John L. Hussnatter of Mattituck died April 1 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 82.
Funeral arrangements, which are incomplete at this time, are in the care of the DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
A complete obituary will follow.
The North Fork community lost a bright light last week with the passing of 59-year-old Cutchogue resident Sue Miller.
Until she departed the staff nearly 10 years ago, Sue was a longtime and valued member of the Times/Review family. At various times over her 20-year tenure, she served as a staff reporter, editor of The Riverhead News-Review, Long Island Wine Press and other special sections, and interim co-publisher, along with her husband, Jeff Miller, during the year-long sabbatical Joan and I took in 1998-99.
Sue was sharp as a whip, witty, well organized and tenacious. When she had an opinion, she fought for it doggedly. She also was a sparkling writer, a gifted page designer and an outstanding editor. And it was as an editor that she shined brightest, in my opinion. She often spent more time fine-tuning a story than the reporter spent writing it in the first place, always willing to ask the tough questions, to go the extra mile. Much of the hard-hitting journalism that appeared on these pages during her tenure was either written or edited by Sue Miller.
In the years we worked together, I considered Sue both a colleague and a friend.
And that is how I will remember her.
Former Southold resident Nancy M. de Bruin, born in Rockville Centre, May 11, 1929, to Carroll and Catherine McLaughlin, died of a sudden illness March 23, 2014, at her winter home in Fort Myers, Florida.
Nancy was raised in Freeport with siblings Barbara, Carol, and Bob. She graduated from Freeport High School in 1947 where she captained both the cheerleading squad and the field hockey team. Summers were spent at camp in Vermont (“awful” in her words) and hitchhiking to work the snack bar at Jones Beach (“the good times”).
She attended Skidmore College for one year before deciding she did not have the stomach for nursing. She returned home and went to work for a bank in Freeport and for Carroll McLaughlin’s engineering firm, where she met Jim de Bruin.
Nancy and Jim were married in August 1951 and moved to a house they had purchased in East Meadow. It was at this Rose Drive address that Nancy began a life’s work of turning houses into homes. Between 1953 and 1958, Nancy gave birth to four children (Greg, Karen, Sue, and Bob). She and Jim bought a summer home in Southold in 1958 with Jim’s mother, where chunks of the summer were spent barefoot and without phones, TVs or washing machines.
Nancy and Jim moved to Old Brookville in 1970 where she took up golf at Brookville Country Club, volunteered at Glen Cove Hospital and created a home that welcomed her children, their spouses (Elaine, Brian, Keith and Lisa), and her grandchildren (Catherine, Monica, Kenny, Corbin; Rylan, Shea, Molly, Colin; Jordan, Kali, Kaitlin; Kaia and Laura) to good meals and warm afternoons in the pool. It was in this year that Nancy embraced a love of travel inherited from her mother. She and Jim traveled the country, the Caribbean and Europe, almost always in the company of good friends, to make the experience that much richer.
In the mid-1980s she and Jim began to go to Florida in the winters, ultimately settling at The Forest in Fort Myers. Again she mastered the art of creating a place where family wanted to visit, including a new generation of great grandchildren (Andrew, Elise, Luca, and Nadia).
Nancy will be remembered as a woman of great class and dignity who was always comfortable with the person she was, and very grateful for the life she lived.
A wake will be held Friday, March 28, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A memorial Mass will be held Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold.
Donations in Nancy’s honor may be made to The Fresh Air Fund or Habitat for Humanity.
This is a paid notice.
Thomas F. Hamilton of Greenport and Aiken, S.C., died March 29, 2014, at Mattie C. Hall Health Care Center in Aiken after a brief illness. He was 91.
Born in Brooklyn, Mr. Hamilton was the son of and Madeline (Herberger) and Thomas S. Hamilton and since 1968 had divided his time between his residences in Aiken and Greenport.
As a young man Mr. Hamilton served with the 313th infantry in World War II seeing action in northern France, the Ardennes, and the Rhineland. He earned a bronze star along with several other awards. Later, he went on to serve a twenty-year tenure as a policeman for the New York Police Department in the 17th and 19th precincts, retiring in 1966. Mr. Hamilton later served in security at the Animal Disease Center of NY on Plum Island.
