A memorial celebration for former Greenport resident Mary Ann Sledjeski Costello will take place Saturday, June 18. Ms. Costello died Dec. 3, 2015, in Sonoma, Calif.

A dedication of Ms. Costello’s headstone will begin at noon at Arshamomaque Cemetery in Greenport. The celebration will continue at 1 p.m. at Hanff’s Boat Yard, also in Greenport. Friends of Ms. Costello and the Sledjeski and Costello families are invited to attend.

Memorial donations for the renovation of Greenport American Legion Hall will be accepted. For information, contact Tom Costello, 239-248-9111.

Steve Duke of Mattituck died June 14. He was 95. 

The family will receive visitors Friday, June 17, from 9 to 11 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Laurel Cemetery.

Memorial  donations to East End Hospice would be appreciated.

A complete obituary will follow.

Peter V. Conlon of Laurel died June 15. He was 74.

The family will receive visitors from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 17, at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 18, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.

A complete obituary will appear at a future date.

Michael Thalassinos of East Marion died June 17, 2016, at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport. He was 92 years old. 

He was born in Alexandria, Egypt Feb. 8, 1924, and served in the Greek Army during World War II.

Michael later enjoyed a career as an office manager and controller with Kalian Products, a restaurant supply distributor.

Formerly of Astoria, he became a part-time East Marion resident 35 years ago. He moved here permanently 20 years ago.

He was a devoted member of Sts. Anargyroi, Taxiarchis and Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church in Greenport and assisted at the church in every way possible.

In his free time, he enjoyed gardening and sudoku and word search puzzles.

Predeceased by his wife Christina June 29, 2004, he is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, George and Joey Thalassinos of Harrisburg, Pa. and five grandchildren, Christina, Alexandra, Michael, Niko and Morgan.

The family received visitors June 20 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated June 21 at Sts. Anargyroi, Taxiarchis and Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church, officiated by Father Gerasimos Ballas. Interment took place at Sterling Cemetery in Greenport.

This is a paid notice. 

Patricia Duo

Patricia (Dunne) Duo, 90 years old and a longtime resident of Shelter Island, died June 16, 2016. 

Mrs. Duo is survived by her son, John (Jack) Duo, her nieces, Gale Elrod of Cleveland, Ga., Laura Travis of Washington, D.C., Jody Davison of Buford, Ga., and nephew, Jamie Davison of Conyers, Ga. She is predeceased by her husband J. Edward Duo and sister Joan (Dunne) Davison.

A memorial service was held June 19 at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church.

After retiring from Allegheny Airlines, she volunteered for 22 years at Eastern Long Island Hospital and was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the hospital gift shop. She was the recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Award in 2004 to honor her outstanding volunteerism and her outstanding commitment to her community hospital. In addition, she received the ELIH Auxiliary Lifetime of Service Award in 2006 from then New York Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. At that time she held the record in volunteer hours of over 12,000 hours.

Pat was born and raised in New York City and worked for Allegheny Airlines at LaGuardia Airport for nine years. She retired on Shelter Island with her husband, Eddie and son, Jack.

This is a paid notice. 

On May 13, 2016, former Southold resident Jack Albertson of Roswell, Ga., passed away peacefully in his home at 64 years old.

Jack was the founder of Albertson Financial, where he provided thousands of families with financial security in retirement. As an active seminar leader with Landmark Education, he offered a lifetime of possibilities to anyone fortunate enough to attend his classes.

Since 1988, Jack was an Atlanta Hawks season ticket holder. He stood faithfully by his team through every season over the last almost 30 years and could often be heard offering the most poignant of coaching advice from just behind the bench. An athlete for most of his life, he loved playing basketball and tennis and spent much of his younger years racing stock cars, attaining a driving habit he never quite outgrew as made evident by his copious donations to Roswell City in the form of paid speeding tickets.

Above all, Jack had an enormous love for his friends and family and a spirit of generosity that was evident to everyone who knew or just briefly met him.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa; his three children, Jennifer, Jill, and John; his three stepchildren, Zachary, Lauren, and Sophia; his ex-wife, Carol; his two grandchildren, Emery and Davis; his sister, Jane, and brother-in-law, Rob; his mother, Alice, and stepfather, Joe; his father, Albert, and stepmother, Carol; and family pets Kitty and Doggie Aunt Kelly.

Viewing took place May 19 at Southcare Alpharetta in Georgia. A celebration of life took place May 20 at East Cobb United Methodist Church in Marietta, Ga.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Hunger Project, a charitable organization Jack was extremely passionate about throughout his life.

