REPORTER FILE PHOTO

Patricia Duo
Patricia (Dunne) Duo, a long-time resident of Shelter Island, died on June 16, 2016. She was 90.

Patricia Duo

Pat was born and raised in New York City and worked for Allegheny Airlines at LaGuardia Airport for nine years. She retired on Shelter Island with her husband and son.

Pat is survived by her son, John (Jack) Duo; her nieces Gale Elrod of Cleveland, Georgia, Laura Travis of Washington, DC, Jody Davison of Buford, Georgia; and a nephew, Jamie Davison of Conyers, Georgia.

She was predeceased by her husband, J. Edward Duo, and sister, Joan (Dunne) Davison.

A memorial service was held on June 19, 2016 at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church.

After retiring from Allegheny Airlines, Pat volunteered for 22 years at Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH). She was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the hospital gift shop. She was the recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Award in 2004 to honor her outstanding volunteerism and her steadfast commitment to her community hospital.

In addition, she received the ELIH Auxiliary Lifetime of Service Award in 2006 from then New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. At that time she held the record in volunteer hours of over 12,000 hours.

Donald R. Hall

Donald R. Hall
Donald R. Hall recently of Cape Coral, Florida, but a longtime resident of Shelter Island, passed away on June 10, 2016.

Born January 21, 1927 in Brooklyn, Donald was the son of Winfred and Nellie G. Hall. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1944. After graduation he talked his parents into letting him enlist in the Navy and served with great pride on the USS Chevalier as a radar man third class.

During his time in the Navy, Donald received the American Theatre Medal, Victory Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Medal 1 star. He continued a lifelong connection with his navy buddies, traveling all over the United States attending Chevalier reunions for many years.

After the Navy, he began a 38-year career at UNICEF, starting as a stock boy and working his way up to chief of budget for the organization. After he retired in 1982, he continued with UNICEF on a consulting basis for another 10 years.

In May of 1983, Donald married Audrey Brown. Donald shared his love of boating and fishing with Audrey and her parents. In October of 1983 they traveled down the Intracoastal Waterway to Fort Myers, Florida on his 28-foot powerboat. They left the boat in Florida, due to consulting work which took the couple to Rome, where they met the Pope. The Halls then purchased a condo in Fort Myers, spending half their time on Shelter Island and half in Florida.

In 2013 they sold their house on the Island and moved full-time to Cape Coral, Florida.

Donald is survived by Audrey; three step children, Susan Dickerson (David) of Waterford, Connecticut, Robert P. Brown (Kathleen) of Salem, New Hampshire, Edward R. Brown (Cheryl) of Shelter Island; a brother, Kenneth Hall (Frances) of Levittown; seven grandchildren; eight great grandchildren and eight nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, James and Charles.

On Saturday, June 25, a Mass was be celebrated at Our Lady of the Isle Church with the burial following.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the UNICEF Children’s Fund, 125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038, or American Legion Post 281 of Shelter Island, 281 School Street, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

Mai Madden

Mai Madden
Mai Madden passed away peacefully at home in Yonkers on June 10. She was 100 years old.

She was born Mary T. Lally on Christmas Day, 1915, in the family apartment at 48th Street and Broadway in New York City and grew up in that neighborhood, where her parish priest was Father Francis P. Duffy, famous as the chaplain of the “Fighting 69th” Infantry Regiment during World War I.

Mai married Edward P. “Ted” Madden on June 10, 1939 and first came to Shelter Island on their honeymoon. They stayed at Oxford Hall for their first visit and returned many times, later staying at Mrs. Gerapy’s rooming house in the Heights. They made many great friends and were encouraged to rent the house next door by Heights residents and close friends, Helene and Joe Mack. They purchased this house in 1946 and settled in a neighborhood where every single neighbor was a cherished friend.

Mai and Ted’s favorite stories involved impromptu parties at May Nevel’s, dancing to Stanley Surozenski’s accordion, sing-songs that might include the harmony singing of the Bauman twins and the sound of Benny Spataza’s saxophone drifting through the barbershop windows on summer afternoons.

In the early 1960s, Mai lost her vision to cataracts for a couple of years and she truly discovered what a special place the Island is. Ted could work in New York while Mai would come to the Island for the summer, knowing that Emil Johnson and Connie McGahey would keep the heat and water working, Doctor Curry would keep all healthy, the Dawsons would deliver groceries and their neighbors stood ready to help in any way possible. Surgery eventually restored her vision. Her appreciation for the special people of the Island never dimmed. It was not possible to have better neighbors.

Mai and Ted had three children, 10 grandchildren and so far, 24 great grandchildren. Louis Cicero has cut five generations of Madden family hair. Mr. Wroble taught two generations how to swim and his granddaughter taught a third. If you ask any of the family where the family homestead is, they would say, “Shelter Island”.

Although Mai celebrated her 100th birthday in her winter home in Yonkers, we know she will delight in being remembered by the children and grandchildren of her many friends on Shelter Island.

Alice Louise Schneider

Alice Louise Schneider
Alice Louise Schneider, of Southampton and Shelter Island, died in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on June 7, 2016 after a brief illness. She was 87.

Born in Astoria, Queens, on September 1, 1928, she was the sixth of seven children of Frederick Schneider and the former Elsa Kruger. Her parents were descendants of the founding families of Lindenhurst.

Alice attended P.S. 70 in Astoria until 1937, when her family moved to Jamaica Estates, and then graduated from Jamaica High and Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn.

Alice enjoyed a career of over 30 years working for Standard Oil (later Exxon) as an administrator in its Manhattan headquarters, first in shareholder relations, then in the law department and in public affairs.

An enthusiastic world traveler, she became the first woman to be sent on foreign assignment for the firm when she helped to relocate the Esso East division to Hong Kong.

In 1983 she opted for early retirement and moved with three of her siblings to the East End, changing to a lifestyle with more emphasis on the outdoors. She enjoyed biking, walking, golf and canoeing, and tried to swim as many days as possible from late May until early October.

An avid volunteer and community activist, Alice was a member of the Women’s Republican Club and the Southampton Study Club. She volunteered for the American Cancer Society, assisted in the founding of the Southampton Artists Association, and served on the board of the Combined Veterans Organizations, helping to raise funds for the Fourth of July parade.

As Crescent Beach became more thronged with visitors each year, Alice and her brother Hank worked to ensure that residents would have 24/7 parking spaces. Ms. Schneider attended the Hamptons United Methodist Church in Southampton and was a trustee of the Union Chapel in the Grove on the Island.

In addition to her community activities, she was the main caregiver for four of her siblings in their final years.

Alice was preceded in death by three brothers, Fred, Hank and Ralph; and three sisters, Helen, Mildred, and Ruth. She is survived by three nieces, Jean Curcuru and husband Anthony, and Janet Young and husband Tony Hilliard, and Diane Young, all of Massachusetts; a great-nephew, Gregory Moses and his children Savanna and Tariq; a great-niece, Stephanie Blanchard, husband Joe, and daughter Adelina, all of Massachusetts; and several cousins.

Memorial donations may be made to Rogers Memorial Library, 91 Coopers Farm Road, Southampton, NY 11968.

Dr. Irving B. Aronow

Dr. Irving B. Aronow

Dr. Irving B. Aronow, of New York City and Shelter Island, passed away peacefully in his sleep on the evening of June 14, 2016. He was 78.

Dr. Aronow was born in Brooklyn on December 24, 1937. He graduated from Brooklyn College and received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Aronow practiced family medicine in Amityville for nearly 40 years. Through his practice he cared for and touched the lives of thousands of patients.

A resident of Shelter Island for 35 years, Dr. Aronow embraced the Island’s beauty and tranquility from his home on Hay Beach Point, his family said, where he loved to watch beautiful sunsets with friends and family. Dr. Aronow thoroughly enjoyed his time on the waters surrounding Shelter Island, regularly sailing and fishing in Shelter Island Sound and Gardiners Bay.

Later in life, he added golf to his repertoire, enjoying the beauty and camaraderie of Gardiner’s Bay Country Club. Among his favorite pastimes was early morning coffee in front of STARS Cafe.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Carole; his sister, Roberta (Clark); son Michael (Ronni); son, Bruce (Holly); and his grandchildren, Benjamin, Brian, Alyssa, Alexander and Nicholas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.