A communicant of St. Mary Help of Christian Catholic Church in Aiken, Mr. Hamilton was a devoted son, brother, and uncle, and enjoyed the waters around Long Island, listening to Frank Sinatra, and especially long walks in Hitchcock Woods in Aiken.
Brother of the late James J. Hamilton, he is survived by his sister, Patricia H. Burleson of Greenville, S.C.; nieces and nephews, including James W. Burch of Blythwood, S.C., Robert H. Burch, also of Greenville; Daniel J. Burch of Durham, N.C., Thomas A. Burch of Columbia, S.C., Susan E. Heffron of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Marcus C. Burch, also of Greenville, and Michelle B. Walker of North Charleston; and by many grand- and great-grand-nieces and nephews.
The family will receive visitors for a prayer vigil, Wednesday, April 9, beginning at 6 p.m. at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home in Aiken. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated, Thursday, April 10, at 9 am on at St. Mary Help of Christian Catholic Church in Aiken. Interment with military honors will take place April 10 at 2 p.m. at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, S.C.
Memorial donations may be directed to woundedwarriorproject.org.
This is a paid notice.
James Myron Young of Laurel died April 6, 2014. He was 82.
A graveside service will be held Friday, April 11, at 1 p.m. at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue, with Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt officiating.
Memorial donations to North Fork Animal Welfare League or Kent Animal Shelter would be appreciated.
Funeral arrangements were handled by DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Homes.
A complete obituary will follow.
On Friday April 4, we said goodbye to a great man, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. Frank Donahue passed away at the age of 90 at his Greenport residence in Peconic Landing.
Frank was born Jan. 17, 1924 to John and Ethel Donahue in Brooklyn. He attended Manual High School in Brooklyn and at the age of 17 enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He served in the South Pacific with the 1st Marine Division and was wounded during the Battle of Okinawa, receiving a Purple Heart. He served with the Marines until 1946 and in 1950 married Rose Mazza. Frank joined the New York City police department in 1952 and retired as a detective after a 22-year career. He then worked for Chase bank as a supervisor of credit card investigators for 10 years.
The family moved to Southold in 1970 where Frank was active in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, the Southold American Legion Post 803 and East End Disability Associates.
Frank loved sports; he was an accomplished baseball player in his youth, an avid bowler, pool player and most of all, an avid golfer. Despite being classified as legally blind in his later years, he was still able to sink a chip shot from 30 yards out.
Frank was predeceased by his wife, Rose in 2009 and his daughter, Cindy Ruggles in 2011. He is survived by his daughter, Karen Danzer of Southold and his son Ralph, of Largo, FL. as well as six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
The family received visitors April 7 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The funeral service was held April 8 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport, officiated by the Rev. Garret Johnson and the Rev. Peter Kelley. Interment took place at First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Southold.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to Southold American Legion Post 803.
This is a paid notice.
On April 3, 2014, we lost a happy and fun-loving Joey to a sudden fatal stroke.
Left to mourn her passing are her companion of 41 years, Thomas Coyne, of Southold and her sister, Roberta Verwayen of Beacon, N.Y.
During her lifetime, Joey was a serious runner and entered many races in New York City and Southold.
Joey and Tommy spent many weekends doing the yard sale circuit and shopping for gifts to give to their many friends and relatives in New York and Connecticut.
Joey was a “dog walker” in New York City for a period of time and a life-long true lover of animals.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, April 12, at noon at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Southold, with Father Peter Garry officiating.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Homes.
This is a paid notice.
Patricia Lantz Blake of Peconic and formerly of Garden City and Jupiter, Fla., passed away April 3, 2014, after a period of declining health.
Pat was born Jan. 24, 1929, in Far Rockaway to Harold David Lantz and Eleanor May DeHaven. Both her parents were from Lancaster, Pa. As a child Pat enjoyed special summer visits to her grandparents and extended family in Lancaster.
After graduation from Port Washington High School, Pat met William C. Blake on a blind date set-up by a mutual friend. At the time, Bill had a broken toe and was unable to dance, so Bill and Pat spent the evening talking and getting to know each other better. Unbeknownst to them, they set into motion the script for a wonderful life together. Pat and Bill were married at St. Joseph’s Church in Garden City, January 3, 1948.
