Obituaries

Richard Draffen Elliott, 74, of Vero Beach, FL died in Vero Beach on February 25, 2012.

He was born in the Catskill Mountains of New York and moved to Vero Beach in the late 1970s to form a company to provide city management-like services to newly-forming homeowner and condominium associations in Florida. Previously, he was a faculty member at Sturt College of Advanced Education, a teacher training college in Adelaide, South Australia.

He obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SUNY Oneonta and a doctor of education degree from University of Massachusetts.

Audrey H. Dipadova, 87, of Margaretville died Friday, March 2, 2012 at Margaretville  Hospital. 
She was born on February 20, 1925 in Crosby, England, the daughter of Ivor and Elise  (Naylor) Ellis.
Audrey was married on September 9, 1973 to Anthony Dipadova at Stamford, Conn.

John Owen Finch, 73, of Sherburne, passed away Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 at Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown. After a five-week stay in the hospital with double pneumonia, he is now safe in the arms of Jesus.

He was born in Margaretville Hospital December 27, 1938, the son of George Owen Jr. and Gladys Roberts Owen. His mother died from childbirth complications. John remained in the hospital for six weeks when he was adopted by Leo and Carrie Finch of Denver.

Another brother, Robert Owen, at one-and-a-half years of age was also adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Bursie Knapp of Walton.

Mary Alice Hummell, 65, of Tremper Avenue, Phoenicia, died suddenly Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 at the Kingston Hospital.

She was born June 10, 1946 in Margaretville, the daughter of Beatrice Brezee Moore and the late Warren Moore. She was a native and lifelong resident of the Catskills.

Mary Alice had been in retail management and had worked for London’s for many, many years.

Catherine “Kay” Tucker Brudniak Aspinall, 89, of Halcott Ridge Road, Pine Hill, died peacefully Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012 at Mountainside Residential Care Center in Margaretville where she had been a resident for the past two years. 

Beverly A. Darling, 73, of Troy, Alabama, died Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 at Troy Regional Hospital.
Ms. Darling graduated as salutatorian from Fleischmanns High School in Fleischmanns.
She had a master’s degree from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Ms. Darling was an avid pet lover and was a member of the Pike County Humane Society. She also loved to read, was an excellent swimmer and loved to travel.

Mark A. Daniels, 47, of Halcottsville, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday morning, Feb. 14, 2012 at his home.

Mark was born in Norwich on July 23, 1964, the son of Francis and Loretta Brisack Daniels. He spent most of his life in Halcottsville where he attended the local schools. He worked for many years with his dad and brother in the family business, Daniels Masonry, as a stone mason.

Robert “Mitch” Michko, 82, of Mt. Tremper died Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 at the Kingston Hospital.
He was born in Boonton, NJ on January 12, 1930.

Donald Clifford Neer, 73, passed away Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 at Vidas Hospice Care in Merritt Island, FL

He was born August 21, 1938 in Hancock.

 Dorothy Eardley, 86, of Oneonta, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 at the Chestnut Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, surrounded by her loving family and friends.
She was born on March 26, 1925 in Brooklyn, the daughter of Jacob and Martha (Huebner) Schmid.  On January 25, 1948 she was married to William H. Eardley in Connecticut.  He predeceased her on February 18, 1997.