona, Va., a homemaker and a former longtime resident of Youngsville, died Sunday, January 11, 2004, at the Augusta Medical Center. She was 84 years of age.
The daughter of the late Henry and Alice Moore Rheinheimer, she was born September 21, 1919, in Shandelee. She was the widow of Adolph J. Frey.
She was a member of the Community Reformed Church of Youngsville and the Ladies Aid of the church.
In a family statement, it was said, "Mrs. Frey was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother."
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Albert and Carol Frey of Youngsville; two daughters and sons-in-law, Janet and Brad Baker of Trinity, Fla., and Joyce and Floyd Emery of Verona, Va.; six grandchildren, Tracy Anderson, Brandi Baker, Michelle Brockner, Kris Simpson, Stephanie Nolf and Ashley Cooke; eight great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Mabel Millis; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, Katherine Schleiermacher, three brothers, Henry, Paul and Fred Rheinheimer, and four half-brothers, Chris Rheinheimer and Ivan, Burton and George Millis.
A memorial service will be held at a later date in Youngsville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.

Alice M. Hess of the Town of Marbletown, a former longtime resident of Jeffersonville before moving to Ocala, Fla., died Tuesday, January 13, 2004 at the Benedictine Hospital in Kingston. She was 80 years of age.
The daughter of Adolph and Mary Wagner Meschner, she was born January 20, 1923, in New York City. She was the widow of Warren William Hess who died January 17, 1985.
A graduate of New Paltz College with a BA in Education, Mrs. Hess was a vocational instructor at the Sullivan County BOCES in Liberty until she retired in 1985.
She was a member of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Ocala, Fla. and a member of the Love Circle of the church. She was also an active member of the United Methodist Church of Jeffersonville and a member of the New York State Teacher's Association.
Mrs. Hess is survived by two daughters, Doreen Sangaline of Kingston and Diane Hess of Jacksonville, Fla.; two sons, Thomas S. Hess of Raleigh, N.C., and David Hess of Albany; a granddaughter, Lauren Sangaline; and a grandson, Evan Sangaline. She was predeceased by a son, Randy Hess.
Friends may call at the Keyser & Hamilton Funeral Service, 326 Albany Ave., Kingston, on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.
Services will be held on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. William Hunter officiating.
Interment will be made in the United Methodist Church Cemetery in Jeffersonville at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 95 Schwenk Dr., Kingston, N.Y. 12401 or to the United Methodist Church of Jeffersonville, Maple Ave., Jeffersonville, N.Y. 12748.

Mary Celeste Radle Cawley of Liberty, a 40-year assistant librarian in the Liberty Public Library and a longtime area resident, died Monday, January 12, 2004, at the home of her daughter in Rock Hill after a long illness.
The daughter of the late Francis and Beatrice Gallagher Radle, she was born in Scranton, Pa. She was the widow of Paul J. Cawley who died after 45 years of marriage.
Mrs. Cawley was a graduate of Scranton Central High School and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. A licensed registered nurse in Pennsylvania and New York, she had moved to Liberty in 1955.
She was a member of St. Peter's Church.
In a family statement, it was said, "She was an avid walker and could be seen walking the hills of Liberty in all types of weather. She loved to read and enjoyed camping with her family and many friends."
Mrs. Cawley is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Patrice and Stewart Chester of Rock Hill, Mary Kay and Joseph Eckenrode of Lancaster, Pa., and Bridget and Brian Bidonde of Saratoga County; seven grandchildren, Madeline Celeste, Peter and John Eckenrode, Devon Chester, and Michael, Patrick and Thomas Bidonde; a sister and brother-in-law, Marietta and Joseph Forster of Fredericksburg, Va.; two nieces; and a nephew.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:45 a.m. on Friday at St. Peter's Church, 264 N. Main St., Liberty with the Rev. Ivan Csete officiating.
Cremation will be made at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Middle Hope.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, Md. 20814 or to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty.

