Rufus Hackett Sr. of Liberty, a security guard at the former Community General Hospital in Harris and a 29-year area resident, died Friday, August 26, 2005. He was 64 years of age.
The son of Elizabeth Moore Hackett and the late Earley Hackett, he was born June 25, 1941, in Greenwood, S.C. He was the widower of Viola Virginia Coleman Hackett who died in 1988.
He is survived by his mother of Durham, N.C.; his wife, Ernestine Holman-Gandy Hackett, at home; four sons, William Hackett and his wife, Juliette, of Lake Worth, Fla., Clayton Hackett and his companion, Felita Gilmore, of Monticello, Rufus Hackett Jr. of Monticello and Chandler Hackett and wife, Lisa, of Miami, Fla.; three step-sons, Rodney Holman of Monticello, Clarence Gandy of Hollywood, Fla., and Troy Gandy of Liberty; three daughters and sons-in-law, Charlotte and Rodney Holman of Monticello, Elizabeth and Antonio King of Buffalo and Virginia Monique Kennedy and her husband, Henry, of Brentwood; four step-daughters, Doreen Turner and her husband, Shannon, of Monticello, Debbie Gandy of Monticello, Beverly Gandy and her companion, Allen Henry, of Mt. Vernon, and Karin Gandy of Liberty; two brothers, Earley Hackett Jr. of New York City and Willie Earl Hackett and his wife, Valerie, of Orlando, Fla.; five brothers-in-law and three sisters-in-law, Harold and Brownie Simmons, Peter and Ruby Simmons, and David and Paul, all of South Carolina, and Leslie and Mamie Simmons of Buffalo; four sisters, Christina Williams and her husband, Deheart, of Durham.N.C., Betty Hackett of Bayshore, and Brenda Wright and Hazel Hackett, both of Greenwood, S.C.; two sisters-in-law, Mattie of New York City and Beulah of Monticello; 60 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. He was predeceased by a son, Alexander Hackett, two daughters, Tina Williams and Cherry Wilson, a sister, Wilhelmina Winston, and a grandson, Elijah Henderson.
Services were held on Thursday at the Bethlehem Temple Church in Monticello with Pastor Mervin Armstead officiating.
Interment was made in Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Thelma Gorton of Grahamsville, a retired postmaster of the Grahamsville Post Office, died Friday, August 26, 2005, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 82 years of age.
The daughter of the late Russell and Mildred Pinckney Prince, she was born March 12, 1923.
She is survived by three grandchildren, Bret Julkerski and his wife, Wendy, of Narrowsburg, Keith Gorton and his wife, Geri, of Grahamsville, and Dana Julkerski of Woodbourne; four great-grandchildren, Austin and Kyle Julkerski, both of Narrowsburg, and Hailey and Brent Gorton, both of Grahamsville; a daughter-in-law, Margie Gorton of Grahamsville; a cousin, Ralph Pinckney of Parksville; a nephew and two nieces. She was predeceased by two sons, Andrew “Skip” Gorton and Gary Gorton, two daughters, Gale Gorton and Carol Sue Julkerski, and a brother, Donald Prince.
Cremation and services were private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society, 142 Bloomingburg Rd., Middletown, N.Y. 10940.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.

JoAnn Ackerley of Roscoe, a longtime school bus driver for the Roscoe Central School and a longtime area resident, died Monday, August 29, 2005, at the Wilson Hospital in Johnson City. She was 59 years of age.
The daughter of the late Joseph and Betty Smith Gennosa, she was born January 12, 1946, in Oneonta.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry Ackerley Sr., at home; three daughters, Betty Mootz and her husband, Scott, of Roscoe, Stephanie Ackerley at home and Kimberley Burke of Little Chute, Wisc.; a son and daughter-in-law, Jerry Jr. and Christina Ackerley of East Branch; her father-in-law, Carl Ackerley of Roscoe; a son-in-law, Dan Burke of Albany; seven grandchildren, Randall, Katelyn and Kevin D’Addezio, Jerry Joseph and Jena Rose Ackerley, Christian Mootz and Anna Campbell; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe, on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. ln Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Gerald Wondra officiating.
Burial will be made in the Liberty Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 419 East Main St., Room 309, Middletown, N.Y. 10940.