Jacquelyn Staples

Jacquelyn Staples (nee Kerr) of South Pasadena, Florida and Shelter Island, died, peacefully in the presence of family, at her home in South Pasadena in the early hours of July 1, 2016. She was 85.

Born in Quincy, Massachusetts on February 3, 1930 to Elizabeth (nee Ryan) and Wallace Ross Kerr, Jackie was their only child. She grew up in Hingham, Massachusetts and graduated from the Lincoln School of Providence, Rhode Island, Smith College of Northampton, Massachusetts and the Gough School of Business in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 1955 she married Frederick Howard Staples of Springfield.  They settled in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and shared a happy marriage until his death in 2002.

She spent every summer from the mid-1930s at her family’s house in the Heights.

Jackie is survived by her son Peter Staples (Noreen) of Brookside, New Jersey, and her daughter, Jill Vogt (Peter) of Herrnhut, Germany and five grandchildren: Devin, Hannah and Sarah Staples, and Anna and Christian Vogt.

Jackie was an active member of Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ. She enjoyed reading, traveling, and watching the ferries from her porch.

A funeral service will be held at the Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at noon.  She will be interred in Hillcrest Park in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 11, 2016.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Memorial Gifts Fund at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ, 6315 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg FL 33710.

Gordon Danby, a noted physicist who helped pioneer the use of Maglev transportation technology while working at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and a devoted member of the Wading River community, died Tuesday. He was 86.

Mr. Danby worked in the physics department at BNL but rose to fame after his work with James Powell, a nuclear engineer at the lab, paved the way for a new method of high-speed transportation.

“I think his legacy is going to be a major new mode of transportation that will benefit the world,” Mr. Powell, 84, said in an interview Thursday. “If it hadn’t been for Gordon, this … would have never gone the way it has gone.”

Maglev (a portmanteau of “magnetic levitation”) uses superconducting technology to move vehicles without having them touch rails or roadways. Magnets installed in the vehicles lift them off a guide track, propelling them forward at speeds of up to 300 miles per hour.

The technology is currently used on high-speed railways in Japan. It was invented in the 1960s when Mr. Powell was stuck in traffic on the Throgs Neck Bridge in New York City and dreamed up a way to travel faster. He turned to Mr. Danby, a friend and former roommate from BNL who was working with superconductors, to help refine the design.

Mr. Powell said it was Mr. Danby who proposed putting the conductors in the vehicles themselves as opposed to energizing the entire track — something that made the idea much cheaper and easier to design.

“A lot of people get an idea in their heads and they like to stick to it,” Mr. Powell said. “Gordon was not that type of person. He was always looking for better ways to do something.”

In 1966, the pair published a paper on Maglev; two years later, they secured a patent. Their work would lay the foundation for Maglev technology across the world; they worked closely with Japanese companies to bring the transportation solution there.

“I was happy to see people working on it and turning it into reality,” Mr. Powell said, noting that both he and his business partner weren’t concerned about losing the rights to the technology. Rather, they wanted to help scientists and engineers improve the lives of others.

In 1983, Mr. Danby was honored with the New York Academy of Sciences Boris Pregel Award for Applied Science and Technology for his contributions to accelerator physics and superconducting magnet technology. In 2000, Mr. Danby and Mr. Powell were awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Engineering by the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

“He had a real curiosity and creativity,” said Mr. Danby’s daughter, Jennifer. “I don’t think he was afraid to venture into territory where he might discover something completely different from what he hypothesized. He was a real scientist in that way.”

Mr. Danby was born in Ontario, Canada, during the Great Depression and suffered from rickets as a child, his daughter said. He overcame the illness and went on to play semi-professional ice hockey in Canada.

Mr. Danby is seen here as a child with his grandfather in Ontario, Canada, where he grew up. He became a U.S. citizen in 1957. (Courtesty: Danby family)

After earning a PhD in physics in the 1950s, Mr. Danby moved to Long Island and became a U.S. citizen, working as a physicist at BNL. In addition to his work on Maglev, Mr. Danby also helped design and build what was at the time the world’s largest particle accelerator. His work with the Fonar Corporation on Long Island led to the first use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in open and upright medical scanners, his family said.

Ms. Danby said her father always emphasized that his children, Jen and Judd, should follow their dreams.

“He definitely said to choose something you love and to pursue it,” Ms. Danby said. “If you love something, go. Go after it.”

Ms. Danby recalled learning how to play hockey with her father and touring BNL as a child. The experiences comprise some of her fondest memories. She said her father also once used his knowledge of physics to help his children win a local go-kart racing competition.

“He was a loving dad,” she said. “He and my mom taught us to be gracious in victory and defeat and to keep your eye on the prize with kindness and humor and generosity.” 

Ms. Danby said her father had a sense of humor and was able to put others at ease. He and his wife, Jane, moved to an old farmhouse in Wading River and worked hard to fix it up.

“They laughed a lot,” Ms. Danby said. “He loved my mother very much and they balanced each other.”

The Danbys became active in both the local historical society and civic association. Mr. Danby was a school board member in the earliest days of the Shoreham-Wading River School District, said Wading River Civic Association president Sid Bail. Mr. Danby was also a member of the Riverhead Conservation Advisory Council and was on the board of the Long Island Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

Mr. Bail knew Mr. Danby for almost 30 years and said he was a “good friend” to both him, his wife, and the community.

Mr. Danby pictured in 2009. (Credit: file photo)

“Whenever there was a problem, he was always there,” Mr. Bail said. “We went through a few adventures together and Gordon was always willing to go to meetings and speak out. He would speak very intelligently and he believed in civility. He’ll be missed. That’s for sure.”

Riverhead Town community development director Christine Kempner worked with Mr. Danby several years ago to try to bring Maglev technology to the Enterprise Park at Calverton.

“He was a great person for his scientific stuff, but he was also a really great community member,” Ms. Kempner said.

Although Mr. Danby wasn’t able to secure enough funding for the project, Ms. Kempner said he did all he could to bring his invention to the area.

“He’s a visionary,” she said. “It’s like Nikola Tesla. People don’t understand. It’s so far ahead that people don’t move that quickly.

“I’m sure this is the mode of travel of the future,” she continued. “It’s a shame that it never happened during his lifetime.”

A memorial service will be held Monday, Aug. 15, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Alexander Tuthill Funeral Home in Wading River. Private cremation will follow, family members said.

In lieu of flowers, Mr. Danby and his wife requested that donations be made to their children’s two nonprofit production organizations: Mississippi Mud Productions, run by Jennifer Danby, and The Jazz Club of Lafayette, In., run by Judd Danby.

psquire@timesreview.com

Top photo caption: Mr. Danby holds up an award from the High Speed Rail Association in 1991 (Courtesy: Brookhaven National Lab)

AMBROSE CLANCY PHOTO
An unbeatable bargain has been advertised on Shore Road for years.

At first they were  “what was that?”  moments, Peggy Brennan said, describing the loud thumps she’d hear, usually coming from upstairs.

“I would think one of the little ones had fallen,” Ms. Brennan said Monday, sitting on the porch of her Shore Road house, directly across from the second fairway of the Shelter Island Country Club’s (SICC) golf course.

But after awhile, Ms. Brennan knew  those sudden intrusions of her day were just more incoming stock for the Brennan family’s  cottage industry of selling golf balls.

For almost a quarter of a century, the stand in front of a little bungalow next to the Brennan’s house, with a beach umbrella, a sign, golf balls in egg cartoons and an honor box for cash, has been an Island institution.

Started by Ms. Brennan’s husband, Jerry, who passed away eight years ago, the golf ball  retail outlet has been stocked and maintained by three generations, with Ms. Brennan’ grandsons, Jason, 17, Nick, 15, and Matthew, 13, now in charge.

“Matthew’s the perfectionist,” Ms. Brennan said with a smile,  always reminding family members to keep the stand neat and orderly.

Jerry Brennan knew what savvy business people know: if you have a problem, turn it into an opportunity. And golf balls striking the house on the fly from the SICC’s second tee, or taking a momentum-gaining bounce from Shore Road’s macadam into the yard, was an opportunity he couldn’t waste.

In addition to collecting balls hit into the Brennan’s and neighbor’s yards, Jerry also “hawked balls in the woods of the course,” Ms. Brennan said.

The bounty of the honor box isn’t used to supplement the family’s income, or even as pin money, Ms. Brennan said. Since the “Golf Balls 3 / $1.00” sign went up, all proceeds have gone to Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.  The charity’s mission statement, according to its website, is “to provide compassionate, comprehensive care for the poor, the marginal and the wounded among us.”