Rev. Raymond J. Pontier, an 8-year resident of Lakeland, Fla., formerly of Narrowsburg, a Unitarian Universalist minister and an activist for peace and justice, died Monday, January 12, 2004, in Lakeland. He was 89 years of age.
The son of the late Jacob and Trina List Pontier, he was born December 6, 1914, in Clifton, N.J.
He served the cause of peace and justice throughout his life. During a testimonial dinner given by his friends on June 20, 1973, a quotation by Albert Einstein was used to recognize his contributions: "It is given to many men to see the problems of our day. It is given to very few to have the courage to do something about them."
A graduate of Central High School in Paterson, N.J., and Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., he received his Masters of Divinity degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1941.
During his ministry, he served the Reformed Church of America for 33 years in Berne, Kingston, Port Jervis and Clifton, N.J. He became a minister of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Association in 1975 and served in Wayne, N.J., where he was named Minister Emeritus in 1989. He founded the Upper Delaware UU Fellowship in Milanville, Pa., in 1987 and served as its minister until 1996. He continued to preach on a regular basis at UU fellowships in Florida through 2003.
Rev. Pontier served on the board of the Clifton Family Mental Health Clinic and was president of the Particular Synod of New Jersey RCA in 1966. From 1966 to 1969 he chaired the Christian Action Commission of RCA and served as statewide coordinator of the New Jersey Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights from 1975 to 1982.
He was a member of the Lake Region Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Lakeland, Fla.; a lifelong member of the American Civil Liberties Union and served on the board of the New Jersey ACLU. He was a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Bertrand Russell Society, New Jersey SANE and numerous other organizations, working for peace and justice.
Among his awards were the Certificate of Merit from the B'nai B'rith Women Garden State Council in 1962, the Citizenship Citation for Meritorious Service from B'nai B'rith, the Maurice F. Karp Memorial Citizenship and Civic Award from the Greater Clifton Lodge B'nai B'rith in 1965, the Honored Alumnus Recognition from the Alumni Association of New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1969.
Rev. Pontier was the author of two books, "On the Cutting Edge" in 1978 and "Rescuing Jesus From His Friends" in 1999. He wrote a monthly column for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson newspaper "The Beacon" for many years and was a regular contributor to other periodicals.
In a family statement, it was said, "Ray's sense of justice, fairness, devotion to the truth, his compassion for humanity, his love and joy for his family rang out throughout his life. He will be very much missed."
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Van Buskirk Pontier, at home; a daughter, Sharon Pontier of Newton, N.J.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Glenn Pontier and Elizabeth Bucar of Jeffersonville and Gregory Pontier and Deborah Mercer of Lambertville, N.J.; seven grandchildren, Aimee Frederick, Cecily Frederick and her husband, Steve Glinberg, Zachary Stuart-Pontier, Nathan Bucar, Daniel Patton, Jacob Mercer-Pontier and Peter Mercer-Pontier; a sister, Marguerite Pontier Glibert and her husband, Joseph, of Chatham, N.J.; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Ruth Pontier Brown, and two brothers, John Pontier and Robert Pontier.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fellowship of Reconciliation (www.forusa.org) or the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (www.uua.org).

Clorinda Lee Yelland Chajkowski of Bloomingburg, a longtime area resident, died Monday, January 12, 2004, at her home. She was 46 years of age.
The daughter of the late Frederick N. and Gene I. Dalrymple Yelland, she was born January 30, 1957, in Dover, N.J.
In a family statement, it was said, "Clorinda was full of spirit. She will be remembered for her beauty and strength, but most of all her generosity and forgiving nature."
She is survived by her husband and best friend, Joseph Chajkowski, at home; two daughters, Jennifer Blumberg and Melissa Chajkowski, both of Middletown; a brother, Frederick Yelland of Texas; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Kathleen Vinson, Jeannine and Ralph Roe and Onna Jean and Tim Votre, all of Marathon; three granddaughters, Jordan, Darian and Ariel; and several nieces and nephews.
A Service of Remembrance was held Wednesday evening at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home in Middletown with the Rev. Betty Beach officiating.
Cremation was private.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan County, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.

