Richard C. "Dick" Guttzeit, known locally as "The Bear Man" of Lake Huntington, a retired 32-year industrial arts teacher at the Dumont High School in N.J., and a former printer for the Sullivan County Democrat, died Friday, January 23, 2004. He was 81 years of age.
The son of Edward Adolf and Edna Stewart Guttzeit, he was born December 5, 1922, in Brooklyn.
Mr. Guttzeit was a World War II veteran of the Army Corps of Engineers.
In 1948, Dick and his sister, Paula, were the US National Roller Skating Champions. He was a past president of the Dumont Education Association. Many of his former students became teachers, making him very proud.
He built a family home in Washington Township, Bergen County, N.J., and when the family moved to Lake Huntington permanently in 1978, he built another home. It was said, "He was always building something."
An active member of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Huntington, he remodeled the interior of the church and installed a bell in the steeple. He was also involved with the Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Town of Cochecton Planing Board and the Upper Delaware Council.
In a family statement, it was said, "Dick enjoyed his retirement by tinkering with his many boats and machinery, carving bears with his chair saw and helping anyone in need. His fun and relaxation was water skiing. He went around the lake for the last time in August 2003 at the age of 80." His bears are on display locally, including the one at the old Cochecton station site on Route 97 and another at the Damascus Municipal Building.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helen Guttzeit, at home; a son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Lois Guttzeit; three daughters and sons-in-law, Janice and Bill Hauser, Joyce and Rich Franke and Carol Guttzeit and Brandon Twine; seven grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a sister, Paula Renard. He was predeceased by a brother, Arthur Guttzeit.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Lake Huntington with the Rev. Thomas Jones officiating.
Burial was made in St. Francis Cemetery in Narrowsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance Corps or to Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church, both at Lake Huntington, N.Y. 12752.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Rasmussen Sons Funeral Home in Narrowsburg.

Madeleine Gordon of Rock Hill, a retired stenographer for the Sullivan County Clerk and a lifelong area resident, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at the Park Manor Nursing Home in Middletown. She was 92 years of age.
The daughter of the late Patrick and Anna Davis Keating, she was born February 27, 1911, in Glen Wild. She was the widow of Andrew Case Gordon who died June 27, 1998.
Mrs. Gordon is survived by a daughter, Judith McGowan of Circleville; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Floyd Keating, and four sisters, Frances Schaefer, Alice Allen, Anne Fenner and Rose Keller.
Services were held at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Monticello on Sunday.
Burial was made in the Rock Hill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rock Hill Fire Department or to the Rock Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps, both at Rock Hill, N.Y. 12775.

Helen Muhlig of Liberty, a lifelong area resident and a homemaker, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at her home. She was 80 years of age.
The daughter of the late Frank Sr. and Lillian May Smith Hall, she was born February 26, 1923, in Harriman. She was the widow of Kermit "Joe" Muhlig who died March 2, 1998.
Mrs. Muhlig was a member of the Liberty Presbyterian Church.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Eugene Sr. and Mary Deyo of Holly Hill, Fla.; two daughters, Barbara Roser and her husband, Clarence, and Janet Muhlig, all of Liberty; two brothers, George Hall and his wife, Mary, of Wallkill, and Henry Hall of New Paltz; a sister and brother-in-law, Loretta and Fred Wostcott of Binghamton; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Schoch, Virginia Schaeffer and Eugene Deyo Jr.; four great-grandchildren; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Services were held Sunday at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty with the Rev. Richard Bierwas officiating.
Burial was made in the Liberty Cemetery.

Aidan Christopher Connolly of Newburgh, the infant son of Kathleen Connolly, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at St. Mary's Children's Rehabilitation Center in Ossining.
In a family statement, it was said, "Aidan was our gift from Heaven."
He is survived by his mother of Newburgh; his maternal grandmother and her husband, Linda and Chester Smith of Newburgh; his maternal grandfather and his wife, Brian and Patricia Connolly of Jacksonville, Fla.; his maternal great-grandfather, Kenneth Osterberg of Toms River, N.J.; and two uncles, Sean and Christopher Connolly.
A Mass of the Angels was offered Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Newburgh.
Burial was made in the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Children's Rehabilitation Center, 15 Spring Valley Rd., Ossining, N.Y. 10562.

