Our Obituaries

Harrison F. Murray, Jr., M.D. of Port Jervis, died Sunday, August 27, 2006, at Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis. He was 90 years old.

The son of the late Harrison F. Murray and Margaret Schenk Murray, Harrison was born August 15, 1916 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He married the late Laura Todd Hewlett Murray on May 25.

Harrison was a retired General Practice of Medicine in Port Jervis from 1946-1986 and Obstetrics Physician. Dr. Murray was a member of the Deerpark Reformed Church, Port Jervis and served on the consistory for many years. He was a former member of the Port Jervis School Board and long time School Physician for the Port Jervis School Dist. He was a 52 year member of Rotary International and past president of the Port Jervis Chapter from 1949-1950. He was a member of the Cahoonzie Club. He was a veteran of World War II serving with the U.S. Army Medical Corp. He was a member of the Orange County Medical Society; he graduated from Port Jervis High School in 1933 and continued his education at Rutgers University and was a member of the 1937 graduating class. He furthered his education at New York University Medical School and graduated in 1941. He was the First Anaesthesiaologist at St. Francis Hospital, Port Jervis. As an O.B. Physician Dr. Murray delivered more than 3,000 babies in the Tri-State Area during his career.

Survivors include one son, Harrison f. Murray, III and his wife, Olga of Port Jervis; two daughters, Lucinda Heinlein and her husband, Alan of Neptune, Nancy J. Murray of Port Jervis; one sister Delphine Osborne of Lexington, Ky.; three grandchildren, Darrell Murray, Brian Thomas and Michael Paul Murray and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his daughter, Margaret L. Murray; his sister, Lucy Nevius and by a brother, Edward Murray.

Funeral services will be held, Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 2 p.m. in The Deerpark Reformed Church, 30 E. Main St., Port Jervis. The Rev. Ann Rost will officiate.

Private interment will take place at Glen Cove Cemetery, Narrowbush.

Contributions may be made to: The Deerpark Reformed Church, 30 E. Main St. Port Jervis, NY 12771 or Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis, NY 12771 or to the Dr. Harrison F. Murray Scholarship Fund, c/o Port Jervis School District, 9 Thompson St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

Funeral Arrangements by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

For information, direction, or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com

Gore, Timothy John

Formerly of Port Jervis, N.Y.

Timothy John Gore, 59, passed away on August 18, 2006 in Chambersburg, Pa. He was born on November 29, 1946 in Port Jervis. Timothy worked in telecommunications throughout his life.

He was predeceased by his wife, Ellen; his father, William; and his brother, Michael.

He is survived by his mother, Dolores Gore of Port Jervis; his son, Michael of Sturbridge, Mass; his son, Mark of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four brothers, William of Port Jervis, Mark of Sparrowbush, Daniel of Southington, Conn., Matthew of Port Jervis; and one sister, Kathleen Wright of Sparrowbush; four grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Services and internment will be private.

Local arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y.

Dennis S. DeGroat of Matamoras, Pa., died Friday, August 18, 2006 in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, N.Y. He had been a patient there for several weeks before he finally lost his battle with cancer. He was 45.

The son of Dennis DeGroat and the late Marion Conklin DeGroat, Dennis was born July 22, 1961 in Port Jervis. He was a lifelong resident of the area, and was married to Jody Bennan DeGroat, who survives.

Mr. DeGroat was a 25 year veteran for the New York State Dept. of Corrections at Otisville. He also operated his own business of DeGroat's Plumbing and Heating in Matamoras, Pa.

A family statement reads, "Dennis was a devoted husband and loving father and grandfather. He was an avid outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting with his father, he will be loved and cherished forever, and sadly missed by all."

Survivors include his wife, at home; two daughters, Ashely and Carissa DeGroat, both at home; his father, Dennis DeGroat of Port Jervis; two brothers, Harry DeGroat of Watertown, N.Y. and Fred DeGroat of Port Jervis; five sisters, Harriet VanTuyl of Glen Spey, Susan DeMarco, Pat Shaw, Connie Mandakis all of Port Jervis and Marion Konikowski of Glen Spey; one grandson, Jace Steven DeGroat as well as several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home.

Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery, Sparrowbush.

Arrangments by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc. For information, directions, or to send a condolence note to the family, visit knight-auchmoody.com

Charles E. Prussia, Sr., a lifelong resident of the area, died Thursday, August 17, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y. He was 64.

Son of the late Charles and Elizabeth Jones Prussia, he was born June 27, 1942 in Port Jervis, N.Y.

Charles was a retired Carpenter for John Inella Building Co. in Sparrowbush, N.Y. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving during the Vietnam War, and he was a member of the Roosa-Fleming V.F.W. Post #161 in Port Jervis.

Survivors include his wife, Betty L. Rupp Prussia, at home; two sons, Charles Prussia Jr. of Clarksville, Tenn. and David Raymond Prussia of Colbert, Ga.; four daughters: Tina Kerr of Glen Spey, N.Y., Karen Reome of Port Jervis, N.Y., Margaret Reeves of Port Jervis, N.Y., and Cassandra Prussia of Colbert, Ga.; three sisters: Donna Hahn of Golden, Colo., Paula Mercer of Port Jervis and Ruth Mercer of the state of Florida; ten grandchildren; his aunt, Joan Roach of Port Jervis; one great-granddaughter and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by an infant son; his brother, David Raymond Prussia, and his sister, Janet Abbadessa.

