Our Obituaries

Allen J. "Brownie" Barnes, a lifelong resident of the area and retired from the Erie Railroad in 1974 as a trackman, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 27, 2006 at his home. He was 96.

Son of the late Emmett S. Barnes and Agnes Van Gorder Barnes, he was born August 23, 1909 in Minisink Ford, N.Y.

He was a life member of the Yulan Rod & Gun Club; N.R.A. (National Rifle Association); New York State Conservation Council; National A.A.R.P.; and National Trappers Association.

A family statement reads: "Brownie was a quiet, gentle man who loved the outside world around him. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, trapping, gardening, picking berries and watching birds. He loved to hunt for helgremites and gathering them with all his children for enjoyment as well as profit. His remarkable memory could recall where he caught his first trout, trapped his first muskrat or shot his first buck."

He was predeceased by his wife, Elsa P. Draxler Barnes.

He is survived by three daughters: Elsa Weber and her husband, George, of Barryville, Anita Godby and her husband, Bill, of Matamoras, Pa. and Laurie Trotti and her husband, Bob, of Livingston Manor; three sons: Alan Barnes and his wife, Kenda, of Isabella, Calif., Larry Barnes and his wife, Sharon, of Gouldsboro, Maine, and Arthur "Farmer" Barnes and his wife, Sue, of Barryville; a long line of grandchildren and great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by three sisters: Pearl Barber, Edith Bicknell and LaVonne Schalk and two brothers: Arthur Barnes and Emmett "Steve" Barnes.

Friends may call at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, February 1 at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Nancy Vonderhorst officiating. Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery, Narrowsburg, N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550.

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

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

Allen J. Greening, Jr., loving husband, father and grandfather of Milford, Pa., passed away suddenly Friday, January 20 at his home. He was 74.

A lifelong resident of the area, he was a retired owner of Greening & Sons, Well Drilling, Milford, Pa.

The son of the late Allen and Ada Clouse Greening, Sr., he was born November 25, 1931 at Highland Lake, N.Y.

He served in the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War. Allen was a graduate of Milford High School and the University of Tulsa, Okla., earning his B.A. in Petroleum Engineering. He was a Dingman Township Supervisor for 36 years; an honorary fireman with the Dingman Township Fire Dept.; Honorary Member of the Milford Fire Dept.; and member of the Port Jervis Lodge of Elks #645 B.P.O.E.

A family statement reads: "Allen was an avid lifelong Yankees fan; avid bowler, golfer, hunter and fisherman."

He married Patricia Borkenhagen Greening, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Tim Greening of Milford, Pa. and Brian Greening and his wife, Vicki, of Port Jervis; four daughters: Patti Sperling and her husband, Arthur, of Nakomis, Fla., Cindy Denne and her husband, John, of Baker City, Ore., Robin Mason and her husband, Scott, of Andover, N.J. and Allyn-Jo Greening of Milford, Pa.; ten grandchildren: Timmy, Sean, Brian, Christopher, Travis, Tanya, Tanner, Jeffrey, Jacqueline and Jennifer; one great-grandson, Gavin; one sister, Ada Lewis and her husband, Chuck, of Gettysburg, Pa.; and one nephew, Charles Lewis.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, January 24 at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick's R.C. Church, Milford, Pa. The Rev. August Ricciardi will officiate. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Dingman Township Fire Dept.,680 Log Town Rd., Milford, PA 18337 or the Pike County Humane Society, 189 Lee Rd., Shohola, PA 18458.

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

David A. Kurtz Sr., a carpenter and lifelong area resident, died Monday, Jan. 16, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis. He was 61.

The son of the late George and Leila Quick Kurtz, he was born June 6, 1944 in Port Jervis.

He was a social member of Roosa-Fleming VFW Post #161, Port Jervis. David was an avid hunter and fisherman and a talented wood craftsman who enjoyed making many bird houses.

Survivors include his wife Dona Jacobs Kurtz at home; his daughter, Georgieann Quick and husband Ivan Sr. of Port Jervis; his son, David A. Kurtz Jr. and wife Stacey of Port Jervis; his daughter, Billie Jo Mann and husband Kenneth of Port Jervis, Jonathan Kurtz and wife Darlene of Cochecton; eight grandchildren Ivan Jr., Jennifer, Justin, Stephanie, Kristen, David, Brandi, McKayla; one great-granddaughter, Abbigale; five sisters, Barbara Ogrodnick of Sparrowbush, Nancy Howell of Port Jervis, Sheila Roberts of Reno, Nev., Betty Reilly of Port Jervis, Beth Morris of Sparrowbush; one brother, George Michael Kurtz of Port Jervis; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Daniel and Thomas Kurtz and one sister, Julia Ellson.

