HELEN BRUETSCH

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Helen Bruetsch, a resident of Jeffersonville, died December 11, 2005 at the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 89.

The daughter of Joseph and Mary Rausch Aigner, she was born August 17, 1916 in Brooklyn.

She was a member of St. George’s Church in Jeffersonville.

Bruetsch is survived by her children, Brenda Varanelli and her husband Frank of LaHabra, CA, Theodore Bruetsch of Cobleskill, George Bruetsch and his wife Lynn of Monticello, Carl Bruetsch and his wife Eileen of Cochecton; two sisters, Sophie Werling of Richmond Hills and Judy Asdrubale of San Francisco, CA nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held on Tuesday, December 13 at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Jeffersonville.

A funeral mass was celebrated on December 14 at St. George’s Church with Father Ignatius Vu officiating.

Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Youngsville.Memorial contributions may be made to the Jeffersonville First Aid Squad.

KEITH F. BROOKS

PORT JERVIS, NY — Keith F. Brooks, a resident of Port Jervis, died Thursday, December 8, 2005 at home with his family by his side. He was 77.

The son of the late Frank and Frieda Carr Brooks, he was born April 27, 1928 in McAfee, NJ.

Brooks worked for the Department of Public Works for the town of Warwick. He was a member and past treasurer for the Blue Ridge Beagle Club in Sussex, NJ.

A family statement read: “Dad’s life was his family, especially his children and grandchildren.”

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Betty Jean Evans, whom he married February 18, 1962 at home; his sons, Wayne and his wife Linda of Greenville Township and Ashley and his wife Crystal of Port Jervis; daughters, Yvonne Brooks and her fiancé Larry VanOrden Sr. of Sussex, NJ, Andrea Fellman and her husband David of Huguenot, and Caroline Brooks and her fiancé Seymore Jackson of Middletown; a brother, Victor E. Brooks and his wife Joyce of Callicoon; a sister, Betty Hunter and her husband Bill of Keene, NH; 10 grandchildren, Marcus, Brandon, Chris, Michael, Dakota, Lillian, Elijah, Penelope, Amber and Britany, all the children who called him Grandpa; a sister-in-law, Dorothy “Dot” Evans of Middletown; a good friend, Betty Gilbert of Rexmont, PA; and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held on Saturday, December 17 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home with Pastor Joseph Iannone of the First Assembly of God, Minisink Avenue, Port Jervis, officiating.

Interment will be at the convenience of the family at the North Branch Cemetery in Hardyston Township, NJ.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Ct, Newburgh, NY 12550.

EUGENE B. “UNCLE GENE” CONKLIN

SPARROWBUSH, NY — Eugene B. “Uncle Gene” Conklin, a resident of Sparrowbush, died Monday, December 5, 2005 at home. He was 71.

The son of the late Harvey and Mae Ludwig Conklin, he was born April 26, 1934 in Haverstraw.

Conklin worked in the maintenance deptartment for Bear Mountain State Park for many years, where he was also referred to as Uncle Gene. He was a member of St. Peter’s R.C. Church, Haverstraw and the AARP.

Although he did not join many organizations, Conklin found it in his heart to support the needy by giving to many organizations. He was particularly supportive of those organizations that involve children in need. He gave to the Salvation Army, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Omaha Home for Boys, Covenant House and the Heritage Foundation, just to name a few.

A family statement said: “Uncle Gene was a very gentle and giving man who never had a bad thing to say and was loved by all who knew him.”

He is survived by his sisters, Marie Hopko of Sparrowbush, Patricia Vogelsang of Walden; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Services were held on Saturday, December 10 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home.

Interment is at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Port Jervis.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905.

HOWARD J. DIXON

HAWLEY, PA — Howard J. Dixon, a 37-year resident of Hawley and a former resident of Dover, NJ, died unexpectedly at home on December 8, 2005. He was 76.

The son of the late James and Mildred Dixon, he was born in Newark, NJ.

Dixon worked as an antique dealer. He was a former employee of Hewlett-Packard. He was a member of the Temple Beth Israel and enjoyed hunting.

Dixon is survived by his wife, Jane Rosenberg Dixon of Hawley; two sons, Howard J. Jr. and David, both of Landing, NJ; one daughter, Judith Johnson of Lake Hopatcong, NJ; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Castillo of San Francisco, CA; a sister, Jane Fredericks of Sparta, NJ; and five grandchildren.

Services will be held Monday, December 19 at 2 p.m. at the Temple Beth Israel with the Rabbi Allan L. Smith officiating.

EDNA G. HARTUNG

DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Edna G. Hartung, a resident of Daytona Beach and a longtime summer resident of Cochecton, NY, died Saturday, December 3, 2005 at Peridot Place, A.L.F., Ormond Beach, FL. She was 90.

She was formerly a member of the Holy Cross Church in Callicoon. She was the widow of Robert J. Hartung who died in 1997.

She is survived by a son, Robert and his wife Ann of Daytona Beach; a daughter, Loretta and her husband Steven Rieger of Wilmington, DE; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her daughter Marilyn, a brother and two sisters.

Funeral services were held at Volusia Memorial Park, Ormond Beach FL with Reverend Phil Eigitto officiating.

Interment is in the Volusia Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to Florida Hospital Memorial Hospice Care, 770 W. Granda Blvd., Suite 304, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.

ETHEL KLEINSTUBER

SPARROWBUSH, NY — Ethel Kleinstuber, a resident of Sparrowbush, died Monday, December 5, 2005 at St. Joseph’s Place in Port Jervis. She was 101.

The first born of George and Mary Tupper Hoare, both of England, she was born October 9, 1904 in Brooklyn.

While living in Sparrowbush and working at Gillinder Brothers Glass Factory, she met John Kleinstuber and the two were married on June 27, 1925, by the Minister of the Sparrowbush United Methodist Church.

She was a member of the Sparrowbush United Methodist Church and a longtime member and past president of one of their ladies groups, the Cand M Builders.

She was a homemaker, loving mother and an accomplished seamstress and dresser, having been taught these trades by her mother.

She is survived by her son, Robert of Lancaster; a sister, Elizabeth Hoare of Sparrowbush; granddaughters Ellen Louise Kleinstuber of Jeffersonville, Lynn Marie Fleming and her husband H. Lee of Lancaster, and Gale J. Chevalier and her husband Mark of Lancaster; five great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband John in 1952; one sister, Miss Alice Hoare; and two brothers, Clement and James Hoare.

Services were held on Monday, December 12 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home with the Reverend Robert Mayer of the Sparrowbush United Methodist Church officiating.

Interment is at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Jervis, NY.

Memorial contributions may be made to C and M Builders, Sparrowbush United Methodist Church, Sparrowbush, NY 12780.

GLADYS HESS MORGAN

SHOHOLA, PA — Gladys Hess Morgan, a resident of Shohola, died on Thursday, December 8, 2005. She was 86.

She was the eldest child of the late Jacob and Helen Hess. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Thomas Peter Moran, who died in 1995.

She is survived by Robert Gilroy; three daughters, Gladys Wilson of Anchorage, AK, Delia Conte of Pelham Manor, NY, and Jennifer Kennedy Wicks of Tavares, FL; six grandchildren, Cynthia and Donna Wilson, Celeste, Edward and Philip Conte and Adam Kennedy; and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Lucille Stroyan Fenner of Milford and George Hess of Beloit, WL.

Funeral services were private.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice St. John, 1007 Oak St., Pittston Township, PA 18640.