Our Obituaries

Jonnie A. Woolsey, 71, of Port Jervis, N.Y., and a long-time resident of Cuddebackville, passed away Sunday, June 28, 2020, in Middletown, N.Y. She lived life on her own terms and didn't take any nonsense from anyone. She had a heart as big as the whole outdoors. Her smile could light a galaxy. She loved her family beyond measure. She was born on Feb. 27, 1949, in Port Jervis, the daughter of Bennett and Ellen McKeeby Barnes. Jonnie retired as a teacher’s aide for the Port Jervis School District after many years of dedicated service. She was a member of the “Knit Wits.” She loved reading books and watching movies. Jonnie enjoyed many wonderful years at Lake Champlain, having great fun and making long-lasting friendships. She married Albert O. “Brud” Woolsey on July 29, 1965. He predeceased her on April 7, 2010. Jonnie is survived by her son, Anthony J. Woolsey and his wife Denise of Big Pond; her daughter, Gina McCann and her husband Thomas of Port Jervis; her beloved grandchildren: Anthony and Andrew Woolsey; Liam, Natasha, Bradley and Brittany McCann and Robert Bauer; her 10 great grandchildren; her sister, Tracey Abers of South Carolina; her brothers, Donald A. Barnes and his wife Cindy of Glen Spey, and Guy B. Barnes and his wife Kathy of Cuddebackville; and several nieces and nephews. Jonnie was predeceased by her brother, Kevin Barnes. Cremation will take place at H.G. Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, Pa. Private interment will take place at Howells Cemetery, Howells, N.Y. Memorial contributions may be made in Jonnie’s memory to the Port Jervis Free Library, 138 Pike St., Port Jervis, NY 12771. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis. For information or to send a condolence note to the family, visit knight-auchmoody.com

Gerard “Jerry” McDermott age 75 of Port Jervis, NY passed away June 27, 2020 at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on November 13, 1944 in Flushing, Queens, New York the son of Cornelius and Margaret Egan McDermott. Jerry proudly served our country with the US Navy during the Vietnam War. He married Marie Sauschuck Byrne McDermott who survives at home. He was a devoted husband, father, brother and grandfather. Jerry is also survived by his daughter, Melanie Rogan of Trumbull, Connecticut, his son Joseph McDermott of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, his sister Bernadette Fowler and her husband Dennis of Clearwater, Florida, his beloved grandchildren; Michael and Jack Rogan, Brendan, Dylan and Ethan McDermott, his sister-in-law Michele Lopriore and her husband Gary of Port Jervis, his sister-in-law Sharon Sauschuck of Madrid, Maine, several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Cornelius McDermott, his brother-in-law John Sauschuck, and his beloved German Shepherd, “Casey”. Jerry was a long suffering New York Jets fan, he enjoyed whale watching off the Maine coast, bald eagles and tending his honey bees. He also like listening to music from the 60s and 70s and checking out the muscle cars at car shows. Jerry was was also a retired NYPD officer and retired from the united States Postal Service in 2005. Jerry’s family will receive friends 12 noon-2 PM, Wednesday, July 8, at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. Due to the continued public health concerns, please know that there is an occupancy limitation and face masks must be worn at the funeral home at all times. Cremation will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Delaware Raptor Center, 416 Cummins Hill Road, Milford, PA 18337. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com.

George W. Cochrane age 81 of Sparrowbush, NY passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY. He was born on July 5, 1938 in Goshen, NY and is the son of the late George and Luella Ackerson Cochrane. George proudly served our country in the US Army form 1961-1967. He worked as a equestrian trainer for Mark Ford Stables in Middletown, NY. George married to the late Julia Caul Cochrane, who passed away April 12, 2020. He is survived by two daughters: Terry Neenan of Sparrowbush, NY and Georgia Mosher and husband Morgan of Port Jervis, NY; his beloved grandchildren; Zachary and Samantha Neenan, Joshua, Michael, Morgan and Andrew Mosher, and Casey Larson; beloved great-grandchildren; Hailie, Austin, Hunter, Kaiden, Aubrey, Andie, Olivia, Wyatt, Broc, and Gunner; several nieces and nephews. Cremation took place privately at the convenience of the family at HG Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. A memorial service, for George and Julie will be held on August 16, 2020 at the Sparrowbush Fire House in Sparrowbush starting at 1 PM. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY 12771. For information, or to send a condolence note to the family please visit www.knight-auchmoody.com

