GLEN R. ASHLEY

Glen R. Ashley of Highland Lake, NY, a lifelong resident of the area and a former welder for Panaco Electric, Greenwood Lake, died February 7, 2009 at Albany Medical Center. He was 50.

The son of Joyce Schwab and the late Kenneth R. Ashley, he was born November 24, 1958 in Warwick, NY.

He is survived by his mother, Joyce Schwab Ashley of Highland Lake; sister Deborah Ashley Budy and husband Donald of Elizabeth, CO; niece Autumn Budy Gann of Crowley, TX; nephew Brian Ashley Budy of Burleson, TX; great niece Marissa Sparks of Crowley; maternal grandmother Mildred Schwab of Cragsmoor, NY; and several aunts and uncles.

Friends may call at Loucks Funeral Home, Inc., 79 N. Main St., Ellenville on Thursday, February 12, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 13 at the funeral home with Rev. Jay Vogelaar officiating. Burial will be in the Warwick Cemetery, Warwick.

Contributions may be sent to the Traumatic Brain Injury Association.

MARGARET L. CONKLIN

Margaret Lillian Conklin of Callicoon Center, NY, a retired presser at the Callicoon Dress Factory in Callicoon, NY and a lifetime area resident, died on Monday, February 2, 2009 at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris, NY. She was 92.

Born to the late Peter S. and Antoinette Kellam Miller, she was born on October 23, 1916 in Damascus Township, PA.

She was married to the late Morris Sidney Conklin, and was a member of the Ladies Garment Workers Union.

Survivors include son William Conklin of Callicoon Center; daughter Audrey Conklin of Callicoon Center; brother Harold Miller of Callicoon; sister Marion Tyler of Callicoon; seven grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

She was predeceased by her husband, Morris Sidney Conklin; son Ronald Conklin; daughter Phyllis Gyllenhammer; and several brothers and sisters.

A memorial service and burial of Margaret’s cremains will be held at a later date, to be announced.

Memorial donations to the family would be greatly appreciated.

JOSE LOUIS LEON

Jose Louis Leon of Glen Spey, NY, passed away on Monday, January 26, 2009 at home. He was 79.

He was born March 10, 1929 in Ponce, PR, the son of the late Augusta and Eleanora Leon Astaio. He was married to Rosemary Ransom Leon for 43 years.

A family statement reads: “Jose Leon was a loving husband and a wonderful father. He was very caring and would do anything for his loved ones, always putting their needs before his own. He was a loyal, hard-working man and will be deeply missed by all who loved him. Gone but not forgotten.”

Surviving are his wife Rosemary at home; daughters Iris Pagan and husband William of Hartford, CT, Mildred Ortiz of Hartford, Debbie Astacio and husband Jose of Manchester, CT, Trudy Raymond and husband Harold of Slate Hill, NY and Jodie Mann and husband Richard of Glen Spey; son Jose Louis Leon Jr. of Glen Spey; 21 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Inc., Port Jervis, NY, on Wednesday, January 28. Cremation was at H.G. Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, PA. Burial will be at a later date.

GEORGE OSTRANDER

George Ostrander of Haskell, NJ died on Monday, January 26, 2009. He was 83.

Born in Boyds Mills, PA, he was the son of Lawrence and Elizabeth Ostrander.

He graduated from Damascus High School. He was a WWII Army Veteran, a member of VFW James W. McCartney Post 6765 and a parishioner at St. Francis RC Church, Haskell. He owned Garden State Home Improvement in Haskell for 59 years, retiring in 2006.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Merrick) Ostrander; sons George R. and wife Monique and Barry and wife Dale of Haskell; daughters Elizabeth and husband Luke Pezzella of Alabama and Nancy and husband Doug Greenfield of Reading, PA; brothers Walter and wife Jean Ostrander of Beach Lake, PA and Larry and wife Ruth of Gillett, PA; eight grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a sister, Grace Tallman of Carley Brook, NJ; and a brother, Elwin of Honesdale, PA.

