Stella Sakowicz of Peconic died at home Nov. 12. She was 93.
Visitors will be received Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated following the visitation at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue, officiated by Father Robert Wolosik. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery adjacent to the church.
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Ernest “Toppy” Jones of Mattituck died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. He was 92 years old.
Toppy was born Feb. 26, 1927, in Greenport, N.Y., to Clara (Krause) and Harold Jones.
He attended Peconic School. After school he joined the U.S. Army during World War II from May of 1945 to November of 1946, where he attained the rank of sergeant.
On Oct. 9, 1948, he married the love of his life, Elsie Miska, at Sacred Heart R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Together they made their home in Mattituck and had two children.
He was a member of the American Legion. As a profession, he was a self-employed builder and built many homes for the local community.
Toppy was predeceased by his beloved wife, Elsie Jones, on April 23, 2014, and predeceased by siblings Harold, Bud, Robert, Marion, Hope and Pearl. Toppy is survived by his children, James Jones of Westhampton and Cynthia Kronenberg of Riverhead; grandchildren, Douglas Kronenberg Jr., Jacqueline Kronenberg and Nicole Jones; great-grandson, Nathan Kronenberg; and sister Ellie Hawkins of Florida.
Visitors were received Thursday, Nov. 14, at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, where U.S. Army honors were rendered during the afternoon visitation. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday morning, Nov. 15, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt. Interment followed at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Mattituck Fire Department Rescue Squad or East End Hospice would be appreciated.
This is a paid notice.
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August Francis Menchini, 72, of East Dennis, Mass., passed away suddenly Monday, Nov. 11, 2019.
He was the loving husband of Janet Weatherbe.
He was born and raised in Bergenfield, N.J., the son of the late August and Kathryn (Diana) Menchini.
After graduating from high school, August served honorably with the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War, stationed in Europe.
After the war, he completed his undergraduate degree at Fordham University and master’s degree in employee labor relations at Rutgers University.
August worked in human resources with several hospitals in New Jersey, Vermont and Long Island, N.Y. He retired in 2012 as human resource director of Eastern Long Island Hospital.
August lived in Greenport, Long Island, before moving to the Cape 11 years ago and setting in East Dennis.
August was a selfless, kind and loving man. He was a good and faithful friend and saw the best in everyone, he generated warmth and positive relationships. He loved meeting people and getting to know them. August lovingly embraced his wife’s family. He never missed a holiday, birthday or graduation.
August was also very jovial and quick with a joke. He was known for his effortless style of dress and collection of fedora hats. His favorite pastimes were reading military history, politics, traveling, especially to Italy, and sports, especially the Red Sox. He was a two-time finisher of the New York Marathon.
August is predeceased by his twin brother, Stephen (2016), and his young sister, Patricia. In addition to his wife, Janet, August is survived by his son Ian (wife Paige) Menchini and their daughter, Nora, of Ipswich, Mass.; his son Zachary (wife Christina) Menchini and their son, Frederick, of Portland, Ore. He is also survived by several loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Family and friends will gather Saturday, Dec. 14, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Doane, Beal & Ames, 729 Route 134, S. Dennis, MA 02660, followed by a 4:30 p.m. celebration of life service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to MSPCA Cape Cod, 1577 Falmouth Road, Centerville, MA 02632. For online condolences, please visit doanebealamesdennis.com.
This is a paid notice.
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Robert Burns of Greenport died Nov. 12. He was 74.
He was born Oct. 30, 1945, to Grace (Carney) and Frederic Burns in Glen Cove.
Mr. Burns attended college and earned a bachelor of science degree.
He married his wife, Patricia A. Burns, on April 5, 1966, in Glen Cove.
Mr. Burns was retired and enjoyed boating and playing guitar for his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, who resides in Greenport; his children, John R. Burns of Port Jefferson Station and Kiersten A. Bartolotta of Sayville; his siblings, Elaine Schneider and Frederick Burns; and three grandchildren.