Craig Begbie of Lake Orion, Mich., a systems engineer and a former resident of Monticello, died December 20, 2003. He was 49 years of age.
A graduate of Monticello High School, he received his MBA from Michigan State University. He was a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin/ACS in Southfield, Mich.
He is survived by his wife, Martha Begbie; his parents, George Begbie of Campbell Hall and Maureen Sauter of Middletown; and two sisters, Joanne Drobysh of Middletown and Kathleen Begbie of Apalachin.
Interment was made in the Eastlawn Cemetery in Lake Orion.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, P.O. Box 356, 167 Myers Corners Rd., Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590.

Donald W. Vanatta Sr. of Bloomingburg and a chauffeur with SCI at West Point Military Academy, died unexpectedly Sunday, January 11, 2004, at the Horton Campus of the Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown. He was 55 years of age.
The son of the late Thomas J. and Mary Gladys Allen Vanatta, he was born October 9, 1948, in Smithfield, N. C.
A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, he was the recipient of the Purple Heart. Mr. Vanatta was a member of the American Legion Post #521 in Montgomery.
In a family statement, it was said, "Donald was a loving, caring husband who will be greatly missed."
He is survived by his wife, Irene Lynn Labate Vanatta, at home; two sons, Donald W. Vanatta Jr. of Houston, Tex., and Raymond J. Vanatta of York, Pa.; three brothers, Thomas J. Vanatta of Phoenix, Ariz., Ronald Vanatta of Kenly, N.C ., and Eugene Vanatta of Stony Point; a sister, Debra Mastroeni of Monsey; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Morse Funeral Home, 33 Railroad Ave., Middletown, on Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
American Legion services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Susan Faye Wonderland officiating.
Burial with military honors will be held at St. Joseph Cemetery in Middletown.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans' Fund, c/o Castle Point VA Hospital, Route 9D, Castle Point, N.Y. 12511.

Margaret "Peggy" Menges of Youngsville, a homemaker and longtime area resident, died January 13, 2004, at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home. She was 94 years of age.
The daughter of the late John and Margaret Crane McKnight, she was born December 29, 1909, in Manhattan. She was the widow of James Rogler and Jacob Menges.
Mrs. Menges was a member of St. Francis R.C . Church in Youngsville.
She is survived by a son, Kevin Rogler of Youngsville; a nephew, Michael Foley of Hampton Bays; two grandchildren, Carey and Kara Beth Lavarney, both of Auburn; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter, Patricia Lavarney.
Friends may call at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Francis Church in Youngsville with Father Ignatius Vu Thu officiating.
Burial will be made in the Greenhill Cemetery in Youngsville.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Church, Youngsville, N.Y. 12791.

Minnie Irene Ampf of Port Jervis, the retired owner of the Ft. Lee Delicatessen in Ft. Lee, N.J., and a longtime area resident, died Wednesday, January 14, 2004, at her home. She was 90 years of age.
The daughter of the late Jan Peter and Clara Petersen Flor, she was born November 9, 1913, in Amrum, Germany. She was the widow of William Ampf.
She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan Bloom and Gerald Talmage of Barryville and Barbara and Gary Maillet of Charlotte, N.C.; four grandchildren, Cynthia Garcia, Michael Bloom, and Denise and Renee Maillet; a great-grandson, Devan Bloom; two nieces; and three nephews. She was predeceased by a son, John Peter Ampf.
Friends may call at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. at the funeral home on Friday with the Rev. Stephen Huston officiating.
Burial will be made at the George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, N.J.
Memorial contributions may be made to Occupations, Inc., 6 Karen Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.