Martha Adelaide Littler Hatch of Duxbury and Pembroke, Mass., a retired teacher and a former resident of South Fallsburg, died Monday, January 19, 2004, at the Bay Path Nursing Center in Massachusetts. She was 90 years of age.
The daughter of the late James Henry and Margaret Adelaide Coltrane Littler, she was born December 30, 1913, in West Grove, Pa. She was the widow of Frederick A. Hatch.
A 1935 graduate of Ithaca College, she earned a degree in drama and then applied for a teaching position. After she retired from Tri-Valley Central School, she moved to Massachusetts.
She is survived by a daughter, Linda Hatch and Michael of Pembroke, Mass.; two granddaughters, Kalen Faye Dow and Lindsay Allison Dow of Waterbury, Vt.; four siblings, Dr. J. William Littler of New York City, Theodore C. and his wife, Helen Littler, of Seekonk, Mass., Catherine Stephens of Manlius and Robert Littler of Jacksonville; and a brother-in-law, Vincent H. Stratton of South Fallsburg and Pembroke, Mass.
Services were held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Monticello on Saturday.
Burial was made in the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church, 15 St. John St., Monticello, N.Y. 12701.
Local arrangements were made by the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.

Arthur R. Tursi, the co-owner of Thompson's Pharmacy in Liberty and a lifelong area resident, died Saturday, January 24, 2004, at the Albany Medical Center. He was 43 years of age.
The son of Michael A. and Janet Raymond Tursi, he was born January 14, 1961, in Monticello.
Mr. Tursi was a member of St. Peter's Church in Liberty. A graduate of the Liberty High School, he also graduated from Albany School of Pharmacy.
He was an avid golfer and a member of the Sullivan County Golf Club in Liberty where he scored a hole-in-one during the 2003 golf season.
Mr. Tursi was a member of the Liberty Elks Lodge #1545, the Liberty Kiwanis Club, the Orange County Pharmaceutical Association and the New York State Pharmaceutical Association. He was also involved in many other community endeavors.
In a family statement, it was said "Art was a loyal friend to all."
He is survived by his mother of Cleveland, N.Y.; his father and step-mother, Michael A. and Joan Tursi of Liberty; a sister, Patricia Ann Tursi of White Plains; a step-brother, Michael Lofaro of Monticello; a step-sister, Dina Viteretti and her husband, Robert, of New Castle; three uncles and their wives, Joseph and Virginia Tursi of North Carolina and Luke and Edna Tursi and Robert and Carol Raymond, all of Monticello; three aunts, Fran Franciosa of Oceanside, Sabina Marie and her husband, Dr. Thomas Wiley of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Karen and her husband, Joseph Nosel of Cleveland, N.Y; three god-children, Patrick Mullen, Andrew Pitman and Eryn Gobel; several nieces, nephews, cousins; and many friends. He was predeceased by a brother, Sal Tursi, and his grandparents, Salvatore and Rosa Tursi and Arthur and Ruth Raymond.
Friends may call at the Ramsay's Funeral Home, 275 S. Main St., Liberty, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 264 N. Main St., Liberty, with Monsignor Edward Straub officiating.
Burial will be made in St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery in Forestburgh.
Memorial contributions may be made to New York Foundling Hospital, 590 Avenue of the America, New York, N.Y. 10011.

Donna L. Brickner of Youngs-ville, a retired medical laboratory technician for the Liberty Medical Group and a devoted mother and grandmother, died Friday, January 23, 2004, at her home. She was 53 years of age.
The daughter of Betty Tyler Hathaway and the late Rodger Hathaway, she was born November 25, 1950, in Liberty.
She attended the Jeffersonville-Youngsville High School and received her Associate degree with honors at Orange County Community College. Mrs. Brickner was an active member of the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church where she served several terms on the Church Session, was the choir director and Sunday School superintendent. Her endeavor was to instill a family value in the home and church activities.
In a family statement, it was said, "Donna was an avid music lover with the voice of an angel. We will carry her song in our hearts forever."
Mrs. Brickner is survived by her husband, Peter T. Brickner, at home; two daughters, Lisa A. Coney and Diane M. Goldberg; her mother; two brothers, Craig Hathaway and Rodger Hathaway; three sisters, Karen Hathaway, Cathy Traylor and Robin Bolles; four grandchildren, Melinda Coney, Patrick Coney, Elizabeth Coney and Abigail Goldberg; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, Carla Hathaway.
There will be no visitation.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Presbyterian Church in Jeffersonville.
The family has established a memorial scholarship fund for graduating students who share her passion for music and are pursuing music as their major. Memorial contributions may be made to the Donna L. Brickner Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o M&T Bank, 1983 State Route 52, Liberty, N.Y. 12754.