A funeral Mass will take place Friday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. at St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport, officiate by Father Richard Hoerning. Cremation will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to the Long Island chapter of American Cancer Society.
Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport assisted the family.
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Mary Louise Rabe of Greenport died Sunday, Nov. 17. She was 95.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. at Calverton National Cemetery.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is serving the family.
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Arnold H. Sims of Riverhead died at home Nov. 13, 2019. He was 96.
He was born May 2, 1923, to Louise Rose and John Sims in Lynn, Mass.
Mr. Sims graduated from high school and was employed as a service manager in the automotive industry for Wells Pontiac-Cadillac and Peter Glennon Buick-Cadillac in Southampton.
He was predeceased his wife, Ann, and his daughter Jean LePage. He is survived by his children Daniel (Dorothy), Ronald (Pamela), Dorre (Harry) Miles, Linda (Robert) Taplin and Jo-Ann (Thomas) Perry; his significant other, Jean Guydish; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Visitors were received Nov. 17 at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral Mass took place the following day at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church followed by burial at St. John’s Cemetery.
This is a paid notice.
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Kelley Marie Blanchard of Southold died tragically Nov. 10, 2019. She was 27 years old.Kelley was born Oct. 26, 1992, in Riverhead, N.Y., to Judith (Verrastro) and William R. Blanchard Jr.
After graduating from Southold High School, she attended Suffolk Community College for Culinary Arts.
She was a guardian member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which she was very proud of. She was also a member of St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold.
Most recently she worked as an auto sales associate at Riverhead Nissan, where she was head of sales for several months.
Kelley is survived by her parents, William R. Blanchard Jr. (Nina) and Judith Blanchard; her sister, Megan Blanchard of Southold; and her grandparents Rosemarie Blanchard of New Suffolk and Dominic and Bobby Verrastro of Virginia Beach.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Southold Town Police Department, Mattituck Fire Department, Cutchogue Fire Department, Department of Environmental Conservation, Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, Peconic Bay Medical Center, New York State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard for their hard work and effort during their time of need.
The family received friends Nov. 17 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 18 at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt.
The Rite of Committal was private.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals would be appreciated.
This is a paid notice.
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Herbert Samuel Ernest was born in Detroit, Mich., July 26, 1920, to parents Semi Samuel Ernest and Lola Muller, immigrants from Alsace-Lorraine and Hungary respectively.
His family remained in Detroit through the Great Depression until 1931 when his father was appointed chef at the newly opened New Yorker Hotel in New York City. The family moved to Brooklyn where Herbert attended Erasmus Hall High School.
In 1941 he graduated from Cornell University with a degree in hotel administration.
He enlisted in the Army in July of that year just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Because of his hospitality background, he was assigned to the Quartermaster Corps and following basic training, attended The American Institute of Baking in Chicago. His first tour of duty took him to Tunisia, North Africa where he commanded an African-American corps of bakers for more than two years. Later, with Mark Clark’s Fifth Army, he moved the 110th Quartermaster Baking Company to 13 different field locations in Italy where, as captain, he commanded 168 men and 48 ovens in a mobile bakery that churned out between 40,000 and 60,000 pounds of white bread daily, seven days a week.
At the end of the war, because of gifting local Italians a 55-pound sack of flour weekly, he was knighted as “Commendatore d’Italia” by King Umberto of Italy (who ruled for a brief 26 days and then was voluntarily exiled).
Despite contracting yellow jaundice which caused him to lose all his hair, he only recalled his war experience with enthusiasm for our county’s mission and his specific task at hand. He had the privilege of serving not only our veterans, but food and baked desserts to many military dignitaries and visiting entertainers, including Bob Hope, Lily Pons and Marlene Dietrich. He also met photographer Margaret Bourke-White, who perhaps inspired him in his own lifelong pursuit of photography.
