John Batiuk of Glen Spey, a retired sheet metal worker and maintenance mechanic with Western Electric in Kearny, N.J., died Tuesday, September 13, 2005, at his home. He was 82 years of age.
The son of the late Wasyl and Katherine Batiuk, he was born March 1, 1923, in Ukraine.
Mr. Batiuk immigrated to the United States with his wife and three children in 1950. A former resident of Jersey City, N.J., he retired in 1986.
He was a member of St. Volodymyr’s Ukrainian Catholic Church where he served as treasurer for several years, He was also a member of the Lumberland Lions Club and a tireless volunteer for Verkovyna Mountain Resort.
In a family statement, it was said, “Our father was an inspiration to all of us. By example, he instilled a strong work ethic, devotion to family and the treasure and gift of life. For his gentle kind ways, strength of character and persevering spirit we know God will reward him.”
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Maria Batiuk, at home; a son and daughter-in-law, John and Lori Batiuk of San Francisco, Calif.; five daughters and sons-in-law, Stephanie and Edward Semienick of Glen Spey, Mary and Jack Rotondi of Robbinsville, N.J., Olga and Bob Barry of West Milford, N.J., Irene and Tony Ardito of Camarillo, Calif., and Katherine and Thomas McBrinn of Lancaster, Calif.; 12 grandchildren, Elayne, David S., Natalie, Tom, Jessica, Rob, T.J., Shannon, David A., Matthew, Adam and Nicole; six great-grandchildren; four brothers and several nieces and nephews in Ukraine. He was predeceased by four brothers and a grandson, John Michael.
Friends may call at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Panachyda Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.
A Liturgy Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Volodymyr’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 2104 County Route 41, Glen Spey, with the Rev. Mark Hirniak officiating.
Burial will be made in the Glen Spey Cemetery.

Dorla M. Wright of Livingston Manor, a homemaker and a longtime area resident, died Thursday, September 8, 2005, at her home. She was 75 years of age.
The daughter of the late Arnold and Frances Daniels Cannon, she was born November 10, 1929, in Binghamton. She was the widow of Robert “Bob” Wright.
Mrs. Wright was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Livingston Manor Fire Department and a 50-year member, past matron and former officer of Sullivan Chapter No. 298, Order of the Eastern Star, in Livingston Manor. She was honored in March of 2005 for her dedicated service of 24 years as secretary.
She is survived by two daughters, Barbara Herzog and her husband, Wally, of Liberty and Diana Allen of Gardiner; a son and daughter-in-law, Walter C. Jr. and Lori Molotch of Arizona; three step-sons, James Wright and his wife, Chin, of Puyallup, Wash., Gary Wright of Hampstead, N.C. and Christopher Wright and his wife, Karen, of Ridgewood, N.J.; two step-daughters, Barbara-Jo Valenti of Alabama and Linda Wright of Livingston Manor; a daughter-in-law, JoAnn Wright of Livingston Manor; a sister, Sally Carl and her husband, Roger, of Endwell; two brothers, and sisters-in-law, Gary and Audrey Cannon of Clarksville, Fla., and Larry and Barbara Cannon of Memphis, Tenn.; 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Herbert C. Bryant Funeral Home, 29 Pearl St., Livingston Manor on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
The firemen’s auxiliary will hold services at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.
Order of the Eastern Star services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday with funeral services to follow at the funeral home. The Rev. Audrey Peterson will officiate at the funeral.
Interment will be made in the Orchard Street Cemetery in Livingston Manor.
Memorial contributions may be made to OES #298, Livingston Manor, N.Y. 12758.

Dorothy L. Clinton Eager Elston of Bloomingburg, a retired senior employee of Sears & Roebuck for over 30 years at the North Street and Orange Plaza where she was the catalogue sales manager, died Sunday, September 11, 2005. She was 91 years of age.
The daughter of the late Stanley B. and Lena Hall Clinton, she was born September 16, 1913, in Middletown. She was the widow of Newton Eager and Charles Elston.
She was a long-standing member of Webb Horton Memorial Presbyterian Church of Middletown and was active in the women’s ministries of the church.
Mrs. Elston is survived by two sisters, Mildred Kopp of Adamstown, Md., and Betty Drennan and her companion, George Connor, of Middletown; a brother and sister-in-law, DeWitt and June Force Clinton of Middletown, numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and great-grand-nieces and great-grand-nephews.
Graveside services and burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the Wallkill Cemetery in Phillipsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to Webb Horton Memorial Presbyterian Church, Middletown, N.Y. 10940.

