Mary Leial Donnellis
Mary Leial Donnellis, a Nantucket native, died on Tuesday, March
17, 1998. She was 94.
Mrs. Donnellis was a life member of the VFW Women's Auxiliary
and also a member of the disbanded order of Pochantas and Legion Auxiliary.
She was a communicant of St. Mary's Church and was laid to rest at St.
Mary's Cemetery on Monday, March 23.
Mrs. Donnellis was predeceased by her husband of 44 years, John
R. Donnellis, in 1965. She is survived by two daughters, Mary-Caroline
Sandsbury of Nantucket and Adeline Burgy of Akron, Ohio; one granddaughter,
June Hummel; two great-granddaughters, Victoria Sahm and Deborah Themm,
and two great, great-granddaughters, Kaitlyn A. Themm and Nicole A. Sahm,
all of California.
P. Bruce Killen
P. Bruce Killen died on Friday, April 10, 1998. He was 49.
Born on Nantucket on May 5, 1948, Mr. Killen was the son of Sidney
and Ann Killen. He attended school on Nantucket until the eighth grade.
He graduated from the Hinckley School and went on to Bard College and Colorado
College.
Mr. Killen briefly resided in both Woods Hole and Deer Isle,
Maine. Ultimately, he returned to Nantucket where he worked as a self-employed
builder. Both Death and Resurrection Co. and Rock and Roll Co. thrived
because of his abundant talent and hard work.
A gifted craftsman, Mr. Killen was known professionally for his
attention to detail and artistic construction. When "This Old House" renovated
a home on Milk Street, he was asked to execute the production.
Mr. Killen had a strong relationship with his wife of 17 years,
Pamela and their two sons, David and Jack. He was an involved father who
always cheered for each member of his sons' soccer or little league teams.
He was thought to be, by all who knew him, a person who was kind-hearted,
treating everyone as if they were his close friends. His smile will always
be remembered by those who knew him.
Mr. Killen enjoyed boat building, reading, running and weight-lifting.
He freely gave of himself and of his time to this community. He was involved
with the Conservation Commission and the Nantucket AIDS Network and was
responsible for helping to build the skate board park for the kids on island.
Mr. Killen was predeceased by his father Sidney, in 1982. He
is survived by his wife, Pamela; his sons, David and Jack; his mother Ann;
and his sisters Debbie Killen Lothian and Patience Killen.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Church on Friday,
April 17, at 11 a.m. A reception will follow on Hinsdale Road. Donations
may be to the Bruce Killen Memorial Wooden Boat Building Scholarship Fund,
C/O Vaughn and Dale, Whaler's Lane, P.O. Box 659, Nantucket, Mass. 02554.
Fred John Grasing
Fred John Grasing died in Middletown, R.I. on Saturday, April
18, 1998. He was 74.
Born in New York, N.Y. on Jan. 24, 1924, Mr. Grasing was the
son of Frederick and Jennie (Berry) Grasing. He was a veteran of the U.S.
Army Medical Corps, serving during World War II.
Mr. Grasing had worked for Newport Tire Company for 27 years,
retiring in 1981 as general manager. He had also managed Midas Muffler.
He later worked at the Double Tree Hotel and as a limousine driver for
Cozy Cab until January 1998.
He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was known
as an avid gardener by his friends and family.
Mr. Grasing was predeceased by his sister, Agnes Petko. He is
survived by a son, Robert E. Grasing of Woodbury, Conn.; three daughters,
Robin L. Harvey of Nantucket, Linda S. Vidinha of Middletown and Jean Marie
Grasing of Nantucket; three sisters, Elizabeth Meslener of Putnam Valley,
N.Y., Emma Finan of Leonardo, N.J. and Gertrude Gruber of Commack, N.Y.
and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in
Newport, R.I. on Tuesday, April 21, 1998. Interment was in Newport Memorial
Park, Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Grasing's name
may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association of Rhode Island, 157 Waterman
St., Providence, R.I. 02906 or to St. Peter's Lutheran Church Memorial
Fund, Broadway, Newport, R.I. 02840.
Paul "Sandy" J. MacPhee
Paul "Sandy" J. MacPhee of West Dennis and Costa Rica, died on
Tuesday, April 7, 1998 in Quepos, Costa Rica in an accidental drowning.
He was 49.
Mr. MacPhee was born in Waltham on Aug. 16, 1948. He grew up
in Weston, though spent most of his adult life by the sea. He attended
the Weston Public Schools and graduated from Worcester Academy and the
University of Denver in Colorado. He was a long-time resident of Costa
Rica where he was a licensed boat captain.
Mr. MacPhee also spent many summers swordfishing on the yacht
Hero of Cape Cod and Nantucket, with his late father John A. MacPhee. He
was a member of the Nantucket Anglers' Club and spent several years living,
working and fishing on Nantucket, pursuing his life-long passion for sports
fishing and the sea.
He is survived by his mother, Mary M. MacPhee of West Dennis;
two sisters, Roberta MacPhee Shifrin of Weston and Heather MacPhee Young
of Jupiter, Fla.; two brothers, John C. MacPhee and Brian A. MacPhee, both
of West Barnstable; several nieces and cousins and many friends both in
the U.S. and Costa Rica. Mr. MacPhee is predeceased by his father. The
date of memorial services will be announced.
