JANET CARTER

HONESDALE, PA — Janet Carter of Honesdale, founder of the area’s popular “Thanksgiving Together,” died on Saturday, July 15, 2006.

Carter’s “Thanksgiving Together” concept, which began with a community Thanksgiving meal in the early 1980s, soon spread. It now sponsors celebratory meals on other major holidays, and “Saturday Together” — community luncheons on most Saturdays in local churches.

Janet is survived by son Edwin C. Carter of Honesdale; daughter and son-in-law Carolyn and Bill Schuk, a grandson; and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Honesdale on Friday, July 21 at 11:00 a.m., with the Rev. Estelle Webb of New Haven, CT officiating. Al Schwartz will provide a luncheon in the parish hall immediately following the service commemorating Janet’s ministry and friendship. There will be no burial. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to donate to the Janet Carter Memorial Thanksgiving Together Fund, c/o Raymond Hamill Law Offices, 922 Church St., Honesdale, PA 18431-1921. For more information call (570) 253-5229.

MARY ANN CHEVALIER

MONTICELLO, NY — Mary Ann Chevalier of Monticello died Friday, July 14, 2006 at the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. She was 73.

The daughter of the late Nunzio and Josephine Chevalier, she was born December 8, 1932 in Babylon, Long Island.

Chevalier was a retired bus driver for the Monticello Central Schools.

She is survived by a son, Clyde Chevalier and his wife Marcy of Monticello; a daughter, Sheila Heins and her husband Wayne of Monticello; nine grandchildren; several great grandchildren, brothers; sisters; nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Martin C. Chevalier and a son, Richard T. Chevalier Sr.

Services were held Monday, July 17 at the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home with Fr. John Tran officiating.

Interment will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery in Bethel.

DEBRA A. DECKER

SPARROWBUSH, NY — Debra A. Decker of Cahoonzie Club, Sparrowbush died Saturday, July 15, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis. She was 48.

The daughter of Robert J. and the late Shirley C. Van Etten Riggs, she was born July 16, 1957 in Waterbury, CT.

Decker was an accountant for Earl Edwards & Co., which is now Berard and Donahue, CPA PC, in Port Jervis. She was also a member of the Tri-State Chamber of Commerce.

Decker is survived by her father, Robert J. Riggs; her husband, Micheal C. Decker at home; a son, Micheal R. Decker at home; a brother-in-law, Dr. Daniel J. Decker and his wife Christine of Ithaca; an aunt, Joan Strasser and her husband Jack of Port Jervis; and nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her mother-in-law, Josephine Decker Riggs; two aunts, Patricia Meyer and Marilyn Schroeder; and her uncle, Alfred Van Etten.

Services were held Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis with the Rev. Robert C. Grieve officiating.

Interment will take place at Pine Hill Cemetery, Sparrowbush, NY.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Debra A. Decker Memorial Trust, 7 E. Shore Dr., Sparrowbush, NY 12780.

HELEN EILEEN DERRICK

HONESDALE, PA — Helen Eileen Skinner Derrick of Honesdale died Tuesday, June 13, 2006 in the Ellen Memorial Health Care Center, Honesdale.

The daughter of the late Eugene and Carrie Brown Mentor, she was born in Lakeville.

A resident of Okeechobee, FL from 1966 until 2002, Derrick was a nurse’s aide and an avid reader of romance novels.

She is survived by a daughter, Janet Lassley and her husband James of Honesdale; two step-daughters, Patricia Smith of Washington, NJ and Judith Ciccarelli and her husband Richard of Warren Twp., NJ; three grandchildren, Bruce Lassey and his wife Lynda of Hawley, Linda Hinaman and her husband Paul of Beach Lake and Dominick Mupo and his wife Kirti of Royal Palm Beach, FL; three step-grandchildren, Christopher Smith, Kathryn Ciccarelli and Julia Ciccarelli; seven great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; two great-great-granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husbands Clarence Skinner and Patrick Derrick; a daughter, Gloria Peckham; a brother, Adrian Mentor; a sister, Isabelle Jamieson; and a grandson, Angelo Mupo.

Cremation took place at Maple Hill at Salem Crematory, Archbald.

Interment will take place at Overlook Cemetery, Damascus.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 501 n. 17th Street, Suite 212, Allentown, PA 18104.

BRENDAN C. HALLIGAN

ELDRED, NY — Brendan C. Halligan of Eldred died Thursday, July 13, 2006. He was 91.

The son of Patrick and Bridget (Waters) Halligan, he was born in the Bronx on March 28, 1915.

Halligan owned and operated a real estate and insurance agency in Woodlawn and later joined the Rollins Agency in Bronxville. He was a member of the U.S. Navy during WWII and served during the Korean War. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and a church usher for St. Barnabas of Woodlawn and St. Anthony of Padua in Yulan.

