SPRINGFIELD CENTER—Virginia L. Stocking, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on May 17, 2023 at the age of 100.
Virginia was born in Cooperstown on December 2, 1922 to Earl and Catherine Richards. She spent most of her childhood in East Springfield and graduated from Springfield Central School in June of 1940. She married Glenn C. Stocking on April 9, 1944. Virginia and Glenn devoted their lives to each other and to their family.
In addition to spending time with her family, Virginia enjoyed playing the organ, singing, gardening, crossword puzzles, and attending both sporting and special events for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
ONEONTA—Ronald G. Peters, 78, passed away unexpectedly at home on February 1, 2023.
Ron was born on May 28, 1944 to William J. and Evelyn M. Peters in NYC. He attended Great Neck High School, where he acquired a band of lifelong friends and graduated in the Class of 1962.
He spent the summer after graduation on the Hospital Ship SS Hope on its mission to Peru. He was so interested in this that he continued on these missions in summers during college. The mission to Ecuador brought many stories that he regularly shared—most notable was surviving a jungle plane crash that took the lives of many of his fellow passengers. From these early experiences he got the bug for off-the-beaten-path travels, immersing in local cultures from New Zealand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, among others.
FREDERICKSBURG, VA—Gerold D. Hill, 78, of Homosassa, Florida and formerly of Portlandville, New York, passed away on April 15, 2023 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Gerold served for 30 years in the United States Navy. He was a retired chief petty officer and served in Vietnam. He was the owner/operator of Jerry’s Bait-n-Tackle from 1988 to 2008. Gerold enjoyed spending his time with family, hunting and fishing.
HARTWICK—Stephen Lee Sheldon, a lifelong area resident, passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. He was 67.
Born July 1, 1955 in Cooperstown, Steve was one of four sons of William Lee and Grace Patricia (Davidson) Sheldon. He attended Cooperstown Central School and graduated with the Class of 1973.
On November 10, 1979, he was joined in marriage to Jane Marie Morris in a ceremony at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. They moved to Hemlock Hill Farm in 1986 and raised four loving and strong-willed children in an idyllic country setting. Steve was a dedicated family man, always wanting to know how his children and the extended family were doing.
COOPERSTOWN—Jeffrey Richard Smith of Cooperstown and Venice, Florida, son of Gayle and Jack Smith of Cooperstown, entered into eternal rest Wednesday night, March 1, 2023, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in North Venice, Florida following an extended illness. He was 60.
Born February 26, 1963 in Little Falls, Jeff graduated from Cooperstown Central School where he was a proud “Redskin” participating in many sports. He then attended Fordham University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business.
ONEONTA—Alice Marie Sloan, 84, of Oneonta passed away on April 17, 2023 at Chestnut Park Nursing Home. Alice was born on February 22, 1939 to Ray and Anna (Pickett) Dean, the youngest of 11 children. She attended Masonville Elementary School, Sidney Central High School, then went on to earn a degree in business through Syracuse University.
During her life, Alice worked for NYSEG, Corning, helped to create the Delaware County Best Program, participated with federal and county elections, assisted with the Census in Otsego County, and was a mentor/provider for adult education and job skills.
TODDSVILLE—Louise Ann Wayman, a long-time Cooperstown and Toddsville resident, passed away unexpectedly Monday, April 24, 2023 at her home in Toddsville. She was 69.
Born June 19, 1953 in Hamilton, Lou was the second child of Hobart and Norma (Rothwell) Onyan. In her youth, Lou and her family moved to Cooperstown, where she graduated from Cooperstown Central School with the Class of 1971.
As a young girl, Lou enjoyed and won awards showing horses with her grandfather. Her love of horses continued throughout her life.
COOPERSTOWN—Stephen Timothy Kilty, almost 90, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2023 after a long, happy life filled with his family, his Catholic faith, work, golf, and travel.
Tim was born in Stillwater, Minnesota on June 7, 1933 to Stephen MacGregor Kilty and Harriet Ryden. He attended the Stillwater High School and was involved in many sports, helping the Stillwater Ponies to a sectional championship in basketball in 1951 as a senior. As the salutatorian of his graduating high-school class, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Princeton University where he majored in economics and music, graduating in 1955. He was an avid golfer and met the love of his life, Dorothea Laura Simonet, at the Stillwater Country Club. They married in July 1955 and he was promptly drafted into the U.S. Army. Stationed in Chicago, he served in the Counter Intelligence division for two years with an honorable discharge. He began his career as a successful salesman with 3M and other manufacturing industries in the “steel belt,” moving frequently around the Midwest from St. Paul, Minnesota to Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, Sharon, Pennsylvania, and Dallas, Texas, settling in the Cleveland area in Bay Village, Ohio in 1968. He co-owned Elyria Spring Co. for the last 15 years of his career.