Maryclaire A. Commender of Cutchogue died June 25. She was 93.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday, June 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at noon June 29 at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.

Memorial donations to St. Anthony’s Bread or North Fork Animal Welfare League would be appreciated.

A complete obituary will follow.

Alyce Verostek-Bishop of Southold died at her home June 26. She was 58.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 30, at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold. Father Kenneth Hand will officiate. Calling hours will be private.

Memorial donations to St. Patrick R.C. Church, P.O. Box 1117, Southold, NY 11971 would be appreciated.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home is assisting the family.

A complete obituary will follow.

John Tasker, age 76, a Greenport native, died peacefully here last week. He was a son of the late Madeline Iacovino and New York Supreme Court Justice Henry Tasker.

John was a GHS 1957 graduate. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 with honors and his Master of Arts in 1964 in classics from Brown University. There, he was instrumental in advancing Brown crew from club to varsity sport as manager for three years, and buttressed their “Cinderella Crew” victory at their first-time at the Dad Vail regatta and in numerous subsequent victories. During college summers, John skippered Windigo, a 55 ft. Alden schooner out of Dering Harbor.

Following Brown and his 1965 commission in the U.S. Navy, he served on active duty until 1972 and as a reserve officer until separation in 1978 as lieutenant commander. Duty stations included adjutant to the president of the U.S. Naval War College  in Newport R.I.; destroyer surveillance off the Vietnam coast interdicting NVA/Vietcong infiltrators and Chinese weaponry; communications officer aboard the only nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser; and senior adjutant to the U.S. commodore of NATO’s Atlantic fleet. After the Navy, John spent several years in the steamship business and later had a long career in the antique trade in Manhattan, concentrating later in American Craftsman and mid-century modern works.

Although he had left working on the water, he continued his yachting tradition and led many summer cruises with friends, chartering well-known boats to cruise the Northeast coast. And he was an avid skier in Vail, Colo. several times a year.

His 1975 job move to New York landed him–unwittingly, but fortuitously—in a rent-stabilized Park Avenue apartment where he spent the next 40 years living large. In New York he developed a deep interest in opera, attending over 350 Metropolitan performances. The Ring was his favorite work. Travel and summer time on Sandy Beach were favorite vacations.

He leaves his twin brother, Arthur M. Tasker of Greenport, his beloved sister-in-law Lucia; and his very-special niece Alexandra Tasker Marx, her husband Peter Marx and their son Theo, of Los Angeles. Many cousins, four godchildren and numerous long-time friends also survive. He is sadly missed by his family and friends.

Interment will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 6 at Sterling Cemetery in Greenport in the Tasker family plot, followed by a gathering for all friends and family.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Brown University, Providence, or God’s Love We Deliver.

This is a paid notice. 

Gary Loveless of Long Island died June 23, 2016, after a long battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.

 Gary was born in Glen Cove to Elizabeth and Cecil Loveless. He graduated from Cold Spring Harbor High School in 1965 and spent many years living in Colorado before returning to Long Island.

From an early age, Gary was fascinated with working with his hands and eventually became well-known in the community for his construction company, Vector East. His talents as a master woodworker, craftsman, and teacher to his sons are visible throughout the East End in the homes and businesses he built and renovated. In general and as a business owner, Gary was a man of deep-seated integrity. He never took shortcuts. His hardworking nature was respected and admired by those who knew him.

 In life, Gary became known for his strong convictions or at times even stubbornness. He was steadfast in his decisions and stood by them. He grew his hair and beard in his early 20s and never once changed his style. He took up cigarette smoking and despite the pleas of loved ones, smoked his entire life. He decided to stop eating meat as a teenager and never did again. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said.

 A lover of cars, tools, machines, and cameras, Gary was interested in the way things worked. He understood that all problems had solutions and anything that could be taken apart could be put back together again — and possibly even improved upon in the process. The shining gem of his car and truck collection was his 1985 steel blue El Camino in which he could often and easily be spotted driving around town.

 Truly the rock of his family, Gary provided unconditional love and support to all of his children. He was logical and practical and best of all, he always answered his phone and patiently doled out advice.

 He is survived by his wife, Linn; his six children, Astrid, Derek, Simon, Jared, Taber, and Julia; his two stepsons, Eber and Revel; his sister, Ann and two brothers, Peter and Jon; his four grandchildren,Casper, Digby, Ella, and Willem; and his ex-wife, Patty.

 The family will be celebrating Gary’s life at 6 p.m. Friday, July 22, at the bluff above 67 steps and invite anyone in the community who knew Gary to join.

This is a paid notice. 

