May 24, 2013

Daniel S. Hogue Sr.
August 8, 1938 – May 22, 2013

Daniel S. Hogue Sr. of Forestburgh, NY, was born at home on August 8, 1938, delivered by his grandmother, in Beaver County, PA, to his parents Daniel Sherman Hogue and Mildred U. Herr Hogue. He died peacefully of a short illness at home with his family at his side on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at the age of 74.
Dan graduated from Monticello High School in 1957 “majoring in wood shop.” He entered the United States Army right after graduation for a two year tour of duty with the third division (Marne Men) in Germany. He later married Mildred A. Avery on April 16, 1960. In 1961 he started as a Patrolman for the Monticello Police Dept., working his way through the ranks as Monticello’s first motorcycle officer, first Detective, then Lieutenant Detective. He was known as a “cop’s cop.” Upon retiring in 1986, he was the Sullivan County Undersheriff for 11 years. He then ran successfully for two consecutive terms as Sullivan County Sheriff. After 45 years in law enforcement, he retired in 2005 to enjoy his family, four-wheeling, NASCAR and Myrtle Beach. He was a member of the Monticello PBA, the New York State Sheriff’s Assoc., the Tri-States Police and the Tug Hill Wheelers.
He always said “I always felt my life was complete with one good friend – I guess I have more than one good friend.”
He leaves behind his wife of 53 years, Millie; a son: Daniel S. Hogue Jr. & his wife Kim; grandson: Daniel Sherman Hogue III and granddaughter Jenna Rose Hogue, all of Forestburgh.
Being a public servant his entire life, he never lost sight of the values of family first, followed closely by his friends and duty, which was clearly evident for his great love of family, especially his grandchildren. He also leaves behind his three brothers: Donald S. Hogue and his wife Barbara of Tampa, FL, Anthony Tyburski and his wife Robin of Frachtville, PA, and Raymond Tyburski and his wife Kim of Waukegan, IL; a sister: Marianne Levine of Sarasota, FL; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 24 from 3-8 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny Inc. Funeral Home, 401 Broadway in Monticello.
His funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. at the Rock Hill Church of the Nazarene, 210 Katrina Falls Road in Rock Hill with Rev. Roy Shaffer officiating.
Burial with military honors will follow at the St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery in Forestburgh.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550.
Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Monticello. For additional information or to send the family an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com

Harry ‘Murf’ Sherman

Harry “Murf” Sherman left this world suddenly and unexpectedly on May 12, 2013 at the age of 45 in Starrucca, PA.
Born October 4, 1967 in Liberty, NY to Ruthe M. Kubiznak and Harry Sherman (both deceased), he spent the majority of his life in this area of the Catskills. Murf was a very creative and free spirit, filled with life and love, always there to help someone when they were in need. His generosity was unprecedented. He was a very talented artist, craftsman and musician with exceptional, raw culinary talent. He was blessed with a unique and magnetic personality, a contagious smile and an infallible gift for lifting the spirits of everyone around him. In his tragically short life, Murf had more friendships than one could ever attempt to count. He touched the lives of everyone he met, everywhere he went. He was a man who always followed his heart wherever it took him and where it took him was into all of our hearts, where he will live forever.
While he enjoyed writing and playing music, gardening, hiking, and creating beauty from ordinary things, his absolute favorite past time was spent with his 10 year old daughter, the light and love of his life, Ella Mae.
Murf is survived by his beautiful daughter, Ella Mae; his companion Jenny Boylan, and her sons Matt and Seamus, four sisters: Diana Young of Staten Island, New York; Katt Judd (husband, Larry) of Lordville, NY; Isabel Evans (husband, Ronnie) of Roscoe, NY; Susan Borst (husband, Ed) of Las Vegas, NV, several nieces and nephews, thirteen great-nieces and nephews, one great-great niece, and a host of friends.
A private, invitation only Celebration of Life is scheduled in June at the home of Katt and Larry Judd in Lordville. Please contact Katt and Larry at katbird77@verizon.net for details.
In lieu of flowers, Murf’s family is in the process of setting up a trust fund for Ella, and we ask that donations be sent in care of Isabel Evans, 237 Rockland Road, Roscoe, NY 12776, payable only to the Ella Mae Sherman Trust Fund.