Ms. Brennan remembers her own community helping out. “The summer after Jerry died, we were down to one golf ball,” she said. But a member of the country club gave the family a bag of balls to sell, and that primed the pump for them to continue the business.

Best year ever? That was awhile back, when the summer’s tally was more than $1,300. “That’s a lot of golf balls,” Ms. Brennan said.

The screens on her porch are protected by stout turkey wire. Ask her about damage, and she gives a slight eye roll,  speaking of broken windows and golf balls shooting through screens. “You should see the side of the house,”  she said.

She’s been struck in the ankle and a dimpled white missile smashed a car’s taillight.  More than one friend visiting has said “it’s like a war zone,” Ms. Brennan said, with the mordant expression of a veteran who has seen it all.

Looking at the golf balls, you immediately notice that the three for a dollar variety appear brand new. There’s a five for a dollar selection in plastic bags that look a little worse for wear, but the premium balls — of every major brand — have gone through a rigorous process before they’re allowed to be displayed in the egg cartons and boxes.

“They’re cleaned with Clorox Clean-up, scrubbed with a brush, rinsed in clean water twice and dried,” Ms. Brennan said.

Some balls are separately boxed specialty items, with names and birthdays stamped on them, company logos for golf outings and country club stamps.

“One man, a collector, would come to Jerry just for the country club names,” Ms. Brennan said.

Was he charged more for the collectibles? “Same price,” Ms. Brennan said. “We’ve never raised our prices.”

CAROL GALLIGAN PHOTO

Donald F. McCarthy Sr.

Don McCarthy, 80, of Shelter Island, passed on August 1, 2016.

Don is survived by his wife and best friend of 56 years, Eileen; his children Don, Elizabeth (Jim), Mary Kate (Bryan), Patrick (Tricia) and 11 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Bill.

He served four years in the U.S. Air Force and earned a Master of Arts Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Don had a 20-year career with the New York Police Department and retired as a homicide detective. He then became professor emeritus of criminology at Finger Lakes Community College.

Don was an avid fisherman who loved boats and being on the water.

A member of the American Legion for 20 years, he served as 1st Vice Commander for the last two years.

His family said they will remember Don as a great husband, father, family man and true gentleman. He filled so many hearts with love and laughter, they said, and was a friend to all and was always willing to help those in need.

Interment was at Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery. For donations in his name, please contact the Shelter Island Ambulance Foundation, P.O. Box 547, Shelter Island, NY 11964, or American Legion Mitchell Post 281, P.O. Box 2021, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

Scott E. Taplin

Scott E. Taplin died at home in Manassas, Virginia on July 30, 2016 from complications of cirrhosis. He was 55.

Scott was born in Dover, New Jersey and grew up on Shelter Island and was a long time resident of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  He is survived by his brothers George and Bruce; sisters Jill, Terry, and Lynn, as well as many nieces and nephews, and his dog Hobbes.

Scott was an accomplished chef and wood craftsman. He traveled the United States, the Caribbean and Europe learning various cuisines, and was the first American to work as sous-chef at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. Scott worked as a private chef for 30 years. His custom-crafted bowls, platters, cutting boards and furniture were displayed at craft fairs throughout New England.

There will be a memorial service for Scott on Shelter Island in mid-September. Please contact gtapretired@gmail.com for additional information.  In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to the Foundation for Alcoholism Research at alcoholismresearch.org.  He was our brother and our friend and he will be greatly missed, his family said.

Lila R. Van Vliet
Lila R. Van Vliet of Concord, Massachusetts, died on Friday, August 5, 2016 at home. She was 89 years old.

Lila was born in Manhattan on July 10, 1927 to Charles and Florence Greenberg. Her brother was William Greenberg.

After graduating from Cornell University, she married Gerald Miller, an accountant, who passed away in 1971. They raised their daughters in Scarsdale, New York. Her second husband was David Van Vliet, who died at the age of 100.

Lila and David Van Vliet chose Shelter Island for retirement. Their first home was on Montclair Avenue and later they lived on Terry Drive. While on Shelter Island, Lila was an active member of the Womens’ Club, the Nine Holers at Gardiner’s Bay Country Club, the Shelter Island Public Library and the Duplicate Bridge Club at St. Mary’s Church.

Surviving her are her two daughters, Bonnie Miller of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Teri Miller Piccozzi (Angelo) of Shelter Island, her granddaughters, Lila Piccozzi Kneeland of Shelter Island and Eva Piccozzi of Hadley, Massachusetts, and her loving dog, Honey, a rescue Pekingese.

Burial services were held on Monday, August 8, 2016 at the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.
Memorial donations can be made to the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, P.O. Box 901, Wainscott, NY 11075.

Edwin Darracott Vaughan Jr.

Edwin Darracott Vaughan Jr., 76, of Sheridan, Wyoming, who spent many years on Shelter Island where he was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, passed away on April 22, 2016, in Sheridan.

He was born on May 13, 1939, in Richmond, Virgina to Blanche (Bashaw) and Edwin Darracott Vaughan Sr.

A graduate of Washington and Lee University, he earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia. Dr. Vaughan trained in general surgery at Vanderbilt University and fulfilled his residency in urology at the University of Virginia.

He had a clinical research fellowship at Columbia University and became an assistant and associate professor of urology at the University of Virginia. Among his numerous professional achievements, Dr. Vaughn was the James J. Colt Professor of Urology, chairman of the Department of Urology at Cornell University Medical Center and the urologist-in-chief at The New York Hospital. He held many leadership roles during decades of dedicated service to the Cornell/New York Hospital community including the Chief Medical Officer of the Weill Cornell Physician Organization and the Executive vice dean/senior associate dean for clinical affairs there.

Dr. Vaughan provided many years of service to the American Urological Association and the American Board of Urology, including a term as president of each organization.

Among his many honors, Dr. Vaughan received the Gold Cystoscope Award, the Barringer Medal, the Valentine Award, the Hugh Hampton Young Award, the St. Paul’s Medal and the Greenberg Distinguished Service Award. He was a founding member of the Medical Program of the American Austrian Foundation, with over 17,000 physicians attending Salzburg Seminars to date.

Dr. Vaughn earned a Doctor of Science from Washington and Lee in 1982 and was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa. He published over 380 articles, 250 abstracts and authored several books. He completed numerous visiting professorships and named lectureships, collaborating with leaders in his field all over the world.

One of Dr. Vaughan’s proudest accomplishments, his family said, was his eight years of service on the University of Virginia Board of Visitors – receiving two appointments from governors representing two political parties.

Most importantly, Dr. Vaughan, who was beloved by his patients and those he worked with, was a teacher and mentor, his family said. He made time to listen to and advise his peers, friends and family, giving deeply personal care to all he encountered. His influence and guidance indelibly enriched the lives of his far-reaching circle of acquaintances, his family said.

Dr. Vaughan married Virginia Anne Lloyd in 1962. The many years he spent with Anne, family and friends on Shelter Island, were his “therapy,” his family said. Dr. Vaughan was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the Shelter Island Yacht Club. He and Anne retired to Sheridan in 2010.

An avid Brooklyn Dodgers fan, Dr. Vaughan never forgave the team for moving west, his family said.
Dr. Vaughan is survived by his wife; his son, Edwin Darracott Vaughan III (Melissa), of Castle Pines, Colorado; his daughter, Barbara Anderson Vaughan, of Berlin, Germany; three grandchildren; and a nephew.

Funeral Services were held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Sheridan with interment in the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.

Online condolences may be written at kanefuneral.com.

Rosine Kauffmann Green

Rosine Kauffmann Green
Rosine Green died on August 24, 2016. She was 90.

She and her husband, Dr. Howard Green, had a second home on North Ferry Road from 1960 to 2014, which is currently owned by their niece.

Rosine was born on November 27, 1927 to Jeanne Tardivel and Gaston Kauffmann. She grew up in Paris and was enrolled in a private school for girls when the German occupation descended on France. Rosine was forced to leave school and was tutored at home while her father escaped and remained in hiding until 1944. During the liberation of Paris in August 1944, she was a trained Red Cross volunteer taking care of casualties at the barricades and in the hospital.