Lawrence F. Pfaff
Lawrence F. Pfaff, a retired oil company executive died Saturday,
April 11, 1998 at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 80.
Mr. Pfaff was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. attended Lehigh and Columbia
Universities, and became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Quartermaster
Corps during World War II.
A longtime resident of Weston and Nantucket, Mr. Pfaff was an
avid golfer and active member of Weston Golf Club and Sankaty Head Golf
Club and a previous member of the Algonquin Club of Boston.
Mr. Pfaff entered the oil industry in 1950, when he joined Paragon
Oil Company and later became vice president of Paragon, which was the largest
independent retail and wholesale fuel oil distributing company in the country
at that time.
When Paragon was acquired by Texaco, Inc. Lawrence continued
his career working for Texaco in Europe and later assuming the presidency
of The White Fuel Corp. in Massachusetts, one of Texaco's largest subsidiary
fuel oil distributing companies. He retired from that position in 1986
and was recognized for his achievements during his 30 year career at Texaco.
Over the course of his professional career, Mr. Pfaff served
as active member and director of the New England Fuel Institute, a member
of the New England Council Economic Advisory Board, director of the Better
Home Heat Council and director of the South Boston Savings Bank.
In March 1998, Mr. Pfaff was the recipient of the prestigious
"Legends of Oil Heat" award presented by The New England Fuel Institute.
Since retirement, he has worked as an advisor and appraiser relative to
mergers, sales and acquisitions of fuel oil distributing companies and
sewed as a consultant to Global Petroleum Corp. and Harbor Fuel Oil of
Nantucket.
In addition to his many years of service to the oil industry,
Mr. Pfaff was extremely effective in charitable organizations and charitable
work. As past Chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, they achieved
new heights under his fund raising direction He was past chairman of the
Industrial Division of the United Way, former member of the board of the
Carroll Institute of the Blind, and a member of the Advisory Board of Catholic
Charities.
Mr. Pfaff was recently predeceased from his wife of 55 years,
Charlotte (Heinrich) Pfaff. He will be deeply missed by his surviving daughters,
Laurinda LeCain of Wayland and Lacey Brandt of Wellesley; his sister Mary
Calhoun of Sun City, Ariz. and four adoring grandchildren.
Funeral Services were held Wednesday, April 15 at 10 a.m. at
St. Peter's Church in Weston. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions
in Mr. Pfaff's name may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
Mass. Chapter, 101A First Avenue, Waltham, Mass.
Gladys M. Silva
Gladys M. Silva died at her home on Nantucket on Tuesday, April
14, 1998. She was 83.
Mrs. Silva was born on Nantucket, the daughter of Ida and Walter
Finlay. Her father maintained a painting business for many years at the
corner of Main and Orange streets. She was a graduate of Nantucket High
School, a member of the class of 1933.
A life long resident of Nantucket, Mrs. Silva was married to
her husband Al for 63 years. Together they presided over their automobile
business, established as Al's Auto Sales and Service in a two-car garage
on North Liberty Street in the early 1930s, later becoming Silva Chevrolet
in the 1940s. She retired in 1982.
Active in community affairs during her life, she was a volunteer
with the Tree Fund and the Hospital Thrift Shop. She was appointed executive
secretary of the World Business Council during its 1980 conference on Nantucket.
Mrs. Silva was a member of St. Mary's Our Lady of the Isle as
well as a member of the Nantucket Yacht Club and the Nantucket Wharf Rats
Club.
She will be sorely missed by her loving husband, Al; her three
sons, Charles of Chesapeake, Va., Albert and Walter, both of Centerville;
her sister, Helen of Cranston, R.I.; five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren
and her many, many friends.
Funeral services were be held at St. Mary's Our Lady of the Isle
on Friday, April 17, 1998.
Fred John Grasing
Carl F. Borchert died on Tuesday, April 28, 1998 at Nantucket
Cottage Hospital. He was 61.
Mr. Borchert was born on April 27, 1937 in East Aurora, N.Y.
Following his graduation in 1958 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
he began an 11-year civil engineering career in the Boston area working
for National Research Corp. and Avco-Everett Research Laboratory. In 1969
he left West Boxford, Mass. and settled on Nantucket with his family, beginning
his second career as a building contractor.
Mr. Borchert built his last house in 1979 and began a shift to
his private engineering practice. His experience led him to serve as Nantucket
Building Inspector from 1984 to 1986. He was Clerk of the Works and Plant
Supervisor for the Nantucket High School building project from 1987 to
1990, and then held the same position on Martha's Vineyard while their
new regional high school was constructed.
He believed deeply in public service and was involved with land
conservation and environmental issues all of his life. He was on the Nantucket
Board of Selectmen from 1990 to 1993. He was a member of the first Land
Bank Commission when it was founded in 1984 and served for eight years.
He served as Chairman in 1989-1990. Mr. Borchert's special love for wetlands
is reflected in his long-time role with the Conservation Commission, serving
eleven years between 1978 and 1989, including Chair from 1982-83.