The funeral was held at D’Agostino Funeral Home, Haskell; and entombment at Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa, NJ.

VIVIAN A. ROPKE

Vivian Ropke, formerly of Milanville, PA and Beach Lake, PA died on Friday, February 6, 2009 at Diamond Ridge Health & Rehab Center, Locarte, FL.

She was born on July 4, 1922 in Milanville to the late Anthony and Anna Dumezius Thomas.

Vivian married Oscar Ropke, to whom she was married for 60 years. She helped her parents manage a boarding house, Hillside Acres, and in 1960 the couple bought a dairy farm on the Pennsylvania side of Callicoon, NY. She ran the boarding house for several summers when her parents passed away. After selling both businesses, Vivian was employed as head of housekeeping at the former Grover M. Hermann Hospital in Callicoon.

She was an active volunteer in the hospital auxiliary and Milanville Methodist Church Ladies Aide and enjoyed fishing, traveling, reading, playing cards, swimming, baking, growing, canning and freezing vegetables from the garden. In 2007 Vivian became a resident of Diamond Ridge Health & Rehab Center, and for her wonderful care, her son and daughter are most grateful.

She is survived by daughter Lynn Wachter of Roscoe, NY; son Steven Ropke of Homosassa, FL; and two cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Oscar Ropke, and her brother, Alfred Thomas.

Friends are invited to call on Saturday, February 14, 2009 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 90 Main Street, Narrowsburg, NY 12764. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery, Narrowsburg.

Donations may be made to Catskill Regional Hospital Auxiliary, Grover M. Hermann Division, 8881 Route 97, Callicoon, NY 12723; or Alzheimers Association, 4108 Lamson Ave, Spring Hill, FL 34608.

BERNICE SZESCULA

Bernice Szescula of Huguenot, NY passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at Milford Senior Care & Rehabilitation Center. She was 81.

She was born August 15, 1927 in New York, NY, the daughter of the late Cecil and Catherine Carolan Thornton. She was married to Joseph Szescula until he passed away in 1994.

She worked as a bookkeeper at Eddy Farm Resort Hotel in Sparrowbush, NY for many years. She was a member of St. Mary’s R.C. Church, Port Jervis, NY.

A family statement reads: “Mom was devout in her faith, which she passed on to her children and grandchildren. She was a loving mother whose family meant everything to her. She loved people; people loved her and always remembered her beautiful smile.”

Surviving are son Joseph Szescula and companion Jill Kohrs of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughters Geraldine Hallock and husband Walter of Jeffersonville, NY and Rosemary Riordan and husband Joseph of Huguenot; grandchildren Joseph Riordan and wife Gretchen, Chris Riordan, Jennifer Flanagan and husband Shaun; and nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by brothers Thomas and Edward Thornton; and sisters Muriel Prokop and Rosemary Hatton.

Funeral services were held on Monday, February 9 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Inc., Port Jervis, NY, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary’s R.C. Church. Burial was held privately at the convenience of the family.

Contributions may be made to the Diakon Hospice Saint John, Diakon Home Health, 416 Main St., Suite D, Honesdale, PA 18431.

ELEANOR HELEN TEREPKA

Eleanor Helen Terepka passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2009. She was 86.

Eleanor was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and married Frank Terepka. She was known for her magnificent ability to knit and cook, knitting annual sweaters and “bootikens.” Eleanor was a caring mother, grandmother and great grandmother who earned the name “Hawkeye” for her watchful eye as family spent summer vacations with her at the lake house.

Eleanor is survived by daughter Victoria Skabowski of Beach Lake, PA; grandchildren Lisa Manson of Saint James, NY and Andrew Skabowski of Katy, TX; and four great grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her husband.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, February 10 at St. Francis Xavier in Narrowsburg, followed by cemetery services at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Port Jervis, NY. Father William Scully O.F.M. officiated.

Contributions may be made to the Wayne County Hospice.