OBITS: Post-Star 2 Aug 2005; Glen Falls, Warren co., New York text-formatted by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Source: Post-Star http://www.post-star.com Abbott, Gordon L. Greenwich -- Gordon L. Abbott, 80, a resident of VanNess Avenue, died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at the Pleasant Valley Nursing Facility in Argyle after a long illness. Born Jan. 13 1925, in Greenwich, he was the son of Harold and Hazel Peasley Abbott. Gordon was a veteran of World War II serving with the United States Navy. He was a member of Liberty Post No. 515 American Legion and VFW Post No. 7291 in Greenwich. Greenwich Central School made him an honorary graduate of the school in 2001 for his time served to his country. He was a retired employee of the Hollingsworth and Vose Paper Company in Center Falls. He was a member of the Centenary United Methodist Church in Greenwich, was a member and Elk of the year in 1991 of Lodge No. 2223 B.P.O.E. , and a 50 year member of Ashlar Chapter No. 585 Free & Accepted Masons in Greenwich. He was an avid fisherman and a loyal Yankees fan. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by an infant son, Gordon Leslie Abbott. Survivors are his wife of 56 years, Elizabeth Wilson Abbott of Greenwich; a son, Raymond Abbott and his wife, Marjorie, of Schuylerville; a daughter, Patricia Perkins and her husband, George, of Greenwich; a sister, Glennen Woodward of Greenwich; five grandchildren, Amy McPhail, Julie Mosher, Jill Autiello, Andrew and Adam Abbott; five great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Flynn Bros., Inc. Funeral Home, 80 Main St. Greenwich with the Rev. Richard Gratz officiating. Interment will be in the Greenwich Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. The family suggests memorials in his name be made to the Easton Greenwich Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 84, Greenwich, NY 12834 or Washington County Hospice, 415 Lower Main St., Hudson Falls, NY 12839. Published in the Post-Star on 8/2/2005. Griffin, Gladys "Glady" QUEENSBURY -- Gladys "Glady" Griffin, 103, of Queensbury, died Saturday, July 30, 2005, at Eden Park Health Care Center, where she had been a resident since September 2001. Born on July 21, 1902, in Glens Falls, she was the daughter of the late Charles V. and Ida Peters. She attended the Mary Lyons School in Swarthmore, Pa., and graduated from the Glens Falls Academy in 1920. She attended Smith College. Glady married James H. Wright Sr. in 1926 and lived for a period of time in Scarsdale, Westchester County, returning to Glens Falls in 1939. She married her second husband, O. Thompson Griffin of Hudson Falls, in 1943. One of Glady's fondest memories occurred in 1919 when she was 17 years old. Then known as Gladys Peters, she flew over the city in a Curtiss "Jenny" airplane piloted by Lt. O. S. Palmer. In doing so, she earned the proud distinction of being the first girl or woman to fly over the city. Mrs. Griffin was a longtime member of the Glens Falls Hospital Guild and the First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls. Besides her parents, Glady was predeceased by her first husband, James H. Wright, her second husband, O. Thompson Griffin; and her sisters, Katherine Peters Stedman and Helen Seagle. She is survived by her sister, Peg North of San Francisco; her son, James H. Wright and his wife, Janet, of Kennebunkport, Maine; two stepsons, Daniel S. Griffin and his wife, Sally, of Queensbury and Thompson K. Griffin and his wife, Virginia, also of Queensbury; plus seven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren. Glady is also survived by her devoted longtime caregiver, Shannon Rounds of Warrensburg. At the request of Mrs. Griffin, there will be no calling hours. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made to a charity of one's choice. Arrangements are under the direction of Carleton Funeral Home, Inc., 68 Main St. in Hudson Falls. Published in the Post-Star on 8/2/2005. Gryga, Sarah Michelle QUEENSBURY -- Sarah Michelle Gryga, 17, ended her courageous battle on Friday, July 29, 2005, due to complications from a bone marrow transplant she had received in November. Born on Aug. 20, 1987, in Seattle, Wash., Sarah was the loving daughter of Paul and Kim Gryga and the loving sister of Peter Gryga. Sarah was involved in many clubs and activities during her 11 years in Queensbury, including Queensbury High School Swim Team, Glens Falls YMCA Gators Swim Team, Queensbury High School Soccer, Lacrosse and Track Teams, Co-Editor of the Queensbury High School Yearbook and Newspaper, Teen Reporter for The Post-Star, National Honor Society, Queensbury High School Key Club, Queensbury High School Concert Band and Concert Choir and the Queensbury United Methodist Junior Youth Fellowship. Sarah graduated in the top 10 from Queensbury High School this June and received numerous awards and scholarships. Sarah loved to write and worked as an intern last summer at a public relations firm in Seattle, Wash. Sarah was planning on attending Boston University School of Communications in the fall. Sarah loved swimming, shopping, skiing with her brother Peter, and spending time with her family and friends. In addition to being missed by her parents and brother, Sarah will be greatly missed by her grandparents, Joseph and Josephine Gryga of Syracuse, N.Y.; her uncle and aunt, Louie and Bettyann Richmond of Seattle, Wash.; her uncle and aunt, Karen and Steve McPeak of Syracuse, N.Y.; her aunt, Jeanette Bakowski of Sarasota, Fla.; her great-uncle, the Rev. Theodore Gryga of San Diego, Calif. and numerous other family members, friends and teachers. A Celebration of Life Service in Sarah's memory will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Christ Church United Methodist, 54 Bay Road, Glens Falls. