OAKSVILLE – Richard Frederick Smith, Jr., a life-long area resident and long-time employee of Remington Arms, passed away following a lengthy illness Monday afternoon, September 13, 2021, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. He was 78.
Born August 21, 1943, at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, he was one of four children of Richard Frederick Smith, Sr. and Dorothy Arlene Roseboom Smith. He attended Cooperstown schools and was a member of the Cooperstown High School Class of 1961.
On March 17, 1962, Dick married Patricia Ann Edwards in a ceremony at the Cooperstown Methodist Church, and they went on to enjoy a total of 60 wonderful years together.
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Dick proudly served his country with the United States Army from 1962 until 1968. Upon receiving his honorable discharge from the military, he returned to the Cooperstown area, and was employed for 34 years with Remington Arms in Ilion, first as a forend sander and then as an inspector.
LAURENS – Everett L. Brooker, 88, a Remington Arms retiree, passed away Monday, June 3, 2019, at home.
He was born on April 3, 1931, in East Worcester, the son of Elray and Dorothy (Patrick) Brooker.
Before joining Remington Arms in Ilion, Everett was a farmer. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed farming, cutting wood and driving through the countryside.
CHERRY VALLEY – Philip J. Moore, 77, of Cherry Valley, who retired from Remington Arms in Ilion after 35 years, passed away Friday, May 3, 2019.
He was born Feb. 7, 1942, in Cherry Valley. Philip graduated from Cherry Valley Central School, and held an associate degree in carpentry from Oneonta State.
He worked in medical research, real estate and insurance, before joining Remington Arms.
He coached Little League baseball and soccer, and loved fishing with his grandsons and son-in-law, Herb, hunting deer, telling stories and sharing memories. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
RICHFIELD SPRINGS – Former Village Mayor John ‘Gobbie’ Garbera II, 72, of Johnson Street, passed away Friday evening, Feb. 1, 2019, in his home, with the comfort of his loving family by his side.
He was born on Aug. 15, 1946, in Little Falls, a son of the late John and Ann Spytko Garbera. A lifelong resident of Richfield Springs, he was educated at RSCS.
RICHFIELD SPRINGS – Alfred J. Miller, Sr., 88, passed away on Tuesday morning Jan. 29, 2019, in Alpine Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Little Falls.
Alfred was born on Sept. 17, 1930, in East Rutherford, N.J., a son to the late Jacob and Margaret Vander Ploeg Miller. He was raised and educated in Haledon, N.J., graduating from Eastern Christian High School.
EDMESTON – Wayne Brownell, 66, a machinist and contractor who ended his career working for a fracking company in Pennsylvania, passed away on Sept. 11, 2018, at his home in Edmeston.
Wayne was born on May 11, 1952, in New Berlin, the son of Max JR and Bernice Brownell. He spent most of his childhood in the New Berlin area. Wayne attended New Berlin and South New Berlin schools.
COOPERSTOWN – Ward C. Fish, Jr., who spent almost two decades at Remington Arms, peacefully passed away Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. He was 79.
Ward, known as Jim, was the son of the late Dorothy (Sheridan) and Ward C. Fish, Sr. of Richfield Springs. Jim was born on the family farm on March 7, 1938.
He met his “huggy bear,” Merri Lynn (Macomber) at the roller skating rink in Richfield Springs. They were married in August 1959 in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Springfield Center.
COOPERSTOWN – Gerald Donald “Jerry” Starks, 72, an active EMT for more than a half-century, passed away at his home Dec. 19, 2017, with his family by his side.
He was born on Jan. 29, 1945, in Endicott to Donald A. and Vivian M. (Williamson) Starks. Jerry grew up in Ilion, and described his childhood as idyllic, complete with a paper route.
He had numerous stories about friends, neighbors, and the locales of Russell Park, the marina, and airport, as well as listening to the trains that passed through in the night. He walked to school, church, and later work from the family home on Otsego Street.
CHERRY VALLEY – John Richard Hurley, who retired after a 39-year career at Remington Arms, passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 19, 2017. He was 62.
Known to his friends as “John Boy,” he was born in Manhattan on Feb. 9, 1955. John spent his summers in Cherry Valley until permanently moving here in 1971, graduating from Cherry Valley Central in 1973.