Ruth Ann Burr of Cochecton, a licensed beautician and a cafeteria worker for Sullivan West Central School at the Jeffersonville campus, died Friday, January 23, 2004, at the Grover M. Hermann Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Callicoon. She was 52 years of age.
The daughter of Betty Susen Baker and the late Owen B. Baker, she was born July 14, 1951, in Newburgh. She was the widow of Leslie A. Burr who died March 2, 2003.
Mrs. Burr is survived by her mother of Cochecton; a daughter, Tamara Burr of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; two sons, Brett Burr and his wife, Christine, of Jeffersonville, and Russell Burr of Newark, N.J. and Cochecton; a sister, Candice Baker of the state of Florida; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Dennis and Jolette Baker of the state of Florida, and Kent and Ondy Baker of North Carolina; two granddaughters, Michaella and Kerintin; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will be made in the East Cochecton Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cochecton Ambulance Corps or the Lake Huntington Fire Department, both at Lake Huntington, N.Y. 12752.

Archie "Roby" Moore of Monticello, a nurses' aide at the former Walnut Mountain Care Center in Liberty, died Wednesday, January 21, 2004, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 33 years of age.
The son of Frank and Vernel Dolly Moore, he was born October 4, 1970, in Brooklyn.
Mr. Moore is survived by two sons, Rommell and Shamell; four daughters, Kenanne, Lakenda, Shamira and Lakisen; his mother; nine sisters, Paulette and her husband, Bob, Peggy Ann, Jaqueline, Sandra, Angila, Patricia, Monica and her husband, Percy, Anita and Jeanne; a brother, Frank Moore Jr.; four uncles; five aunts; his dear friend, Hulio; his mother-in-law, Alma Greene; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 195 Broadway, Monticello.
Burial will be made in the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.

Andry Pleskun of Glen Spey, a retired fish smoker at the New York City Fish Market and a 30-year area resident, formerly of New York City, died Friday, January 23, 2004, at his home. He was 91 years of age.
The son of the late John and Anna Pleskun, he was born March 15, 1912, in Lytwyniv, Ukraine.
Mr. Pleskun was a member of St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Glen Spey.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Priadka Pleskun, at home; a son, Ivan Pleskun of Ukraine; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, Michael Pleskun.
A prayer service was held at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis, followed by a Liturgy Mass at St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Catholic Church on Monday. The Rev. Mark Hirniak officiated.
Burial was made in the Glen Spey Cemetery.

James Brian Williams of Woodridge, a former maintenance employee of the Homowack Resort, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 54 years of age.
The son of the late Arthur and Louise Wilson Williams, he was born July 28, 1949, in the Bronx.
In a family statement, it was said, "James was a warm and loving person who gave till he couldn't give any more. He will be deeply missed."
He is survived by his wife, Odessa Marie Corum Williams, at home; three sisters, Shirley Brooks of the Bronx, Barbara Simpson of Delaware and Lorraine Washington of the Bronx; two brothers, Gary Williams of San Diego, Calif.; Arthur Williams of the Bronx; two brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Charles and Judy Gibson of Tacoma, Wash., and Jocelyn and Charles Perry of Monticello; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.
Services were held Monday at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home in Monticello with the Rev. Mervin Armstead officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Catskill Regional Medical Center Dialysis Division, P.O. Box 800, Harris, N.Y. 12742.