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are under the direction of Regan & Denny Funeral Home, 53 Quaker Road, Queensbury. Published in the Post-Star on 8/2/2005. Kaufmann, Carolyn Weill North River -- Carolyn Weill Kaufmann, 88, cherished wife of the late Ted Kaufmann, passed away suddenly on Thursday, July 28, 2005. Born in New York City, she graduated from Pine Manor Junior College. Carolyn studied ballet and opera singing and cultivated a lifelong love of music and the arts. While the family lived in Roslyn, N.Y., she was an inspiring Brownie and Girl Scout leader. Throughout her life, she was adopted by folks of all ages as a surrogate mother. She and Ted began their winter pilgrimages to the North Creek Ski Bowl in the early 1940s. They bought their home, Bewilderness, in 1967 and retired there in 1978. Carolyn immediately became active in local organizations, donating her time, efforts and famous punch at countless community events, including the Johnsburg Historical Society, the Audubon Society, the White Water Races, River Beautification Project, the Upper Hudson Environmental Group, the North River Fire Department as well as the American Society of Dowsers, national and local chapters. Carolyn lived an incredibly full and impassioned life, beloved by her family, giving us all adoration and encouragement, doing generous things for everyone who knew her and living her dream in the wooded beauty of Bewilderness. She will be profoundly missed by her daughters, Kate Hickok Feldman and husband, John; Julie Kaufmann; Deborah Kaufmann and husband, Garry Nichols; her grandchildren: Heather Hickok Ferguson, Andrew Hickok and Rafer Nichols; her nieces, Robby Lynn Patterson and Joan Feigus and her ever extending family. To honor this elegant and gracious hostess, who always made everyone feel at home, her family will celebrate her life and share memories at an Open House from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Tannery Pond Community Center, Main Street, North Creek. All are welcome. Donations may be made in her memory to the Johnsburg Historical Society and the American Society of Dowsers Scholarship Fund. Carolyn was an Earth Mother with a gentle soul and empathy for every living thing and all of them will miss her. Arrangements are with Alexander Funeral Home, Inc, North River. Published in the Post-Star from 7/30/2005 - 8/3/2005. Roy, Marie Josephine Cambridge u Marie Josephine Roy, 85, passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2005, at the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington, Vt., surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of Paul E. Roy of Cambridge. Born Monday, April 5, 1920, in Leeds, England, she was the daughter of Leonard and Agatha (Parcel) Turner. Marie was raised in Arras, France, and returned to England at the onset of World War II. On Feb. 14, 1945, at Leeds Cathedral, Marie and Paul were married. She returned with him to the United States and lived first in Bennington and then moved to Cambridge, where they raised their family. At the age of 45, Marie returned to the classroom and completed her training as a licensed practical nurse at the Mary McClellan Nursing School. The oldest in her class, she was proud to be the Valedictorian of her class. She worked at Mary McClellan Hospital until her retirement in 1980. She loved traveling and quilting and spent many of her retirement years doing both. She was an original member of the Pieceful Valley Quilters. Marie was a communicant of St. Patrick's Church and a member of the Auxilary of Captain Maxson Post No. 684 of the American Legion. Along with her husband of 60 years, Marie is survived by four children, Patricia Molinaro of North Attelboro, Mass., John P. Roy of Greensboro, N.C., Jean Roy of Clifton Park, and William Roy of Round Lake; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Friends and relatives are invited to call on Tuesday, August 2, 2005, at Ackley & Ross Funeral Home, 73 West Main St., Cambridge, from 6 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., August 3, 2005, at St. Patrick's Church, 17 South Park St., Cambridge. Those wishing to remember Marie may make contributions to the Cambridge Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 52, Cambridge, NY 12816. Published in the Post-Star from 8/1/2005 - 8/2/2005. Skelton, Floyd Eugene Granville -- Floyd Eugene Skelton passed away unexpectedly at his home in Granville, on Saturday, July 30, 2005. Floyd was born on April 30, 1938, in Fort Edward, the son of the late John Glenn Skelton and Reba (Watrous) Skelton. Floyd was currently employed at Telescope Casual Furniture, where he had been a dedicated employee. He had previously spent much of his life as a quarry worker for Ponda Slate, Western Slate and Ritchie Bros. Slate. Floyd enjoyed taking coffee breaks at both Scotties Coffee Shop and McDonald's. He loved the time he spent with his wife of 46 years, his daughters and grandchildren. Floyd enjoyed scratch-off lottery tickets and had become a recent NASCAR fan. In addition to his parents, Floyd was predeceased by two brothers, Fernly Skelton and Orin Skelton. Survivors are his wife, Mary Lou (Bogart) Skelton, whom he married in 1959; three daughters: Tina Skelton and her friend, Adam, of Florida, Carol Rizzo and her husband, Mike, and Cynthia Johnson and her husband, Ray, all of Granville; three brothers: Bernice Skelton of Wells, Vt., Elton Skelton and his wife, Eleanor, of Granville and Samuel Skelton of Texas; six grandchildren: Jason Bolks of Minnesota, Megan and Corey Rizzo, Damon Casey, Quinn Johnson and Damon's brother, Billy, all of Granville. Also several nieces, nephews and cousins. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at 11 a.m., at Robert M. King Funeral Home, 23 Church St., Granville. Burial will follow at the Mettowee Valley Cemetery in Granville. Friends may call on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in Floyd's name to the Granville Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 153, Granville, NY 12832. Published in the Post-Star from 8/1/2005 - 8/2/2005.