ONEONTA – Nelson Alfred Wells Sr., 93, a World War II veteran who then settled in Oneonta, went home to be with his Lord April 29, 2019, at Fox Nursing Home.
He was born in North Clymer, in Chataqua County, the son of the late Anna (Ingram) and Alfred T. Wells. He married Lena Belle Martin on Aug. 29, 1943 and had a blessed marriage of 73 years.
During the Second World War, a ham radio operator in the Army Air Corps, he served on Okinawa in the Pacific Theater.
MILFORD – Howard “Howdy” I. Cornish, 92, a World War II veteran and last of the original Milford Macs, passed away peacefully on Tuesday April 2, 2019, at Fox Nursing Home, Oneonta.
Born Nov. 2, 1926, at the Thanksgiving Hospital in Cooperstown, Howard was the son of Horace P. and Leta (Persons) Cornish.
He graduated from Milford High School, Class of 1945. Immediately after graduation, Howard enlisted in the Army and, following basic training, was assigned to the 778th Tank Battalion. Howard was dedicated to his country and proud of his service and that of his fellow comrades in arms.
NEW BERLIN – Edmeston native and veterans of World War II and Korea, Edgar “Perry” Pope, 90, of South New Berlin, passed away on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at the Norwich Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.
Born in Edmeston, Perry was the son of Edward and Nillie (Green) Pope. He married Gladys Mudge on May, 18 1959, in Oneonta.
WORCESTER – Joseph Marsh, 92, a World War II Air Force veteran and bus mechanic for Worcester Central School, died Jan. 15, 2019. Born in Paterson, N.J., he was stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany.
He and his devoted wife, Dorothy (Duritzo) Marsh were married for 62 years until her death in April 2018; they moved to Worcester in 1957.
At first, he worked for Phillips Buick in Oneonta as an auto mechanic, then at Worcester Central School as the bus-garage mechanic and a bus driver for 23 years.
COOPERSTOWN – James Elwood Jackson, a retired state trooper and World War II veteran, passed away Saturday night, Dec. 8, 2018, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing. He was 93.
Born Feb. 15, 1925, in Endicott, he was the only child of Raymon James Jackson and Elizabeth J. Cass Jackson. Immediately after graduating from Owego Free Academy, James enlisted in the Navy and proudly served his country during World War II, first aboard a merchant marine vessel and then on a battleship.
ONEONTA – Michele (Michael) Mongillo, 91, Oneonta, a retired D&H conductor whose Navy service included an assignment to Tinian, where the U.S. detonated the first atomic bomb, passed away Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, at his home.
He was born Dec. 15, 1926, in Oneonta, the son of the late Pasquale and Rose (Perrine) Mongillo. Mike graduated from Oneonta High School, Class of 1944.
RICHFIELD SPRINGS – Frank Joseph Kranitz, 92, World War II veteran and owner of the Lake-n-Pines Motel on Otsego Lake for many years, passed away peacefully on Monday evening, Nov. 12, 2018, at the Saint Johnsville Rehabilitation Center in Montgomery County.
He was born on Oct. 12, 1926, in Woodside, Queens, son of the late Joseph and Mary Tones Kranitz. Frank was raised in Queens where he graduated high school.
After graduation, he answered the call of his country by enlisting in the Army during World War II.
CHERRY VALLEY – Joseph Roger Keegan, 91, a World War II veteran and retired statistician in state and federal governments, passed away on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018 in St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in New York City on Jan. 20, 1927, the eldest son of the late Roger and Beatrice (Reape) Keegan, both immigrants from Ireland. He married Patricia (Ford) Keegan on Dec. 15, 1962, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Cherry Valley.
HARTWICK – John J. Thorpe, 90, a World War II veteran and retired chemist, died Sunday afternoon, Nov. 26, 2017, at Focus Rehabilitation & Nursing Center at Otsego.
Born July 17, 1927, in Union City, N.J., John was the son of John and Alice Thorpe. Raised in Washington Township, he graduated from Westwood Regional High School. He was then inducted into the Army and served his country during World War II. He often recalled the great time he and many other servicemen had in New York City on V-J Day.
EXETER CENTER – Edwin S. Baxter Jr, 93, of Exeter Center, a World War II veteran and retired SUNY Oneonta professor, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017 at his residence in Cooperstown.
Edwin was born in Sayre, Pa., on Sept. 4, 1924, the son of the late Edwin S. Baxter Sr and Edith Van Wormer Baxter. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, the former Priscilla La Forest Baxter of Exeter Center, in 2009.
ONEONTA – World War II veteran Gerald C. Rogers, 92, former owner of Rogers’ Appliances, passed away peacefully at his home in Oneonta on Sept. 16, 2017, surrounded by his family. He also had a home in Safety Harbor, Fla.
Gerry was born Sept. 2, 1925, to Arthur and Iva (Cronk) Rogers in Harpersfield. He grew up in Hobart and Davenport. He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Ruth Munson Rogers.
ONEONTA – S. Richard Thorn, 93, a World War II veteran and avid golfer who hit three holes in one in 40 years playing the game and won a local championship, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 at Fox Nursing Home.
He was born on May 19, 1924, in Westford, the son of Kent and Carolyn (Roberts) Thorn. He married Doris Ketchum in 1955. She predeceased him on June 6, 2001.
A 1941 graduate of Schenevus Central School, Richard grew up in Westford and Milford. He attended Albany Business School.
ONEONTA – Jerry A Shannon, Jr., SUNY Oneonta professor emeritus in science education and a decorated World War II veteran, died peacefully on May 30, 2017, at Fox Nursing Home, a day before his 93 birthday.
He was born March 31, 1924, on Shannon Hill in Meshoppen, Pa., the son of Jeremiah (Jerry) A. Shannon and Grace Roach Shannon.
He graduated from Meshoppen High School. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army and served with the 78th (Lightning) Division in three World War II campaigns in the European Theater of Operations (Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe) as a member of a machine gun platoon.
