Douglas Malcolm Owens Sr. Passes Away at Age 81

Douglas Malcolm Owens Sr., former Yorktown councilman and a long-time member of the Yorktown Heights Fire Department, passed away at age 81.

Former Yorktown councilman and long-time member of the Yorktown Heights Fire Department, Douglas Malcolm Owens Sr., passed away in Palm Coast, Florida, on May 9, 2012. He was 81.  Owens Sr. was was born on July 31, 1930 in New York City. He moved to Yorktown Heights in 1955. He had an accounting practice in Yorktown for more than 40 years and was a Yorktown Councilman from 1969 to 1973. Owens Sr. was also a 50-year member of the Yorktown Heights Engine Company #1, fire police captain and secretary/treasurer of the Yorktown Heights Fire District. He belonged to many organizations including Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Elks and Yorktown Lions. He and his wife Shirley moved to Palm Coast in 1992 where he was a member of the Elks and the Irish…

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Marie Rocco of Yorktown Dies at 96

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your favorite charity, in Rocco’s honor, would be appreciated.

Marie (Mary) Rocco of Yorktown Heights passed away on May 1. She was 96. She was born in Mount Vernon to the late Giacomo and Marietta (DiAquanni) DiVito. Rocco is survived by her daughter Mary Lou (Noah) Ellingham, her brother John, six grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. She is also predeceased by her daughter Lenora Heckett, son-in-law Richard Heckett Sr., brothers; Anthony, Louis, James, Vincent, Tommy, and Bill; sisters, Albina, Nettie, Anne, and Teresa. Family will receive friends at the Yorktown Funeral Home on Thursday May 3 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be held at new St. Patrick’s Church on Friday at 10 a.m.  Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in New Rochelle. In lieu of flowers …

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Family Remembers Chappaqua's Bert Sugar

Daughter, wife, describe the late boxing writer and his connection to the area.

Bert Sugar's family remembers the hall of fame boxing writer as outgoing and involved in the community. "He was really good in a crowd," said daughter Jennifer Frawley. A Chappaqua resident of about 45 years, Sugar died Sunday night of cardiac arrest and had lung cancer, said his wife, Suzzane. He was 74. He started chemotherapy treatment in October and even in the last few months he continued to write, Frawley said, explaining that he also was happy when people called. She spoke of his intelligence and his love of sports. Suzzane Sugar remembers a husband who loved boxing and who was involved with the Chappaqua Drama Group. She described how during the nation's bicenntenial he was one of several people who took turns playing Horace …

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Judith Via of Yorktown Heights Dies at 67

She fought a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis and more recently with breast cancer.

Judith Via, of Yorktown Heights, died March 15, 2012 at Sky View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, Croton-on-Hudson, where she had resided for the last 13 years. She had fought a long and courageous battle with Multiple Sclerosis and more recently with breast cancer. She was 67 years old. Judy was born May 9, 1944 in Bexley, Ohio, a suburban community of Columbus, to Clarence Fetter and Mary Stalder. She was one of three brothers and four sisters, all of whom received a Catholic School education. Judy's lifelong spiritual commitment to her faith helped her find the courage to face the daunting challenges to come. Judy graduated from Bishop Hartley High School in 1962 and Ohio Dominican College in 1966 with a major in Spanish and a minor…

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Gerald "Jerry" Mishk Sr. Dies After Long Battle With Cancer at 77

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Clark Funeral Home in Yorktown. Funeral Services will be held the following day with a Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Shrub Oak.

Shocked Friends and Family Mourn Rraci

Friends and family are mourning the loss of their 20-year-old loved one.