Herbert served until 1950 with two promotions in that time to major and then lieutenant colonel. With many entertaining stories about his war years he always found a way to make the best of whatever he had and wherever he was, turning it into adventure.
While we often asked Dad to bake bread for us he said he only knew the recipe to make thousands of loaves at once. We never got to taste the magic baked by “the Captain with the cake,” as Ms. Dietrich once later referred to him.
After the war, Herbert moved permanently to New York City and where in 1954 he married Irene Barbara Buffalo, or “Buffy” as she was nicknamed. Daughter Lisa was born in late 1955, followed by Ethan in mid-1957 and Mark in early 1959.
Herb enjoyed a lifelong career in the insurance business, first as a salesman for Prudential and Aetna, and then later for Canada Life Assurance Company where he spent most of his time until he opened his own firm, the Herbert Ernest Corporation.
Forever an optimist, Herb was a natural born salesman. One of his favorite quotes was “No one has endurance like the man who sells insurance.” Forever energetic, Herbert never seemed to run out of ideas or enthusiasm for whatever he was doing. Aside from a growing family and business life, Herb had many other passionate interests: Citroën cars of which he was a connoisseur and devoted owner for decades, photography (he was never without his camera), skiing, biking plus anything and everything anything related to sailboats and yachts.
A committed New York resident, Herbert and family lived in East Side apartments until he purchased a brownstone on East 69th Street in 1966. This was an exciting chapter that continued for two decades until they relocated to Southold, Long Island at the end of the North Fork. In a bucolic area on Mt. Beulah Avenue, they undertook the large scale renovation of a landmark historic Georgian horse stable, turning it into a modern residence and private garden compound. Their final move was to Peconic Landing in Greenport, an assisted living facility very close by.
Buffy passed away in 2016 at age 89. Herbert is survived by daughter Lisa Ernest Mierop, son Ethan Ernest, granddaughter Emma Mierop and nephews Kenneth and Seth Shapira.
This is a paid notice.
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Joan Castel Conway of Bellerose Village and Mattituck, Long Island, died Nov. 19, 2019. She was 77.
She was born Feb. 23, 1942.
Ms. Conway was the beloved wife of William J. Conway; the devoted mother of William P. Conway (Katie) and Susan Iwanowicz (Peter); the cherished grandmother of Katherine and Andrew Iwanowicz; and the loving sister of P. Kevin Castel (Mary Noe) and Patricia Skarulis.
Visitors will be received Thursday, Nov. 21, from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home in Floral Park, N.Y. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park Friday, Nov. 22, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
This is a paid notice.
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Thomas H. Constantine of Peconic Landing in Greenport died Monday, Nov. 18. He was 90.
Visitors will be received Friday, Nov. 22, from 3 to 8 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
The funeral liturgy will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. at Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church in Mattituck, officiated by the Very Rev. Father Archimandrite Ignatios J. Achlioptas. Interment with U.S. Army honors will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale.
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Barbara A. Harkins of Riverhead, formerly of Cutchogue, died at her home Nov. 18. She was 71.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue is assisting the family.
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Cynthia L. Nelson of Virginia Beach, Va., formerly of Southold, died Nov. 19. She was 95.
Visitors will be received Friday, Nov. 29, at 8:30 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold.
A funeral service will take place following the visitation at 10 a.m. at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport, officiated by Reverend Garrett Johnson. Interment will follow at Long Island National Cemetery in Pinelawn.
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Carolyn Wright of Mattituck entered this world a number of weeks early on Oct. 16, 1938. She departed on Nov. 16, 2019, at the skilled nursing facility of Peconic Bay Medical Center’s Palliative Care Unit and went to her Lord.
Her parents were Ellis Fonner Van Riper (former Transport Workers Union of America president) and Viola Martha Schultz Van Riper.
Surviving are her husband, John; sons, Peter and Christopher; daughter-in-law, Kerry; granddaughters, Megan and Patricia; and a sprinkling of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Born in Brooklyn, Carolyn moved to Nassau in 1952, attended Sewanhaka High School, graduating in 1956, and from Hofstra University in 1960, where she majored in political science.