After the war, Rosine finished her education and in 1948 came to the United States to Chicago. There she quickly became engaged in the intellectual ferment surrounding the University of Chicago, home to a large number of scientists who had emigrated from Europe. Eventually, at a dinner party she met a brilliant young doctor doing research at the university.

Rosine and Howard Green were married in 1951 and this partnership lasted for 65 years until Howard’s death last year.
Howard’s scientific prowess brought them to Boston in 1970 where he eventually became chairman of the Cell Biology Department at the Harvard Medical School. At the same time, Rosine established Rosine Green Associates, a highly successful art restoration and conservation business.

They became widely known for restoring antiques, especially Japanese and Chinese lacquer, oil paintings and art on paper. They did work for the White House and national museums, and were voted in 1999 as the best at antique restoration by “Best of Boston.” Rosine was also a member of the Chilton Club.

Rosine and Howard together led exceptionally exciting and productive lives and developed a large number of devoted friends, their family recalled. They were always helpful and generous to all they knew, especially to the students who came through Howard’s laboratory.

Through Rosine’s tireless efforts, this generosity led to establishing the Howard Green Center for Children’s Skin and Research at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston in 2016. Also, this past year, even in failing health, she founded the Howard and Rosine Kauffmann Green Skin and Tissue Center at the burn unit in the Sheba National Medical Center in Israel.

Rosine is survived by her niece, Ingrid Fagen, her nephew, David Green, nieces Catherine Kauffmann and Claudine Agostini, as well as an extended family in Australia and France.

Jeanne J. Farnan
Jeanne J. Farnan died on August 28, 2016 at Stony Brook University Hospital.

A Mass celebrating was said on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Isle Church. Interment will be in Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery.

A full obituary will appear in a future edition of the Reporter.

Allison Taylor French

Allison Taylor French
Allison Taylor French, 84, a former resident of Shelter Island, died peacefully on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at Meridian Nursing & Rehabilitation in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, surrounded by his loving family.

Al was preceded in death by his son Allison “Ty” in 1991 and his wife of 57 years, Beverly Wunderley French in 2011. He is survived by his sons, Randall (Carol) of Eatontown, New Jersey and Kendall (Kathy) Gainsville, Florida; his daughter Lucinda Murphy (Sean); and his grandchildren, Taylor, Renny and Rorey, all of East Hampton.

Al was born in Orlando, Florida and later moved and grew up in West Palm Beach and attended Tulane University in New Orleans. He worked for the family business, Carson Groves, in Frostproof, Florida; Management Research Institute in Orlando; the Florida Farm Bureau in Gainesville; and retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Gainesville and Washington, D.C.

After retirement, Al and Bevy moved to the Island to be nearer their grandchildren.

He was active in politics and current events and was a champion of conservative causes, his family said, able to speak publicly with ease and clarity and also tell a good story to friends. An avid reader, he read two newspapers front-to-back every day. Al was interested in many things, his family said, and had many hobbies throughout his life including auto racing, sailing, hunting/shooting, model airplanes and fishing and desired to excel at whatever he did.

He was an enthusiastic Florida Gator and Washington Redskins fan.

Al loved and cared for his family — he will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Al’s memory may be made online to Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation, rls.org.

Admiral Robert E. (Bob) Kramek

Robert E. Kramek
Admiral Robert E. (Bob) Kramek, U. S. Coast Guard (Ret.) passed away on October 20, 2016.

Admiral Kramek was born on December 15, 1939 and raised in New York. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1961 with a B.S. in engineering. He also attended the University of Michigan, John Hopkins University, the University of Alaska and the U.S. Naval War College, graduating with highest distinction. He earned Masters of Science degrees in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Management.

He had a distinguished military career that culminated in his service as the Coast Guard’s 20th Commandant (1994-1998).

Before that, his assignments included Coast Guard Chief of Staff and Commander of the Thirteenth and Seventh Districts. He served concurrently as the Regional Drug Interdiction Coordinator and principal of a migration task force as commander of the Seventh District. Other major commands included Governors Island, New York —  the then-largest base in the Coast Guard — and the Coast Guard Cutter 378 Midgett in San Francisco.

After retiring from the Coast Guard, Adm. Kramek joined the American Bureau of Shipping (“ABS”) as president, Americas Division (1998-2004) and then became President and COO of ABS (2004-2006). He served on various ABS Boards during and after his retirement from ABS, as well as, among others, for First Command Financial Services, John F. Lehman Co. and Rowan.

He was also President of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

Admiral Kramek is pre-deceased by his mother and father, Mary and Edward Kramek of Shelter Island. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and their children, Tracy, Joseph, Suzanne, Nancy, their spouses and eight grandchildren. Admiral Kramek is also survived by his sister, Virginia McManus, and his brother William, and their families.

Admiral Kramek will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Family members have asked in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Coast Guard Foundation’s Admiral Robert E. Kramek Scholarship Fund, Coast Guard Foundation, 394 Taugwonk Road, Stonington, CT 06378; or by calling (860) 535-0786.

His family and friends wish him fair winds and following seas.

May Morse

May Morse
May Morse, 94, died November 5, peaceably at home at Peconic Landing in Greenport after a one-year battle with lung cancer. May and her late husband, Ed, lived for many years in their Shelter Island home on Bayshore Drive.

Ms. Morse was a founding board member of Greenport’s Peconic Landing; a trustee of Greenport’s Brecknock Hall Foundation; a past president of the Silver Beach Association; a former trustee of Mashomack Preserve; past president of the Friends of the Shelter Island Public Library; past president of the Seraphic Society; and a long-time executive assistant to John T. Sargent, president and chairman of Doubleday & Company.

Ms. Morse joined the accounting department of Doubleday in 1941 after attending Queens College working directly for Mr. Sargent, Nelson Doubleday’s brother-in-law, at the firm’s Manhattan office. Mr. Sargent led the company through a “golden age” of publishing, working with writers including President Dwight Eisenhower, Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, Michael Jackson, William F. Buckley Jr., Barbara Bush, and Leon Uris, becoming the largest publisher in the world by 1977.

Ms. Morse retired in 1986 from Doubleday following their acquisition by Bertelsmann, the largest media company in the world.

Her family recalled that Bertelsmann’s merger team was surprised to discover that Ms. Morse, as a woman, managed all the corporate insurance policies for a $500 million international company.

In 1966, she was invited to join the Seraphic Society, a closely managed group of executive assistants linking the boardrooms of many Fortune 500 firms.

She married her husband, Ed Morse, in 1949. In 1961, the Morses purchased a house on West Neck Creek, after many years spending summers in Montauk. The Morses spent as much time as possible abroad, sailing in the Caribbean or skiing in the Alps. Ms. Morse was a former member of the Shelter Island Yacht Club and a long-time member of Gardiner’s Bay Country Club, sponsored by Douglas M. Black, past Doubleday chairman and Ram Island resident.

In addition to her sister, JoMarie Colby (née Boylston), also of Peconic Landing, Mrs. Morse is survived by her nephew, John T. Colby Jr. and his wife, Betsy, of Shelter Island; niece Jacqueline Colby and her husband, Mark Muntzner, of New Jersey; a grand-nephew, John T. Colby III (Cole); and two grand-nieces, Kaitlyn Muntzner and Marnie Colby.

The family plans a private service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to East End Hospice, eeh.org.

Dr. Frank Gross

Dr. Frank Gross passed away in his sleep on November 4, 2016 at DarWay Nursing Home in Forksville, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Gross spent many years on Shelter Island, according to his daughter, Carol Lang, who said the Island will always have a special place in his family’s hearts.

Born May 30, 1932, he was the middle son of Bertram and Rachel Gross of Brakpan, South Africa. His dream was always to be a U.S. citizen.

Dr. Gross arrived in the U.S. from South Africa to study medicine and went on to become a very proud citizen many years ago.

He loved medicine, his family, gardening, photography, reading and especially music.

Dr. Gross will be missed by his family including grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Family members said they have many precious, special memories that they will treasure forever.

Dr. Gross and his wife, Alleene Gross, who predeceased him, moved to Wellsville, New York to be close to family. They both jumped into the community and became known by many people here. He became a part of the medical community, while she became a part of the hospital community.

He spent as many days as possible at David A. Howe Public Library in Wellsville. Anyone who wishes to honor him please make a donation to the David A. Howe Public Library, 55 North Main Street, Wellsville, NY 14895.

