BARBARA JEAN BURK

Barbara Jean Burk of Roscoe, NY, a lifetime area resident, passed away on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris, NY. She was 74.

The daughter of the late Alfred and Carrie Range, she was born on November 26, 1935 in Tennessee.

Survivors include five sons, Robert Wesley Roach and wife Rhonda of Jeffersonville, NY, Anthony Steven Roach and wife Penny, Arthur Leland Burk Jr. and wife Tonya, Calvin Clifford Burk and wife Michele and Wally Abe Burk, all of Cochecton, NY; brothers William, Stanley and Sonny Range, all of Knoxville, TN; sisters Shirley Range and Debbie Doane, both of Tennessee; 26 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband Arthur in 2000; two sons; and a daughter.

Funeral services were on Saturday, February 27 at Ramsay’s Funeral Home, Kauneonga Lake, NY. The Rev.William Haggerty officiated. Burial will be in Hurleyville Cemetery, Hurleyville, NY.

THEODORE CHARLES DEGRAW

Theodore Charles Degraw, a longtime resident of Harris, NY, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 69.

The son of the late Fredrick and Florence DeGraw, he was born on April 2, 1940 in Old Falls, NY.

Teddy enjoyed camping, having family barbeques, riding his four-wheeler, laughing and joking with family and friends and being in the great outdoors. He was a retired member of the Hudson Valley District Council Carpenter Union Local 19.

He leaves behind his wife Barbara of 50 years at home; sons Fred DeGraw and wife Bonnie of Harris and Ted Degraw and wife Denise of Woodbourne, NY; daughters Robin Chanov and husband Corky of Liberty, NY and Renee Fredenburg and husband Rich of Lake Huntington, NY; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Shirley Taggart and husband Tim and Luella Tremper, all of Monticello; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by sisters Dorothy Price and Beatrice “Beatie” Price; and brother Frank DeGraw.

Cremation will be held at the convenience of the family.

HANNAH D. HAHL

Hannah D. Hahl of North Branch, NY, a retired postal clerk for the U.S. Postal Service and an area resident since 1956, died Sunday, February 21, 2010, at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris, NY. She was 93.

The daughter of Norman and Eva Justice Dunk, she was born January 25, 1917 in Pedricktown, NJ. She was widow of the late Charles Emerson Hahl.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, James and Barbara Hahl of Buck Brook, NY; grandchildren Michael and Beth Hahl and Charles and Lynne Hahl, all of Buck Brook, Audra and Mark Hubert of Fremont Center, NY and Katie and Joe Herbert of Jeffersonville, NY; and 10 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Charles Hahl, she was predeceased by a daughter, Eva Mae Hahl.

There will be no calling hours.

Services will be private.

Contributions may be made to North Branch Fire Dept., P.O. Box 28, North Branch, NY 12766.

PAUL P. MESTER

Paul P. Mester, 72, of 135 Spruce Swamp Road, Milanville, PA, formerly of Guilford, CT died on February 26, 2010 at his home. He was 72.

Mr. Mester was born on July 25, 1937 in New Haven, CT, son of the late Paul P. and Agnes Brown Mester.

He was formerly employed at the Guilford Post Office, a member of the First Congregational Church and honorary member of F.C. Spencer Hook and Ladder Co. He was also a scoutmaster for Troop #474, formerly served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was employed as a security guard at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, NY, retiring in 1995.

He is survived by daughters Tammy Mester Smith and husband Steven of New Bern, NC, Cherie Mester Gagne and husband Todd of North Branford, CT and Laura Mester Hicks of Clinton, CT; grandchildren Ashley and Jason Hicks and Jonathon Herold; a great grand daughter; and his former wife Eloise Roberts Mester. He also leaves behind his beloved canine companion, Whitey.

He is predeceased by his sister, Millicent Krelowicz.

Friends may call at the Guilford Funeral Home Saturday, March 6 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Services will be held at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Alder Brook Cemetery in Guilford.

Contributions may be made to CT Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.

ELIZABETH M. MILLER

Elizabeth M. “Betty” Miller of Horseheads, NY passed away at home on February 23, 2010. She was 87.

Betty was born December 10, 1922 in White Sulphur Springs, NY, the daughter of Fred M. and Nellie (Wagner) Dowitsch.

She graduated from Delaware Valley Central School in 1940 and the Southern Tier Beauty Academy in Binghamton, NY in 1942, and operated Betty’s Beauty Box beauty salon in North Branch. She married Warren K. Miller in 1943. As an Air Force wife, she lived in New Mexico and Texas but finally settled in Hortonville, NY. She raised three children and later worked as tax collector for the Delaware Valley school district and as a secretary for the Burkle Insurance Agency in Callicoon, NY.

She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Jeffersonville, NY, a communicant of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Horseheads, NY and a member of the Hudson Valley Chapter Ex-POW organization at West Point, NY.

She is survived by her husband; three children, Creighton and wife Cecelia of Burdett, NY, Glenn and wife Marcelle of Walton, NY and Judy Miller-Lyons of Highland Mills, NY and Marc Lyons of Monticello, NY; three grandchildren, Heather Kennedy and husband Dan of Searsmont, ME, Brian Miller and wife Stephanie of Bath, NY and Hilary Miller of Melbourne, Australia; two great-grandchildren; a brother Robert Dowitsch and wife Jean of Gilboa, NY; and a nephew.

At her request, services will be private. Interment will be held in Hortonville Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 2872 Westinghouse Rd., Horseheads, NY 14845-8197, or Southern Tier Hospice and Palliative Care, 11751 East Corning Road, Corning, NY 14830.

SYDNEY MEGHAN POLATNICK

Sydney Meghan Polatnick of Shohola, PA passed away at Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale, PA on Sunday, February 21, 2010. She was 20.

She was born on March 6, 1989 in Stony Brook, NY, the daughter of David and Jean (O’Malley) Polatnick.

She was a student studying animation at the School of Visual Arts, Manhattan and was currently enrolled in general art studies at Sussex County Community College, NJ. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Church, Milford.

Survivors include her parents, David and Jean, of Shohola; sisters Laura Polatnick of State College and Margaret Polatnick of Shohola; and brother William Polatnick of Shohola.

A Mass of Christian Burial took place at St. Patrick’s Church, Milford, on Wednesday, February 24 with Rev. Gerald Mullally officiating.

Cremation will take place at the convenience of the family with final interment in Milford Cemetery, Dingman Township, PA.