Family was the most important aspect of Pat’s life. She was a wonderful wife and mother, who always had time to listen and discuss anything and everything. She was a strong-willed and practical woman with a keen intellect and a good sense of fun. Pat had many interests including history, gardening, politics, finance, and fashion. Later, she became a licensed real estate broker, working for Albertson Realty and Sharpe Realty in Southold. She was a member of the Southold Historical Society and often volunteered her time as a docent.
Pat was a real “can do” gal who never asked anyone to do something for her that she could do herself. She kept a lovely, organized home, and together with Bill provided a nurturing environment with routine, stability, warmth, and consistent discipline. Pat and Bill were wonderful parental teammates. They raised their five children by example, through their daily show of respect and devotion to each other.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her son William C. Blake Jr., her son-in-law John Kelly, and her sister Nancy McMahon. She is survived by her sister, Virginia Fringer (Bob) of Colerain, N.C.; daughters, Pamela Kelly (John) of Garden City, Nancy Smith (Ken) of Wilmington, N.C., Elizabeth Backhaus (Rob) of Scarborough, Maine; and her son, Geoffrey Blake (Leah) of Roanoke, Va.
Pat was a grandmother to, Katie and Garrett Gleeson, Kara Kelly; Megan Reed, Colin and Kevin Smith; Julianne Dalton, Madeline and John Blake; Erik, Nicole, and Shannon Backhaus. She was the great-grandmother to Ryan and Molly Reed. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.
The family expresses its deep appreciation to the crews of the Southold Fire Department Rescue Squad, Eastern Long Island Hospital staff, San Simeon by the Sound staff, the Care Givers of Prime Care, Shelter Island, and our dear friend of 30 years, Dawn Heard. We’re grateful for your kind and respectful care of our mom.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, April 10, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. A funeral service will take place Friday, April 11 10 a.m. at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold. Burial will take place at the church cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Southold Fire Department Rescue Squad, 55135 Main Road, Southold, NY 11971, or the Children’s Tumor Foundation, 120 Wall St. New York, NY 10005.
Walter T. Chance of Greenport died April 1. at Eastern Long Island Hospital. He was 64.
Mr. Chance was born Jan. 1, 1950, in Bethel, N.C., to James Henry Langley and Mary Chance. He was educated in the Pitt County, N.C., school system before moving to Florida.
While in Florida, Mr. Chance harvested crops for a short time before moving to Riverhead. He worked for many different North Fork locations, including Cooper’s Fish Market in Greenport, Mattituck Senior Center nutrition program, Orient by the Sea and San Simeon by the Sound.
Mr. Chance’s friend Dorothy Watson said “Walter enjoyed all genres of music — from gospel and jazz to rhythm and blues and pop. He played the drums and one of his regular gigs was at the now-defunct Wright’s Inn nightclub in Riverhead, where he was also a resident bouncer.” She also mentioned that Mr. Chance loved all sports and from 1966 to 1970, Mr. Chance trained with professional boxers in a Riverhead gym to prepare for the New York Golden Gloves, Amateurs.
Family members said that he is remembered for loving his children and being a loving and kindhearted man.
Mr. Chance was predeceased by his father; and his sisters, Angela Marchelle and Ophelia Chance. He is survived by his mother, Mary, of Tarboro, N.C.; his sons, Andre Edwards and Anthony Chance of Greenport; his siblings, Jimmy, also of Tarboro, N.C., Lizzie Teel of Hassell, N.C., Mary Best of Greenville, N.C., Carolyn Graham of Nashville, N.C., and James Arthur Langley of New Haven, Conn.; and one grandchild.
The family received visitors April 9 at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport, which included a funeral service officiated by the Rev. Jimmie L. Smiley. Cremation was private.
Memorial donations may be made to SAVES, Inc. of Greenport or North Fork Animal Welfare League in Southold.
Dr. Harilal Nathalal Patel of Southold died suddenly April 1 while visiting family in Singapore. He was 77.
Mr. Patel was born Oct. 27, 1936, in India and attended MP Shah Medical College in Jamnagar, India. He immigrated to the United States in 1963, and did his residency and surgical training at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. Mr. Patel married Ann Darroch in June 1968 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help R.C. Church in Brooklyn.