Catherine Kupsh Becker

Catherine Kupsh Becker
Catherine Becker passed away on Sunday, November 13, 2016 surrounded by friends and family, just a few weeks short of her 99th birthday.

Catherine was born in the Bronx to John Kupsh and Anna Klenck Kupsh. She grew up in Queens, living with her maternal grandparents (her mother died from complications of the 1918 flu pandemic), her father, her brother, Henry, and her mother’s sister, whom everybody called “Auntie.”

Catherine graduated from Pace University with a degree in accounting, and worked for the Eberhard-Faber pencil company as an export accountant. She met her husband, Milton T. Becker, in accounting class, and they were married in 1940. In 1951 they moved to Roslyn Heights, New York. They rented for several summers on Shelter Island and built their own home on Little Ram in 1959, to which they eventually retired.

Catherine and Milton thoroughly enjoyed retirement and traveled extensively, including to Germany, Austria, Scotland, Sweden, Russia, Estonia, Bermuda, Alaska and Hawaii. Catherine especially appreciated the natural beauty and the culture of the American West. They enjoyed lunches and dinners out, and became long-time friends with several waiters, chefs, managers and restaurant owners.

Catherine was a member of Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church and the Gardiner’s Bay Country Club. She was a founding member of the “Nine Holers,” a group of women who enjoyed a relaxed game of golf and especially the lunch at the club after. With her passing, there are only two of the original Nine Holers left.

She had many friends and an active social life until just before her death. Catherine was preceded in death by her husband, Milton, and her brother, Henry. She is survived by her daughter, Carol Becker Lynch (Robert), her son, Donald Taylor Becker (Regina), her granddaughter, Jasmin Becker, her grandson Richard Becker, and two great-grandchildren, Alexander, and Sophia Becker.

Catherine will be remembered as a true matriarch and continual supporter of her family, as well as a loyal friend who never complained and always had a good story and a joke to brighten the day. She will be greatly missed.

A memorial service and celebration of Catherine’s life was held at on Saturday, February 4 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, followed by a reception in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Catherine’s name to the Shelter Island Ambulance Foundation, PO Box 547, Shelter Island, NY 11964, or the Shelter Island Public Library, PO Box 2016, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

Carmel A. Bodnar
Carmel A. Bodnar of Shelter Island died at her home on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2016. She was 87 years old.

She was born on July 16, 1929 to Raymond and Helen White. She married Harry F. Bodnar on July 26, 1952 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Following her graduation from the College of Mount St. Vincent, she enjoyed a 20-year career with the Northport School District as a second grade teacher.

From 1956 to 1989, she lived in East Northport before moving to Shelter Island.

On the Island, she was a communicant of Our Lady of the Isle Church and active at Mashomack Preserve.

Predeceased by her husband, Harry on July 6, 2016, she is survived by her children David of East Northport; Sharon of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Raymond of Minneapolis, Minnesota; a sister, Nancy Heffernan of St. Petersburg, Florida; and five grandchildren, Alyssa, Alexander, Julia, Brett and Kaitlyn.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, December 2 at Our Lady of the Isle Church on Shelter Island and
interment followed at Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery.

Janet Johnston Zabel
Janet Johnston Zabel of Shelter Island died on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2016 at the age of 92.

Arrangements were entrusted entrusted to The Shelter Island Funeral Home.

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Alexander Shaw Mitchell Jr.

Alexander Shaw Mitchell Jr.
Alexander Shaw Mitchell Jr., 76, of Danville, Virginia died Sunday, December 4, 2016 in Greensboro, North Carolina after a long illness.

Alex was born January 8, 1940 to Alexander Shaw Mitchell and Jean Edwards Mitchell of Shelter Island.

He married his beloved Henrietta “Hank” Schoolcraft Sherman on July 15, 1959 on the Island.

Alex discovered his gift of music at the age of 4 when he studied piano with his grandmothers, both church musicians. Alex was himself an accomplished church musician by the age of 13.

He first studied elementary education in college but left after the first year to move to Utica, where he studied music at the Utica Conservatory of Music; played the organ at Calvary Church; and taught piano and organ privately, something he would do throughout his life. After Utica he became the Organist/Choirmaster at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton.

Always looking to hone his musical skills, he and Hank moved to Europe where he studied in Italy, Germany and England. In England, he studied organ and choral conducting at The Royal School of Church Music and eventually received his degree in music at the Royal School of Music in Manchester, England. He then settled in Cornwall where he served as organist/choirmaster of the local parish church.
Returning to the states in the 1980s, he served as organist/choirmaster at churches in New Bern, North Carolina and Eastville, Virginia.

He moved to Danville, Virginia in 1988 where he served several local churches before settling at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany where he was organist/choirmaster for 15 years before retiring in 2010. His retirement was short-lived since he was called to serve First Presbyterian Church in Danville as Director of Music for several years until his health failed.

Alex had also served as the organist/choirmaster at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

His survived by two aunts, Shirley Mundy of Shelter Island and Esther Mitchell of Lansing, New York; his brother, Ronald Mitchell and family of Shelter Island; one step-grandson, Douglas Charles Hovey; two step great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, and one brother, Ricky.

A funeral service will be held on at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 14 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church with Father Charles McCarron officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the organ fund at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 26 St. Mary’s Road, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

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William James Mills II

William James Mills II, a lifelong resident of Greenport, passed away December 19, 2016, surrounded by his family and the compassionate staff of Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH). He was 95.

“Bill” was born at ELIH Aug. 29, 1921, to Robert Lewis and Kathleen Baldwin Mills. He was a 1939 graduate of Greenport High School and a 1942 graduate of the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. He attended Yale University and graduated in the “1945W class” after serving as a fighter pilot in the Navy during World War II.

Bill met and fell in love with Ann Barber Marston of West Chester, Pennyslvania, a Shelter Island summer resident. They married in the fall of 1950 and Bill and Ann, affectionately known as “Nancy,” had four children and were lovingly married for 49 years.

When he was not fishing or sailing, Bill could be found working alongside his father at Wm. J. Mills & Co., taking over the business and continuing to work there alongside his own sons until his retirement.

Bill was a proud member of the New York Yacht Club, Shelter Island Yacht Club and Chinese Yacht Club. He was also a member of the Island’s End Country Club and South Bay Scooter Club. For more than 60 years, he honorably volunteered as member of the Greenport Fire Department Star Hose Company No. 3.

Bill was also a very loyal participant in the Coronet Coffee Club, where he was often in error, but never in doubt. Bill (aka “Billy the Kid”) also enjoyed a competitive game of darts at Duffy’s Tavern located at the Sterlington Hotel in Greenport, home of the Jelly Belly Dart Association.

Bill loved to travel to the United Kingdom and did so often with Nancy until her death in 1999. He was extremely fond of articulate conversation, classical music and enjoyed a thorough argument. Lastly, he adored his grandchildren and was always boasting how proud he was of them.

Bill was predeceased by his wife; his sister Margaret Ann Burden, and brother-in-law Walter H. Burden Jr. He leaves behind his older sister, Mary Elizabeth Mills; his sons, William J. Mills III (Maureen) and Robert L. Mills II (Carol); his daughters, Sarah Marston Sands (David) and Mary Kathleen Beatty (George); his grandchildren, Meghan T. Mills, William J. Mills IV, Dorothy A. Beatty, George T. Beatty IV, Elizabeth A. Beatty, Mariah J. Mills, Robert L. Mills III, M. Kathleen Sands and Emily A. Sands; his nephew, Walter H. Burden III; and his loving companion of 16 years, Doris Schultz.

Memorial donations can be made to Eastern Long Island Hospital, 201 Manor Place, Greenport, NY 11944 and The Island Gift of Life Foundation of Shelter Island, PO Box 532, Shelter Island Heights, NY 11965.

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Hannah Dinkel

Hannah Steuart Dinkel, wife of the late Frederick Dinkel, mother of Hally Dinkel and Sarah Grisé (Steven) and grandmother to Reid Grisé, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on January 22, 2017 after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer.

She was born Hannah Rysam Steuart on March 5, 1943 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Marion Littell Rhodes and David Frederick Rysam Steuart.

Hannah attended high school at the Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania and graduated from college from The University of Colorado Boulder with a B.A. in history and English in 1965. She received her Masters degree from Long Island University School of Education and taught school for many years. She loved to speak of her years teaching school in Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she taught 4th grade at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal School and 3rd grade at the Juanita Gardine Public Grammar School. She spent her free time while living in St. Croix traveling throughout the islands.