Edna H. Du Brul of Peconic Landing in Greenport died June 24.

Ms. Du Brul was the daughter of Mae Patterson Hill and John Frank Hill. She was the fourth of five children and was born and grew up in Forest Hills. She graduated from Connecticut College in New London in 1945.

In 1948 she married Leonard Du Brul and lived in Oyster Bay until 2003, when she and her husband moved to Peconic Landing.

Ms. Du Brul taught history and social studies at the Harry B. Thompson Middle School in Syosset for many years.

She was predeceased by her husband and her daughter Marcie Du Brul Liebler. She is survived by her daughters Holly Du Brul Cato of Greenport and Karen Du Brul of Philadelphia.

Funeral services are private.

Donations in her memory may be made to Community Action Southold Town, P.O. Box 159, Greenport, NY 11944.

Barbara A. Demarest of Norwich, Conn., formerly of Orient, passed away March 19, 2016, at William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich. 

Barbara was born to George and Ivanette (Reeves) Downs in Greenport Nov. 16, 1928. She was a graduate of Greenport High School.
Barbara was married to Robert T. Demarest on Oct. 16, 1950.

Barbara worked for many years at the Orient Post Office. Barbara was also known for her baking and jelly making.

Her parents predeceased her, along with her husband, Robert and her son, Michael. She is survived by her daughter, Janet and son-in-law, Robert Johnson; granddaughters, Kerri and Jillian; sister, Patricia and brother-in-law, Stanley Droskoski Jr. and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a graveside service at 11 a.m. July 9 at Orient Cemetery.

This is a paid notice. 

Marian Esther Dickerson Niver

Our loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Marian Esther Dickerson Niver left us with a song in her heart on June 22 at the age of 93. Her quiet support, quick wit and generous soul will be dearly missed by all. 

Marian, the youngest daughter of 10 children, was born to Albert Tuthill Dickerson and Ethel Wines Boutcher of Southold. She lived most of her life on Long Island close to family, friends and the Long Island Sound where she loved to swim. She was a 1941 graduate of Southold High School followed by secretarial school in Brooklyn where she continued living while working in Manhattan. On Dec. 26, 1945, Marian married her love, Harold C. Niver, a musician, tenor and music teacher. The couple settled on Long Island where they raised a family of four in Glen Cove and then Commack.

Marian always loved her time at the beach and was a voracious reader and worker of crosswords. Always an active alto in the church choir, she also played piano, violin and French horn. She spearheaded the formation of a scholarship committee at the, then new, Commack High School in the mid-60s and in later years, she enjoyed working at the Southold Historical Society and the Methodist Church.

Marian moved west to live with her oldest daughter, Joanne and son-in-law Rick when she could no longer enjoy swimming in the Sound. She spent her final years with them in Ashland, Ore. and Fountain Hills, Ariz. where her life ended after living with breast cancer for three-and-a-half years.

Always a strong and persistent person, she left on her own terms to join her beloved husband Harold and other family and friends where she often repeated “they are saving a seat for me in the alto section of the choir”.

Marian was predeceased by her loving husband Harold C. Niver and her dear granddaughter, Valerie A. Niver. She is survived by her children: Joanne Niver Soued (Rick), Harold Dickerson Niver (Pat), Lori Niver Plair (Luanne Luck) and Glenn Albert Niver (Diane) and her grandchildren: Janet Niver Moon (Alan), Laura Niver Noon (Wayne), Alexander Soued and Joshua Plair. In addition, she will be missed by her older sister Lydia Numbers, her sister-in-law Irene Dickerson, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

According to Marian’s wishes, there will be a simple graveside gathering in late September when her ashes will be placed in the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Southold next to her husband Harold.

Memorial gifts may be made to the “Charles Burnsworth Scholarship” at: State University College at Oneonta Foundation Corp.”, 308 Netzer Administration Bldg., Oneonta, NY 13820. This scholarship goes to a student in-need who is pursuing a degree in music.

This is a paid notice. 

Interment services with U.S. Army honors will take place for George “Jed” Hoffner of Southold at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 2, at the First Presbyterian Church columbarium in Southold.

Mr. Hoffner died May 15 at the age of 78.

Memorial donations may be made to North Fork Audubon Society or East End Hospice.

Additional information is available from DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold.

Former Southold resident Dorothy (Poliwoda) North of Sag Harbor died June 10 at Southampton Hospital. She was 74. 

She was born Dec. 24, 1941, to Joseph and Dorothy Poliwoda of Southold.

Ms. North lived in Southold for many years and later moved to Sag Harbor to enjoy her family and friends. Family members said she loved sewing and knitting, collecting frog figurines and would “always be there with a smile for anyone who needed help in life.”

