STEPHEN JAMES COOLEY

Stephen James Cooley of Port Jervis, NY, passed away Friday, March 5, 2010 at Westchester Medical Center. He was 24.

He was born January 1, 1986 in Port Jervis, NY, the son of Dennis Allen Cooley and Dawn Wydner Ulmer.

Stephen worked for Bob’s Custom Docks in Branchville, NJ. He attended Port Jervis High School and received his GED in 2005. A family statement reads in part: “Stephen has been battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma since 2008. He was loving, caring and outgoing, a perfectionist who loved life and was always there to lend a helping hand.”

Survivors include his mother, Dawn Ulmer and husband John of Port Jervis; father Dennis Allen Cooley and wife Tina of Lynchburg, VA; grandparents, Allen and Rita Towner Cooley and Donna Allen Wydner, all of Avoca, NY; brothers and sisters John Ulmer Jr., Collin Ulmer, Carly Harrold, all of Port Jervis, Cody Bologna of Cornwall, NY, Jared Cooley, Thomas Cooley, Leah Cooley and Aaron Cooley, all of Lynchburg, VA; his girlfriend Briana Malik of Port Jervis; and aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Frank L. Wydner.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, March 13 at the First Presbyterian Church, Port Jervis, with Rev. Stephen Huston officiating. Cremation was held at H.G. Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, PA. An additional memorial service will be held on May 8 at the First Baptist Church, Chase Street, Avoca, NY.

A bone marrow transplant drive was held for Stephen on February 23 in Port Jervis. A donor was not found. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202 or to St. Christopher’s Inn, Inc., PO Box 150, Garrison, NY 10524. To be a bone marrow donor, visit dkmsamericas.org.

MABEL F. GUMPPER

Mabel F. Gumpper, of Moravia, NY, went to the Lord Sunday March 14, 2010 at her home after a brief illness. She was 85.

Mabel was born October 8, 1924 in Narrowsburg, NY, the daughter of the late Lewis & Elizabeth Dexter Campfield. She was a former resident of Honesdale, PA and has lived in Moravia the past 14 years.

She was employed as an operator for Bell Telephone Co. in New York City, retiring in 1981.

She was a member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Moravia and the Moravia Senior Citizens.

Mabel truly loved her family and enjoyed meeting with and traveling with her friends.

Mabel is survived by her son James and wife Donna Piscitelli of Moravia; grandchildren John Piscitelli and wife Kim Breese of Scipio, NY, Jim Piscitelli and wife Amanda Sedorus of Venice, NY, Elizabeth and Patrick Tyrell of Genoa and Jennifer Piscitelli and husband Michael Heaiy of Ledyard, NY; two great grandsons; two step-children Judy Lamberton and husband Dave and Jack Gumpper and wife Sharon, all of Honesdale, PA; and several nieces and nephews.

Mabel is predeceased by her husbands John A. Piscitelli in 1991 and Leo Gumpper in 1996; and a son, John Piscitelli Jr. in 1968.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, March 17 in St. Matthews Episcopal Church, Moravia. Burial will be at 12:00 noon Thursday, March 18 in Glen Cove Cemetery, Narrowsburg, NY.

Contributions may be made to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Moravia.

CHARLES H. KERR

Charles H. Kerr of Barryville, NY entered into eternal rest on Friday, March 12, 2010. He was 89.

He was born on December 9, 1920 in Barryville. He attended the Hillside School, a one-room schoolhouse in Barryville, and then Eldred High School, graduating in 1939. He graduated The Kings College in Delaware and earned a Masters of Education degree from Adelphi University.

In 1943 he married his bride of 66 years, Muriel Rennard of Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

Charles was a farmer, a railroader, an educator, a horseback riding instructor, spring water entrepreneur and author. During his early years in Barryville he worked for the Erie Railroad. His first job after college was teaching at the Stony Brook School, Long Island. Charles then moved his family to Illinois to teach at Wheaton Academy and later moved to Pine Beach, NJ where he became the chairman of foreign languages for the Toms River Schools. He retired after 32 years of service. In the 1970s Charles owned and operated Catskill Mountain Spring Water, harvesting and bottling water from the family property in Barryville.

Charles will be remembered as a loving husband, father and a man who loved the Lord. He was active at the First Baptist Church in Toms River NJ, a member of the Milford Bible Church in Milford, PA and was a Gideon.

He is survived by his wife Muriel; children Lois and husband Gabe of Lemont, IL, David and wife Mary Ann of Newport Beach, CA, Marcia and husband Jim of River Vale, NJ and Kristie and husband Bill of Richmond, VA; grandchildren Gia, Carli, Justin, Ryan, Lucas, John, Eric, Kenissa and Evans; one great grandson; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Harrison Rasmussen Funeral Home, Barryville. A funeral memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 20 at Milford Bible Church.

Contributions may be made to Gideon International, Middletown NY or to Milford Bible Church.

DOREEN FRANCES KREIDELL

Doreen F. Kreidell of Yulan, NY and Island Park, LI, passed away Monday, March 8, 2010, at Bon Secours Hospital. She was 87.

Doreen was born August 21, 1922 in Dublin, Ireland, the daughter of the late John and Ann Keegan Dodson. She was the beloved wife of 38 years of Walter (Buddy) Kreidell, who predeceased her in 1985.