After more than a day of praying and hoping for 20-year-old Cortlandt resident Valon Rraci to recover from critical injuries suffered in a car accident Monday, friends and family were shocked to lose their loved one Tuesday, according to comments on social media and news sites. Over the last day and a half, family and friends have been tweeting messages of support to each other and promoting the hashtags #staystrongvalon and #prayforvalon. People's comments on twitter and on Patch convey that many people clearly loved and cared for Rraci and suffered first over his critical condition, and are now mourning his death. Around 2 p.m. Monday, Elisa DiPatero, Rraci's girlfriend of the last three years, tweeted "the love of my life is gone." She …

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LaMarr Barnes Passes at Age 27

Barnes died in a car crash on the Bear Mountain Parkway on Dec. 9.

This obiturary is from the E.O. Curry Funeral Home in Peekskill. LaMarr W. Barnes, 27 yrs, a lifelong Peekskill-Cortlandt resident passed on suddenly December 9, 2011. He was working as a carpenter for 2 years and was a member of the Carpenters Union Local #275 of Newburgh. LaMarr was a natural comic and enjoyed spreading joy and laughter to family and friends. He is survived by his: father and stepmother, John and Lisa James, mother and stepfather, Carole and Jeffery Wilson, fiancée, Mari Peruyero, son, Exavier LaMarr Barnes, 2 brothers, Christopher and Kyle James, sister, Cassandra (Jeremiah) Tejeda and nephew, Mekhi Gray. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 7-9 PM on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at the E.O. CURRY FUNERAL HOME, …

Firefighters Mourn Death Of 54-Year-Old Mount Vernon Firefighter

Kevin Townes died of an apparent heart attack.

Westchester firefighters today mourn the loss of one of their own, 54-year-old Mount Vernon firefighter Kevin Townes, who died of an apparent heart attack at the scene of a house fire this morning. Townes, a 25-year veteran of the fire department, was one of more than 20 firefighters who raced to the scene of a fire early this morning on Lorraine Avenue. Fire officials said Townes collapsed suddenly and died at Mount Vernon Hospital despite efforts to revive him. Officials noted that Townes had recently passed a mandatory physical exam and city officials said the married father of three children was one of the city's outstanding firefighters. In White Plains, firefighters there were quick to post a note about Townes on their Facebook page…

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Peekskill's Caitlin Chivonne Polhill Dies at Age 28

Funeral and service information for Caitlin Chivonne Polhill, a Peekskill native who most recently lived in Riverdale.

The heartbroken family of Caitlin Chivonne Polhill regrets to report her passing on October 9, 2011 at the age of 28. Caitlin was born on August 13th, 1983 to Robert B. and Deborah (Carlin) Polhill. She was a finalist in the Jr. Miss New York State Pageant, later graduating from Walter Panas High School in 2001 and earning her BA in Marketing in 2007, after studying in New York, London and Paris. Caitlin lived in Riverdale, NY with Nik Cohen and was employed by the midtown law practice of Levy, Sonnet and Siegel where she was a legal assistant; as well as a trusted and valued part of the firm. In addition to her loving parents, Caitlin is also survived by her sister Lauren (Polhill) and brother-in-law Brendan Shortt, ten-week old niece …

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john

12:58 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011

I saw that   more ›

Remembering Steve Jobs, American Icon

One of Silicon Valley's greatest electronics and computer-industry pioneers succumbs to pancreatic cancer.

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer, now Apple, Inc., died on Wednesday, about 9 months after he began phasing out his leadership of the company. When I was an electronics and computer-industry editor and conference director, I met with and interviewed Jobs on many occasions. He was to technology and Silicon Valley what Washington Irving was to American literature and Hudson Valley — a person capable of extending the boundaries of their profession well beyond what had ever been done before. Apple's website posted Jobs' picture and the following message: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear …

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Jerry Eimbinder

11:09 am on Thursday, October 13, 2011

An Internet campaign to make Friday, Oct. 14 "Steve Jobs Day," is under way, the San Jose Mercury News reports. One website, www.stevejobsday2011.com, says, "Wear a black turtleneck to work. To school. Anywhere and everywhere. You can even go full Steve and wear blue jeans and tennis shoes." Apple is not involved in promoting the movement.   more ›