He helped found the Nantucket Land Council in 1974 and served
as its first president. As a director except for his years as a Selectman,
he worked steadfastly with the Council to protect Nantucket's natural environment.
Mr. Borchert was a current member of the Maria Mitchell Association's Board
of Managers and also helped the Building and Grounds Committee for the
Nantucket Cottage Hospital. In 1996-97 he was the chairman of Nantucket's
Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.
His roots were in a small farming community. He loved the land
and caring for his gardens, horse barn and pastures. He could fix anything.
His favorite hobby was tinkering with his two antique 8N Ford tractors
which came to him through Marlin Rounsville and Ralph Marble.
Survivors include his wife Karen, daughter Katherine, son Carl,
son-in-law John Roe, daughter-in-law Randi Allfather, his mother Ruth Borchert,
two sisters, Barbara Gilliam and Mary Lou Boll, a brother Robert, and two
grandchildren, Evan and Lydia Roe.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 16 at 2 p.m.
at the Unitarian Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made
to the Tuckernuck Land Trust (P.O. Box 263 Nantucket, Mass. 02554). The
Trust works to protect land on Tuckernuck Island, which in the past few
years had become a special place for Mr. Borchert.
Ronald Joseph "R.J." Lieberman
Ronald Joseph "R.J." Lieberman of Benson, N.C. died Wednesday,
April 8, 1998 at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield, N.C. He was
54.
Born in Bronx, N.Y., Mr. Lieberman was the son of Theresa Lieberman
and the late Robert H. Lieberman. He was married to Roberta Lema Lieberman,
a Nantucket native and the daughter of the late Robert Lema of Clayton,
N.C. and Phyllis Lema of Nantucket.
Mr. Lieberman is survived by his mother, Theresa Lieberman; his
wife, Roberta Lema Lieberman; a daughter, Danielle Lieberman of St. James,
N.Y.; a son, Robert Lieberman of Benson, N.C.; a stepdaughter, Debbie Henry
of Wendell, N.C.; a stepson, Chris Lavenets of Benson, N.C.; a sister,
Barbara Grippo of East Meadow Long Island, N.Y. and nine grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 11, 1998 in the chapel
of Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Benson by the Rev. Warren Bock. Burial
was in Roselawn Cemetery in Benson.
Kenneth Clow Doonan
Kenneth Clow Doonan of Melrose died at home on Friday, May 1,
1998. He was 88.
Born on March 18, 1910, Mr. Doonan grew up in Greenville, N.H.
and has lived in Melrose for the past 55 years. He graduated from Milford
High School in Milford, N.H. and from Cushing Academy in Ashburnham. He
also received degrees from Northwestern University in 1932 and Harvard
(School of Education) in 1937.
Mr. Doonan served in the U.S. Army during World War II and for
over 35 years he worked in labor relations for the U.S. government. He
was a loving family man who enjoyed gardening and conserving the environment.
Mr. Doonan is survived by his wife, Frances (Packard) Doonan;
his daughters, Jane Keith Sisco of Evanston, Ill., Elizabeth R. Hampton
of Sudbury and Nancy L. Coppelman (and son-in-law Jonathan S.) of Holliston;
his son William H. Doonan (and daughter-in-law Julie Johnson); his brother,
Frederick G. S. Clow of Boston and Nantucket and his grandchildren, Sarah
Sisco of Astoria, N.Y., Mark Sisco of Chicago, Ill., Sarah Anne E. Hampton
of Sudbury, Julia M. Coppelman, Anna E. Coppelman, Nina P. Doonan and Isabel
A. Doonan all of Holliston.
A funeral service was held Wednesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. in the
Robinson Funeral Home in Melrose.
Donations may be made in Mr. Doonan's memory to Hospice Care
Inc., 41 Montvale Avenue, Stoneham, Mass. 02180 or to the Children's Hospital,
300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Mass. 02115.
John R. "Jack" Pearson
John R. "Jack" Pearson died on Friday, April 10, 1998 in Green
Valley, Ariz.
Mr. Pearson worked for the McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. for 25
years, serving as director of manufacturing and vice president for production.
After he took early retirement, he started his own company, working as
a consultant in the printing, publishing and paper fields.
Mr. Pearson and his wife, Barbara Burbank Pearson, have been
Nantucket enthusiasts since 1962, gradually extending their stay to April
through October in their Madaket home. He and his round of friends loved
to fish and boat. Some of his off-island friends became islanders.
Mr. Pearson often could be found working on hobbies in his workshop.
He also enjoyed gardening, playing bridge at the Saltmarsh Center, taking
pictures and nosing around the Atheneum. He loved life, people, nature
and travel and will be sorely missed by friends and family.
Mr. Pearson is survived by his wife Barbara; his son John R.
"Randy" Pearson Jr. of Pittsburgh, Pa.; his brother, Forrest C. Pearson
of San Marcos, Calif.; his nieces, Lelia Kelly of Chula Vista, Calif. and
Gigi Smithers of Oxford; a cousin, Barbara Lange Godfrey of Newtown Square,
Pa. and his many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Pearson's name
may be made to The Nature Conservancy, 1315 North Lynn St., Arlington,
Va. 22209.