Friends may call at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. on Sunday, August 20, 2006 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, August 20 at 4 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be at Mill Rift Cemetery, Mill Rift, Pa.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Roosa-Fleming V.F.W. Post #161, Scholarship Fund, 47-51 Owen St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

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

Patricia K. Weed, a former lifelong resident of Port Jervis, a retired office manager for Orange County Dept of Motor Vehicles, Port Jervis, and retired bookkeeper for Area Refuse Co., Port Jervis, died Friday, August 4, 2006 at the home of her daughter in Wilmington, N.C. She was 76.

The daughter of the late Thomas H. Kelly and Evelyn Smith Kelly, she was born in Port Jervis on Dec. 30, 1929.

She was a member of the Unity Christ Church of Wilmington, member and past matron of River Valley Chapter #33, O.E.S., Port Jervis; Port Jervis B.P.W. (Business and Professional Women); CSEA; former councilwomen, 3rd Ward, City of Port Jervis.

Survivors include her husband at home Richard G. Weed; two daughters Victoria Cotton and husband Michael of Wilmington, N.C., Vanessa Conte and husband Carle of Phoenix, Ariz.; one sister, Anne Jaggie and husband Joel of Phoenix, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Shawn, Melissa, Adam, Matthew, Carl and Thomas; two great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her daughter, Pamela Weed McKee.

Friends may call Thursday, August 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis. Eastern Star services will be held Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, August 11 at the funeral home. The Rev. Betsy Diver will officiate.

Private interment will take place at Pine Hill Cemetery, Sparrowbush.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 725 Wellington Ave., Wilmington, NC 28401.

Arrangements were made by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home. www.Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Dixey M. Balmos, a retired floor lady for Malhame Investments, Milford, Pa. and lifelong area resident, died Friday, August 4, 2006 at her home. She was 76.

The daughter of the late Ernest and Viola Maillet Morgan, she was born February 19, 1930 in Port Jervis.

She was the widower of Harold Balmos.

Survivors include her son, Harold J. Balmos Sr. and wife Karen of Port Jervis; four brothers Ernest Morgan, Robert Morgan and Richard Morgan all of Port Jervis, Harold Tampier of Milford, Pa.; two sisters Esther Ostrom and Yvonne Eckert; one grandson, Harold Balmos Jr.; two great-grandchildren Jacob and Amber; two step-grandchildren, Isabella and Abigail; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her son, Alfred Balmos; sister Betty Wood and brother Paul Manwaring.

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

Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery, Sparrowbush.

Arrangements were made by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. www.Knight-Auchmoody.com.

Gale E. Wagner, a lifelong resident of the area, died Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at her home after a long illness surrounded by her family and friends. She was 55.

The daughter of the late George E. and Anna Mae Helen Steckle Wright, she was born January 14, 1951 in Dover, N.J. She was predeceased by her first husband, Clinton Lateer.

Gale was a the Manager of the Lay-Away Department for Wal-Mart in Westfall Township, Pa.

A family statement reads: "Gale was a loving wife, devoted and proud mother, adoring grandmother, avid Bingo player, gardener, great cook and loyal friend."

Survivors include her husband, William A. Wagner, Jr., at home; one daughter, Holly Pond and her husband, Keith, of Ocala, Fla.; one son, Wayne Lateer and his wife, Sue, of Hainesville, N.J.; four sisters: Sandra Bale and Kay Hill, both of Newton, N.J., Gloria Casazza and her husband, Stephen, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Darlene Crawn and her husband, Raymond, of Hacketstown, N.J.; three brothers: Forrest Burrows and his wife Sue of Catasaqua, Pa., Glenn Wright and his wife, Alyse, of Andover, N.J. and Stanley Wright of Virginia; four grandchildren: Noah and Destiny Pond and Megan and William.

She was predeceased by her brother, George Wright, Jr. and her sister, Donna Judd.

Friends may call at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. on Friday, July 28, 2006 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 29 at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Edmund Cotton officiating. Burial will be in Hainesville Cemetery, Hainesville, N.J.

Memorial contributions in Gale's name may be made to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550.

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

Paul Kampka of Sparrowbush, died Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis, N.Y. He was 72.

Son of the late Paul M. Kampka, Sr. and the late Bernice Ricker Kampka, he was born September 10, 1933 in Butler, N.J.

Paul was a Groundskeeper for High Point Golf Course in Montague, N.J.

Survivors include one son, Michael Kampka and his wife, Nancy, of Mullians, S.C.; three brothers: Gary J. Kampka and his wife, Judy, of Sparrowbush, Bruce Kampka and his wife, Joyce, of Springdale, N.J., and Edward Kampka and his wife, Jan, of The Villages, Fla.; and one sister, Nancy Kosc of Branchville, N.J.

Funeral services and interment will be held at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements were made by Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 East Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. www.Knight-Auchmoody.com.