He received his board certification from the American Board of Surgeons and was an attending general surgeon at Lutheran Medical Center in New York City until his retirement in 2003. The Patels moved to Southold from Staten Island in 2006.
Mr. Patel was also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York, the Kings County Medical Society and the Academy of Medicine in Brooklyn.
Mr. Patel was predeceased by Anne in September 2012 and is survived by his daughter, Shelia; his grandson; his brothers, Harshad of New Jersey and Parul of Mumbai, India; and his sister, Dhirubai, also of Mumbai.
The family will hold private memorials in Southold and Mumbai. Memorial donations may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Former longtime Southold resident Eleanor Louise Potorski passed away March 17 at her residence in Boca Raton, Fla. with her family by her side. She was 92.
Eleanor was born in New York City, June 8, 1921, to Louise and Albert Brunelli. She received a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and master’s degrees from New York University and Columbia University. Eleanor was a professor of biology at Suffolk County Community College.
Family members said she greatly enjoyed her time in Southold, raising her family and spending time with her grandchildren.
Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Joe and brother, Al and is survived by her daughter, Nancy Krakowka of Jamesport; her sons, Joseph of Farmingdale and Peter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and four grandchildren, Corinne of Fort Lauderdale, James of Manhattan; Christopher of Mattituck and Joshua of Aquebogue.
Funeral arrangements were private.
This is a paid notice.
Former Greenport resident Raymond H. Coyle Jr. died April 11 in Garner, N.C. He was 49.
Mr. Coyle was born Jan. 27, 1965, to Beverly and Raymond H. Coyle Sr. He grew up in Greenport and, according to family members, enjoyed working on cars and playing pool with his friends. For the past eight years he had been living in Garner.
Mr. Coyle was predeceased by his mother. He is survived by his father; his stepmother, Rosemarie; and many other family members.
Funeral services were held in North Carolina.
Former Mattiuck resident Sylvia Okula, a longtime resident of Winter Haven, Fla., died April 6 in Atlanta from complications of heart disease and diabetes. She was 88.
Ms. Okula was born in Mattituck in 1925. She married Francis L. Okula in New York after his return from serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. They moved to Winter Haven, Fla. in 1956, building a home on Lake Shipp, where they raised their two sons, James and David. When Fran died in 1985, she moved to the Orchid Springs community near Cypress Gardens, Fla. where she remained until 2010. Ms. Okula then moved to an assisted living community in Atlanta to be closer to her son James.
Ms. Okula, an avid gardener, served as president of the Jacaranda Garden Club many times throughout her active membership and also as office manager of the Winter Haven Garden Center. Ms. Okula and her family were longtime members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winter Haven, where she was very active the church’s stitchery group. While living in Orchid Springs, Fla. she was also a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church.
Ms. Okula is survived by her sons James, of Georgia and David, of Seattle; his sister Patricia Haupt Fazio of Huntington, Conn.; her brothers Francis Haupt of Panama City, Fla. and Harold Haupt of Southold; three granddaughters and other family and friends.
A funeral mass was held April 12 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winter Haven, celebrated by Father Glenn Charest
Memorial donations may be made to Jacaranda Garden Club, in care of Mrs. George Hatfield, 113 Alachua Drive, Winter Haven, FL 33884. to establish a memorial garden in Ms. Okula’s honor.
Allen H. Rackett of East Marion died April 14, 2014 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead after a lengthy illness. He was 68. 
Allen was born in Greenport May 7, 1945, and was the son of Charles C. and Adele E. Rackett of East Marion. Allen attended East Marion secondary school before attending Greenport High School where he graduated in 1963. He then attended Cornell University, School of Hotel Management.
Following graduation Allen continued a very successful career in hotel and restaurant management, including the Philadelphia Convention and Tourism Bureau; Pusser’s Caribbean Grille at the Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Pusser’s Caribbean Grille at the Annapolis Marriott; and in Brooklyn. He then returned to his roots on Long Island to work at the Elbow Room in Jamesport, and later the IGA in Southold.
