Raymond Kautz
Farmer

Raymond Kautz passed peacefully May 26, 2008 in Winter Haven, Fla. surrounded by his family.
He has been a resident at Alterra Brookdale Senior Living Center in Winter Haven, Fla. since April of 2006. He was born in New York State but had been a snowbird since 1995 at Saddlebag Lake Resort in Lake Wales, Fla.
Ray was born and raised on a dairy farm in Sullivan County, in an area known as the “Beechwoods.” The farm had been in the family for several generations. Ray and his family owned and operated the business since the 1950s. Ray took great pride in his farm and family. He was a man of few words but spoke of compassion and wisdom. He was an early innovator of many farming practices such as No-Till Planting, Alfalfa Growing, and Corn Grain Production. He and his family were also the first to host the first Down on the Farm Day in 1979, which has given non-farm people the opportunity to see and learn first hand about how a farm is run. Down on the Farm became an annual event in Sullivan and Orange County.
Over the years, not only did Ray run a successful farming operation but also served in leadership capacities for many Sullivan County Farm Organizations. These included president of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Sullivan County Chairman of the Agricultural Program Committee, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chairman. Other organizations that he served in include the USDA Farm Services Agency, Soil and Water Conservation District, Farm Bureau, Dairy Herd Improvement Cooperation, and the Dairy Cattle Breeders Association. In addition, Sullivan County was the second county in New York to establish Agricultural Districts. Ray was very involved in the process and his farm was among the first to be included in Agricultural District #1.
Ray is survived by his wife, Charlotte Kautz of Callicoon; daughters, Cherie Stamey (Jimmy) of Lynchburg, Va., Lynn Daniels (Mark), Kristy Lairson (Jason) both of Lake Wales, Fla; son, Bill Kautz of Sarasota, Fla.; and six grandchildren, Sam, Kelli, Carl, Kacey, Katie and Ryan.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 5830 Skokie Rd., Lake Wales, Florida 33898.
A Celebration of Life will also be held in New York at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale, Florida and the Parkinson Foundation.

Edward Taylor Pierce
WWII Vet., 82

Edward Taylor Pierce of Cochecton Center, a WWII Veteran (Battle of the Bulge 69th Division and Purple Heart Recipient) died Thursday, May 22, 2008. He was 82 years of age.
He was the elder son of Katheryne and Charles F. Pierce, born and died on the land where he lived his entire life.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Katherine Nelson Pierce at home; son, Edward K. Pierce of Cochecton Center; daughter-in-law, Susan H. Pierce; grandchildren, Danielle, Carrie, Amanda, Edward and James; daughter-in-law, Ginger Lee Pierce of Cochecton Center; granddaughters, Ginger Irene and Roxanne; daughter, Kathy J. Pierce of Mechanicsville, Va.; his sister, and brother-in-law, Julia and Charles Palmer of Delmar, Md.; sister-in-law, Henrietta “Etta” Pierce; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by his son, Kenneth S. Pierce who passed away on August 4, 2007; and his brother, Melvin Pierce.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, May 29 at Rasmussen Funeral Home, Narrowsburg.
Burial was made in Laurel (Cochecton Center Cem.) Cemetery, Cochecton Center.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Co., 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550 or the Cochecton Vol. Ambulance Corps, PO Box 4, Lake Huntington, NY 12752.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rasmussen Funeral Home in Narrowsburg.

Marie K. Ward
Homemaker, 72

Marie K. Ward, a homemaker and longtime area resident, passed away on Saturday May 24, 2008 at Achieve Rehab & Nursing Facility in Liberty. She was 72 years of age.
Born on December 12, 1935 in Long Island, she was the daughter of the late James and Agnes Walsh Kilkenny.
Marie was a member of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Liberty.
Survivors include her husband of 45 years, James A. Ward, at home; two sons, James W. Ward of Liberty and Scott M. Ward of Enola, Pa.; one daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Leland and her husband, Kevin of Liberty; two brothers, James Patrick Kilkenny of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Kevin Kilkenny and his wife, Linda of Meben, N.C.; four grandchildren, Robert Ward, Brett Ward, Julia Leland and Gregory Leland; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at Ramsay’s Funeral Home with Rev. Ivan Csete officiating.
Burial was made in Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Funeral arrangements by Ramsay’s Funeral Homes Inc., Liberty.

