EDMESTON – Meghan Elizabeth (Lum) Woodbeck, age 39, passed away at her home on Friday, January 13, 2023. She was born January 12, 1984 at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown to her parents, Edwin and Susan (Pentzien) Lum. She is a graduate of Edmeston Central School in 2002 and moved on to receive an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Sullivan County Community College in 2004 and SUNY Oneonta in 2006. She worked many jobs in communications and found a great fit working in marketing at Bassett Hospital.
Meghan had a soft spot for animals. This is evident in her many adopted cats and dogs and her donations to help adopted pitbulls. Meghan loved musicals and participated in Peet Hook Players. She made many trips with her mom to Broadway and off-Broadway shows. Meghan loved to travel and it usually involved camping with her husband and son. One of her favorite trips was to Branson, Missouri to visit the Dolly Parton Stampede and the Titanic Museum. She was a “Star Wars” lover, which included a trip to Comic Con in Boston with her son.
MILFORD—David W. Thorn died on January 6, 2023. He was born on December 19, 1938 in Cooperstown, New York. He was predeceased by his three brothers, Richard, Donald, and Dean, and his sister, Joyce.
After graduating from Milford Central School, Mr. Thorn received his BS and MS degrees in Education from SUNY Oneonta. Additional graduate study from Syracuse University led to certification to work with children having special needs. His certification in School Administration and Business came from SUNY Plattsburgh. Additional study was done at Ithaca College and Utica College.
NEW BERLIN – A. George Eccleston, 71, of New Berlin, NY, passed away Monday December 26, 2022, in Cooperstown, NY, with his family by his side.
George was born in Cortland, NY on August 28, 1951, the son of the late Clifford and Dora Watts Eccleston. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two sisters Emily and Kathy and brother Ron.
COOPERSTOWN – Elizabeth “Betsey” Fenton Snyder passed away in Cooperstown, NY, on December 26, 2022 at the age of 85. She was born in Salamanca, NY, on July 4, 1937 to William and Olive Fenton. She attended Brown University where she earned an A.B. in 1959 and Syracuse University where she earned an M.Ed. in 1971.
As an educator and school administrator, her most notable role was as Director of Adult Education at Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES in Ithaca, NY, a position she held for 17 years. Other activities included volunteering as poll worker at Cooperstown Elections and ushering for the Glimmerglass Festival. Snyder was also a longtime parishioner at the Cooperstown Christ Episcopal Church.
Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh was joined on November 14 by second-grade students from the Cooperstown Elementary School, members of the Village Board of Trustees and Tree Committee, and students from SUNY Oneonta’s Cooperstown Graduate Program in planting new trees on Susquehanna Avenue, Cooperstown.
COOPERSTOWN—Amber Rose Spear and James Paul Dorman welcomed daughter Oaklynn Mae Dorman to the world on November 3, 2022. Oaklynn Mae was born at 11:30 a.m. at the Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. (Photo provided)
Frank M. Van Auken, 102, passed away peacefully at Woodside Hall in Cooperstown, NY, on November 10, 2022, where he had lived since February 2018. Frank was born May 9, 1920, at his family home on Fassett Rd. in East Springfield, NY. He was the son of Olen Van Auken and Jennie Marks Van Auken. After graduating from East Springfield School, Frank enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, where he was stationed both stateside and in the European theater. Frank was the oldest living WWII veteran in Otsego County.
Frank married the love of his life, Laura Leadley, in Oswego, NY. Together they enjoyed traveling, playing cards, eating out, and hosting dinner parties. Frank served his community well. He was a volunteer fireman, a member of the local church, and a frequent flyer to K.C.’s Diner.
COMMUNITY HIKE – 9:45 a.m. The community is invited for a group hike with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Please bring appropriate clothing, gear, and enough water to stay hydrated and be aware of your level of fitness. Contact hike leader for more information. This weeks hike will be at Star Field, Cooperstown, with hike leaders Jendy Murphy and Paul Wehren. (518) 605-5642 or visit susqadk.org
BLOOD DRIVE – Noon – 5 p.m. Save up to 3 lives with the American Red Cross. 101 C Alumni Hall, SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta. Register at redcrossblood.org
BE AN ANGEL – The Angel Tree Program has returned. The community is invited to adopt a family and then find Christmas gifts for each of the children listed. Gifts are due unwrapped and without tags to either the office of The Freeman’s Journal at 21 Railroad Ave. in Cooperstown, or at the Salvation Army Church at 25 River St. in Oneonta. Visit allotsego.com/angel-tree-program/ for details
“Zoonomia,” a film by Yeon Jin Kim, is currently on view at The Smithy. (Film still from Zoonomia by Yeon Jin Kim)
COOPERSTOWN—Art exhibitions have been a feature of Glimmerglass Film Days for nine of its 10 years, and this year’s exhibition at The Smithy extends to storefronts in the Village of Cooperstown.
