David Arnold Poley
Retired Quality Control Specialist, 60

David Arnold Poley, age 60, of Schaghticoke, New York, son of the late Arnold and Madeline Poley, passed away suddenly on April 29, 2012.
A native son of Sullivan County, Dave graduated from Delaware Valley Central School in Callicoon, New York. He served honorably in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was retired from the Watervliet Arsenal after twenty-five years as a quality control specialist.
Last year, he received grateful recognition for ten years of service to the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in Clifton Park, New York. Dave was an avid outdoorsman and gardener as well as a loving family member.
He was predeceased by his sister, Melissa Poley Smith, and is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Poley; sister, Pamela Poley Lundgren; nephew, David Lundgren; niece, Jazmine Smith; and brothers-in-law, Steve Lundgren and Robert Smith. He also leaves behind an extended step-family, Howard, Kris, Tom, Lori Whitmore, their mother Anne and their families, his uncle and aunt, and many cousins and friends.
A private memorial will be scheduled.

Albert Van Dyke Jr.
Retired Educational Administrator, 81

Albert “Al” Van Dyke Jr. passed away on Monday, April 30, 2012 at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was 81 years of age.
Al was born on July 14, 1930 in Middletown, NY, to the late Albert Van Dyke Sr. and the late Grace Gregory Van Dyke.
He attended Liberty Central Schools, graduating in 1948. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Hartwick College in 1952. After college, Al served in the U.S. Air Force Security Service from 1952 to 1956. He returned from military service and entered Graduate School at SUNY Albany, earning his Master’s Degree in Education in 1959. He received his School Administrator’s Certification from Columbia University. In 1959, Al began his career in education as a Social Studies teacher in Liberty, NY. He recognized that there were many students whose educational needs were not being met in a traditional school setting. He then worked with the Liberty School District to establish a special education program in the High School. In 1967, Al was hired as the first Director of Special Education at Sullivan county BOCES, where he had the responsibility to design and implement special education programs for all grades and for children throughout Sullivan County. He served in this capacity for 20 years. During that time, he watched the program and services grow from temporary classrooms in church basements to the BOCES facility on Loomis Rd., Liberty, with state-of-the-art facilities. As more services became available in the community, Al worked with every human service agency in the county to help students and families. When Al retired from BOCES, he went to work for Sullivan County to design and implement a pre-school program for Sullivan County.
Al not only contributed his expertise to his job, he was also active in his community. He was a member of the Liberty Jay Cees, was an Eagle Scout and was a life-long member of the Liberty United Methodist Church, where he served as Sunday School Superintendent. He was a member of the Liberty Planning and Zoning Board; an officer in the Liberty Lions Club; a long-time member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity; a member of the Half Moon Postcard Club and was a member of SANYS, the School Administrators Assn. of NYS. He also served on the Assn. of Retarded Citizen’s (ARC) Board, the Sullivan County Mental Health Board, was Educational Advisor to the United Cerebral Palsy Board (now the Center for Discovery) and he was elected to the educational fraternity Phi Delta Kappa.
Over the many years of his career, Al served as mentor to many teachers and human service professionals. Those who had the privilege to know and work with Al have benefited from his knowledge, compassion and wisdom.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 55 years, Joanne Cipriani Van Dyke at home; his daughter, Diane Naile and her husband James of Brevard, NC; two granddaughters, Caitlin and Alexis Mutter.
Visitation will be on Friday, May 4 from 7-9 p.m. at Ramsay’s Funeral Home, 275 S. Main St., Liberty, NY.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 5 at Noon at the Liberty United Methodist Church. Rev. John Thomason will officiate the services.
Burial will take place at Hortonville Cemetery and will be private at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Liberty United Methodist Church, 170 N. Main St., Liberty, NY 12754.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Ramsay’s Funeral Homes Inc. Liberty, NY 845-292-7160.

Joseph Ryan Finn, 22
May 29, 1989 - April 30, 2012

Joe Finn of Cochecton, NY, born on May 29, 1989 in Oceanside, NY, passed away on April 30, 2012. He was a graduate of Sullivan West Central School and a former member of Boy Scout Troop 106 in Jeffersonville, NY.
He is survived by his parents, Ruth and Robert Finn; his best, best friend and brother, James Finn; the daughter of our hearts, Danielle Sliker; his brother, Christopher, in Florida; and by many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother, Robert Michael Finn.
There will be no calling hours.
Burial will be in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Liberty, NY, at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions in Joe’s name may be made to the Lake Huntington Fire Dept. or to the Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home, Jeffersonville, NY 482-4280.

Violet M. Hill
April 3, 1939 - May 1, 2012

Violet M. Hill of North Branch, NY, is now resting in the arms of Jesus. She passed away on Tuesday, May 1, 2012.
Violet was born in North Branch, the daughter of the late Charles & Edna Marie Hust Kautz. She was married to Donald Hill Jr., who preceded her in death on June 22, 2008.
Violet was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Narrowsburg, NY. She was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Violet was a loving mother. She loved sewing, baking and all kinds of crafts. She worked at Roth’s Laundromat in Jeffersonville. She painted and hung wallpaper with her sister for many years, and helped her husband with their outdoor furniture business.
She is survived by three children: Cheryl Lachowitz and her husband, Scot, of Wilmington, NC, Cathy Eschenberg and her husband, William, of Callicoon, NY, and Donald Hill III of North Branch, NY; her sister, Mae Jackson and her husband, John, of Jeffersonville; her mother-in-law, Marge Hill of Mon Clair, CA; her sisters-in-law, Joan Pound (Joe) of Lindley, NY, Patty Denton of Upland, CA, and Charlotte Kautz of Callicoon, NY; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by three brothers, Harold Kautz, Raymond Kautz and Jerry Kautz; and one sister, Edith Muth.
Calling hours will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home, Jeffersonville.
Services will follow at noon at the funeral home, with Pastor Phyllis Haynes officiating.
Burial with military honors will be in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Liberty, NY.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

Irene Knudsen
Retired Legal Secretary, 78

Irene Knudsen of Roscoe, NY, a retired legal secretary and a longtime area resident, died Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, NY. She was 78.
The daughter of the late Olaf and Katrine Hansen Jacobsen, she was born November 10, 1933 in Westerleigh, Staten Island, NY.
Irene was a member of the United Church of Roscoe, and a former member of the United Church Auxiliary. She enjoyed reading, crocheting, gardening and her little red wagon. She was known for her potato salad, brownies, and apple pie, and was lovingly known as Beste.
Survivors include her husband, Kenneth E. Knudsen, at home; two daughters, Dawn Lotti and her husband, John, of Charlotte, NC, and Donna Vallone and her husband, Philip, of Roscoe; one brother, Olaf M. Jacobsen and his wife, Donna, of Roscoe; five grandchildren: Jonathan Lotti and his fianceé, Angela Mirilovich, Katrine Lotti, Andrew Lotti, Lance Corp. Philip Vallone Jr., USMC, and Nicholas Vallone.
Visitation will be held Friday, May 4, 2012 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Ave., Roscoe, NY.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. David Collins officiating.
Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery, Roscoe.
Memorial contributions in Irene’s name may be made to the United Church of Roscoe, P.O. Box 233, Roscoe, NY 12776 or to the Roscoe-Rockland Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 321, Roscoe, NY 12776.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Avenue, Roscoe, NY 607-498-4929 or 845-439-5200; www.Harris-FH.com