Anna Weisman of Monticello, the longtime manager of the Hammond & Cooke Men's Shop at Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello and a longtime area resident, died at her home Tuesday, January 13, 2004. She was 100 years of age.
The daughter of the late Ike and Lizzie Silverstein Subitsky, she was born November 26, 1903, in the East Chester section of the Bronx. She was the widow of Dr. Morris Weisman who died in 1955.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Ivy W. and Marvin Blumenfeld (who was president of Hammond & Cooke) of New York City, Nantucket and Key Largo, Fla.; four grandchildren and their spouses, Jeffry and Joan Blumenfeld of Canaan, Conn., James Blumenfeld and Dr. Patricia Falco of Needham, Mass., Robert and Susan Blumenfeld of Chappaqua, and Jane and Peter Silverman of London, England; seven great-grandchildren, Julia and Jenna Blumenfeld, Alexandra Blumenfeld, Austin and Victoria Blumenfeld, Westley and Cole Silverman; her caregiver of more than 25 years, Mary Pat; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at noon on Friday at the Hawthorne Funeral Home, 21 Stevens Ave., Hawthorne, with Cantor Daniel Pincus officiating.
Burial will be made in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Hawthorne.

Warren Grover Ruppert of Colorado Springs, Colo., a former longtime resident of Jeffersonville and a retired Lt. Colonel of the U. S. Air Force, died Tuesday, December 30, 2003, at his home. He was 81 years of age.
The son of the late Anna and Conrad Ruppert, he was born April 4, 1922, in Middletown.
A 31-year veteran of the Air Force, he was assigned to ENT Air Force Base in 1964 and retired there in 1974. He became employed at Ute and Broadmoor Realty Agencies, and then retired to spend more time with his family.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Alice Schaefer Ruppert; three sons, Warren Ruppert Jr. and his wife, Nancy, and Craig Ruppert, all of Colorado Springs, and Glenn Ruppert and his wife, Judy, of Wisconsin; a daughter, Roslyn and her husband Gordon of Ft. Collins, Colo; and two grandsons, Evan and Ryan Ruppert of Colorado Springs.
Memorial services were held January 2, 2004, at the Broadmoor Community Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Silver Key Senior Services, 2250 Bott Ave, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80904.

Steven Boberski of Parksville, a retired truck driver for the New York State Thruway Authority, died Monday, January 12, 2004, at his home. He was 88 years of age.
The son of the late Onufer and Anna Kurpil Boberski, he was born February 22, 1915, in Sayreville, N.J.
He is survived by a brother, Nicholas Boberski of Parksville. He was predeceased by a brother, Walter Boberski.
Friends may call at the Ramsay's Funeral Home, 275 S. Main St., Liberty, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Graveside services and burial will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at St. Peter's Cemetery in Liberty with Monsignor Edward Straub officiating.

John Michael "Jack" Hayes, a resident of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton for the past several years, died there at the age of 56.
The son of the late John Daniel and Dorothy Irene Thayer Hayes, he was born March 28, 1947.
He grew up in Oxford, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College in Geneva and his Juris Doctor degree from Temple University Law School in Philadelphia, Pa.
Mr. Hayes practiced law for nearly 30 years as a criminal defense trial attorney for Bronx County as well as Sullivan County; a supervising trial attorney for the New York City Bureau of Child Welfare; a criminal law specialist on the in-house staff of the New York City Police Department, an assistant county attorney litigating for the Department of Social Services in Sullivan County and for the Department of Social Services in Delaware County.
In a family statement, it was said, "Jack was grateful for the many cherished friendships he had and was blessed with a collection of remarkable friends whose wisdom and affection taught him so much, even if his grasp of this wisdom was sometimes imperfect, as was his capacity to know and benefit from the depth of their affection."
He is survived by his wife, Karen Marie Norris Hayes of Liberty; a 13-year-old son, Daniel Thayer Hayes; and a cousin, Clifton Tamsett of Norwich.
A memorial service will be held in the near future in Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to a fund for his son's education, payable to Kent L. Brown Jr., HC 62 Box 92, Honesdale, Pa. 18431.

