COOPERSTOWN – At Noon on April 29, 2022, Ann Lois Edwards passed away unexpectedly but peacefully, of natural causes, at home, with her husband at her side. She was in her eighty-first year.
Born February 22, 1942, in Little Falls, New York, she was the daughter of the late Francis J. Ashe and Elizabeth Dudik Ashe. Her paternal ancestry descended from Germans who had made the Great Swabian Trek down the Danube, and on her maternal side from Slovaks who made Little Falls “the second Myjava”. All her grandparents were immigrants.
Lois graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Little Falls in 1960 and the State University College at Oswego in1964 with a degree in Elementary Education. She received her Masters degree from Marywood College in Pennsylvania.
She met her future husband in kindergarten, tolerated him until well into high school when they became close friends and were married on June 25, 1966, at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church (now Holy Family Parish) in Little Falls.
Lois taught briefly in Dolgeville and Cooperstown before moving to Pennsylvania and spending the rest of her career with the Montoursville Area School District. She and her husband retired back to Cooperstown in the year 2000, building the home that she had envisioned in the Town of Middlefield.
Members of the Cooperstown High School Band marched down Main Street at the front of this years parade, performing a rendition of the ‘Jaws’ Theme. Front is Band Director Kerri Hogle followed by Margaret Kaffo, Saxophone, Cate Bohler, Trumpet, Ava Lesko, Trumpet, Lily Shanker, Trombone, Elizabeth Hughes, Trombone, Tara Phillips, Saxophone, Oliver Wasson, Trumpet, Finn Morgan, Bass, Chris Savoie, Snare Drum, and Henry LeCates on the Tuba.
Trick or Treating was already underway on Main Street Cooperstown when the Halloween Parade kicked off at 5 p.m. Lead by a police car the first down the street were members of the Cooperstown High School Band performing a rendition of horror classic ‘Jaws’ theme, their first performance since winter 2019. Following them was an absolute hoard of children and parents which filled the street with everything from Princesses and goblins to post office boxes and garden soil.
PUMPKIN GLOW – 6 – 7 p.m. Bring your best Jack-O-Lantern for display on the step of the village library. There will be spooky decorations inside and out, fall treats, and Bruce Markusen telling frightening (but kid-friendly) local ghost stories. Everyone is invited. Cooperstown Village Library. 607-547-9777 or visit www.cooperstownart.com
SUNDAY SPEAKER – 3 p.m. Join the Friends of the Village Library and Dr. Loftus to discuss ‘long Covid’ and other complications faced by survivors of mild or asymptomatic COVID infections. Find out how common these are, the causes, and if they are preventable. Registration required. Cooperstown Village Library. Visit fovl.eventbrite.com to register.
INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE – 1 p.m. The parade will line up at Noon at Foothills and proceed down Main Street to Neahwa Park for remarks and festivities. All essential workers are invited to participate and will have a chance to win door prizes from local businesses when they register. Bassett CEO Tommy Ibrahim will be serving as Grand Marshall. Main Street, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta/
INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVAL – 2 – 11 p.m. After the Parade enjoy food, entertainment on the main stage, support local artisans, and much more at the festival. Mayor Gary Herzig and mayoral candidates will be presenting remarks to honor our essential workers. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta/
INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS – 9:30 p.m. Five Star Subaru will be presenting the fireworks display, dedicated to Essential Workers, which will be ‘twice as intense’ as years past. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta/
KICK OFF – 7:30 p.m. Begin 4th of July celebrations with Hometown Heroes free concert. country artist Michael Christopher dedicated to our essential workers. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta/
SUMMER BOOK SALE – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Browse through used books of many genres, including nonfiction, arts and crafts, children’s books, cookbooks and much more to support your local library. Cost, $1-$2 for most books. Thru July 4. Cooperstown Village Library. 607-547-8344 or visit www.facebook.com/VillageLibraryOfCooperstown/
CONCERT – 7:30 p.m. Kimberley Hawkey to perform mix of songs from Jazz, Broadway, and folk. She will be joined by pianist/vocalist Loren Daniels, bassist Evan Jagels, and drummer Graeme Francis. Music charge, $15. Origins Cafe, 558 Beaver Meadow Rd., Cooperstown. 607-437-2862 or visit www.celebrateorigins.com
JUNETEENTH – 3 – 8 p.m. Celebrate the 2nd annual Juneteenth, the celebration of the emancipation of the last enslaved people in the US, with food, live music, and art from a variety of local artists and authors. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. www.juneteenthoneonta.com
An asbestos abatement project will be taking place in The Cooperstown Art Association’s Gallery A and as a result the Village Hall, including all CAA galleries and their gallery shop and The Village Library of Cooperstown, will be closed Saturday, May 8.
CAA and the library are normally closed Sundays and Mondays. Both institutions will reopen and resume normal activities Tuesday, May, 11.
Mental health month helpers
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. User-friendly accurate information on mental illness and helpful resources can be found at www.naminys.org.
People with ongoing mental health challenges can find support by calling upon peers at The Warm Line at 607-433-0661. Information about regular support meetings for families and friends can be obtained by emailing namidelawareco@gmail.com. Crisis?: MCAT 844-732-6228 (24 hr) or the National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 800 273-8255/ text TALK to 741741.
SUNDAY SPEAKER – 3 p.m. ‘The Struggle to Bring Broadband to Rural America’ presented by Tim Johnson, CEO of Otsego Electric Cooperative and OEConnect. Free, registration required. 607-547-8344 or visit www.eventbrite.com/o/friends-of-the-village-library-23034666815
VIRTUAL CONCERT – 7 p.m. Dance to local alt rock band Hanzolo in the safety of your home this Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Visit www.cooperstownwintercarnival.com for info.
COVID-19 TESTING – 8 a.m. Free rapid testing for people with no symptoms of Covid-19. Appointments required. Oneonta Health Center, 125 Main St., Oneonta. 607-433-6510 or visit www.bassett.org/covid-19
TRIVIA NIGHT – 7 p.m. Get your housemates together for fun ‘Around The World’ themed game night. Part of the Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Visit www.cooperstownwintercarnival.com for info.
COOPERSTOWN – The Cooperstown Village Library is seeking a “chief visionary and leader” to succeed David Kent, who is retiring after 22 years as director of the library at 22 Main St.
The library board hopes to have a new director in place by this spring, according to the announcement on the library Facebook page.
Kent originally moved to Cooperstown from Palo Alto, Calif., he told mediashift.com, to be near the National Baseball Hall of Fame library. Instead of joining the Hall, he got a job in the local library, eventually rising to director on his predecessor’s retirement.
SUNDAY SERIES – 3 – 4 p.m. Friends of the Village Library presents ‘From Antebellum to Anti-Racism: Redirecting Your Down South Tourism’ featuring Sydney Waller discussing sites to include on a Civil Rights themed trip through the American South. Cooperstown Village Library. 607-547-8344 or visit www.facebook.com/VillageLibraryOfCooperstown/
ANGEL TREE PROGRAM – Give the Gift of Christmas this holiday season. Adopt a family in need. Visit www.allotsego.com/angel-tree-program/ to learn how.
