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.
FIGURE THIS—6-9 p.m. Practice drawing from life in the studio with models. Professional artist Jonathan Pincus will be on hand to answer questions. $15/session. Cooperstown Art Association. (607) 547-9777 or visit cooperstownart.com
ONEONTA – No one should be without a Christmas dinner and, consistent with this sentiment, the St. Mary’s Friends of Christmas Dinner is continuing its 35-year tradition of providing meals to those who would otherwise go without or eat alone. Approximately 1,200 meals will either be delivered on Christmas Day from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church to locations that have registered with the Friends of Christmas, or they will be available for pickup at the Lord’s Table, which is operated by St. James Episcopal Church. For those who would like to eat in fellowship, the meal will be served as a sit-down dinner between noon and 3 p.m. at the American Legion on 279 Chestnut Street, Oneonta.
CRAFT—6 p.m. Enjoy cookies, hot cocoa and Christmas music while you learn to make an origami snowflake. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut St., Oneonta. (607) 432-1980 or visit facebook.com/hmloneonta/
BE AN ANGEL – 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
BLOOD DRIVE—12:30 – 5:30 p.m. Save up to 3 lives with the American Red Cross. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown. Register at redcrossblood.org
HARTWICK, NY – Vincent Joseph Cronin, Jr., 87, formerly of South Salem, NY, passed at home on October 16, 2022, surrounded by his loving family and faithful four-legged companion, Lila.
Born January 19, 1935 and raised in Yonkers NY to Vincent J. Cronin Sr. and Alice Alleman Cronin, he graduated from Roosevelt High School where his love of all NY sports teams was cemented beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers. After high school he enlisted in the armed forces; becoming a navigator with the US Air Force and then attended Syracuse University, where he was a member of both the baseball and football teams, as well as Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
As a skilled Electrical Contractor, he owned and operated Seven Arrows Electric Company for forty years, realizing a dream to raise his children on lake Waccabuc where he vacationed as a child. He dedicated many years to the community by coaching several youth sports teams, and was a devoted congregant with St. Mary’s (Katonah).
ARTIST TALK – 4 p.m. Discuss and tour the current exhibit ‘Brave New World’ with artist Lewis Danielski. Free admission, reservation recommended. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Rd., Cooperstown. 315-941-9607 or visit facebook.com/TheArtGarageCooperstown
BLOOD DRIVE – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm St. Cooperstown. 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org
ARTIST TALK – Noon. Californian, Marcus Villagran on Surrealism, the Pacific Northwest and Majolica. Hybrid-zoom-at-noon program. Contact gallery for zoom link by March 29. Limited in-person reservations also accepted. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Rd., Cooperstown. 315-941-9607 or visit www.facebook.com/TheArtGarageCooperstown
ONEONTA – Mary M. Antonucci of Country Club Road, Oneonta NY died peacefully at Fox Nursing Home after a brief illness.
Born on May 24, 1924, Mary was the second of seven children born to Konstanty and Julia Sroczyk Guszcza. She grew up in Auburn, NY. Her parents were Polish immigrants who taught her the importance of hard work and helping others.
In 1944, Mary joined the Women’s Army Corps. She was stationed in Tampa, Florida where she met and married Air Force Sergeant Frank R Antonucci in 1946. Mary and Frank were both excellent dancers and enjoyed going dancing at parties and family weddings.
Frank remained in the Air Force and the family lived in Cleveland Ohio, Auburn, NY, Munich and Wiesbaden, Germany before settling in Oneonta in 1955.
Mary was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Church where she was a member of the Rosary Society. She was active in the American Legion where she was Secretary/Treasurer.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS – 5 – 10 p.m. Drive through a winter wonderland featuring light displays created by local businesses, individuals, and organizations. Admission is Free. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta
CONCERT – 7 p.m. Get out and enjoy a concert in the park. Bring a chair, a blanket and get comfortable to listen to A Capella quartets as performed by the New Horizons Barbershop Chorus. At the Bandstand, Spring Park, Richfield Springs. 315- 858-0964.
THEATER – 7 p.m. The Glimmer Globe Theater presents ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)’ with 3 actors (in tights) performing all 37 of the bards plays. Cost, $15/adult. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1453 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org
LAKEFRONT CONCERT – 7 – 8:30 p.m. 3 local organizations collaborate to present concerts at Lake Front Park. This week enjoy a performance of the Kennesaw Mountain Boys. Lakefront Park, Cooperstown. Visit www.wearecooperstown.com
BLOOD DRIVE – 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Donate blood, help save up to 3 lives. St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm St., Cooperstown. 800-733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org
Carol Lachance and Mike Lachance were presented with an “Outstanding Seniors of the Community” recognition from the Office of the Aging in an award announced Monday, May 3.
“It is truly an honor and very much a surprise,” Carol said.
The Lachances run the Cooperstown Senior Community Center in the recreation center of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church at 31 Elm St. in Cooperstown. Mike said that he didn’t really expect the award, but he wants to use it to promote the senior center.
“Seniors want to feel that somebody cares about them,” Mike said. “It really revives them.”
COVID-19 has affected everybody, but no group has been as impacted like senior citizens. The pandemic has affected the senior population disproportionately compared to other age groups with 85% of deaths occurring to those 65 or older, according to 2020 statistics from the New York Department of Health.
The center has been taking steps to help seniors affected by the pandemic, including those dealing with increased social isolation.
VIRTUAL TOUR – 2 – 3 p.m. Join live tour of exhibit ‘Manzanar: The Wartime Photographs of Ansel Adams’ which features photographs documenting the Japanese internment camp in California in 1943. Free, suggested donation $10. Presented by The Fenimore Art Museum. 607-547-1400 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org