Earl Weston Reed
Formerly of Monticello, 84

Earl Weston Reed, formerly of Monticello and longtime resident of Rivervale, N.J. passed away peacefully on May 4, 2008 at the Hospice House in Clermont, Florida after a long illness. He was 84.
The son of Earl and Margaret Calhoun Reed, he was born on October 17, 1923 in Monticello, N.Y. He was married to the late Irene Schoonmaker Reed.
Earl served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired from Allied Aeronautical, where he was a machinist. During his retirement, he used his talents as a cabinet and furniture maker.
He was predeceased by a sister, Madeline Reed Shafer and five brothers, Kenneth, George, Raymond, Roland (Rolie) and Milton.
Earl is survived by his daughter Sheryl Hicks of Longwood, Fla., his son, Jeffrey Reed of Westwood, N.J., three grandchildren, Jeffrey Hicks and Heather Hicks of Longwood, Fla., and Chad Hicks, a Marine stationed in Hawaii. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at the Rock Hill Church of the Nazarene in Rock Hill, N.Y. on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Pastor Roy Shaffer will officiate.
Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Lake & Sunter Inc., 12300 Lane Park Rd., Taveres, Fl 32278.

Bunny Capuano
Retired. Secretary, 72

Bunny (Louise) Capuano of Callicoon, a resident since 1994, a retired secretary at the Brooklyn Museum, died at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris on May 25, 2008. She was 72.
She was born in Brooklyn on July 31, 1935 to Joseph and Christina Luzzi Trapani.
She was a member of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Callicoon, the Altar Rosary Society of Holy Cross Church, Catholic Daughters of America Court Father Raphael #1542.
Survivors include her husband, Anthony Capuano, Sr. at home; her daughter, Victoria Capuano of Staten Island; her son, Anthony Capuano, Jr. and his wife, Eva of Staten Island; her grandchildren, Joseph and Christina.
Services were held Thursday, May 29 at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon. Father Ignatius Smith O.F.M. was the officiant.
Burial was made in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Obernburg.

Douglas Bury
Business Owner, 88

Douglas Bury of Roscoe, retired owner of the Antrim Lodge Hotel and Douglas Bury Real Estate and lifelong area resident, died peacefully at the home of his daughter in Englewood, Co. on Friday, April 11, 2008. He was 88.
The son of the late Harvey and Ruth Kraft Bury, he was born March 17, 1920 in Roscoe.
Doug and his late wife AnnaMae owned the Antrim Lodge Hotel and Restaurant from 1968 until 2006. He is a member of the Twin Village Golf Club, and the New York State Hotel Assn., he served Our Country in the US Army Air Corps during World War II. While stationed in the South Pacific, as a Staff Sergeant, he received two Bronze Stars; he was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Survivors include one son, Douglas K. Bury of Aurora, Co.; two daughters, Mary Ellen “Melllie” Graves and her husband, Ernest of Tucson, Az., and Betsy Parker and her husband, John of Englewood, Co.; his grandchildren, Daniel Ficke, Sarah, Mary, Spencer and Claire Graves, Ann and Jack Parker; son-in-law, William Ficke; one brother, Ron Bury and his wife, Hildegard; sister-in-law, Norma Bury; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, AnnaMae Keener Bury and his loving daughter, JoAnn Bury Ficke.
Visitation will be Friday, May 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. followed by a recitation of the Rosary in the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. in the Gate of Heaven Church, Highland Ave., Roscoe. Monsignor William Collins will officiate. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery, Roscoe.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to Roscoe-Rockland Vol. Ambulance Corps, Roscoe, NY 12776 or Orange-Sullivan Hospice, 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe.

Oscar E. Ropke Jr.
Ret. Farmer, 85

Oscar E. Ropke Jr. of Homosassa, Fla. and Beach Lake, Pa. died Friday, May 23, 2008 in Homosassa, Fla. He was 85.
The son of the late Oscar and Emily Metzger Ropke, he was born in Lava on June 8, 1922.
Oscar was a retired farmer and part time real estate agent and had worked for Davis R. Chant Realtors and Klimchok Real Estate.
He was a WWII Veteran, having served in the Navy as a Petty Officer 2nd Class. He attended Damascus Methodist Church, Damascus, Pa.
A family statement reads, Oscar was a loving and devoted husband and father. He lived through the Depression and WWII. He worked very hard in his lifetime to provide a good life for everyone. He was an avid hunter, and loved the land and outdoors. He will truly be missed and was a big part of our family, having had a very important influence on his children.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Vivian; son, Steven both of Homosassa, Fla; his daughter, Lynn Wachter of Roscoe; two sisters, Lydia (Rena) Bashoor and Edna Sperr and two brothers, Christian Ropke and Charles Ropke; several cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a sister, Margaret and a brother, Herman.
Friends are invited to call on Saturday, May 31, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 90 Main St., Narrowsburg, NY 12764.
Funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m. at the Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery, Narrowsburg.
Donations in his memory may be made to Community Life Activity Fund, Diamond Ridge Health & Rehabilitation Center, 2730 West Marc Knighton Court, Lecanto, FL 34461 or Hospice of Citrus County, PO Box 641270, Beverly Hills, FL 34464.
Funeral arrangements are un-der the direction of Rasmussen Funeral Home, Narrowsburg.