Ralph D. Gallo of Smallwood died on Tuesday, January 13, 2004.
The son of the late Raphael and Rose Bianco Gallo, he was born November 3, 1939, in Brooklyn.
A journalist in the U.S. Navy, he served on the USS Des Moines in the Mediterranean from 1959 to 1961. During the Vietnam War, from 1967 to 1969, he worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Mr. Gallo was a member of the Lions Club, Peace Maker Players, Catskill Actors Theatre, Rising Stars of Sullivan County and was the vice president of the Three Amigos Investment Club.
In a family statement, it was said, "Ralph was a multi-faceted artist who expressed himself through stained glass, performing in communty theatre, painting and singing. . . His spirit lives on in every person he touched. His sensitivity for everyone and their differences was one value he possessed that contributed to his special human qualities. He was a man who honored diversity and consistently expressed his love for all people on 'Mother Earth.' His values were not just words to be spoken, but were always manifested through his deeds and his chosen vocation. He devoted much of life to providing services to people with special needs. His 20 years with the Center for Discovery was a labor of love. Ralph was honored in 2003 for 'recognizing the skills, gifts and abilities of each individual, refusing to let their limitations define them. His generosity of spirit,' they said, 'challenge us all to give more to his fellow man.' . . . Ralph was a person whose innate qualities allowed him to show his love in extraordinary ways as a husband, father, teacher, son, brother and friend. We are all grateful for having been a part of the life of such an extraordinary person. He will be missed by all those who knew and loved him."
Mr. Gallo is survived by his wife and soul mate, Phyllis Consalvo Gallo; three sons, Beau Chant, Noah Valle and Elan Blair; a brother, Rev. Vincent Gallo, pastor of St. Pancras, in Glendale; and many loving friends and family members.
Services will be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday at Ramsay's Funeral Home, 55 St. John St., Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Discovery, P.O. Box 840, Harris, N.Y. 12742; Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or to the United Way of Sullivan County, 33 Lakewood Ave., Monticello, N.Y. 12701.

George Elmer Maus of Tupper Lake, a retired 30-year fire fighter for the Binghamton Fire Department, died Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at the St. Regis Nursing Home in Massena. He was 85 years of age.
The son of the late George Benjamin and Flossie Wagner Maus, he was born July 29, 1918, in Manhattan. He was the widower of Edna Hauser Maus who died in 1988 after 44 years of marriage.
A 1938 graduate of Binghamton High School, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1940 and was honorably discharged in 1945.
Mr. Maus was a 50-year member of Binghamton Masonic Lodge #177. He was affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America for 30 years and was the Commissioner and Scout Master of Troop 135. Mr. Maus was also a member of Daughters of America Lodge in Binghamton.
He is survived by his wife of 11 1/2 years, Enla Ploof Snyder Maus of Brasher Falls; two children, Richard George Maus and his wife, Linda, of Macedon, and Elizabeth "Betty" Louise Maus of Tupper Lake; three grandchildren, Laurie Mary of Marion, Ind., Richard Maus II of Webster and Stephen Maus of Macedon; three great-grandchildren, Kari, Melody and Logan; and his wife's five children and their families. He was predeceased by an infant sister.
A Funeral Mass was offered at St. Alphonus Church with an honor guard playing taps following the Mass.
Burial will be made in the Vestal Hills Memorial Park early next week.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Boy Scouts of America or the Binghamton Fire Department Benevolent Fund, 38 Hawley, St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13901.

Joan M. Rowley of Rock Hill and Bradenton, Fla., a former resident of Middletown and a founding member with her late husband of the Rowley Birthing Center at the Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, died Wednesday, January 14, 2004. She was 73 years of age.
The daughter of the late Andrew F. and Anne Warren Yeomans, she was born August 31, 1930, in Monticello. She was the widow of Robert B. Rowley and Robert S. Harmon.
Mrs. Rowley was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Middletown, an honorary member of the Middletown Garden Lovers Club, a Horton Hospital volunteer and was active in Junior League and many other organizations.
She is survived by a son, Richard B. Rowley of Middletown; two daughters, Kathleen R. Webber of Circleville and Robin R. Bowman of Bradenton, Fla.; a brother, Theodore Yeomans; eight grandchildren; a great-grandchild; two step-daughters; two step-sons; and six step-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a sister, Jean Yeomans Kinsley.
Friends may call at the Ralston-Lippincott-Hasbrouck-Ingrassia Funeral Home, 72 West Main St., Middletown, on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.
A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 25 Orchard St., Middletown at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Private interment will be made in the Hillside Cemetery in Middletown.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or to the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council.