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JEROME D. FLEMING Jerome D. Fleming, 77, Great Bend, PA, passed away Sunday, December 16, 2007. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Jean Fleming in February, 2006. Jerome is survived by one daughter, Teri Fleming; one brother, Bob and his wife, Bonnie Fleming; one sister-in-law, June Williams; several cousins, nieces and nephews. Jerome was a communicant of St. Lawrence Catholic Church. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the VFW, Great Bend. He was employed with the Hallstead Iron Foundry and Benton Foundry as a core maker. Funeral services will be held at the Tuttle-Yeisley Funeral Home, Hallstead, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, December 20 and at 11:00 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered by the Reverend Alfred Vito. Interment will be made in Woodlawn Cemetery in the spring. Friends may call at the funeral home Wednesday, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Should friends so desire, expressions of sympathy may take the form of a donation to St. Lawrence Catholic Church. LINDA PARKS Linda Parks, 63, Hickory Grove, PA, died unexpectedly Saturday, December 15, 2007. She was predeceased by her parents, John L. Parks in 1996 and Isabel Hall Parks in 1999. Linda is survived by one brother, John (Mary) Parks; a nephew, Wesley J. Parks, all of Hickory Grove; a great-niece, Alexis Lauren Parks, Hickory Grove and New Milford, PA; a special friend, John Robert Wagner, Harford, PA and his daughter, Jacqueline Wagner, New York. Linda was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary and Keystone College and attended Penn State. She was presently employed by United Medical Associates, Johnson City, NY. Linda worked for Dr. Dennis Allen and Dr. Michael Leonard for twenty years in Hallstead. She also worked for the Press. Her kindness will be remembered by many, as well as her love for Bel Park Farm and the animals. Linda was a great Yankees fan. At Linda’s request, she will be cremated and brought back to stay at Bel Park Farm. A celebration of Linda’s life will be held at the farm in the spring, 2008. DOLORES ARLENE MURCH Dolores Arlene Murch, 85, of Hilltop Retirement Community, Johnson City, NY, formerly of Endicott, NY passed away Thursday, December 13, 2007 at Hilltop Retirement Community. Dolores was born in Dunmore, PA, the daughter of the late Edward and Lena (Banks) Murch. She was predeceased by one brother, Clayton Murch; two sisters, Marion Kimble and Freda Belles. Dolores is survived by one sister, Jane Litts, Matamoras, PA; several nieces and nephews. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Endicott, NY. She retired as a secretary from IBM after 42 years. She was a member of the IBM Quarter Century Club and Past President of the IBM Retirees Club. Dolores was a member for over 50 years of the Worthy Matron Order of Eastern Star, Sunshine Chapter #258 in Susquehanna, PA, and former District Deputy Grand Matron of District 18 and Grand Committee Member of District 18. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 19 at 3 p.m. at Hennessey’s Funeral Home, 208 Jackson Ave., Susquehanna. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery, Susquehanna. The family will receive friends at Hennessey’s Funeral Home on Wednesday, December 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. THOMAS G. PAYNE, SR.
Thomas G. Payne, Sr., 81, of 30 East Meadow Drive, Ithaca, NY, passed away on Thursday, November 8, 2007, at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca. The son of Grace Keyes Payne and Clair L. Payne of Susquehanna PA, Thomas was predeceased by his son, Thomas G. Payne, Jr. (Grant). He is survived by his wife, Katharine Conlon Payne. Tom had a special bond with his devoted daughter, Clare L. (Roderick) Holmes; and with his granddaughter, Jessica Holmes. He is also survived by his brother, Jesse H. (Joan) Payne of Windsor, NY, and several nieces and nephews. After graduation from Susquehanna High School, Tom enlisted in the US Army at age 18 and took part in the Ryukus Campaign of Operation Iceberg in the South Pacific during World War II. He was wounded in the battle for Okinawa and was rewarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star for bravery. After the war, Tom’s education was completed at Keystone College, Pennsylvania State University, and Iowa State University. In 1953, Tom went to Cornell to direct a field study for the Department of Rural Sociology. After the study, he left academia for public service, originating the Tompkins County Office of Real Property Taxation. Tom served as Member of the Executive Board and then as President to the New York State Assessors Association. He participated in the writing of New York State’s Assessment Improvement Bill and also wrote the description of the assessment function in the Tompkins County Charter, which established the County Assessment Department. He served as Director of Assessment of Tompkins County for 16 years. Tom was made a Fellow of the NY State Institute of Assessing Officers, of which he was a life member. He was a Project Adviser to the International Association of Assessing Officers for the preparation of its Reference Manual on improving assessments for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Tom was recognized by the IAO Journal in January, 2005 as one of the pioneers of assessment improvement in New York State. Tom enjoyed keeping in touch with current lay opinions on the assessment function by debating them with his brother-in-law, Pat Conlon. A lifelong lover of boating, Tom spent his vacations traveling the freshwater routes of New York and Canada. He traveled to Montreal and the St. Lawrence via the Rideau Canal, cruising the Welland Canal to Toronto, the Erie Canal, the Trent Severn Canal to Georgian Bay, and after retirement took the boat to Florida via the Inland Waterway for the winter. In 1988, Tom and Kate moved aboard their trawler, “Cayuga Belle” and subsequently traveled to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi and Tombigbee Rivers. Tom was a member of the Ithaca Yacht Club and founding member of Ithaca’s Flotilla 2-2 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. A charter member of Lansing United Methodist Church, Tom served as a Trustee. He was a life member of the Canawacta Masonic Lodge of Susquehanna, and a founding and life member of the Blinded Veterans Association. A memorial service conducted by the Rev. William Gottschalk-Fielding was held at Lansing United Methodist Church on Friday, November 16, followed by a reception in celebration of Tom’s life and a luncheon. Committal was private, at the convenience of the family. Gifts in Tom’s memory may be made to the Memorial Committee of the Lansing United Methodist Church, 32 Auburn Road, Lansing NY 14882. Arrangements were under the direction of Lansing Funeral Home, 32 Auburn Road, Lansing NY, www.lansingfuneralhome.com. |