Curtis L. Ivey
Curtis L. Ivey, a resident of Charleston, S.C. and Nantucket,
died suddenly in Charleston on Tuesday, April 21, 1998. He was 52.
Mr. Ivey started his career in 1972 at Lehman Brothers and from
there went on to establish his own firm, C. Ivey & Company. He was
recognized as one of the nation's leading investors in debt, equity and
derivatives and was well known and respected on Wall Street. He was a founding
member of The Chicago Mercantile Exchange and a member of The New York
State Futures Exchange, where he sat on the board of governors from 1983-86.
He was also a member of the American Stock Exchange.
Mr. Ivey had a life-long love of sailing and was a world class
competitor. Most recently, he was an avid participant at the Nantucket
Yacht Club. Throughout his life, he won many national and international
sailing competitions including the Swan Rolex Newport Regatta, the Figawi,
and the Rhodes 19 National Championship. He was also a member of the International
Star Class Yacht Racing Association.
While sailing Stars, Mr. Ivey won the Lake Sunapee Open, Tomahawk
Regatta and, in 1971, he won every race in the Olympic classes regatta.
He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.,
where he coached sailing and received the distinguished "Coach of the Year"
award. He was also an avid golfer and a member of the Country Club of Charleston
and the Nantucket Golf Club.
Mr. Ivey is survived by his wife, Ginger; his five children,
Justin, Curtis, Melissa, Molly and Marietta; his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Curtis Ivey Sr. of Naples, Fla. and Sunapee, N.H. and his brothers and
sisters, Arthur Ivey, Beth Roy, David Ivey, Alan Ivey, Andree Fontaine,
Andrew Ivey and Kathleen Carrara.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 6, 1998 at
11 a.m. at St. Joachim's Catholic Church in Sunapee, N.H. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made in Mr. Ivey's name to the Lake Sunapee Protective
Association, P.O. Box 683, Sunapee, N.H. 03782.
The memorial service in Nantucket will be announced during the
summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nantucket Island
Community Sailing, 4 Winter St., P.O. Box 2424, Nantucket, Mass. 02554.
Judith Ross
Judith Ross died in her home on Tuesday, April 7, 1998. She was
56.
Ms. Ross was born on June 18, 1941 in Holyoke. She was a graduate
of Holyoke High School and later Bay Path College and was a 20-year resident
of Westfield.
Ms. Ross is survived by her birth daughter, Rebecca Turner, son-in-law
David S. Turner Jr. and her birth grandson, Joseph Turner, all of Nantucket.
She is also survived by many friends who worked with her in her 36 years
with New England Telephone. She will be fondly remembered and sorely missed.
Frances Burton Anderson
Frances Burton Anderson died peacefully at Our Island Home on Thursday
May 14, 1998. She was 88.
Mrs. Anderson was born in New Haven, Conn., the only child of
Anna Maria Candee and Frank F. Burton. Family remained the focus of her
life. The 59 years of marriage she shared with her husband, Carl Anderson,
were interrupted only by the five years he was on active duty during World
War II. When her father passed away two days before the attack on Pearl
Harbor, she suddenly found herself caring for not only two boys but for
the entire farm. With her mothers help, they managed, although the farm
had to be sold.
After her mother died in 1966, Mrs. Anderson and her husband
retired to their cottage in Polpis. As long as her health permitted, she
remained active in D.A.R., the Unitarian Church and the Saltmarsh Center.
When her great-grandchildren Rachael and Douglas arrived, she quipped,
"O my God, I'm the mother of a grandfather!" Throughout her lifetime, she
encountered friendship and laughter in abundance.
Mrs. Anderson is survived by her family: Jon Anderson of Weston,
Conn., Rev. Ted and Gretchen Anderson of Nantucket; her grandchildren,
Kate Caldwell, Candee Adams and Roger Anderson and her great-grandchildren,
Rachael and Douglas.
A service was held at Our Island Home on Sunday, May 17, 1998.
There was a graveside service in Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, where
Mrs. Anderson was "gathered to her ancestors" on Tuesday, May 26.
John E. Cauley
John E. Cauley of Woods Hole died Wednesday, May 13 after a long
illness. He was 72.
Born in Boston on August 5, 1926, he was the son of the late
William T. Cauley of South Berwick, Maine, and Leonie Charles of Falmouth,
Mass. He graduated from Berwick Academy in South Berwick. During World
War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the war he settled on
Cape Cod and started a general contracting business. He was a charter member
of the Falmouth Elks Lodge and also the Amvets.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mieczyslawa (Markey)
Cygan Cauley; four children, Marcia C. Gilmore of Amesbury, Mass., John
E. Landers Cauley of West Falmouth, Mass, Kathleen K.C. Browne of Medfield,
Mass and William C. Cauley of Nantucket; six grandchildren; and two great
grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer
Society, Cape Cod & Islands Unit, P.O. Box 1909, Framingham, Mass.
01701.
James Franklin Chase
James Franklin Chase died at Nantucket Cottage Hospital on Friday,
May 22, 1998. He was 88.
Born on Oct. 22, 1909, Mr. Chase grew up on Nantucket and graduated
with the Class of 1928. He had already begun working for the Nantucket
Gas and Electric Company. In 1972 he retired as chief engineer. For 53
years he also kept a daily check on the wastewater treatment facility on
Sea Street for the town's Department of Public Works. He was a member of
the Pacific Club.