On July 28, 1979, Hannah married Frederick Loges Dinkel in Sag Harbor. They made their home on Shelter Island. Together, they ran Frederick L. Dinkel Real Estate on the Island for many years.

Hannah enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Shelter Island Garden Club. She was a member of the Shelter Island Yacht Club, where she loved to dine with family and friends and never missed the opportunity for an afternoon sail. In recent summers, she loved entertaining friends pool side.

Hannah leaves behind a very large and loving family and will be sorely missed. Her family will remember her selflessness and her witty sense of humor. Her bravery, courage and will to live throughout her battle with cancer was remarkable and serves as an inspiration to those of us facing adversity.

A service of remembrance of her life will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 28.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Lucia’s Room at Southampton Hospital which is made possible by Lucia’s Angels, a foundation committed to helping women and families on Eastern Long Island with late-stage women’s cancers including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and uterine cancer. Please address all donations to Lucia’s Angels, 10 Oak Street,Southampton, NY 11968.

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Anne Baker Woods Guzardi

Anne Baker Woods Guzzardi

Anne Baker Woods Guzzardi died at her home in Nashville, Tennessee on May 19, 2016.

Born in Bronxville, New York to Samuel Baker Woods Jr. and Margaret Gill Woods (Hyde) on April 21, 1922, Anne was educated at Chatham Hall, Class of 1940, and Sweet Briar College, Class of 1944. Wife of journalist Walter Guzzardi Jr., who predeceased her in 2002, Anne traveled the world with him, living in Washington, Jakarta, Rome and Brussels. A life-long advocate for equity and civil rights, she was on the Board of Directors of the Citizens’ Committee for Children when living in New York.

Initially part of the summer crowd of the Island in the 1960s, Anne and Walter quickly became part of the life-long community of Shelter Island neighbors and families. They treasured the Island and the people who became part of their lives here.

Anne is survived by her children: Walter Peter Guzzardi III of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Richard Woods Guzzardi of Roanoke, Virginia; and Anne Banister Woods Guzzardi of Nashville; and six grandchildren.

A private burial was held in Petersburg, Virginia. Donations may be made in her memory to the Shelter Island Public Library, 37 North Ferry Road, PO Box 2016, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

A. Willard ‘Will’ Ivers Jr.
A. Willard Ivers Jr. of Port Washington, New York died on Thursday, January 19, 2017 after a long illness.

Will was born in Paterson, New Jersey on February 23, 1929. His parents were Ruth Dennis Ivers and A. Willard Ivers Sr. of Glen Rock, New Jersey. Will’s summers were spent at his maternal grandparent’s house on St. Mary’s Road until 1934 when his parents had a house built on Tuthill Drive on Ram Island.

A graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, New Jersey, Will attended Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Together with his one brother, F. Kenneth Ivers II, he worked at A. Willard Ivers, Inc., the family ship brokerage firm started by his father in 1944, specializing in the worldwide ocean movement of forest products, molasses and petroleum, until his retirement in 1994.

Will met Phyllis Fawcett Stover on Shelter Island in 1946 and they were married in 1951. The couple had five sons: Christopher Kenyon, Scott Stover, A. Willard Ivers III, Lee Ludlow Ivers and Jeffrey Ludlow Ivers. Jeffrey predeceased his parents in 1962.

Will was an active member of the Shelter Island Yacht Club, having joined as an adult member in 1957. In the “Lightning class” he won a seasonal championship in the late 1950s. Together with his close friend, Bob Brechter, Will organized the club’s Waterfront Committee, which later became the Marine Committee, with Will serving as chairman for nine years. Will also served a two-year term as Rear Commodore and was an award-winning active member of the Race Committee for 14-plus years.

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REPORTER FILE PHOTO

Receiving clear fire calls dispatched by Southold remains a problem on Shelter Island.

But help is on the way, according to Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley.

The problem stems from “a repeater” on the Suffolk County Water Authority tower in Greenport, a device that is supposed to relay calls to Island firefighters, but often doesn’t work.

Depending on the location of firefighters when a call comes in, they may get a clear readout about the nature and location of a fire call; receive a limited and garbled message; or hear nothing at all.

The Reporter maintains a scanner, but frequently hears details only of North Fork calls, not Shelter Island calls. Yet just across the street, Greenport Mayor George Hubbard, who maintains a scanner at his Jaspa Road garage, said he heard a call clearly on Friday afternoon.

Shelter Island Fire Commissioner Larry Lechmanski, who has been the point person trying to improve radio communications on the Island, worries that there could be a call no firefighter receives that results in serious injury or death.

The antiquated equipment on the tower in Greenport is expected to be replaced within the next two weeks, Chief Flatley said.

That Greenport tower is at the crux of a lot of communications problems, including the ability of his own police to communicate with one another when they’re out in East Marion or Orient, the chief said.

“I’m more anxious than anybody to get hands on” in replacing the old repeaters and antennae that are causing some of the problems, he added. Changes to the equipment on the Greenport tower is a priority, the chief said, estimating the cost at more than $10,000.

The Island has upgraded equipment and is exploring putting in a higher tower at the Center firehouse. It also will be moving from low band to high band equipment, but in the meantime, the changes at the Greenport tower should make a major difference in the clarity of calls between Southold that dispatches for the Shelter Island Fire Department, Chief Flatley said.

Both the Island’s Police Department and Emergency Medical Services Service have upgraded equipment that works effectively for their members, said Detective Sergeant Jack Thilberg, who is the director of the Island’s Emergency Medical Services.

At the same time, while that equipment is working effectively, there are upgrades planned, he said.

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COURTESY PHOTO Carl J. Zenkert

Carl J. Zenkert, born in Brooklyn on April 13, 1939, passed away at home on January 29, 2017 in Brockport, New York, surrounded by his loving family.

He is survived by his brother, Ken Zenkert; his children, Dawn Zenkert, Robyn (Shelli) Zenkert, Sarah (Geoffrey) Mills, Scott (Katie) Zenkert; his grandchildren, Evan and Aiden Mills; and his best friend, the mother of his children, Kathryn R. Dabney.

Carl served a long career in youth ministry, over 25 years as director of United Methodist camps including Camp Epworth and Camp Quinipet & Retreat Center of the New York Annual Conference and Manidokan Camp & Retreat Center of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

He was well regarded in the United Methodist camping community for his service in youth ministry, shaping the spiritual lives of many. In retirement, Carl enjoyed staying close to home, gardening, and most of all spending time with his family and his grandchildren.

Carl led his life by example, his family said, in service to God, sharing peace and love. He was a great mentor, teacher, friend, dad and grandfather. He lived his life selflessly, sharing gifts with no strings attached — everyone was regarded as a member of his family.

Services celebrating Carl’s life were held at Fowler Funeral Home in Brockport on Saturday, February 4, with a celebration following at the family’s home. For more information or to share condolences, visit fowlerfuneralhomeinc.com.

Additional services are being planned with family, friends and staff at Shelter Island’s Camp Quinipet and Camp Manidokan in Knoxville, Maryland later this year. Details will be shared online with the Qunipet and Manidokan communities.

The family asks that donations be made to the scholarship funds of Camp Quinipet or Camp Manidokan. Scholarships provide financial assistance to campers who would otherwise be unable to attend and enjoy the fun, spiritual growth and life-changing experiences of attending camp.

For Camp Quinipet, make checks payable to Quinipet Camp and Retreat Center with “scholarship in memory of Carl Zenkert” in the memo line. The address is Camp Quinipet, PO Box 549, Shelter Island Heights, NY 11965, or call (631) 749-0430.

For Camp Manidokan, make checks payable to BW Conference, “scholarship in memory of Carl Zenkert” in the memo line. Camp Manidokan is located at 1600 Harpers Ferry Road, Knoxville, MD 21758, or call (301) 834-7244.

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Dennis L. Coyle

Dennis L. Coyle
Dennis L. Coyle, 80, passed away peacefully on February 12, 2017. He and his wife, Else, own a home on Shelter Island with a beautiful hedge that resembles the waves of the ocean.

Dennis was known by many locals as “the fisherman in the white Ford Mustang convertible.” He could be seen driving his convertible to his favorite fishing spots at Menhaden Lane and Kissing Rock with a fishing pole sticking out from the back seat. Dennis always had his 5-gallon bucket ready to be filled with a striper, fluke or cocktail blue fish.