Leonard Ambron of Bloomingburg, a 16-year area resident and a retired engineer with the Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, died Tuesday, September 13, 2005, at the Horton campus of the Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown. He was 86 years of age.
The son of the late Leonard and Minnie Greenwald Ambron, he was born December 6,1918 in Queens. He was a former resident of Haverstraw. Mr. Ambron was a member of Union Local 94.
He is survived by his wife, Sarah Mallia Ambron of Bloomingburg; a son, Matthew P. Ambron of Bloomingburg; a sister, Grace Chorny of West Allis, Wisc.; and a brother, Thomas Ambron of Roselle Park, N.J.
Friends may call at the Cornelius, Dodd and Connell Funeral Home, 26 Grove St., Middletown, on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. Services will follow. Interment will be made in the Rose Hills Memorial Park, Putnam Valley.

Patricia A. Fisher of Swan Lake, a retired secretary for the Concord Resort and a lifelong area resident, died Sunday, September 11, 2005, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 62 years of age.
The daughter of the late August and Carolyn Watson Vasko, she was born September 6, 1943, in Liberty. She was the widow of William E. Fisher who died in February of 2000.
She is survived by two sons, Brian Fisher of Swan Lake and Andrew Fisher of Liberty; two step-daughters, Virginia Zavala and her husband, Demetrio, of New Hampton, and Ellenee Schulze of Waterbury, Conn.; a step-son, William E. Fisher of Jermyn, Pa.; eight grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Private funeral services were held. For more information, contact the Fisher family. Funeral arrangements were made by the Harris Funeral Home in Liberty.

Lois C. Berland of Matamoras, Pa., a retired travel agent for Ellenville Travel for 35 years and a lifelong area resident, died Tuesday, September 13, 2005, at her home. She was 80 years of age.
The daughter of the late Russell and Rosanna Gibson Crooks, she was born December 3, 1924, in Pineville, Kty. She was the widow of Edward Daniel Berland.
Mrs. Berland was a member of the Hope Evangelical Church in Matamoras, Pa., and a member of the choir. A professional singer, she was also a choir member with the Master Works Chorus in New York City and a choir member of many churches through her travels. She traveled extensively for many years throughout the world. She was a tremendous help to her daughter, Alice, and great-granddaughter, Saira. She was also instrumental in enabling her great-granddaughter to make her residence at home in Ellenville rather than to be hospitalized. Mrs. Berland was an avid animal lover and a volunteer at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis.
She is survived by three daughters, Alice Calonga of Ellenville, Jeanne Moore of Matamoras, Pa., and Beverly Haefner and her husband, Rex, of Whitaker, Pa.; eight grandchildren, Robert Kennedy of Clark Summit, Pa., Paula Hopping of Troy, Leslieanne Hopping and Kelley Aragon, both of Ellenville, Kim Schoch of Barryville, Keith Drennen of Seminole, Fla., Timothy Bird of Atlanta, Ga., and Heather Bird; 12 great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Irma Aschoff of Matamoras, Pa.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date to be held at the Hope Church in Matamoras, Pa., with the Rev. Robert Grieve officiating.
Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice St. John, 1007 Oak St., Pittston Township, Pa. 18640.

Charles Burton Fitch of Liberty, a self-employed plumber and longtime area resident, died Friday, September 9, 2005, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 61 years of age.
The son of the late Allen and Lucy Jordan Fitch, he was born January 2, 1944, in White Plains. He was the widower of Joyce A. Fitch and Shirley V. Fitch.
Mr. Fitch attended the Liberty Baptist Church and was an honorary member of the NYS Sheriff’s Association Institute.
He is survived by two step-sons and their wives, Rodney and Mary Robinson of Beaufort, S.C., and Harold and Danielle Robinson of Chicago, Ill; a step-daughter, Crystal Robinson of the Bronx; two daughters, Diane Fitch Becton and her husband, William, of Saline, Mich., and Joyce Fitch of Ypsilanti, Mich.; two sisters, Janet Coleman of the Bronx and Patricia Miller of Raleigh, N.C.; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by a brother, Allen Fitch Jr. and a sister, Georgia Duncan.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday at the Ramsay’s Funeral Home, 275 South Main St., Liberty, with the Rev. Carl Caskey officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund though any local organization that is collecting those funds.