Frances J. Hand, a resident of Acorn Glen, Princeton, N.J., since July and a former 55-year resident of Monticello, died Tuesday, August 30, 2005, at University Medical Center in Princeton, N.J. She was 99 years of age.
The daughter of the late Chana and David Rosen, she was born in New York City.
Mrs. Hand attended Hunter College High School, graduated from City College, and studied at the New School and NYU. She was a personnel director for both National Starch and Marlon Candy in New York City. She worked many years as a substitute teacher in public and private schools in Sullivan County and taught Yiddish at the Jewish Center in Monticello.
She was active in Hadassah, the Sisterhood of the Landfield Avenue Synagogue, the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop and other civic and charitable organizations.
In a family statement, it was said, “Blessed with a magnetic personality and indomitable spirit, she lived a long and full life as a loving wife, mother and grandmother, an inspired teacher, and a devoted friend to many.”
Mrs. Hand is survived by her husband of 56 years, Nathan Hand, at home; a daughter, Susanne Hand; two grandsons, Rafe and Alex Kinsey, and her son-in-law, David Kinsey, all of Princeton, N.J; a sister, Gloria Himmelfarb; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held Thursday at the Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home in Monticello with Rabbi Ben Zion Chanowitz officiating.
Burial was made in the Brotherhood Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Landfield Avenue Synagogue, Monticello, N.Y. 12701 or to Hadassah.

George E. Lipay of Beach Lake, Pa., a longtime area resident, a former resident of Cochecton and the former owner of the Erie Hotel and the Cochecton Liquor Store, died Monday, August 29, 2005, at the Wayne Delaware Manor, Beach Lake. He was 86 years of age.
The son of the late George and Susan Pupach Lipay, he was born December 9, 1918, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was the widower of Yolanda Ravenger Lipay who died August 26, 1997, after 58 years of marriage.
Mr. Lipay attended Prague University. He was a World War II veteran and had received the Purple Heart.
He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Edward and Elaine Lipay of Panama City Beach, Fla., and Robert and Mary Lipay of Cinnaminson, N.J.; a daughter, Nancy Fuller Yoder and her husband, Barry, of Narrowsburg; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a nephew and a niece. He was predeceased by two brothers, John and Joseph Lipay, and a grandson, Richard Aaron Fuller.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church, Lake Huntington with the Rev. William Scully, O.F.M., officiating.
Burial will be made in the Fosterdale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Resident Activity Fund, c/o Wayne Delaware Manor, 9 Manor Dr., Beach Lake, Pa. 18405 or to the Tusten Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Narrowsburg, N.Y. 12764.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Rasmussen Funeral Home in Narrowsburg.

Richard J. “Dick” Knack of White Sulphur Springs, a 36-year employee of the New York Telephone Co., retiring in 1991 as a switchman, and a lifelong area resident, died Wednesday, August 31, 2005, at his home. He was 72 years of age.
The son of the late Raymond and Julia Schaefer Knack, he was born August 2, 1933, in Hortonville.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Knack was a member of the White Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church where he was a former lay reader and served on various committees. He was also a 35-year member of the White Sulphur Springs Fire Department and had served as a former secretary and engineer. Mr. Knack also volunteered in the maintenance of the Old White Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, Betty L. Smith Knack at home, (the White Sulphur Springs correspondent for the Sullivan County Democrat); two daughters and sons-in-law, Shirley and Larry Dole of Neversink and Kelly and Larry Heintz of Monticello; a son, Forrest J. Knack and his companion, Margie Quinlass, of Narrowsburg; a brother and sister-in-law Thomas R. and Audrey Knack of Naples, Fla.; and four grandchildren, Jason Dole, Brian and Kevin Knack and Julia Dole. He was predeceased by a grandson, Mikel Daubek.
Friends may call at the Harris Funeral Home, West Street at Buckley, Liberty, on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Firematic services will be conducted by the White Sulphur Springs Fire Department Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. in the White Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church, Route 52, White Sulphur Springs, with Pastor Bridgette LeConey officiating.
Burial with military honors will be held at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in White Sulphur Springs.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Orange-Sullivan Hospice, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.

Eileen M.Sweeney of White Lake and Sun City Center, Fla., and a homemaker dedicated to her family and large circle of friends, died May 31, 2005, in Florida. She was 79 years of age.
The daughter of the late Jane and Patrick Boland, she was born June 30, 1925, in Brooklyn, the youngest of four children.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Francis V. Sweeney, at home; three children, Diane S. Garry of Forestburgh, Patricia S. and her husband, Joseph V. Bak of Eastford, Conn., and Frank Sweeney of Lighthouse Point, Fla.; five grandchildren, Jameson and Andrew Bak, Erin, Meghan and John Garry; a sister, Joan Dunn of Blauvelt; an aunt, Margaret Kelly; a brother-in-law, Robert Nylund; a sister-in-law, Jean Boland; and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass was offered in Florida on June 3.
A Memorial Mass will be offered on Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Anne’s Church in White Lake.
Burial of the cremains will be made at the Evergreen Cemetery in Bethel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 9900 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33716 or to St. Peter’s Church, 10 Liberty St., Monticello, N.Y. 12701.
Local arrangements were made by Ramsay’s Funeral Home in Kauneonga Lake.