Friends may call Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 10-11 a.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday at the funeral home.

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Roosa-Fleming VFW Post #161, 47-51 Owen Street, Port Jervis, NY 12771.

Arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Laura M. Cosh, retired from Delford Rubber Co. in Middletown and lifelong area resident, died Monday. Jan. 9, 2006 at St. Teresa's Nursing Home, Middletown. She was 91.

The daughter of the late Fred S. Jones and Grace Snover Jones, she was born in Lafayette Township, Sussex County, N.J.

She was the widow of Thomas J. Cosh and a member of Port Jervis AARP.

Survivors include two daughters, Shirley Little and husband John of Port Jervis, Rosemary Stevens and husband Robert of Westtown; seven grandchildren, Shirlrene Little, John Little Jr., Thomas and Herbert Little, Linda Stone, Robert Stevens Jr., Alan Stevens; 12 great-grandchildren; one niece.

She was predeceased by sister, Marjorie Jones.

Friends were received Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 10-11 a.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Wed., Jan. 11 at the funeral home.

Burial was held at Newton Cemetery, Newton, N.J.

Arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Nora E. Polanis, a homemaker and lifelong area resident, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis. The daughter of the late Harry Stevenson and Ella Teeters Stevenson, she was born Oct. 30, 1928 in Port Jervis. She was the widow of John J. Polanis. She was a member of St. Mary's RC Church in Port Jervis. Survivors include two sons, John E. Polanis and wife Nora of Houston, Texas, Joe Polanis and wife Anna of Lords Valley, Pa.; two grandchildren Timothy and Nicole; one brother, Wayne Stevenson and one sister, Helen Stucker both of Port Jervis; and several nieces and nephews. Friends may call Monday, Jan. 9 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. The vigil wake service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Prayers will be offered on Tuesday, January 10 at 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's R.C. Church, Port Jervis, with the Rev. Kuriakose Poovathumkudy officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Port Jervis. Arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Rudolph Giananti, a retired Roofer with Union Local #8, Brooklyn, N.Y., died Thursday, January 5, 2006 at home. He was 94. The son of the late Andrew and Vera Giananti, he was born on November 17, 1911 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was a member of the Roofer's Union Local #8, Brooklyn. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude Kelsey Giananti, at home; four daughters: Victory Kraus and her husband, Richard, of Port Jervis, Marie Lancaster of Queens, N.Y., Ruth Gatto of the Bronx, and Vera of Long Island, N.Y.; eight grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his granddaughter and a stepson. Memorial services will be announced at a later date with Pastor Joe Ianone and Pastor Carol Dombrowski officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Queens, N.Y. 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 to the family, please visit Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Edward H. "Ted" Patterson Jr., a retired supervisor for Volunteer Labor for Meadowlands Hospital, Secaucus, N.J. and lifelong resident of Port Jervis, died Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006 at Christ Hospital, Jersey City, N.J. He was 68.

The son of the late Edward H. Patterson Sr. and Marie Detloff Patterson, he was born Feb. 23, 1937 in Jersey City, N.J.

He was a member of St. Mary's RC Church, Port Jervis and Dignity, NYC, N.Y.

Survivors include one brother, Frank Patterson and wife Joan of Liverpool, N.Y.; one nephew David Patterson; one niece, Susan Craver; and several cousins.

Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Burial will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Port Jervis.

Contributions may be made to Dignity, PO Box 1554 FDR Station, New York, NY 10150.

Funeral arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, visit Knight-Auchmoody.com

Gladys Rosa, a hospital consultant for Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Co., Middletown and 17-year resident of the area, died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005 at Phelps Memorial Hospital, Sleepy Hollow. She was 59.

The daughter of the late Jorge Ventura and Paulina Lugo Ventura, she was born Jan. 14, 1946 in Puerto Rico.

She was a member of St. Mary's RC Church, Port Jervis and Catholic Daughters Court Madonna #114, Port Jervis.

Survivors include husband, Angel M. Rosa at home; daughter April LaVelle and husband Michael of Sparrowbush; two sons, Kenneth Rosa and wife Lisa of Easton, Pa., Jorge Rosa of Chevy Chase, Md.; mother, Paulina Ventura of Sparrowbush; two sisters, Maria Garcia and husband Victor of Middletown, Lisa Nieves and husband Luis of Ft. Lee, N.J.; three grandchildren, Julianna and Christina LaVelle and Dominic Rosa; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend an invitation to everyone to celebrate the life of Gladys Rosa with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 31 at St. Mary's RC Church, Port Jervis. The Rev. Dennis M. Dinan will officiate.

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

Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Funeral arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main Street, Port Jervis. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, visit Knight-Auchmoody.com