Aloysius G. Mallon of Warwick, a retired captain with the New York City Fire Department, died Tuesday, January 20, 2004, in Deland, Fla. He was 80 years of age.
The son of the late John J. and Florence Fallon Mallon, he was born February 22, 1923, in New York City.
A World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps, he was a member of the F.D.N.Y. Emerald Society and a parishioner of St. Stephen R.C. Church in Warwick. He was an avid golfer and fisherman.
Mr. Mallon is survived by his wife of 60 years, Florence E. Vandebergh Mallon, at home; three sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Clare Mallon of Sanibel Island, Fla., Kevin and Laura Mallon of Warwick and Patrick and Marian Mallon of Smallwood; eight grandchildren, Patrick, Kevin, Kerry, Michael, Erin, Scott, Jill and Corrie; and a great-grandson, Patrick.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Stephen R.C. Church in Warwick.
Interment will be made in the Orange County Veterans Cemetery in Goshen.

Frederick Maybury of Wallkill, a retired chief maintenance man for Dans Kammer of Central Hudson, died Thursday, January 22, 2004. He was 75 years of age.
The son of the late George and Marie Maybury, he was born May 26, 1928, in Rahway, N.J. He was the widower of Ann Yannone Maybury.
Mr. Maybury was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by a sister, Georgina Weyant Ahl of Dunedin, Fla.; a brother, George Maybury of Saratoga Springs; close friends, Jimmy and Barbara Demetriou and their children of Bloomingburg, and Keith and Rene Martindalo; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Therese Antunovic.
Services were held Monday at the Cedar Hill Mausoleum in Middle Hope.

Dorothy W. Lofman of Delmar, a 1974 retired employee of the New York State Thruway Authority and a former resident of Clarksville, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. She was 84 years of age.
The daughter of the late Harry and Ellen Blackman Weatherby, she was born October 17, 1919, in Albany. She was the widow of Stig Lofman.
In a family statement, it was said, "She loved the country and collecting rocks, gems and wildflowers. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and family member and had a tender heart toward all people."
Mrs. Lofman is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Lola Lofman of Bloomingburg; a sister, Marjorie Hughes of Rensselaer; and a granddaughter, Karen Lofman of Mt. Kisco.
Funeral services were held Monday at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Delmar.
Burial was made in Memory's Garden in Colonie.
Memorial contributions may be made to Five Talents International, P.O. Box 1487, Fairfax, Va. 22038.

Stanley J. Ryan Sr. of North Branch, a retired automotive parts salesman, died Sunday, January 25, 2004, at the Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, N.J. He was 83 years of age.
The son of the late John and Loretta Flanigan Ryan, he was born June 21, 1920, in Brooklyn.
He is survived by his wife, Winifred Lamaire Ryan, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Eileen and Gerard Kracke, and a son, Stanley J. Ryan Jr., all of North Branch; a brother, Joseph Ryan of Ridge; five grandchildren, Kurt Kracke and his wife, Nancy, of Louisa, Va., Kyle Kracke of Jeffersonville, Kevin Kracke of North Branch, Patricia Brickner of Walden and Christopher Rusciano of Youngsville; five great- grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will be made in the North Branch Lutheran Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jeffersonville Volunteer First Aid Squad, Jeffersonville, N.Y. 12748.

Derek W. Haas of Roscoe, a freshman at the Roscoe Central School, died Sunday, January 25, 2004, in Roscoe. He was 14 years of age.
The son of William F. and Debra Ann Dickman Haas, he was born October 26, 1989, in Englewood, N.J.
A member of the Roscoe Central School Varsity Football Team, he was an avid snowboarder.
He is survived by his parents, at home; three brothers, William Haas and his wife, Kathy, of Napanoch, and Timothy W. Haas and Justin W. Haas, both at home; two sisters, Cheri Ann Niforatos and her husband, Tasse, of Roscoe, and Kaitlyn Marie Haas, at home; his maternal grandparents, Retired Cliffside Park Police Chief Joseph C. and Claire Dickman of Cliffside Park, N.J.; his paternal grandmother, Anna Haas of Roscoe; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe, on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m., and Thursday from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Friday at the Gate of Heaven Church in Roscoe with Monsignor William Collins officiating.
Burial will be made in the Riverside Cemetery in Roscoe.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Derek W. Haas Memorial Fund, c/o M & T Bank, P.O. Box 253, Roscoe, N.Y. 12776.