Predeceased by her son, Jeff Florence in 1983, Ms. North is survived by her sons, Steve Florence of Sag Harbor and Peter North of Glenville, N.Y.; her daughter, Cindy Florence of Punta Gorda, Fla.; her sisters Margie Deroski of Southold and Beth Poliwoda of Southampton, Mass. and six grandchildren.

Margaret “Peggy” Killian passed peacefully at her home in Mattituck on Sunday, July 3, with her husband Bill at her side. 

She was born in Brooklyn, Jan. 10, 1923, and later married William Killian. They celebrated 70 years of marriage on May 18.

Peggy was an avid real estate salesperson with Celic Realty in Mattituck. Her gift for gab went unmatched; not so much her selling of houses, said family members.

She leaves behind her husband Bill; daughter Peggy; sons Bill Jr. and Charlie and his wife Pat; granddaughters Krista, Heather and Courtney and great-granddaughter Michaela.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, July 8, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt will officiate.

Interment will follow at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation; P.O. Box 650309 Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home is assisting the family.

This is a paid notice. 

Dorothy “Dottie” Lesser of Greenport died June 15 at the age of 81.

Ms. Lesser was born Nov. 16, 1934, in Hermon, Maine. She married Richard Lesser on Sept. 16, 1953.
Along with her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Deb Kimmelman (Mike) of Cutchogue, and son, Michael (Becki), of New Hampshire; two grandchildren, Cody and Jenna Kujawski; and two stepgrandchildren, Steven and Corinne Kimmelman.

A celebration of Ms. Lesser’s life will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at 1865 Highland Road, Cutchogue. All who knew Dottie are invited to attend.

This is a paid notice.

Margot W. Clark, 80, died peacefully at her home in Greenport on July 7.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, July 10, 6 to 8 p.m. and Monday, July 11, 9 to 11 a.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. in the Horton-Mathie chapel, led by Pastor Tom LaMothe of First Baptist Church of Greenport. Burial will follow at Cutchogue Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice, First Baptist Church of Greenport or the Greenport Fire Department Rescue Squad.

George J. McTague, 84, of Raleigh, N.C., formerly of Rye Brook, NY, passed away at his home after living with liver cancer for over 10 years.

George was born in Albany, N.Y. in the summer of 1932 to George and Elsie McTague. He had one sister, Mary (affectionately known as Tiny). After graduating from high school in Albany, George joined the U.S. Air Force in which he served stateside during the Korean War. It was during his time in the Air Force that he learned many of the skills that he would later use in his 32-year career with AT&T. His work with AT&T brought him from the Albany area to White Plains. He retired from AT&T in 1987.

While working at AT&T, George met Nancy Kellett and they were married in December of 1973. They rarely left each other’s side for over 42 years. George and Nancy lived most of their marriage in Rye Brook with their daughter Sharon. George and his family spent many weekends and later, summers, in their vacation home in Mattituck, New York.

In 1997, George and Nancy moved to New Bern, N.C. where they had great friends and made great memories. Each year they would return to their home and friends in Mattituck for the spring, summer and early fall. George enjoyed making repairs and improvements to the Mattituck house. He was very handy and always seemed to have the right tool for the job somewhere in one of his sheds or his garage. Nothing stayed broken for long when George was around. He appreciated things being in their right place and working properly.

George was a lifelong member of the Elks and was a member of lodges in Watertown, Albany and White Plains, N.Y. and most recently for the last 19 years at Lodge Number 764 in New Bern, N.C. George enjoyed the time and comradery with his brethren and sistren at the Elks and greatly missed his Tuesday night card game when he moved to Raleigh last fall. George lived by the core tenets of the Elks – Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity.

George had a refreshingly sarcastic sense of humor and a dry wit. He was not loud in his opinions, but shared them when appropriate and within the right audience. He was a friend to all who had the pleasure of meeting him. He will be missed but not forgotten.

George is survived by his loving wife, Nancy; his daughter Sharon Hansen (husband Josh); son James Kellett (wife Jeannie) and three of his children from an earlier marriage; son Tommy McTague (wife Lorraine); daughter Susan Martin (husband Mike), and estranged daughter Linda. He was predeceased by his sister and son Michael. He has three grandchildren, Jimmy’s sons Kyle and Mitchell Kellett and Sharon’s daughter, Kate – his little girly girl.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, July 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 16, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Interment will follow at the Cutchogue Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, George’s family asks that you consider making a donation in his memory to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 or online at giving.mskcc.org.

This is a paid notice.