Our Obituaries

Nicholas Mascara, owner and C.E.O. for Kaltec Food Packaging Company in Port Jervis, N.Y. and a long-time area resident, died Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at his home. He was 70.

The son of Francesco and Margaret Misiano Mascara, he was born April 13, 1935 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was married to Harriet Lenore Negri Mascara.

He is a member of St. Peter's R.C. Church in Monticello, N.Y. He was an Air Force Photographer during the Korean War. After his tour of duty, he was a Photofinisher on Long Island. He has been a resident of Sullivan County for many years, racing horses at Monticello Raceway. He also owned the Stagecoach Restaurant on Route 17B in Monticello, N.Y. In recent years, he was the owner and C.E.O. of Kaltec Food Packaging, Inc., a food manufacturing facility in Port Jervis.

Survivors include his wife, Harriet Lenore Mascara, at home, two sons: Frank Mascara and his wife Eliana of Middletown, N.Y. and Edward Mascara of Monticello, N.Y.; two daughters, Christine Perillo and her husband Rocco of Eldred, N.Y. and Debra Salazar of Monticello, N.Y.; one sister, Theresa Grillo of New Hartford, N.Y., two brothers, Gene Mascara and his wife Florence of Boca Raton, Fla. and Anthony Mascara and his wife Ann of Monticello, N.Y.; eight grandchildren: Mary, Kenneth, Andrew, Nicky, Kenny, Nicole, Danielle and Nicholas, as well as several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his sister, Eleanor Saia.

Friends may call at Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis on Saturday, October 29, 2005 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, October 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

A Vigil Wake Service will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 29, 2005. The Rev. August Riccardi will officiate.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter's R.C. Church, Monticello, N.Y. at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 31, 2005. The Reverend Robert Ginel will officiate.

Burial will be in St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery, Forestburg, N.Y.

Funeral arrangements made by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, visit Knight-Auchmoody.com

Jody Lynn Williamson, a broker for Johnson & Conroy Insurance in Port Jervis, died Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at Morristown General Hospital in Morristown, N.J. She was 40.

A lifelong resident of the area, she was the daughter of Duane "Buzz" and Judith MacAlarney Bauer, born March 24, 1965 in Port Jervis.

She was an employee of The Good Shepherd Day Care Center in Milford, Pa., and was a teacher's aide at Delaware Valley School in Westfall, Pa.

Survivors include her husband, Robert O. Williamson at home; her parents Duane "Buzz" and Judith Bauer of Matamoras, Pa.; one sister, Becky Stewart and husband Eric of Mill Rift, Pa.; her niece, Sabrian Stewart; aunts, uncles, cousins and her beloved Chocolate Lab, "Lucy."

Friends may call on Friday, October 28, 2005 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Lorraine Moore officiating.

Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery, Sparrowbush.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Port Jervis-Deerpark Humane Society, Route 209, Port Jervis, NY 12771.

For information, directions or to send the family a condolence note, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Anthony "Bubby" Orlando, a retired Mechanic for Coleman's Mobil Service Station in Port Jervis, and lifelong resident of the area, died Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at the Valley View Health and Rehabilitation Center in Goshen, N.Y. He was 82.

The son of the late Frank and Rose Ziffino Orlando, he was born November 3, 1922 in Port Jervis, N.Y.

Bubby was a member of St. Mary's R.C. Church in Port Jervis; was a veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Coast Guard; was a life member of the Tri-State Naval Ship #7241 in Port Jervis; member of the Port Jervis Lodge of Elks, #645 B.P.O.E.; charter member of the Hawks Nest Hunting Club; and was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society in Port Jervis. He was also a longtime referee for the Western-Sullivan Basketball League.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Hughson Orlando, at home; one sister, Patricia Orlando of Port Jervis; one brother, Savey J. Orlando and his wife, Alice, of Port Jervis; one sister-in-law, Jean Orlando of Port Jervis; one nephew, Gary Coleman and his wife, Kathy; and his niece, Judy Adams.

He was predeceased by several sisters and brothers and his nephew, Thomas Coleman.

Friends may call on Thursday, October 27, 2005 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel will conduct services on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

The Port Jervis Lodge of Elks will conduct services on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 28 at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Cassidy officiating. Burial with military honors will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Jervis, N.Y.