“Luminosity/Luminous Streets” will run from November 5-19. “Luminosity” is a four-person show at The Smithy featuring light sculptures by Daniel Buckingham and contemporary video art by Ariana Gerstein, Yeon Jin Kim, and Tomonari Nishihara. The video artists are each on the art faculty at SUNY Binghamton, and Buckingham is a professor at PrattMWP College of Art and Design in Utica. In addition to The Smithy show, “Luminous Streets” will feature light sculptures and video art in 13 Cooperstown storefronts along Main and Pioneer streets. This ambitious project includes light sculptures from the Quest for Light Collective, curated by Buckingham, and video works curated by Kim.
COOPERSTOWN – Georgia Goodspeed, a long-time resident of Cooperstown, died early Tuesday morning, November 1, 2022, at Albany Medical Center with the comfort of her loving family by her side and is now with God and her true love, Jerry. She was 78.
Born November 18, 1943, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, Georgia was one of three children of the late Elizabeth Downes and George Flint.
In her youth, her father worked on many farms in the area, so Georgia attended several schools throughout Otsego and Delaware Counties. She eventually attended Cooperstown Central School and graduated with the Class of 1962.
Jessica Mileto, Joan Fox, Jaclyn Flynn, Christine Reilly, Linda Flynn, Reagan Flynn, Jennifer Flynn, Ryder Flynn and Ellen Tillapaugh celebrate the opening of Cooperstown’s newest realty office.
The newest branch of Keller Williams Realty opened recently on upper Main Street in Cooperstown. Linda Flynn, real estate agent and owner, said, “I’ve been in real estate for years, and recently just got back into the business. I did a deep dive into all of the real estate companies in our area and Keller Williams was the perfect match for me.”
During a recent Cooperstown Board of Trustees meeting, a ban on smoking on Main Street Cooperstown was passed.
“We’ve been talking about the smoking ban for a year. What are we going to do if we allow marijuana shops, how can we keep people from smoking on Main Street and the whole street smelling like marijuana?” Trustee Richard Sternberg said. “We couldn’t just single out smoking marijuana. We set a public hearing, we had the public hearing and it became clear that there were some potential loopholes in the law that we needed to close,” Sternberg said.
COOPERSTOWN – Philip L. Washburn, Esq., a long-time resident of Cooperstown and well-respected attorney, passed away peacefully Saturday afternoon, October 22, 2022, at HarborChase of Prince William Commons in Woodbridge, Virginia, with family at his side. He was 81.
Born November 14, 1940, in Gouverneur, Phil was a son of Leonard Bacon Washburn and Marguerite (Halpin) Washburn. After graduating from Gouverneur High School in 1958, Phil attended Harpur College, now known as Binghamton University. In 1960 he left college to enlist in the United States Army, and honorably served his country while stationed at a base in Sinop, Turkey. Upon receiving his honorable discharge from the military in 1963, he returned to college life and attended Tulane University Law School. It was there that he met Pamela Waits, and they were married August 20, 1966, in a ceremony at Lake Vista United Methodist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana.
ONEONTA – Phyllis Jane Estes, 89, of Oneonta, passed from this life on October 19, 2022.
Phyllis was born on March 20, 1933 at Bassett Hospital the daughter of the late William and Ruth Johnson Smith. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a son Michael Jackson on April 25, 1966, a granddaughter Jessica Bass on July 10, 2002 and a brother Bill.
She is survived by her husband of 37 years Steve Estes, children Raymon Jackson, Sherry (Chris) Bass, Mark Jackson, step children Jean (Dan) Byrne, Kate (Joel) Hawn, Amy (James) Kang, David (Patty) Estes, 11 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, many cousins, nieces nephews and dear friends.
In her early years in Cooperstown, Phyllis was involved as a Pack Secretary of the Boy Scouts, the fire department auxiliary, and the VFW Auxiliary.
Otsego County and Central New York are expected to hit peak leaf peeping season in the coming days, with foliage estimated at 65 percent changed in Cooperstown last week according to the I LOVE NY “Fall Foliage Report.” This year, shades of orange and yellow seem to be outshining the reds, as shown here. The top photo showcases the view from Beaver Meadow Road in Cooperstown, the middle picture is a shapshot of Allen Lake Road in Richfield Springs and, below, a flock of Canada geese enjoy their layover in Otsego Lake on their way to points south.