She was the former proprietor of Kreidell’s Olde Harbour Inn in Island Park and Kreidell’s West Shore Lodge in Yulan, NY. She served as a soloist at Sacred Heart R.C. Church in Island Park for over 30 years. She passed along her love of gardening to her grandchildren.

Doreen is survived by her children, Kathryn Sweeney, Mark Kreidell and wife Cindi, Walter and wife Mary, Kenneth and wife Denise, Doreen Hanson and husband James and Margaret Coniglio and husband Michael; grandchildren KJ, KC, Erin, Kevin, Kara, Amy, Meg, Doreen, Ryan, JJ, Allison, Katie, Buddy, Kayla, Sean, Shannon, Jack and Connor; and five great-grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her son-in-law, John Sweeney.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Anthony’s R.C. Church in Oceanside, NY on Friday, March 12. Interment was at the Holy Rood Cemetery.

Donations may be made to American Legion Ambulance Service, Eldred, NY.

PFC JASON MICHAEL KROPAT

PFC Jason Michael Kropat of Smallwood, NY, died in Afghanistan on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 serving his country. He was 25.

The son of Glenn and Kathleen Kropat, he was born on April 10, 1984.

Jason attended Monticello High School and was very active in the Sullivan County community. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in November of 2008 and completed basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia on March 6, 2009.

A family statement reads: “He touched many lives and had many friends. We thank God for giving him to us, even if it was for a short time. He will be greatly missed.”

He is survived by his parents of Fredericksburg, TX; sisters Kristina, of Cochecton, NY, Kimberley of Monticello, and Courtney of Cochecton; nephews Evin John, RJ and Kyle; grandmother Janet Kropat; girlfriend Shannon Kinne; 17 aunts and uncles; and 18 cousins.

He was predeceased by grandparents Hans Kropat and Eugene and Jeanne Baier.

Jason’s family will receive friends on Thursday, March 18, from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 401 Broadway, Monticello. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 19 at 12:00 noon at the Reformed Presbyterian Church, State Route 17B, White Lake, with Reverend David Coon officiating. Burial will follow with military honors in the Evergreen Cemetery in Bethel, NY.

A scholarship in Jason’s name will soon be established. Donations or correspondence for such may be made to PO Box 464, Smallwood, NY 12778.

CHRISTIAN H. LUETJE

Christian H. Luetje of Wading River, NY, formerly of Yulan, NY, passed away on Tuesday, March 9, 2010. He was 52.

The son of the late Hinrich Luetje and Traute Hansen Luetje, he was born May 16, 1957 in Queens, NY.

Christian was a graduate of Eldred Central School District and had attended Sullivan County Community College where he had studied architecture. He was the owner of Track Two in Wading River, NY.

A family statement reads: “Christian was much loved by his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.”

Survivors include his mother Traute; sisters Gudrun Roeder and husband Charles of Yulan and Sonja Guzzardo and her husband Stephen of Middletown, NY; nieces Christina Cook, Trudy Roeder, Stephanie Roeder and Marissa Guzzardo; and other nieces and nephews from a previous marriage.

Funeral services were held on Monday, March 15 at the Harrison-Rasmussen Funeral Home, Barryville. Burial took place in Montoza Cemetery, Barryville.

Donations may be made to the Yulan Volunteer Fire Dept. P.O. Box 127, Yulan, NY 12792.

KATHY ANN MITCHELL

Kathy Ann Mitchell of Longview, TX and formerly of Highland Lake, NY, died Monday, March 8, 2010 at Belle Reve. She was 57.

She was born December 12, 1952 in Long Beach, NY, the daughter of the late Charles and Rosemary Lang Winter Sr.

Kathy lived in Highland Lake, before moving to Longview, TX, where she worked for Flynt Hills Resources.

Surviving are her mother, Rosemary Winter of Leesburg, FL; former husband Kenneth Mitchell of Longview; son Kenneth Mitchell Jr. of Longview, TX; daughters Kirsten Ey and husband Michael of Milford, PA, Kasey Mitchell of Kentucky and Kimberly Marchese and husband John of Poughquag, NY; sister Dawn Chrisbacher and husband Bill of Norwich, NY; grandchildren Addison, Logan, Tessa, Trent and Tahlia; a niece and nephew; and sister Kristi DiLorenzo of East Greenbush, NY.

She was predeceased by her brother, Charles Winter Jr., who died October 8, 1978.

Funeral services were held at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Port Jervis, NY on Friday, March 12 with the Rev. Nancy Vonderhorst officiating. Cremation followed at H.G. Smith Crematory with a burial of cremains in the spring in Montoza Cemetery, Barryville, NY.

Contributions may be made to the Port Jervis DARE Program, 20 Hammond St., Port Jervis, NY.

MILDRED L. TYLER

Mildred L. Tyler passed away on Monday March 8, 2010 in the Osprey Ridge Healthcare Center, Carbondale, PA. She was 104.

Born in Paradise, PA on April 25, 1905, she was the daughter of the late Stanford and Carrie Lane.

Mildred was married to Edson Tyler who passed away in 1990. She was known throughout her life as a caregiver, and was also a member of the Damascus United Methodist Church.

She is survived by nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday March 16 in the Hillside Cemetery, Damascus, PA with the Rev. Jean Blackie officiating.

Donations may be made to the Damascus Methodist Manor Church, Cochecton Turnpike, Damascus, PA.