Growing up in Rockland County, Dennis obtained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1952. As a scout he was awarded membership in the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s highest honor.

Enlisting in the Army in 1955, Dennis attended basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He proved to be an outstanding marksman and was appointed to Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served as a First Lieutenant and Platoon Leader with the Second Division in Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Dennis and his grandson Daniel Weston were pictured in the Reporter in 2003 for catching a very large eel at Congdon’s Dock.

In recent years, Dennis and his son Stephen moored a light blue Key West boat in Coecles Harbor near Ram Island Road and Cobbetts Lane. He taught his grandchildren Daniel, Cameron, Harry, Andrew, Jessica, Darren and Jacqueline how to use a sein net to catch bait. They caught many porgies, bluefish and fluke and stripers between Reel Point and Cedar Point Lighthouse.

Dennis and Else spent a lot of time enjoying the beach and swimming with their children at Hay Beach and Crescent Beach.

Dennis attended the Travelers School of Multiple Lines Agents in Hartford, Connecticut and founded the Dennis L. Coyle Real Estate and Insurance Agency, presently the Coyle Insurance Agency Inc. located in Congers, New York.

Appointed to the Board of Directors of Rockland County-based Provident Savings & Loan in 1984, Dennis served for 28 years until the merger of Provident Bank with Sterling National Bank in 2013.

Dennis is survived by his wife Else, children Sharon Weston of Byfield, Massachusetts, Michael (Anna) of Congers, Stephen (Renata) Congers, NY, and grandchildren Daniel, Cameron, Harry, Andrew, Jessica, Darren and Jacqueline.

In lieu of Flowers please make donations to The Nature Conservancy, c/o Mashomack Preserve, P.O. Box 850, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

Jeanne Josephine Farnan
Jeanne Josephine Farnan of Shelter Island passed away on August 28, 2016 at Stony Brook University Hospital. She was 88.

Jeanne was born in the Bronx on February 22, 1928, to Eugene E. and Mary Josephine Farnan. She graduated from high school in Katonah, New York and earned a business degree at Our Lady of Good Council College in 1949 and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Aldelphi University.

The Farnan family lived for a time in Baldwin and Jeanne worked in the accounting department at Fairchild Manufacturing Company in Farmingdale. Jeanne and her parents began coming to the Island in the 1960s and moved here to live year round in 1983. Jeanne was owner of Jeanne Farnan Associates, a tax prep agency on the Island, prior to her retirement.

A long-time parishioner of Our Lady of the Isle Church, Jeanne served in the position of finance officer there until her death. She belonged to Gardiner’s Bay Country Club and greatly enjoyed the game of golf.

She was an avid bridge player and met regularly with her Island club. She was especially involved in the Shelter Island community, served on the Board of Education and the Lions Club, and took part in numerous volunteer projects.

Jeanne also enjoyed spending time with her friends and family, whom she frequently hosted at her home. She is survived by scores of cousins on her father’s side, which includes the Sheppard and Grace families, and her mother’s side, which includes the Dempsey and Jones families. Over the years, these cousins have come to know and love Shelter Island through Jeanne’s hospitality.

A mass of Christian Burial was offered by Father Peter DeSanctis on September 2 at Our Lady of the Isle Church with a eulogy by Jeanne’s cousin, Sister Mary Sheppard. Arrangements were handled by the Shelter Island Funeral Home and Jeanne’s ashes were buried at Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery.

Friends say she will be profoundly missed by all and lovingly remembered for her unique caring, generous and kind spirit.

A fund for educational programs at the Shelter Island School has been established in Jeanne’s memory. Contributions may be mailed to: Shelter Island School, c/o Tim Laube, 33 North Ferry Road, Shelter Island, 11964. For more information, call (631) 749-0302 extension 136.

Jean Croker McMillan
Jean Croker McMillan of Summit, New Jersey passed away peacefully on February 6, 2017 at her home at the age of 84.
Jean was born in Great Neck, New York to Robert V. Croker Sr. and Edith M. Croker. She was a longtime resident of Shelter Island, and Winhall, Vermont before moving to Summit.

Jean attended the Cathedral School of St. Mary in Garden City and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in the Arts from Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She was employed as a freelance artist. Jean loved animals and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter, Deborah Hayford, son-in-law Matthew Hayford and her grandchildren Maxwell, Renee, Nina and Lily Hayford. Jean was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Hermon George McMillan, Jr., and her brother, Robert V. Croker Jr.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the American Cancer Society by visiting cancer.org.
Private funeral arrangements are under the direction of Paul Ippolito Summit Memorial. Please visit ippolitofuneralhomes.com to send a condolence.

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Ted Levine

Ted Levine, a weekend and summer resident of Shelter Island for almost 60 years, passed away on February 25, 2017 in Princeton, New Jersey, at the age of 89.

He was predeceased by Rosalie, his wife of 62 years, and is survived by his daughter Carol Lovseth (Tim), his sons Alex (Joyce) and Jim (Lisa); seven adoring grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and friends and relatives around the country.

Ted and Rosalie began renting in Shorewood in the late 1950s and returned summer after summer, and their family said they have not forgotten running to catch the Dugan’s Doughnuts truck, the old party line phone system, fishing in Smith’s Cove in a dory rented from Skip’s marina, morning tennis with the Ross family and other friends, and 4 p.m. softball games.

The house Ted and Rosalie built in 1974 near Wades Beach, their family said, was always open to guests and became a favorite spot for friends, their extended family, and most of all their grandchildren, on whom Ted doted proudly and lovingly.

He truly loved Shelter Island, telling one of his granddaughters a few years ago that after all these years he still got excited when he rounded the Sag Harbor circle for the last few miles of the drive to South Ferry.

He especially loved freshly dug and shucked clams, his family remembered, dinners at Bob’s, his pale yellow Mustang convertible, and the view of Shell Beach and Shelter Island Sound from his sand chair on Wades Beach.

His family will miss him greatly and hold him in their hearts forever and ask that his memory be a blessing. Expressions of condolence may be sent to The Levine Family, 34 Linden Lane, Princeton, New Jersey 08540.

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Rosemary B. Bascome of Shelter Island died at home on March 22, 2017.

She was 92 years old.

Services will take  place on Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Shelter Island.

Interment will take place at St. Mary’s Churchyard.

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Christine L. Tiernan
Christine L. Tiernan, 66, daughter of Charles Wallace and Louise D. Tiernan, died peacefully at home in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico on February 19, 2017 of an apparent heart attack.

She is survived by her son, Maxwell Tiernan Muller and her stepdaughter, Sherah Muller, as well as her five siblings: Charles Wallace Jr., Richard and Timothy Tiernan all of Shelter Island, Carroll Tiernan of Scarborough, Maine and Susan Madrigan of Brattleboro, Vermont.

Born on December 10, 1950 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey,  Christine grew up in Essex Fells, New Jersey and spent all her summers on Ram Island where the Tiernan family had a home. She graduated from the Kimberley High School in Montclair, New Jersey in 1969 and went on to college at the University of Denver, graduating with a B.A. in Fine Arts.

Christine spent a year studying art in Switzerland and then continued her studies in art and psychology, earning an M.A. in Art Therapy/Counseling from Southwestern College. She later became a board certified art therapist, and a licensed, professional art therapist. .

From an early age, Christine was a talented artist. In the 1970s she studied sacred art traditions in South Asia and always pursued her own painting. Nevertheless, her passion was always to use creativity to heal the suffering of others. She worked with homeless children in California, India and Nepal.

For 30 years, she practiced  art therapy and counseling specializing in troubled family systems, bereavement, medical art therapy and what’s known as “art as prayer.” This led to her founding of Art Seva in 2004 — an international arts program for orphans, refugees and children affected by AIDS in India and worldwide

She expanded her service to include working with the underprivileged in Northern New Mexico, offering an after school Art Seva program with children at the Taos Pueblo. Christine continued to pursue her academic interests as a faculty member at the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Hospice Program at Northern New Mexico College; as a member of the Faculty at Southwestern College; and as an art therapy consultant with the California Pacific Medical Center.

Most recently, Christine was in the process of putting together an Art Seva program for the Community Against Violence, supporting their work with battered women and their children.
Christine felt at peace surrounded by nature. She spent the last six years of her life living in Arroyo Hondo  —working in her studio and taking long walks in the Sangre De Christo Mountains with her dog Rishi.