Allen is predeceased by his parents and survived by his brother, Peter J. Rackett of Medford; his sister, Rebecca J. Becker of Calverton; three nephews, William Becker of Margate, Fla. and Devin Becker and Erik Becker, both of Brooklyn.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport. Arrangements for private cremation was handled by Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. Interment will be in the East Marion Cemetery.
The family will hold a memorial service at a future date.
This is a paid notice.
Esther C. Pilles of Southold, died April 17. She was 66 years old.
The family will receive visitors Tuesday, April 22, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday April 23, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick R.C. Catholic Church in Southold. Interment will be at the church cemetery.
The family is requesting that you donate platelets or consider joining “Be A Match” registry in honor of Ms. Pilles.
A complete obituary will follow.
Riverhead resident, Victoria Percopo, formerly of Yonkers died April 20 at Peconic Bay Medical Center. She was 82.
Ms. Percopo was born June 15, 1931, in Yonkers to Stanley and Stella Anton. While living there, she worked as a folder for Silver Lining Laundry.
She was predeceased by her first husband, Paul Maron and her second husband, Carmine Percopo and is survived by her daughter, Kathleen (Joseph) Berezny; her grandchildren, Kimberly and Joshua; her siblings, Pauline Grabowski, Beverly LaRocca, Carolyn DiLemme and Gary, Denis, Gerald and Richard Schwuchow. She is also predeceased by her siblings, Rose Cunliffe and Robert Anton.
The family will receive visitors Wednesday, April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, April 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service will take place Thursday, April 24, at 11 a.m. at St. Isidore R.C. Church in Riverhead. Interment will follow at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale.
Memorial donations may be made to Riverhead Care Center recreation department.
This is a paid notice.
Florence Shaw Taylor of Cutchogue died at her home April 20. She was 94.
She was born Oct. 6, 1919, in Brooklyn to Samuel and Anne Shaw. Ms. Taylor was a teacher for the Baldwin School district. She was also a member of Cutchogue Methodist Church.
Ms. Taylor was predeceased by her husband, Harry in 2003 and her brother, Robert Shaw. She is survived by her son Robert of New Jersey; 4 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
The family will receive visitors for a memorial service, Saturday, April 26, from 1 to 3 p.m at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. Cremation was private.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice.
Gloria Ann Scollard of Mattituck and Garden City died April 18. She was 75.
Ms. Scollard was born Oct. 28, 1938, to Thomas and Catherine Carroll. She graduated from St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind. with a degree in education and taught in the Levittown, N.Y. She married Patrick J. Scollard in 1961.
Approximately 20 years ago, the Scollards purchased a home in Mattituck. Mr. Scollard spoke about his wife’s keen eye and gift for interior decorating. He said at the time they were designing the house, the Scollards did not have any grandchildren, yet Ms. Scollard designed the house with grandchildren in mind. The couple’s 14 grandchildren now enjoy spending time at their family home.
Mr. Scollard spoke of his wife’s athletic interest and abilities. During the 1950s, she met many New York Yankee players through her brother, Yankee infielder Thomas Carroll. Ms. Scollard began playing softball in her mid-30s, and continued playing 3rd base for the Gross’ Gems team in Nassau County until she was 59. She was also an avid tennis player and more recently, taken up golf at North Fork Country Club in Cutchogue.
According to Mr. Scollard, Ms. Scollard was an avid reader who loved spending time in bookstores She started book clubs and would frequently send books to her grandchildren for them to read. He mentioned that she also loved to travel, and visited more than 15 countries.
In addition to her husband, grandchildren, and brother, Thomas, Ms. Scollard is survived by her children, Kevin, Maureen Bauer, Daniel, Thomas and Brian and her brother, J. Terence Carroll.
The family will receive visitors Tuesday, April 22, from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Park Funeral Chapels in Garden City Park. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place Wednesday, April 23 at 11:15 a.m. at Church of St. Anne in Garden City. Burial will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Francis Hospital, 100 Port Washington Blvd, Roslyn, NY 11576 or Good Shepherd Hospice, 200 Belle Terre Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777.
There will be a celebration of life for Helga Michel Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church in Southold.
Ms. Michel died March 13 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
Carolie E. Jenner of Greenport died April 23. She was 52.
Arrangements were handled by Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. All services were private.
A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of The Suffolk Times.