Obituaries

Bessie Balcom, 95, left her earthly home on January 19, 2012, just 10 days prior to her 96th birthday.

She was born on Johnny Cake Lane in New Kingston, the daughter of Bruce and Beulah (Bronson) Easley. Her parents divorced and she was raised by her maternal grandparents, Adelbert and Grace (Frayer) Bronson. They moved to Margaretville where she attended and graduated from the grade 1-8 school system.

Richard Balcom ran a general store down the street from where they lived. Richard and Bessie were married by the Clovesville Baptist Minister in 1931.

Murray Schrier, 89, of Pickett County Care and Rehab in Byrdstown, TN, passed away peacefully Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 at 7:30 a.m. at the Pickett Co. Care and Rehab.
He was born July 30, 1922 in Margaretville, the son of William I. Schrier and Dora Fanny (Cohan) Schrier.

Anthony C. (Tone) Locasto, 96, of Margaretville, died Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 at his residence.
He was born in Brooklyn December 19, 1915, the son of Fred and Rose (DiFazio) Locasto.
He graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, Queens.

Tone marred Joan Stevenson July 15, 1955 at Greenwich, CT.

Arminda Couto Pinto, 90, of Andes, passed away Sunday, January 15, 2012 at the home of her daughter in Andes.

She was born August 27, 1921 in Portugal, the daughter of Luiz and Maria (deJesus) Couto.
She married Americo Pinto April 2, 1941. He predeceased her in 2000.

Arminda worked as a book processor for the Pleasantville Packing Company in Pleasantville.
She was a resident of Ossining until moving to live with her daughter, Maria, in Andes 12 years ago.

Janet P. Kelly, 79, formerly of Margaretville, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson, Arizona.

She was born in Margaretville on July 5, 1932, to Russell and Teresa (Fuller) Peck. She married Donald Kelly on July 12, 1953.

Jan spent many years as the bookkeeper for the family business of Kelly Power Equipment, formerly known as Douglas Kelly & Son Farm Machinery on Main Street, Margaretville until selling the business in 1973.

William Howard Ruff, 88, of Andes, died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at his residence.

He was born July 19, 1923, in Delhi, the son of Michael and Mabel A. (Banks) Ruff. He trucked cattle and did other types of work in the Andes area.

He had lived in Andes for over 30 years. He attended schools in Franklin and Shavertown. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.

William Howard was one of 13 children. He was predeceased by six sisters and six brothers.
He is survived by nieces and nephews.

Rose K. Beers, 72, of North Franklin, passed away Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 at the A.O. Fox Nursing Home, Oneonta.

She was born August 18, 1939 the only child of Hartford and Lillias (Webb) Walling.
Rose graduated from Oneonta High School and received her master’s degree from SUNY Oneonta.
She married James A. Beers in 1962.

Bemjamin Chipman, 92, passed away in Delray Beach, Florida on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 after a short illness. He had been a dialysis patient for 18 years.

He was born September 17, 1919 in Salem, Massachusetts, the son of the late Jacob Chiplovitz and Ida Podvoritzky Chiplovitz.

He was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia, nee Steinhardt.

Paul E. Miller, 91, of Mt. Pleasant Rd., Walton, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2010 at home.
He was born May 30, 1920 on the family farm in Mundale, the son of Floyd and Edith (Easson) Miller.

He graduated from Walton High School. Paul married Kathleen “Katie” Kilpatrick on August 11, 1946.

William Mugford, 102, of Big Indian died Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011 at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie.

He was born June 17, 1909 in Wilkes Barre, PA, son of the late William and Esther Steiner Mugford.

Bill worked as an operator at Refined Sugar & Syrup of Yonkers for 25 years, having retired at age 65.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served in WWII, and was a member of the Phoenicia American Legion Post #950.