William H. Gregg
Retired Carpenter, 74

William H. Gregg of Damascus,PA, a retired carpenter for the Villa Roma Resort died Thursday, May 23, 2013 in Damascus. He was 74.
The son of the late William J. and Mabel Marks Gregg, he was born November 5, 1938 in Honesdale, PA. He was the widower of Sarah Elaine Gregg who died in 2008.
Mr. Gregg was a U.S. Navy Veteran serving in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
He is survived by his daughter, Tammy Zeleski, and her husband Mark of Milford, PA; his son, Fred Gregg, and his wife Jennie of Tunkhannock, PA; three grandchildren, Sara Gillespie and her husband Shane, Andrew Zaleski and Joshua Gregg, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and his wife he was predeceased by a brother, Charles Gregg.
Friends may call on Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home, 34 Upper Main St., Callicoon from noon to 1 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 1 p.m.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Galilee, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Damacus Township Ambulance Corps, PO Box 63, Damascus, PA 18415 or to the charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are by Stewart Murphy Funeral Home Inc., Callicoon, New York, 845-887-4900.

Celebration of Life for Keith Backlund

A memorial for Keith Backlund will be held Saturday, June 1, 2013 at the Soaring Eagle Campground in Equinunk, Pa. To RSVP or for more information please call (570) 224-4666.

Norma K. Niven
December 1, 1920 - May 22, 2013

Norma Niven, aged 92, passed away peacefully at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty, NY, on May 22, 2013.
She was born December 1, 1920 in Newark, NJ to Fredrick A. Kessler and Wilma Bennett Kessler.
Norma earned a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia in 1942 on full scholarship, and an M.S. in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1946. After graduating from Chestnut Hill she aided the WWII war effort in a Wilmington, DE military parts requisition company and the Signal Corps Depot in Philadelphia, PA.
She worked for the Monticello school system as a Home Economics teacher in the late 1940s and as a substitute teacher through the 1970s. However, the bulk of her time was devoted to caring for her family. She was a teacher and mentor for many years in various volunteer capacities including Sunday School, the Girl Scouts and the Sullivan County Audubon Society, which she co-founded with her husband, Kenneth Niven. Her strong Christian faith was a guiding force in her life. She was baptized at age 14 at the Elizabeth Ave. Baptist Church in Newark, NJ and joined the First Church of Monticello, Presbyterian when she married in 1946. She loved her church and served it in many ways over the years.
Norma was optimistic about life and had a gift for seeing beauty and goodness in the world. She had broad interests and was always passionate about learning, often running to the encyclopedia in search of answers to questions that arose at the dinner table. She was an amateur artist, played piano, sang in college (once performed with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Philharmonic), and loved opera, ballet and literature. She was as good a mother as one could hope for; loving, kind, supportive and nurturing, and a skilled and patient teacher whose interests and training in home economics were greatly valued by her family. Norma viewed cooking and sewing as expressions of caring, love and giving, and delighted in preparing family meals and special food gifts, most especially in baking annual assortments of Christmas cookies for family and friends. Her kind spirit shone throughout her life, even in the final stages of her illness.
Norma was predeceased by her beloved husband, Kenneth D. Niven, and is survived by her daughter Cynthia Niven of Monticello, NY, and her son, Daniel Niven, his wife Kathleen Fort, and her granddaughter, Bridget Phoebe Niven of Champaign, IL.
Her family is deeply grateful to the entire staff of the Sullivan County Adult Care Center for the wonderfully kind and skilled care they gave Norma during the years she made it her home.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 26 from 4-7 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny Inc. Funeral Home, 401 Broadway in Monticello.
Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 28 at 11 a.m. at the First Church of Monticello Presbyterian, Jones Street in Monticello with the Rev. Johanna Andritz officiating.
Burial will follow at the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the First Church of Monticello Presbyterian or the Sullivan County Adult Care Center Family Council.
Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Monticello. For additional information or to send the family an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com