John Jacob Meyer, a 53-year resident of Morris and the retired owner of Meyer’s Welding Service, retiring in 1981, died Friday, October 7, 2005, at the Chase Memorial Nursing Home in New Berlin. He was 88 years of age.
He was born October 30, 1917, and spent his formative years in Cochecton Center.
Mr. Meyer was a member of the Morris Town Board beginning in 1970, serving as councilman until 1976 when he assumed the position of supervisor, a position he held until he retired December 31, 1993. He was also a member of the Otsego County Republican Committee and town chairman; a past master and degree master of the Louisville Grange; a former member and honorary member of the Morris Fire Department, and a member of the United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Doris R. Kinkel Meyer; two sons, Kenneth J. Meyer of Troy and John H. Meyer of Jensen Beach, Fla.; three grandchildren, Alissa B. Meyer of Cooper City, Fla., Matthew H. Meyer and Gretchen R. Meyer, both of Morris; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Joseph and Maria Meyer and Eugene and Mildred Meyer, all of Cochecton Center; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother, Henry M. Meyer in 1979, and Henry’s wife, Helen, who died in 2001.
Funeral services were held at the United Methodist Church in Morris with the Rev. Ann Blair officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Catskill Area Hospice, 1 Birchwood Dr., Oneonta, N.Y. 13820.

Stuart S. Brown of Beaverkill, a retired management consultant and an area resident since 1972, died Friday, October 21, 2005, in Teaneck, N.J. He was 85 years of age.
The son of the late Benjamin and Sadye Stanger Brown, he was born June 11, 1920, in Brooklyn.
He grew up in the Bronx and graduated from CCNY. Mr. Brown was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army, serving in the Philippines during World War II.
Mr. Brown was active in local politics and was on the Board of Trustees of Temple Emeth in its early days. He was an investment counselor and management consultant. Throughout their married life, Mr. and Mrs. Brown worked together. He continued his civic activities in Sullivan County, including chairmanship of the Sullivan County Civic Association. He devoted his life to helping others and to improving community life.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Beatrice Kremsdorf Brown, at home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and John Davison and Barbara and Wally Weikert; a grandson, Eric Weikert; a brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Marilyn Brown; and two nephews, Mike Brown and Richard Brown.
Services were held Monday at Agudas Achim Synagogue in Livingston Manor with Ellen Singer officiating.
Burial was made in the Beaverkill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to any Hospice, including Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 or the American Parkinson Disease Assoc., 1250 Hylan Blvd., Suite 48, Staten Island, N.Y. 10305.

Charles A. “Chuckie” Knothe Jr. of Damascus, Pa., died Monday, October 24, 2005, at the Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pa. He was 56 years of age.
The son of Mary Rose Sloan Knothe and the late Charles A. Knothe Sr., he was born February 19, 1949 in Hackensack, N.J.
He is survived by his mother of Damascus, Pa.; a sister, Barbara Ann Wisenbaker of Toms River, N.J.; and two brothers, Daniel J. Knothe of Paramus, N.J., and Donald P. Knothe of Damascus, Pa.
Cremation was made at the Twin Tiers Crematory in Endicott.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Damascus Volunteer Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 63, Damascus, Pa. 18415.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Callicoon.

Frank Draganchuk of Middletown, a former resident of Woodridge and a retired truck driver for Intercounty Farmers Co-op in Woodridge, died Friday, October 21, 2005, at Middletown Park Manor. He was 90 years of age.
The son of the late Roman and Marcela Pretika Draganchuk, he was born November 20,1914, in Bayonne, N.J.
A World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was a member of the American Legion; a member of The Woodpond Rod and Gun Club, The Luna Organization, The Woodridge Fire Department and St. Peter’s Church in Monticello.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Mr. Draganchuk is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ann Eleynsen Draganchuk; a son and daughter-in-law, Frank “Butch” and Maureen Draganchuk of Scotchtown; a granddaughter, Denise Bills and her husband, Michael, of Virginia; three great-grandchildren, Sean, Madie and Emily Bills; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Steven and Katheryn Draganchuk of Greenfield Park and Nick and Dolores Dragann of Pennsylvania; a sister-in-law, Edith of Florida; an aunt, Tess Polevich of Long Island; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, John Draganne, and a sister, Catherine Budniak.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Peter’s Church, Broadway, Monticello.
Interment with full military honors will be made in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Monticello.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.