Memorial contributions in Anthony's name may be made to The Drew United Methodist Church, 49-51 Sussex St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

For information, directions or to send the family a condolence note, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Floyd Robert Elston Sr., self-employed and life-long area resident, died October 24, 2005 at Bon Secours Community Hospital. He was 82.

The son of Charles William and Edith Conklin, he was born September 25, 1923 in Port Jervis.

Survivors include his wife Rowena Olga Walker at home; four sons, Floyd Elston Jr. and wife Betty of Shickshinny, Pa., Ronald Elston and wife Monica of Beach Lake, Pa., Daniel Crum and wife Cindy of Hamburg, Pa., Edward Elston and wife Marion of Milford, Pa.; one daughter Gloria Jean Davis and husband George of Shickshinny, Pa.; one sister, Jenny Anderson; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

He was predeceased by his son, John Elston.

Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 26 at Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Deacon Wayne VonDoehren officiating.

Interment will be private.

Funeral arrangements were made by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home. For information, directions or to send a condolence note, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Mireya Madera-Linares, a legal secretary for Carl Chu, Attorney at Law, Fishkill, died October 23, 2005 at St. Joseph's Place, Port Jervis. She was 35.

The daughter of Raul and Juana Camacho Madera, she was born October 31, 1969 in Puerto Rico.

She is survived by her husband Benito T. Linares at home; one son Asante Linares at home; her parents Raul and Juana Madera of Port Jervis; paternal grandmother Elisa Madera of Puerto Rico; mother and father-in-law, Benito and Nina Linares Sr. of Port Jervis; several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, October 26 at Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Nancy Vanderhorst officiating.

Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements were made by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home. For information, directions or to send a condolence note, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Elsie May Panetta, a retired Bank Examiner for CitiBank of New York, N.Y., a resident of Grahamsville, and former longtime resident of Port Jervis, died Thursday, October 20, 2005 at the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Thompson, N.Y. She was 83.

Daughter of the late George William Bowen and Louisa Welch Bowen, she was born May 14, 1922 in Bristol, England.

She was married to Vincent Panetta, who preceded her in death on June 4, 1993.

Mrs. Panetta volunteered at Mercy Community Hospital for many years. She was a member of St. Mary's R.C. Church and had served with the British Army during World War II.

She is survived by three sons, Vincent Joseph and his wife, Kathie of Lords Valley, Pa., Jerry Joseph and his wife, Linda, of Grahamsville, and Christopher Joseph and his partner, Kenneth Salguero, of Laurel, Md.; seven grandchildren: Eric, Hope, Jennifer, Michael, Michelle, Tara and Jerome; and four great-grandchildren: Emma, Matthew, Dylan and Richard.

She was predeceased by her daughter, Theresa Rodriguez and one son, Stephen Joseph.

Friends may call on Sunday, October 23, 2005 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 24 at 10:15 a.m. in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's R.C. Church in Port Jervis, N.Y. The Reverend Antony Iqnaci will officiate.

A Vigil Wake Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home.

Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Jervis, N.Y.

For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Mildred L. Skinner, a retired Registered Nurse for St. Francis Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y., and lifelong resident of the area, died Thursday, October 20, 2005 at Milford Senior Care, Milford, Pa. She was 102.

Daughter of the late Frank Dilger and Clara Krause Dilger, she was born January 16, 1903 in Matamoras, Pa.

She was the widow of Paul Skinner. He predeceased her on December 13, 1958.

Mrs. Skinner was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Port Jervis, N.Y.

Mildred was the oldest-living Matamoras High School graduate, receiving her diploma in 1919, before going on to Vassar Brothers Nursing School in Poughkeepsie. She was a nurse in the maternity ward of St. Francis Hospital (now known as Bon Secours) for decades before her retirement in 1972.

Ann Flynn Brown reminisced, "I remember the baby boom year after World War II ended. We had no room so Mildred fixed up dresser drawers in which to place the babies."

June Tinsman said of Mildred, "People always talked about how strict and stern she was, but she could also be very funny."

She is survived by several nieces and nephews including Jeanette Curran and her husband, John, of Matamoras, Pa., Beatrice Novello of Harrisburg, Pa.; and her godchild, Kathy Oathout of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 2 p.m. in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Port Jervis, N.Y., with the Rev. Betsy Diver officiating.