She met John at Hofstra where he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army in 1959. They were married Jan. 14, 1961, and pulled into the gates of Fort Gordon in Georgia as President John F. Kennedy was giving his inaugural address.
When John left the Army, he became a social worker and Carolyn a homemaker until it was time to send the boys to college. She earned her paralegal certificate with honors and worked for several law firms until both retired.
Both were very active in church renewal, including giving conferences, food pantries and homeless shelters, even as their health declined.
Being a “what’s next person” since birth, she became involved in pastel drawing and quality reading. She continued to enjoy and be proud of her sons, whom she referred to as “forces of nature.”
She maintained a lifetime of quietly helping others with her never-failing sense of humor until the end.
A wake was held Nov. 19, 2019, at Wantagh Abbey and a celebration Mass at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Wantagh, officiated by Bishop Provenzano and assisting clergy on Nov. 20, 2019. Interment followed afterward at the inside columbarium.
In place of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Women and Children Center, Suffolk County Make a Wish Foundation or AHRC.
“O.K. Lord, what’s next?”
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Ethel May Quillin of Greenport died Nov. 21. She was 97.
She was born Aug. 2, 1922, to Ethel (Merrill) and George Capon Sr. in Greenport.
She married Thomas Ford Quillin Sr. Jan. 23, 1944, at Greenport United Methodist Church.
Ms. Quillin’s family said she was a counter girl at Sixth Street Deli in Greenport for 15 years and worked at North Road Deli in Southold for 14 years.
Predeceased by her husband in 1978 and her sister, Elizabeth Blasko, in 2017, Ms. Quillin is survived by her daughters, Dale and Robin Grattan, both of Southold; sons, Thomas Jr., of Greenport, and Kevin Quillin of Southold; siblings George Capon Jr. of Greenport and Beverly Lehr of Southold; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Visitors were received Nov. 24 at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. A service took place Nov. 25 at North Fork United Methodist Church in Southold, officiated by Pastor Thomas MacLeod. Interment followed at Sterling Cemetery in Greenport.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice or Burton Potter American Legion Post in Greenport.
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Donald Richard Reeves of Greenport died Nov. 14. He was 88.
Mr. Reeves was born Jan. 30, 1931, to Jean (Cody) and Chauncey Reeves in Stony Brook, N.Y.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and married his wife, Eleanor, on Long Island. He earned a bachelors of science degree in physical education and worked in the West Islip School District for over 30 years.
His family said he enjoyed reading, sports, yard work and golfing.
Mr. Reeves was predeceased by his wife and his brother, Jack Reeves. He is survived by his children Kim Rowles and Kyle Reeves; his sister, Claudia Bertorello; and six grandchildren.
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Dimitrios Georgianis of Mattituck died Nov. 24 at his daughter’s home in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He was 88.He was born in Albania Dec. 15, 1930, to Vasiliki Toulios and Nicholas Georgianis.
Mr. Georgianis was employed as a waiter at Hotel Algonquin in New York City.
He was affiliated with Pyrros Association in Astoria and Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church in Mattituck. His family said he enjoyed reading and gardening.
Mr. Georgianis was predeceased by his wife, Catherine, Jan. 7, 2015, and his son, Nicholas, Feb. 3, 2017. He is survived by his daughter, Maria Litos of New Hyde Park, and granddaughters Christiana and Evangelia Litos.
Visitors will be received Friday, Nov. 29, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A service will take place Saturday, Nov. 30, at noon at Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church in Mattituck. Interment will follow at Cutchogue Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 161 Levittown Parkway, Suite 7, Hicksville, NY 11801.
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1923-2019
Thornton Edward Smith, a resident of Peconic Landing in Greenport, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. He was 96 years old.Born in Hempstead, N.Y., Nov. 11, 1923, he was the son of the late Dr. Henry Buel Smith and Hazel Sweezy Smith.