Olympia E. Demeter of Bloomingburg, a longtime area resident and a retired teacher at the Otisville Correctional Facility, died Saturday, October 22, 2005, at the Horton campus of the Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown. She was 77 years of age.
The daughter of the late Frank and Olympia Melilla Case, she was born February 6,1928, in Brooklyn. She was the widow of Richard Demeter who died in 1990.
She began teaching basic communication skills in 1982 and later on, computers at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, where she remained until her retirement in 1997.
Mrs. Demeter was extremely active in the Town of Wallkill Democratic Club for many years and was the winner of the Times-Herald Record Cook Off three times, even appearing on the cover of the paper for one of her wins.
In a family statement, it was said, “She could get anybody nominated in her involvement with the Democratic Club. She was a very accomplished woman, especially at work. She loved her family and her husband, was loved dearly and will be sorely missed.”
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Diane Demeter of Bellville, N.J.; a daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Tano Alessandrello of Orlando, Fla.; a brother and sister-in-law, Anthony and Mena Case of Las Vegas, Nev.; and four grandchildren, Olivia, Daria, Chloe and Nicole. She was predeceased by a sister, Lena Silano who died in 2000.
Friends may call at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave., Middletown, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
A Funeral Service of Remembrance will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will be made in the family plot in the Bloomingburg Cemetery.

Elsie May Panetta of Grahamsville, a retired bank examiner for CitiBank of New York and a former longtime resident of Port Jervis, died Thursday, October 20, 2005, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 83 years of age.
The daughter of the late George William and Louise Welch Bowen, she was born May 14, 1922, in Bristol, England. She was the widow of Vincent Panetta who died June 4, 1993.
Mrs. Panetta volunteered at the former Mercy Community Hospital in Port Jervis for many years. She was a member of St. Mary’s R.C. Church and had served with the British Army during World War II.
She is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, Vincent Joseph and Kathie Panetta of Lords Valley, Pa., Jerry Joseph and Linda Panetta of Grahamsville, and Christopher Joseph Panetta and his partner, Kenneth Salguero of Laurel, Md.; seven grandchildren, Eric, Hope, Jennifer, Michael, Michelle, Tara and Jerome; and four great-grandchildren, Emma, Matthew, Dylan and Richard.  She was predeceased by a daughter, Theresa Rodriguez and a son, Stephen Joseph Panetta.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Monday at St. Mary’s R.C. Church with the Rev. Antony Ignaci officiating.
Burial was made in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Shirley R. Fagain of Fort Smith, Ark, a retired seamstress and a former 65-year resident of Middletown, died Wednesday, October 19, 2005, at St. Edwards Hospital in Fort Smith, Ark. She was 79 years of age.
The daughter of the late Edward and Anna Bauer Doherty, she was born April 28, 1926, in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the widow of Cornelius “Neil” Fagain who died in 1982.
Mrs. Fagain was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Bloomingburg, a member of the Mamakating Seniors, Happy Seniors and the Our Lady of the Assumption Craft Club.
She is survived by two daughters, Eileen Kolk and her husband, Kenneth, of Goshen, and Denise Fagain of Fort Smith, Ark.; a brother, Edward Doherty of Idaho; four sisters, Pearl Schellenberg of New Jersey, and Murial Thurkow, Gloria Harrington and Deanne Doss, all of California; five grandchildren, Richard Kolk, Cynthia Graffeo, Daniel DePuy, Gil Piaquadio Jr. and Adam Piaquadio; and nine great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two sisters, Lillian Gares and Ruth Bascetta, and two brothers, Raymond and Robert Doherty.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Bloomingburg.
Burial will be made in the family plot at the Wallkill Cemetery.