In 1931, Mr. Chase married Ethel Murray. He is survived by their
three daughters, Nancy Chase, Phyllis Chase Burchell and Susan Chase Ottison;
their son James F. Chase Jr.; six grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren
and his second wife, Helen Winslow Chase.
A graveside service was performed by Rev. Georgia Ann Snell and
Rev. Thomas M. Richard at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 25 at the Prospect Hill
Cemetery Extension on Somerset Road.
Donations in Mr. Chase's memory may be made to the Our Island
Home Gift Account, East Creek Road, Nantucket, Mass. 02554.
Joseph Michael Corcoran
Joseph Michael Corcoran died on Friday, May 22, 1998 at Williamsburg
Hospital in Williamsburg, Va., where he was a resident for 20 years. He
was 87.
Born on June 19, 1910, Mr. Corcoran served in the U.S. Army during
World War II. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Loomis Corcoran of Williamsburg
and his step-son, Robert E. Tonkin of Nantucket.
A service was held at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg on
Monday, May 25, 1998.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Williamsburg,
312 Waller Mill Road, Room 150, Williamsburg, Va. 23185.
Cormac C. Feeney
Cormac C. Feeney, infant son of Michael J. and Bernadette Feeney
and brother of Kristofer, Greta, Ingrid and Aidan Feeney and the late Michael
J. Feeney Jr., died Monday, May 18, 1998 shortly after his birth.
In addition to his parents and siblings, he leaves his grandparents,
Mrs. Mary Louise Mannix of Boston and Vero Beach, Fla. and the late James
J. Mannix and the late John J. and Margaret Feeney. He also leaves several
aunts and uncles including James and Rebekah Mannix of Cambridge, Mass.;
James and Rosemary Lonborg and Katie and Paul Hayes, all of Scituate; John
and Krista Feeney of Highland Mills, N.Y. and Grace Rothwell of Ashburn,
Va. and several cousins.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 21 at 10 a.m.
in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Lynn. Mass.
Ronald "Ronnie" Samuel Cormie
Ronald "Ronnie" Samuel Cormie died suddenly on Sunday, May 31,
1998 in Tucson, Ariz., surrounded by friends. He was 66.
Born in St. John, New Brunswick on Jan. 25, 1932, he was lovingly
parented by the late Aquila and Jennie Cormie on Nantucket. There, he was
an active member of the Nantucket Boys Club, the Boy Scouts of America,
and numerous athletic clubs, including amateur boxing, swimming, ice hockey
and football. He graduated from Nantucket High School, class of 1951.
Mr. Cormie was the island's last blacksmith. The Whaling Museum
acquired his tools, which are on display there.
A flying enthusiast, Mr. Cormie enlisted in the U.S. Air Force
in 1952 and served 20 proud years. He was initially stationed at D.M.A.F.B.
in Tucson, where he was educated at the University of Arizona and met his
lovely wife, Joanne Cormie. They would have celebrated their 39th wedding
anniversary this July. He was an outstanding medical technician and received
numerous honors and awards while in the Air Force.
Mr. Cormie traveled extensively throughout the world, particularly
Europe and the Mediterranean and sadly leaves many friends throughout the
globe. When he relocated back to Arizona 15 years ago, he was an active
and proud mason, a member of the Oasis Lodge 52 FAM in Tucson.
A lover of nature and the environment, Mr. Cormie had a deep
fondness for the ocean. He appreciated the arts, theater and all music
and was an active thespian. He held a zest for life and was a kind, generous,
charismatic person. He always tried to make others smile. He loved his
family dearly. He loved God and was a true patriot. His spirit for life
will be sorely missed.
Mr. Cormie is survived by his wife Joanne Eleanor Cormie; a daughter,
Jennie Quilleen Cormie; a son, Ronald Eric Cormie; grandchildren Athena,
Tabitha and Lyric and family friend Myles Paige Russell.
Cremation, with a private family service, took place at Heather
Mortuary in Tucson. A memorial service is pending. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may be made to Joanne E. Cormie, c/o 835 Ripley
St., Santa Rose, Calif. 95401.
Margaret A. Fee
Margaret A. Fee died at Nantucket Cottage Hospital on Thursday,
April 30, 1998. A resident of Landmark House for several years, Mrs. Fee
was the widow of Albert A. Fee.
She was born in 1908 in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Ireland. As a teenager,
she came to Nantucket, where she lived all her life. Married in 1933 at
St. Mary's Church, she was the mother of two daughters, Marie Sullivan
of Munster, Ind. and Peggy Dugan of Topeka, Kansas. She had 10 grandchildren
and 17 great grandchildren. Relatives on the island are Anne and Kathy
Geddes, Dorothy McGervey, Pat Waterhouse and the Fee families.
Mrs. Fee was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Debbie Eaton.
The funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr. Lopes and burial was at
St. Mary's Cemetery.
Donations may be made to St. Mary's Our Lady of the Isle Church
or the Landmark House.