Thornton graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in the Class of 1941. During World War II, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers on the Manhattan Project and in the Philippines. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1948 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1949.
Thornton spent his professional career as owner and CEO of Kuhn, Smith & Harris Inc., a construction business headquartered in Manhattan, N.Y., which he proudly ran for over 35 years.
He also continued his military career in the Army Reserves, eventually rising to the rank of colonel. He was a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and Army War College.
His love of the Boy Scouts spanned 84 years, beginning with earning the rank of Eagle Scout and culminating with a 55-year association with Troop 71 in Plandome, N.Y. All four of his sons became Eagle Scouts, along with three of his grandsons. He was a loyal member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and served for over 40 years as a member of the Plandome Fire Department.
Thornton was a member of First Universalist Church of Southold and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, Manhasset, N.Y. In addition to hunting, fishing and hiking in the outdoors, he loved to hear about family members’ challenges and accomplishments and was always ready with assistance and support. He was known for his loyalty, sense of duty and perseverance in all that he did.
Thornton is survived by his wife of 68 years, Sherry Wakelee Smith, of Peconic Landing; sons Jeffrey T. Smith of Arlington, Va., T. Wakelee Smith of Sag Harbor, N.Y., Riordon B. Smith of Vero Beach, Fla., and Neil H. Smith of Weston, Mass.; daughter Tarin Smith Davies of Albuquerque, N.M.; grandchildren Carlie and Kyland Smith; Ryan, Austin and Ashley Davies; Dillon, Cheyenne and Colter Smith; Amanda (Ohnmacht), Winston and Everett Smith; and Skylar, Chloe and Carter Smith; great-grandchildren Gabrielle, Marius, Theodore and Cassien Davies and Greyson Davies. Thornton is also survived by his sister, Shirley Smith Anderson. Preceding him in death was his brother, Buel Sweezy Smith.
Visiting hours will be held Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home, 735 First St., Greenport, NY 11944.
A memorial celebration will be held Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, at 11 a.m. in the auditorium at Peconic Landing, 1500 Brecknock Road, Greenport, NY 11944.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of Thornton Smith may be made to Troop 71 Foundation, c/o 45 Winthrope Road, Manhasset, NY 11030 or the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139-3322.
This is a paid notice.
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John Benedict “Ben” Roache III of Laurel died at home Nov. 28. He was 80.
Visitors will be received Sunday, Dec. 1, from 3 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt. The Rite of Committal will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Edward P. Jurzenia of Greenport died Dec. 1. He was 75.
He was born July 17, 1944, to Florence (Pagan) and Thomas Jurzenia in Queens, N.Y.
Mr. Jurzenia earned a bachelors of science degree from Cornell University and was the owner and manager of Silver Sands Motel in Greenport for 40 years.
He enjoyed oyster farming with Pipes Cove Oysters.
Mr. Jurzenia is survived by his wife, Darline Duffy Jurzenia; his daughter, Colleen Duffy of Miller Place; his sister, Jean Burden of Greenport; and two grandchildren.
Visitors will be received Thursday, Dec. 5, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport.
Memorial donations may be made to Greenport Fire Department Rescue Squad.
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Edward T. Kinsel of Orient died at San Simeon by the Sound in Greenport Nov. 28. He was 86.
He was born Jan. 19, 1933, to Helen Zamorska and Thomas Jakielaszek in Newark, N.J.
Ms. Kinsel graduated from Rutgers University and served in the U.S. Army for six years, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.
He made a career as a self-employed sales representative for photographers and photographic services in New York City.
His life partner of 53 years, Diana Latham, said he was a kind man who enjoyed carpentry projects, caring for his home and his beloved cat, Ruby Slippers.
Ms. Kinsel was predeceased by his mother; his stepfather, George Kinsel; and his brother, John Jakielaszek.
Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport assisted the family.
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