COOPERSTOWN—Anne Evans passed away peacefully on April 9, 2023, at the age of 92. Anne moved to Cooperstown in 1984 with her late husband, Gerald Evans, and was embraced by a wonderful community she came to love and cherish. Her surviving family—brother and sister-in-law Paul and Jeanette; sons and daughters-in-law Charles and Ofra, James and Elissa, and Julian; grandchildren Mikell, Kate, Eloise, and Nicholas; and great-granddaughter Olivia— would like to thank you for being that community.
CHANDLER, AZ—Nicholas J. Steckler, age 63, of Mesa, Arizona and formally from Richfield Springs, passed away April 21, 2023 while in the care of The Dobson Inpatient Hospice Care Hospital Facility in Chandler, Arizona after a courageous five-year battle with colon/liver cancer.
Nick, also known as Nicky, was born on August 28, 1959. He attended and graduated from Richfield Springs Central School. Shortly after graduating, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona and resided there until his passing.
Nicky was an avid bowler, winning many championship awards; bowling was his deepest passion. He was also a diehard fan of his Phoenix Cardinals NFL. He will always be remembered for his quick wit and sense of humor—he always had a joke, no matter how sick he was.
MAUI, HAWAII—Rudy Schuster, 88, DVM, of Oneonta passed away on Friday, January 27, 2023, in Maui, Hawaii with his loving wife, Gwen, and loving son, Chris, at his side.
Rudy was born on July 22, 1934, in Mt. Hope, New York to German immigrants Emil Schuster and Clara Wiest Schuster. He is survived by his wife, Gwen; son Chris Schuster; daughter-in-law Judy Schuster; and his three grandchildren, Abigail, CJ, and Julia of Groton, Massachusetts, as well as several beloved nieces, nephews, and many treasured friends and neighbors. He was predeceased by his parents, and his two sisters, Clara Ernstrom and Betty Reynolds.
ROCK HALL, MD—Carole Nunamaker Tinklepaugh, MD, age 78, of Rock Hall, Maryland passed away with her family at her side on Monday, April 10, 2023. The cause of death was lung cancer.
Carole was one of four children born to John and Mildred (McFarling) Nunamaker in Indianapolis, Indiana. She knew from an early age she wanted to be a physician. Carole studied at Purdue University, then became the first in her immediate family to achieve an advanced degree when, in 1971, she graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine. Later she received her MBA from Temple University.
ONEONTA—Andrea N. Moore, 88, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Duanesburg on February 1, 2023.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 2 at the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz Street, Oneonta.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 3 at the Charlotte Valley Presbyterian Church, 15673 State Highway 23, Davenport, with the interment in the North Kortright Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Charlotte Valley Presbyterian Church, PO Box 184, Davenport, NY 13750 or to your local hospice.
MOUNT VISION—Wayne K. Bush Sr., a life-long area resident, passed away at his home in Mount Vision Tuesday morning, April 11, 2023. He was 82.
Born January 16, 1941 in Laurens, Wayne was a son of Walter K. and Olive W. (Spoor) Bush. He attended schools in Laurens and Hartwick.
On June 12, 1960, he married Joan L. Raimo in a ceremony at the First Baptist Church of Hartwick. They enjoyed 40 years together until she passed November 12, 2000.
He was first employed for Lyncoach & Truck Co. in Oneonta. He then went to work as a welder for the Delaware and Hudson Railway at their yards in Oneonta. After 28 years with The D&H he started W.K. Bush & Son Welding in Hartwick, which is now owned and operated by his son, Wayne Jr. He also had a trucking business that hauled livestock for farmers throughout the State of New York.
COOPERSTOWN—Charles R. Schanz of Cooperstown passed away peacefully at his home with family members by his side on March 8, 2023, at the age of 94. Charlie was born in Suffern, New York on June 23, 1928, to Charles J. and Elizabeth A. Schanz. Charlie was raised in Ramsey, New Jersey together with his sister, Mary. He graduated from Ramsey High School in 1946, where he was a standout basketball and baseball player. He went on to study business at Muhlenberg College and Ryder College, where he played basketball and graduated with a BS in business administration. He would recount playing college basketball tournaments in Madison Square Garden to his children and grandchildren. Charlie married Barbara M. Cox, also of Ramsey New Jersey, in 1956. They would go on to have three children and celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in September 2022.