John K. Whitney
John K. Whitney, co-founder and chairman of Gaymar Industries,
a medical equipment manufacturer in Orchard Park, New York, died Saturday,
May 30, 1998 near Boise, Idaho, in a plane crash of an experimental light
plane. He was 69.
Mr. Whitney, a lifelong aviation enthusiast, had purchased a
kit to build the plane, a three quarter-scale replica of a World War II
fighter, the P-5 1 Mustang.
He was on a demonstration flight with an expert Boise pilot,
Dale M. Clarke, 54, who had flown the plane at air shows since last October.
Clark also was killed.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were
baffled at why the high-performance propeller plane crashed nose-first.
The fliers did not signal that they were in trouble.
Born in Dickinson, N.D., Whitney was an engineering graduate
of the University of North Dakota, where he met Marilyn, his wife of 48
years. Both have been active as alumni.
Mr. Whitney and his wife, Marilyn, founded Gaymar Industries
in 1956 and built it into an international company specializing in equipment
for alleviation of decutibus ulcers and management of body temperature.
The company employs more than 220 in western New York.
Mr. Whitney was a prominent figure in the health-care industry
and was instrumental in founding the Health Industries Manufacturing Association.
In recent years, he had lived in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico. Inspired
by the heroic early aviators, he had a lifelong love of flying and owned
numerous airplanes.
Nevertheless, Mr. Whitney was rejected as a pilot by the Air
Force during the Korean War because of color blindness. He served instead
in the Army, attaining the rank of 1st sergeant in the medical corps. He
came to the Buffalo, N.Y. area to take a job in General Mills' O-Cel-o
Division and found another outlet for his expertise in plastics when he
founded Gaymar Industries in the basement of his home.
At first, he and his wife made electronic welded plastic products,
such as placemats and book covers. Their first medical product was an oxygen
tent in 1957. Gaymar made its first alternating pressure pump and pad mattress
for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers in 1960.
Their son, John K. Jr., became president and chief operating
officer of Gaymar in 1992, but died of cancer in 1994. The Whitneys have
given major support to cancer research since his death.
In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters, Ann
and Mary, both of Puerto Rico, and Jean of New York City; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned at a later date.
Nancy Allis Claflin
Nancy Allis Claflin, of Lincoln and Nantucket, an ardent conservationist
and naturalist, died suddenly of cardiac arrest while fly fishing on the
Housatonic River in western Connecticut on Wednesday, June 10, 1998. She
was 77.
Mrs. Claflin was raised in Milwaukee, Wis., the daughter of Josephine
and Edward Allis. She graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry,
N.Y., and attended Smith College for two years before marrying William
H. Claflin III, of Boston, in 1941. After the war the couple settled in
Belmont, summering every year in Nantucket.
Mrs. Claflin became active in a number of community organizations
as she raised her six children. She was an avid bird watcher and a longtime
member and honorary trustee of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. More
recently she became a trustee and valued supporter of the Manomet Center
of Conservation Sciences. She was a longtime supporter of the Maria Mitchell
Association. She was also a member of the Board of Overseers at the De
Cordova Museum in Lincoln.
A lifelong learner and benefactor of educational institutions,
Mrs. Claflin entered the continuing education program at the University
of New Hampshire, earning her bachelor of arts in 1978. She was devoted
to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts with a particular commitment to Egyptian
and Asiatic art and was an indefatigable volunteer in the Museum's education
program. She was also a supporter of the Boston Symphony, the Fogg Art
Museum, the Trustees of Reservation, and the Belmont Hill School. She traveled
ceaselessly, pursuing her ardent interests in art and the environment.
Nantucket was always one of the focal points of her life. Mrs.
Claflin's late husband's family built their house on Hulbert Avenue in
1897 and Mrs. Claflin came to love and cherish the fragile beauties of
the island on her every visit. For years she was on the Trustees Advisory
Committee, Coskata-Coatue, for the Trustees of Reservation, and involved
herself with virtually every conservation and environmental organization
on the island.
A devoted birdwatcher, two of the highlighters of her year was
banding birds with Edith Andrews at Mothball out at Cisco and taking part
in the Christmas Bird Count. Her joy came from leading birding expeditions
and sharing the wonders of Nantucket's natural world.
For Mrs. Claflin there was no greater delight than to find a
dune in Wauwinet and watch the sun set into one horizon and watch the full
moon rising from the other. The beauty of nature on Nantucket would call
her down at a moment's notice to watch a raging gale or the arrival of
a rare bird.
Mrs. Claflin was predeceased by her daughter, Becky, in 1959
and her husband in 1980. She is survived by her twin brother, Charlie Allis
of Williamsville, Ore.; her older brother Ted Allis of Lafayette, La.;
five children: Tim Claflin of Brookline; Jody Horan of East Thetford, Vt.;
Pren Claflin of Nantucket; Ned Claflin of Andover and Lainey Alexander
of Mount Washington, N.H. She is also survived by seven grandchildren.
There will be a memorial service in Nantucket in late August.
Donations in her memory may be sent to Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge,
Trustees of Reservation, P.O. Box 172, Nantucket, Mass. 02554.
Barbara Casey
Barbara Casey, of New Canaan, Conn., died Monday, May 25, 1998
in Middletown, R.I. She was 26.
