The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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Ronald L. Hasbrouck Jr.

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Grafton – Ronald L. “Skip” Hasbrouck Jr., 59, of Old Road, Grafton, NY, died Sunday, September 1, 2013, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY, after a long illness.
Born in Troy, he was the son of the late Ronald L. Hasbrouck Sr. and Malvina Durivage Hasbrouck and the husband for 37 years of Shirley A. Thurber Hasbrouck. He had resided in Grafton all his life and was a graduate of the Berlin Central School District.
Skip was an operating engineer for Callanan Industries at Clemente Latham Concrete for over 30 years and formerly worked for Duncan’s Poured Foundations and the Rensselaer County Highway Department.
“Poppy” loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was a past member of the Grafton Fire Company and Rescue Squad and loved camping at Lake Lauderdale in Cambridge, NY, camp games, NASCAR and the Liars’ Club.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include two sons, Ronald R. and wife Jennifer Hasbrouck of Grafton and Jonathan L. and wife Heather Hasbrouck of Grafton, eight grandchildren, Alyssa, Carissa, Kaitlyn, Michael, Anthony, Lillian, Caleb and Colin, a brother, Herbert S. and wife Maxine Hasbrouck of Grafton, two sisters, Suzanne M. and husband David Baker of Colonie, NY, and Robin M. Hasbrouck of Grafton, special friends, Jack and Terri Kaschak of Brunswick, NY, and several nieces and nephews.
At Skip’s request there will be no services.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in memory of Ronald L. Hasbrouck Jr. to the Lake Lauderdale Campground, RR#1, Box 256-12, Cambridge, NY, 12816.
For a private family guest book, visit www.brycefh.com.

Arthur E. Smith Jr.

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Hoosick Falls – Arthur E. Smith Jr., 89, died August 29, 2013, after a short illness, surrounded by his family at the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls, NY. He had been married to Gwendolyn (McMartin) Smith for 66 years.
Born April 22,1924, in Petersburgh, NY, he was the son of the late Arthur E. Sr. and Grace (Fuller) Smith. He was a lifetime resident of North Petersburgh, NY. Arthur graduated from the Walter A. Wood High School in Hoosick Falls as Salutatorian in the class of 1941. He then started a career as a builder. Many of the homes he built are located throughout the Hoosick and Taconic Valleys. He was an original member of the School Board of the Hoosick Falls Central School in 1956 and served two terms as President. He retired from the School Board in 1975 and from his business in 1991.
Apart from events celebrating his family life, he enjoyed outdoor sports including hunting and fishing. His favorite sports teams were the Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Cowboys.
Survivors, other than his wife Gwendolyn, are his four sons, David from Wellfleet, MA, Daniel and wife Gail of North Petersburgh, Dennis and wife Pam of North Petersburgh and Richard of Hoosick Falls. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In 1963 Arthur and his work crew converted the North Petersburgh schoolhouse into a chapel known as the North Petersburgh Methodist Church. The services for Arthur were held from this chapel on Tuesday September 3, at 12:30 pm. Relatives and friends called at the chapel from 11 am until the service. The burial followed at the Hoosick Rural Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Centers For Nursing and Rehabilitation or the North Petersburgh Methodist Church through the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090.
The family wishes to thank all the professionals at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation and all those who provided his excellent care. For persons unable to attend the services the family suggests that they spend time talking with friends and family about an activity Art enjoyed throughout his life.

Jerome Chamberlain

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Stephentown – Jerome “Jim” Chamberlain died August 31, 2013, at Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation of Laurel Lake, in Lee, MA, of natural causes brought about by old age; he was 97.
Born in the small rural village of Mt. Upton, NY, Jim was the second child of Arthur and Clare (Wilcox) Chamberlain. Like his father, he loved and excelled in all sports, especially the game of baseball; in this he acquired considerable local acclaim. This talent and passion for all sports helped to center and sustain him throughout his long and active life.
In 1934 Jim met and fell in love with Neva A. Pidgeon of Norwich, NY. Their first meeting was over a soda counter where she served him a banana split. As their love grew so did the size of Neva’s banana splits. In 1938 they married. They had three children – Craig Jerome, Eric Roger and Jan Ellen. In 1951 the family moved to Clifton, NJ, where Jim worked for the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche, retiring in 1978.
After Neva died in 1985, Jim later met Arline Carman, whom he knew from his early school years. It was a fairytale meeting and courtship. They became snowbirds, wintering in Florida with warm months spent in New York State.
In 2005 Arline’s health began to fail, and she eventually had to be admitted to a nursing home in Melbourne, FL. Jim was there every day, twice or three times, always present to help brighten her days. She died in 2008, and as in Neva’s death, he was totally bereft and lost without her.
Jim’s personal health began failing him. In 2008 he had a fall that required a hip replacement, eventually coming to Massachusetts to be near his family. He spent three years in assisted living; then the frailties of old age caused him to be admitted to the Kindred Nursing facility.
Jim is pre-deceased by his brother, Robert Chamberlain. He leaves two sons, Craig Chamberlain of Stephentown, NY and Eric Chamberlain and wife Lisa of Stockbridge, MA, a daughter, Jan Marraccini and husband William of Bangor, PA, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express its extreme gratitude to the entire staff at Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation of Laurel Lake for the attentive and compassionate care given to their father over the past two years. Thank you one and all.
A memorial service will be held, Saturday, September 7, at 2 pm, with visitation beginning at 1 pm, at the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home, 457 NY Rt. 43, Stephentown, NY. A second memorial service will be held Sunday at 10:30 am at Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation of Laurel Lake, 620 Laurel Street, Lee, MA.

Florence Townsend

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Petersburgh – Florence Townsend, 92, passed away on Friday, August 30, at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT. She had resided on Green Road in Petersburgh, NY.
Born on March 27, 1921, in Cambridge, NY, Florence was the daughter of the late Wesley and Fannie (Burch) Sherman. She graduated from Walter A. Wood High School in Hoosick Falls, NY, in 1939. Florence was a homemaker all of her life. She enjoyed gardening and sewing. She was well known for her flower gardens.
Survivors include her daughters, Sally Webster, Peggy Morin, Joyce Strait and Judy LaFond, all of Hoosick Falls, Jeanette Chaffee and Nancy Coulter, both of Pownal, VT, and Molly LaBonte of North Petersburgh, NY, her son, Malcolm Townsend of Petersburgh, twenty-eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews. She is pre-deceased by three brothers, Malcolm, Duane and Clarence Burch.
Services will be private. Arrangements are under the care of the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street in Hoosick Falls.

Highway Superintendent Nomination Contested At Petersburgh Caucus

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by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Republican Party held its caucus on Friday evening, August 23. Siegfried Krahforst was renominated as Supervisor as was Callie Crisp as Town Clerk, Ray Harrison as Highway Superintendent and Emily Harrison as Tax Collector. The only contested position was Highway Superintendent. [Read more…] about Highway Superintendent Nomination Contested At Petersburgh Caucus

County Honors Hoosick Falls Deceased Veteran Jay E. Arnold

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submitted by Chris Meyer, Deputy County Executive
The late Jay E. Arnold, whose cumulative service in the United States Air Force, Guard and Reserve spanned more than three decades including during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, was recognized by Rensselaer County’s Honor-A-Deceased Veteran Committee and County officials on Monday, August 12, during services at the County Office Building.
[Read more…] about County Honors Hoosick Falls Deceased Veteran Jay E. Arnold