He is survived by his children, Barbara and John Cicchetti of New City, Brendan Halligan Jr. of Fishkill and Patricia Martin of Covina, CA; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a niece and a nephew.

He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret (Peggy) Halligan; four brothers, Thomas, John, James and Albert; his sisters, Helen Greene and Margaret Halligan; and a nephew.

Visitation was held Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at the Higgins Funeral home in New City.

FRANCES M. OLCOTT

WURTSBORO, NY — Frances M. Olcott of Wurtsboro died Monday, July 10, 2006 at the Orange Regional Medical Center, Horton Campus in Middletown. She was 68.

The daughter of the late Harold Thompson and Blanche Helm Thompson, she was born April 26, 1938 in Middletown.

A homemaker for most of her life, Olcott also worked for the Wurtsboro Pharmacy, Wurtsboro Variety Store and as a clerk at the U.S. Post office in Bloomingburg. She was active in Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Wives of Elks and Women of the Moose in her earlier years. Olcott was an avid traveler who toured the United States and Canada with her husband in their truck and trailer, as well as other locations.

She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Robert J. Olcott, at home; two daughters, Dawn Babcock Vitiello and her husband Perry of Westbrookville, and Laura Froehlich of Callicoon; two sons, Robert Olcott and his wife Theresa of Monroe Twp., NJ and George Olcott and his wife Priscilla of Wurtsboro; a brother, Harold Thompson of Wurtsboro; eight grandchildren; one niece and a nephew.

She was predeceased by a sister, Mary Thompson.

Services were held Thursday at the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home in Wurtsboro.

Burial will be held at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

ELISABETH (VAN OPHEMERT) OSTERMANN

ORMOND BEACH, FL — Elisabeth (Van Ophemert) Ostermann of Ormond Beach and formerly of Glen Spey, NY died March 14, 2006 in Mayfield Heights, OH. She was 99 years old.

She was born in Koblenz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany on February 6, 1907.

Ostermann was a lifelong member of The Schwartzwald (Black Forest) German American Club in Glen Spey.

She is survived by one son, Carl H. Ostermann and his wife Margaret of Philadelphia, PA; one daughter, Betty Szirony and her husband James of Cleveland, OH; two grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Margot Peterson of Glen Spey.

Services were held July 14, 2006 in The Black Forest Cemetery, Glen Spey.

Contributions may be made to Hospice of Western Reserve, 300 E. 185th St., Cleveland, OH 44119.

ALFRED PAGANINI

BEACH LAKE, PA — Alfred Paganini of Beach Lake died Friday, July 14, 2006 at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, PA. He was 86.

The son of the late Alfred and Philimina Murphy Paganini, he was born September 1, 1919 in New York, NY.

Paganini was a retired fabricator and a WWII Navy veteran.

A family statement reads, “He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Alfred had an art for making spectacular duck decoys. He took great pride in his family. He will greatly be missed by all that knew him.”

He is survived by his wife Theresa at home; one daughter, Linda Pienik of Beach Lake; one son, Gregory Paganini and his wife Vivian of Washington Twp., NJ; a daughter-in-law, Jeri Collins; five grandchildren; one great-grandson; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a son, Gary Paganini; a sister, Louise McSwigin; and a brother, Edwin Paganini.

Memorial services were held on Sunday, July 16, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 90 Main Street, Narrowsburg, NY 12764.

Contributions may be made to Dessin Animal Shelter, 138 Miller Road, Honesdale, PA 18431.

MARGARET A. STEWART

PORT JERVIS, NY — Margaret A. Stewart of Port Jervis died Friday, July 14, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis. She was 56.

The daughter of Marilyn Fargo Heald and the late Charles Stark, she was born on August 27, 1949 in Austin, TX.

Stewart was an assembler at Kolmar Labs in Port Jervis. She was a former member of the Ladies Auxiliary #161 and former member of V.F.W. Post #161 in Port Jervis.

She is survived by her mother, Marilyn Fargo Heald of South Carolina; her husband, John R. Stewart at home; three sons, Gregory Stewart and his wife Stacey of Port Jervis, Shawn Stewart and his wife Jessica of Shohola, PA and David Stewart of Ocean Gate, NJ; two daughters, Monica Lancaster and her husband Corliss of Ocean Grove, NJ and Melody DeGraw and her husband Nathan of Dingmans Ferry, PA; two brothers, Charles and James Stark of South Carolina; and seven grandchildren, Gregory, Stephanie, Angelica, Corliss, Angel, Courtney and Joshua.

Services were held on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc. in Port Jervis.

Interment will be private.