Ms. Casey died of injuries sustained in an airplane crash, according
to her family.
Born April 20, 1972 in Stamford, Conn., she was the daughter
of Karen McDevitt Casey of Rowayton and the late Eugene J. Casey Jr. She
grew up in Rowayton and was employed with Ann Vuille in South Norwalk,
Conn. the last two years as a fashion designer. She lived the last three
years in New Canaan.
Ms. Casey is survived by her mother, Karen McDevitt Casey of
Rowayton; her grandparents Eugene J. Casey Sr. and Inez Tango Casey of
Bonita Springs, Fla.; three uncles, Brian Stephen Casey of Guilford, Conn.,
Francis X. Casey of Wilton, Conn. and Robert P. Casey of Weston, Conn.
and five aunts, Pamela Stagg of Wellesley Hill, Conn., Susan Engel and
Mary Grace Tsujimoto, both of New Canaan, Maureen Casey Lefebvre of Montreal,
Quebec, Canada and Christine Casey Rovics of Danbury, Conn.
A memorial Mass was held on Friday, May 29, 1998 at St. Thomas
More Roman Catholic Church in Darien. Father J. Barry Furey officiated.
Memorial contributions may be made to Kids in Crisis, One Salem
St., Cos Cob, Conn. 06807.
Eugene Casey
Eugene J. Casey Jr. of Rowayton, Conn., died Monday, May 25,
1998 in Middletown, R.I. He was 56.
Mr. Casey died of injuries sustained in an airplane crash, according
to his family.
Born Dec. 21, 1941 in Toledo, Ohio, Mr. Casey was the son of
Eugene J. Casey Sr. and Inez Tango Casey of Bonita Springs, Fla. He earned
a bachelor's degree in marketing from Merrimack College in Massachusetts.
He lived in Rowayton for the last 29 years and was a member of the St.
Thomas More Roman Catholic Church in Darien, Conn.
Mr. Casey had been the president and creative director of King-Casey
Inc. in New Canaan, Conn. since 1963. He often lectured on design and strategy
for many associations, universities and advertising agencies.
For his creative work with KCI, Mr. Casey has received many advertising
industry awards, including CLIOs, DESIs, IDSAs and PDCs, for outstanding
and innovative designs. He was a member and past president of the Association
of professional Design Firms.
Among Mr. Casey's major clients were Merrill Lynch, Mercedes
Benz, Citibank, Burger King and Nabisco.
Mr. Casey is survived by his wife, Karen McDevitt Casey of Rowayton;
his parents Eugene J. Casey Sr. and Inez Tango Casey of Bonita Springs;
three brothers, Brian Stephen Casey of Guilford, Conn., Francis X. Casey
of Wilton, Conn. and Robert P. Casey of Weston, Conn.; four sisters, Susan
Engel and Mary Grace Tsujimoto, both of New Canaan, Maureen Casey Lefebvre
of Montreal, Quebec, Canada and Christine Casey Rovics of Danbury, Conn.;
nine nieces and three nephews.
A memorial Mass was held on Friday, May 29, 1998 at St. Thomas
More Roman Catholic Church in Darien. Father J. Barry Furey officiated.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Thomas More Roman Catholic
Church, 374 Middlesex Road, Darien, Conn. 06829.
William Livingston Desloge
William Livingston Desloge, a retired business executive and
civic leader, died Tuesday, May 26, 1998 at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield
after a long illness. He was 86.
For more than 20 years, Mr. Desloge was president of the Grimm
Stamp & Badge Co., a manufacturer of traffic and industrial signs.
He bought the business in 1947 and sold it and retired in the early 1970s.
Mr. Desloge was born in Bonne Terre, Mo. He was the son of Firmin
Desloge, a longtime resident of Cliff Road, Nantucket, from the early 1920s
to 1952.
Mr. Desloge met his wife Loriel on Nantucket in 1936. They spent
their honeymoon on island.
Mr. Desloge attended St. Louis Country Day School and John Burroughs
School. He also attended Deerfield Academy. He earned a bachelor's degree
from Williams College in Williamstown. He had careers in banking, investments,
electrical manufacturing and the aircraft industry, as well as the sign
company.
Mr. Desloge was a board member of the Central Institute of the
Deaf and served as a past president, director and on the executive committee
of the Missouri Historical Society. he was a former member of the Neighborhood
Association, a United Way Agency. He also was a past president of the Racquet
Club of St. Louis and a member of the Nantucket Yacht Club. He was a longtime
supporter of the Nantucket Conservation Commission.
Mr. Desloge was the grandson of Firmin Desloge II, who made a
fortune in lead mining in Missouri and helped fund Firmin Desloge Hospital,
now St. Louis University Hospital.
Mr. Desloge is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Loriel
Johnson Desloge; two daughters, Loriel D. Hogan of Creve Coeur and Diane
D. Clarke of Hingham; three sons, William L. Desloge Jr. of Brasov, Romania;
Stephen R. Desloge of Wilton, Conn. and Christopher D. Desloge of Darien,
Conn.; a brother, Theodore P. Desloge of Vero Beach, Fla.; 13 grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Desloge's memory to
the Missouri Historical Society, the Central Institute for the Dear or
to a charity of the donor's choice.