Interment will be at Pine Grove Cemetery in Matamoras, Pa.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Port Jervis, NY 12771.

Funeral arrangements were made by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. For information, directions or to send a condolence note, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

John F. Wilkin, a retired mason for Allied Chemical in Buffalo, N.Y. and Buffalo Color, Inc., presently employed by the Delaware Valley School System as a traffic guard at the entrance of the school in Westfall Township, died Monday, October 3, 2005 at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y. He was 79.

John was the son of the late Horton Easton Wilkin and Margaret Siebert Wilkin. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y. on June 16, 1926 and was married to Mary J. Adams Wilkin.

He was a 14-year area resident and a member of St. Joseph's R.C. Church, Matamoras, Pa.

A family statement reads: "John was an avid sportsman enjoying all sports, especially football. He loved his job as traffic controller at Delaware Valley School and all the people he worked with, as well as all those he came in contact with."

He was a veteran of World War II, U.S. Navy with the Sea Bees and later re-enlisted with the Marines during the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife whom he loved dearly, Mary J. Adams Wilkin; son, Jeffrey H. Wilkin and his wife, Sandy, of Cape Coral, Fla.; daughter, Karen LoBuligo and her husband, Joseph, of North Tonawanda, N.Y.; four sons: David L. Yax and wife, Claudia, of Evans, N.Y., William Yax and wife, Mary, of West Seneca, N.Y., Gregory Yax and wife, Judy, of Darien, N.Y., and Jeffrey Yax and wife, Sandy, of Alden, N.Y.; daughter, Mary Lou Prezpiora and husband, Henry, of Cheektowaga, N.Y.; daughter-in-law, Marilyn Yax of Eden, N.Y.; son-in-law, Donald Lord of Canada; three sisters: Florence Endres, Betty Davidson, and Patricia Wilkin, all of Buffalo; 27 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son, Frederick P. Yax, and his daughter, Susan A. Lord.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6 at St. Joseph's R.C. Church in Matamoras, Pa. The Rev. August Ricciardi will officiate.

Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga, N.Y.

For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family, visit Knight-Auchmoody.com

The memorial service for Lois Berland will be at 2:30, rather than 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23. The service will be held at the Hope Evangelical Church on First Street in Matamoras, Pa..

John F. Wilkin, a retired mason for Allied Chemical in Buffalo, N.Y. and Buffalo Color, Inc., presently employed by the Delaware Valley School System as a traffic guard at the entrance of the school in Westfall Township, died Monday, October 3, 2005 at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y. He was 79.

John was the son of the late Horton Easton Wilkin and Margaret Siebert Wilkin. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y. on June 16, 1926 and was married to Mary J. Adams Wilkin.

He was a 14-year area resident and a member of St. Joseph's R.C. Church, Matamoras, Pa.

A family statement reads: "John was an avid sportsman enjoying all sports, especially football. He loved his job as traffic controller at Delaware Valley School and all the people he worked with, as well as all those he came in contact with."

He was a veteran of World War II, U.S. Navy with the Sea Bees and later re-enlisted with the Marines during the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife whom he loved dearly, Mary J. Adams Wilkin; son, Jeffrey H. Wilkin and his wife, Sandy, of Cape Coral, Fla.; daughter, Karen LoBuligo and her husband, Joseph, of North Tonawanda, N.Y.; four sons: David L. Yax and wife, Claudia, of Evans, N.Y., William Yax and wife, Mary, of West Seneca, N.Y., Gregory Yax and wife, Judy, of Darien, N.Y., and Jeffrey Yax and wife, Sandy, of Alden, N.Y.; daughter, Mary Lou Prezpiora and husband, Henry, of Cheektowaga, N.Y.; daughter-in-law, Marilyn Yax of Eden, N.Y.; son-in-law, Donald Lord of Canada; three sisters: Florence Endres, Betty Davidson, and Patricia Wilkin, all of Buffalo; 27 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son, Frederick P. Yax, and his daughter, Susan A. Lord.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6 at St. Joseph's R.C. Church in Matamoras, Pa. The Rev. August Ricciardi will officiate.

Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga, N.Y..

Arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., Port Jervis, New York.

For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family, visit Knight-Auchmoody.com