She loved to collect beautiful stones and  other objects for endless creative projects. Prayer and meditation were also an important part of her life as a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba and she was an active member of the ashram in Taos, New Mexico. A friend remarked of Christine, “She was a rascal in the most playful, loving sense of the word. She was whimsical with wise, yet young eyes.”

Christine’s large circle of friends and family will greatly miss her easy laugh, warmth and kind personality.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Christine’s name can be sent to: The Neem Karoli Baba Ashram Mandir Fund, 416 Geronimo Lane, Taos, NM, 87571; or, the Taos Community Against Violence (CAV), 945 Salazar, Taos, NM, 87571. Donations to the Taos CAV can also be made online at TaosCAV.org.

Memorial services will be held in Taos, and on Shelter Island during the summer months. The Taos memorial, open to the public, is scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 2 p.m. For more information about this service, please visit NKBAshram.org.

Gordon Van Vranken

Gordon Van Vranken

Gordon Sheffield Van Vranken, dearly loved husband of Paulette de Fere Van Vranken, died on November 10, 2016.

Gordon was born on April 18, 1942, the third son of Jean and Robert E. Van Vranken, Sr. of Sayville, Princeton, New Jersey, and New York City.

He attended The Harvey School in Tacoma, New York and graduated from St. Paul’s School in Garden City. He graduated from New York University, Washington Square College of Art’s and Sciences, and New York University Graduate School of Business, where he received an MBA in Finance. He then served two years in the United States Army as a first lieutenant.

After his military service, Gordon worked as a senior vice president at Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Company, a large financial institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. At Mercantile, Gordon established one of the first separate and distinct fixed income departments to manage performance debt instruments for high profile clients such as The National Football League.

He also served on Mercantile’s Trust Investment Committee of Safe Deposit for many years.

Gordon and Paulette both grew-up on the South Shore of Long Island and retired to Shelter Island, building a home here in 1998. Gordon loved the Island and enjoyed serving on various community and town committees.

He is survived by Paulette and his brothers Robert E. Jr., F. James and Barkley E. and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is to take place this summer at the De Fere mausoleum at Oakwood Cemetery in Bay Shore.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Gordon’s name are urged to make donations to animal rescue organizations.

Michael John Zavatto

Michael John Zavatto
Michael John Zavatto, proprietor of the former West Neck Market and long-time Island resident, died at his Shelter Island home on Monday, March 13, 2017. He was 88.

Born in Inwood, Long Island to John and Theresa Zavatto, Michael was the third of four children: older sisters Iris and Phyllis, and brother, Frank. He spent his formative years in Cedarhurst, where, his family said, he developed an intensely strong work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and deep commitment to family and community.

Michael played trumpet in the Lawrence High School band and formed his own trio, the Mickey Zavatt Combo. He played football with an off-campus team, where he earned the nickname “Rock of Gibraltar” for his ability to block all opponents.

He worked part-time in summer for his uncle at Al’s Fruit Market in Far Rockaway and it was here and through his own father’s work at Bohack supermarket, that he began to dream of owning a business, his family said.

In 1946, a few months before high school graduation, he opened John’s Market in East Rockaway selling fresh fruit, vegetables and canned goods. Michael also learned trade of butchering, apprenticing after work at night and via a correspondence course.

In 1950, during the Korean War, he entered the U.S. Army serving as a cook, training at Fort Dix and working the line at Fort Monmouth, with the rank of corporal. He was transferred to reserve status in November 1952 and honorably discharged in December 1956.

On May 25, 1954, Michael married Hempstead native Virginia “Ginny” Matthews. The couple settled in East Rockaway, where they raised their four daughters. In addition to working alongside his father and creating a successful business, Michael served for 16 years as a volunteer firefighter with Liberty Hose Company No. 2. He also began the East Rockaway Rifle and Pistol Club and acted as a firearms instructor.

A chance invitation to get away for the weekend brought Michael to Shelter Island. His family recalled he felt a special draw to its quiet beauty and knew it would be the place he would call home.

He purchased an acre of land on Baldwin Road in 1962 and moved to the Island permanently in 1970, working as a purser and captain on the North Ferry.

For Michael, being busy and of service to others was a vital part of living a full life, his family recalled.

He served with the Shelter Island Heights Fire Department, as a bay constable and as a volunteer police officer. A member of the American Legion Mitchell Post 281, he became a Free Mason, was a member of the Lions Club, and was an early graduate of Shelter Island’s emergency medical technician program and served as an EMT.

In 1974, Michael opened the West Neck Market. Part grocery, part delicatessen, part prime-meat butcher shop, the market, with its signature golden eagle hanging outside, became a resource for Islanders and visitors alike and was well-known for the care and craft Michael put into the business.
Virginia died of cancer in 1989.

Michael ran the market until he retired in 2000. He spent retirement in his two “Island Paradises,” as he called them: His beloved home on the Island, where every summer his vegetable garden was a great source of pleasure and pride, and his winter spot in Key West, which he shared with his companion, Wilma Runyon, who passed away in March 2011.

Michael is survived by his daughters, Linda of Shelter Island, Janet of the Bronx, Laura (Paul Dewsnap) of Port Jefferson and Amy (Daniel Marotta) of Staten Island; grandchildren Sean Serrano and Justin Hill; great-grandchild, James Atticus Hill; stepson, Park Davis, a sister, Phyllis Vilardi  of East Rockaway, and his brother, Frank, of Mountain View, California.

A private burial is planned for the Emily French Cemetery with a celebration of his life to follow this summer for Michael’s close friends and family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Shelter Island EMS, P.O. Box 970, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

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Francis Mason

Francis Lucien Mason, of Warrenton, Virginia and Shelter Island passed away on March 14, 2017. He was 93 years old.

Francis is survived by his wife of 59 years, Colette (nee Martin); their three children, Catherine (Carlo) Grigioni of Zurich, Claire (Yakir) Lubowsky of Warrenton and Patrick (Kristin) Mason of Marin County, California; his sister Nicole Grey of Oakland, California; and six grandchildren: Stephan and Claire Grigioni, Margot and Cassandra Lubowsky, and Henry and Philip Mason.

Francis was born in Le Havre, France in November 1923, the eldest son of Frank and Christiane Mason. Together with his brother, Christian ,and sister, Nicole, the family resettled in Santos, Brazil in 1934, where his father was in the coffee trading business.

Francis attended French boarding school in Sao Paolo, and traveled extensively throughout South America. He worked for Continental Grain, a French commodities company in Brazil, which in time moved him first to Paris and then, in February 1956, to New York City. The following year he met Colette, a young French-Swiss woman newly immigrated from Geneva, and they married a year later in Manhattan.

Francis’ financial acumen and fluency in four languages were noted in transactions by The Chase Manhattan Bank — earning him a job there — where he caught the eye of David Rockefeller, the future bank chairman then leading Chase’s major international expansion. Francis’ skills and sophistication impressed Mr. Rockefeller, his family said, who sent him with his family to run Chase’s initial European bank acquisition, Banque de Commerce in Brussels.

It would prove the first of a series of important international assignments Mr. Rockefeller gave Francis, culminating in his position as senior vice president with responsibility for managing the bank’s Latin American affairs and chairing its country risk committee, where Henry Kissinger was his long time adviser.

As part of his Chase portfolio, Francis also chaired the international restructuring committee renegotiating Venezuela’s obligations in the debt crisis of the late 1980s, an effort requiring his coordinating the various interests of over 500 banks globally with the activities of the IMF, all under watchful pressures of the U.S. secretaries of State and Treasury.

In that stressful time, his family said, Francis especially enjoyed the respite of his homes in Manhattan’s West Village and Shelter Island where he loved to garden and sail.

In retirement Francis added civic and other activities, serving as president of the Shelter Island Association, co-founder of the Shelter Island Educational Foundation and as a board member of the Shelter Island Yacht Club, among other responsibilities.

In 2003, Francis and Colette moved to Warrenton to be near Claire, Yak and their two then-young granddaughters. They loved their adopted hometown, embraced the community and made their home into the extended family’s mecca at holidays, just as Shelter Island had been before. That mecca is no longer the same without Francis, his family said, but the beautiful memories remain, of his life well lived and his devotion to family.

Rest in peace beloved husband, father, brother and grandaddy, his family said. Ta famille t’aime beaucoup.

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