David H. DuPont
David H. Dupont, of Montclair, N.J., died on Saturday, May 23,
1998.
Born in Newark, N.J., Mr. Dupont lived most of his life in Montclair.
He was an aeronautical engineer for Curtis-Wright Aeronautical Co. He also
lived in Woodbridge, N.J. for many years before his retirement 23 years
ago. he was an Army veteran of World War II and an avid gardener.
Mr. Dupont is survived by his wife, Elsie Dupont; daughter Jane
Hobson-Dupont of Nantucket; son-in-law Jack Hobson-Dupont also of Nantucket;
sister Gertrude Schacht of Nutley, N.J. and grandson Maximillian Hobson-Dupont
of Nantucket.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Mr. Dupont's
memory to the Union Congregational Church, Cooper Avenue, Montclair, N.J.
Robert Layfield
Robert E. Layfield, beloved husband of Margaret (Carey) Layfield,
died Monday, April 27, 1998. He was 74.
Margaret "Peg" H. Layfield, beloved wife of Robert E. Layfield,
died Friday, March 13, 1998. She was 86.
Both had lived in Holyoke and Amherst for many years before coming
to reside in Our Island Home on Nantucket.
Mr. Layfield was a World War II veteran. He worked for Collier's
Encyclopedia in New England for many years. He also drove a taxi in Springfield.
Mrs. Layfield was a loving mother and grandmother.
Mr. and Mrs. Layfield are survived by their son, James, of Nantucket
and their daughter, Linda Hess, of Holyoke; several grandchildren including
Farleigh, Kaitlyn Alexandra and Kelsey of Nantucket and Elhana Layfield-Warner
of New York.
A memorial Mass was held at St. Mary's Church on Sunday, June
7, 1998.
Dennis J. Looney
Dennis J. Looney died in Boston on Friday, May 8, 1998. He was
92.
Mr. Looney had been a summer resident of Madaket since 1932 and
was very active in a number of civic associations relating to Smith's Point
and Madaket.
His wife, Rosalie, predeceased him in 1988. He is survived by
his sons, Dennis J. Looney Jr., of Wellesley, and David J. Looney of Wayland.
He was the grandfather of Susan M. Looney, William G. Looney, David J.
Looney Jr. and Rosemary L. Forster, all of whom worked on Nantucket for
many summers. He is also survived by a great-grandchild, Jessica Rose Looney.
His funeral Mass and burial was held on Tuesday, May 12, 1998.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Good Samaritan Hospice of Boston,
310 Allston Street, Boston, Mass. 02146.
Alice M. Eastwood
Alice Marion Miller Eastwood died on Tuesday, June 2, 1998 in
Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies. She was 91.
Formerly of Lexington, Va. and Nantucket, Mrs. Eastwood was the
wife of the late Dr. Reid White Jr. She was born in Montclair, N.J. and
received her bachelor of art's from Smith College in 1929. She married
Dr. White in 1929, who died in 1952. She was subsequently married in 1967
to Minard Hamilton, who died in 1976. In 1977 she married John Gibson Eastwood,
who died in 1987. She moved to Barbados in 1988, where she resided until
her death.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Mrs. Eastwood taught music in Princeton,
N.J. and at The Anglo-American School in Athens, Greece.
Mrs. Eastwood is survived by a daughter, Edith White Danton of
Yarmouthport; a son, Reid White III of Lenox and four granddaughters, Alice
Danton, Susan Danton, Emilie White and Gillian White.
Albert J. Pitkin
Albert J. Pitkin, aged 91, sailed to his true home early on Memorial
Day. It was a gracious leave taking, typical of my Dad. He was a gentle
man, full of good humor and wise observations. He cared passionately for
ow world and all of its inhabitants and extended the hospitality of his
heart to all. A life-long sailor, he and his wife Rosalie (my mother),
spent over 60 years cruising and exploring the Atlantic coastline and its
waterways. For 30 years they lived and played on Nantucket while operating
their real estate and insurance business. Their love of people and the
island led them to be actively involved in a number of ways that benefited
others.
When they retired to Beaufort, S.C., 20 years ago, these loves
remained a part ofthem. Together they were active in Hospioe, the yacht
club, and church, and when mother died in 1990, Dad maintained the gift
of hospitality. His writing skills, which people encouraged him to use
writing books, were used instead to write letters, keeping old friendships
going, creating new ones, and supporting environmental and social concerns.
An avid reader, creative thinker, and wordsmith, his greatest gift was
a loving, caring heart, and a willingness to explore and grow.
He leaves his daughter, Elise Schlaikjer of LeRoy, Mich.; two
grandchildren, Laura Schlaikjer of Leyden, and Erich Schlaikjer of Radlett,
England; and four great-grandchildren.
There will be two memorial services. One at MorningStar Adventures,
a spiritual life and retreat center that he did much to support, and a
later one at St. Helena's Episcopal Church in Beaufort with burial in their
church yard. The dates will be announced later. Contributions in his memory
may be made to MorningStar Adventures, 20564 Morningstar Trail, LeRoy,
Mich. 49655, or Friends of Caroline Hospice, Box 1686, Beaufort, S.C. 29901. |
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