Margaret “Peggy” Klotz age 80 of Sparrowbush, NY passed away June 22, 2020 in Port Jervis, NY. Peggy was born in New York, New York on January 8, 1940, the daughter of Henry and Fannie Koller Geiger. She was a very faithful member of St. Mary’s R.C. Church in Port Jervis and St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Matamoras, Pennsylvania. Margaret married Robert L. Klotz, who survives at home. She is also survived by her children; Joseph Klotz, RN and his wife Dawn of Sparrowbush, Dr. Christopher Klotz and his wife Carrie of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Matthew Klotz and his wife Jennie of Sparrowbush, Pamela Henn and her husband Arthur of Roselle Park, New Jersey, and Elizabeth Frangipane and her husband Nicholas of Cochecton, NY, her beloved 14 grandchildren; Sarah, Joel, Emily, Noel, Joshua, Andrew, Shannon, Levi, Julia, Daniel, Gabriel, Abigail, Hunter and Elaina. A Memorial Mass of Resurrection will be held 11AM Thursday, June 25, at St. Mary’s R.C. Church, Port Jervis. Rev. Matthew Newcomb will be the celebrant. Due to the continued public health concerns, guidelines set forth by the New York State Dept. of Health will be in place. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information or directions, please visit knigh-tauchmoody.com

Kenneth L. Cerruti age 73 of Eldred, New York passed away peacefully on June 18, 2020 at his home. He ws born in Manhattan, New York on April 22, 1947 , the son of Yugo and Emma Porrini Cerruti. Kenneth proudly served our country during the Vietnam War with the US Army. He was a communicant of St. Mary’s R.C. Church in Port Jervis, a member of the Sparrowbush Engine Co., #1, and a former member of the Tri-State Rod & Gun Club. Ken owned and operated Boro Auto Collision in Port Jervis, NY for many years, until his retirement. Kenneth is survived by his son Kyle Cerruti at home, and a daughter Heather Cerruti of Sussex, New Jersey. Services are private. Cremation took place at HG Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com.

John Sibirtzeff, II age 55 of Huguenot, NY passed away June 17, 2020 at the Kaplan Family Hospice Residence in Newburgh, NY. He was born on April 1, 1965 in Sussex, New Jersey the son of John and Mary Dubis Sibirtzeff. John worked as a mechanic until his health was compromised by his illness. He is survived by his son, John Sibirtzeff III of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, his daughter Kendra Sibirtzeff of Anaheim, California, his parents John and Mary Sibirtzeff of Port Jervis, NY, his four sisters, Joyce Hill and her husband John of Sparrowbush, Lori Micke and her husband Brian of Greer, South Carolina, Debra Sibirtzeff and her fiancé Andrew Lescinsky of Milford, Pennsylvania and Lisa Sibirtzeff of Huguenot, his brother Paul Sibirtzeff of Pine Island, NY, several aunts, uncles, nieces nephews and cousins. John was pre-deceased by his brother-in-law Christopher Parry on April 14, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kaplan Family Hospice Residence, 1 Sunrise Lane, Newburgh, NY 12550 or to Orange Regional Med, Ctr., 707 E. Main St., Middletown, NY 10940. The Sibirtzeff family would like to send a special thank you to the Doctors, Nurses and Staff of The Kaplan House and Orange Regional Medical Ctr. for their compassionate and professional care shown to John during his illness. Services will be private. Cremation will take place at HG Smith Crematory, Stroudsburg, PA. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com.

Herta Marie Zidek, age 91 of Shohola, Pennsylvania passed away June 3, 2020 at home surrounded by her loving family. Herta was born in Nimtitz, Germany on November 9, 1928 the daughter of Walter and Maria Saalbach Pietzschke. In her earlier years Herta was the proprietor of Zidek's Delicatessen in Brooklyn, NY, then owned and operated the Sherelyn Motel in Milford, PA with her late husband, Udo Zidek. Herta is survived by her four daughters; Evelyn Zidek and her husband Glenn Haering of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Barbara Zidek and her companion Greg Wilde of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Christine Protsko and her husband Greg of Shohola, PA, and Bettina Zidek-Roa and her husband Donald of Shohola, PA, her sister Frieda Müller of Löthain, Germany, her beloved grandchildren: Erica, Louis, Gina, Matthew, Joseph, Tomas, Emilie, Justin, and step-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Samantha, Caitlin. A Joyous CELEBRATION OF LIFE will be held at her home on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 2:00 pm. Herta was a faithful member of St. Jacobi’s Lutheran Church and Ladies Aid in Shohola. If interested, Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jacobi’s Ladies Aid, PO Box 37, Shohola, PA 18458. For information or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY.

Marylin Duke age 82 of Matamoras, Pennsylvania passed away Friday, May 29, 2020 in Port Jervis, NY. Marylin was born on June 14, 1937 in Bronx, New York the daughter of John and Helen D’Ambrosio Scicutella. Marilyn retired from WalMart in Westfall Township, Pennsylvania. She was a member of St. Joseph’s R.C. Church, in Matamoras. Marilyn is survived by her four children and their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services will be private. Interment will take place at Pine Grove Cemetery, Matamoras, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to the Matamoras Fire Dept., P.O. Box 252, Matamoras, Pennsylvania 18336. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, or to send condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com.