ELEANOR HARRIET CROTTY KEASEL (Times Herald-Record, 4 July 2005)
Eleanor Harriet Crotty Keasel, a lifelong area resident, died Saturday July 2, 2005 at Orange Regional Medical Center, Arden Hill Campus. She was 89 years old. The daughter of the late Archie H. and Katherine Schoeweiss Crotty, she was born April 18, 1916 in Crystal Run, Town of Wallkill, at the family home on what is now known as Crotty Road. At the time of her birth, Crystal Run was merely a collection of small businesses: a creamery, feed store, and post office, just west of Scotchtown Turnpike on the Ontario and Western Railroad (O&W), surrounded by numerous dairy farms. The Crotty children attended grades one through eight in a one-room school near their home and later attended schools in Middletown and Goshen. Eleanor and her husband, Stanley Philip Keasel, were involved in a variety of trucking ventures, including working as a United States Mail Contractor during their almost 54 years of marriage. After his death in 1991, “mother” and her daughter, Lynn Busse, continued to operate a thrift shop known as One Way Etc., on Dolson Avenue in Middletown, that they had started 16 years earlier. The business continued to operate through 2003. She also worked at Middletown Psychiatric Center for many years. Eleanor is survived by two sons, Stanley Keasel and his wife, Jill, of Eldersburg, Md., and Don Keasel and his wife, Judy, of Kettering, Ohio; one daughter, Lynn Busse and her husband, Tom, of Middletown; five grandchildren: Lori Keasel of McLean, Va., Eric Keasel of Alexandria, Va., Katherine Busse Bickerdyke and her husband, Cris, of Middletown, Thomas Busse and his wife, Laura, of Wallkill, and Scott Keasel and his wife, Jill, of Columbus, Ohio; five great-grandchildren: Carolyn Milner, Elizabeth Busse, Hannah Milner, Sarah Busse, and Erin Bickerdyke. She was predeceased by three brothers: Alton Crotty, Claude Crotty, and Norman Crotty; one sister, Helen Hunt; and one grandson, John Patrick Keasel. Family and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 from 7-9 PM at the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc., 130 Highland Ave., Middletown, N.Y. A Funeral Service of Remembrance will take place on Wednesday, July 6 at 10:00 AM in the funeral home with the Rev. Ken Wonderland officiating. Burial will follow in the family plot at Scotchtown Cemetery. Memorial donations in Eleanor’s name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Arrangements under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc.

MELVIN A. WOOLHEATER (Times Herald-Record, 26 August 2006)
Melvin A. Woolheater of Scotchtown, died Thursday, August 24, 2006 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, N.Y. He was 83. The son of Wesley A. and Annie E. Tyrrell Woolheater, Melvin was born February 15, 1923 in Middletown. He was a lifelong resident of the area. Melvin was a retired foreman for the Orange County Highway Dept., Goshen. He was a World War II Army Aircorps Veteran; a member of the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church; V.F.W. Post 5523; C.S.E.A. Retirees Chapter 917; and Statewide Senior Action. Survivors include three daughters, Donna Mayfield and her husband, Regan of Scotchtown, Lucille Mansueto and her husband, Redento of Greenville and Denisee Martin and her husband, Terrence of Bloomingburg; 13 grandchildren; seven great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn R. Woolheater; and a brother, Raymond Woolheater. Visitation will be on Monday, August 28, 2006 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, 39 Orchard St., Walden. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Otisville. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties. Arrangements were made by the Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, Inc.

RICHARD E. SMITH (Times Herald-Record, 21 November 2006)
Richard E. Smith, a resident of Waterloo, N.Y. and formerly of Scotchtown, died at home at the age of 86 years on Monday, November 20, 2006. He was born in Middletown on February 1, 1920, son of the late Samuel S. Smith and Eva Galloway Smith. Richard was a self-employed dairy farmer most of his life in Scotchtown until 1987, then in Waterloo, N.Y. He was a member of the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Bennett Smith at home; two daughters, Joyce Johnson and her husband, J. William of Snellville, Ga. and Wendy Weeden and her husband, Charles of Scotchtown; one son, Brian N. Smith and his companion, Hope Lucas of Waterloo, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one sister, Marjorie Puzziferri of Pearl River, N.Y.; many cousins, nieces and nephews. Richard was predeceased by his son, Gary R. Smith; and his brother, S. Lee Smith. A graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family at Scotchtown Cemetery, Scotchtown. Memorial contributions may be made either to: Hospice of Wayne/Seneca Counties, 1120 South Main Street, Newark, NY 14513-2173, or Scotchtown Presbyterian Church, 367 Blumel Road, Middletown, NY 10941 in Richards's memory. The family would like to thank the very caring people of Hospice of Wayne/Seneca Counties. Arrangements are under the direction of Cornelius, Dodd and Connell Funeral Home, Inc. For directions or to send a condolence, please visit www.connellfuneralhome.com.

IDA MAE HADDEN (Times Herald-Record, 3 February 2007)
Ida Mae Hadden, 82, of Bloomingburg, died Friday, February 2, 2007 at Orange Regional Medical Center, Horton Campus in Middletown, N.Y. Mrs. Hadden was born in Middletown, N.Y. on December 4, 1924. She was the widow of Joseph Hadden, Sr. She was a homemaker and a member of Scotchtown Presbyterian Church. She is survived by four daughters: Wendy, wife of Harry Hentz of the state of Florida, Kathy, wife of Bob Nenna of Greenwood Lake, Charlotte Hadden of Coldenham and Terry Rivera of South Fallsburg; five sons: Tim Hadden and his wife, Donna of Bloomingburg, Paul Hadden and Bobbie Hadden and his wife, Tracey, all of Middletown, Rick Hadden of Virginia Beach, Va., and David Hadden and his wife, Debbie of the state of Florida; two sisters, Jane, wife of Luke Howell of Walden, and Ann Kline of the state of Florida; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son, Joseph Hadden. Friends are invited to call on Tuesday, February 6, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Scotchtown Presbyterian Church, Scotchtown, N.Y. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. in Scotchtown Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Jean Risley officiating. Interment to follow in Scotchtown Cemetery, Scotchtown, N.Y. Arrangements are under the guidance of the Morse Funeral Home, Inc., 33 Railroad Ave., Middletown, N.Y.

EVELYN P. COMFORT (Times Herald-Record, 20 October 2007)
Evelyn P. Comfort, of Hudson Fla., died on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at O.R.M.C. Horton Campus Middletown. She was 85. The daughter of the late G. Henry and Madeleine LaNee Purchell, she was born on March 12, 1922 in Roxbury. Evelyn received a degree in food administration from Delhi College in June of 1942. She met her husband, Milton E. Comfort at Delhi College and they were married on July 11, 1942 in Roxbury, N.Y. In 1966, after raising her children, Evelyn graduated from the nursing program at O.C.C.C. at the top of her class. She worked as a registered nurse for Orange Farms in Goshen for over 20 years and was a member of CSEA. Evelyn lived in the Middletown area most of her life and was a 65-year member of Scotchtown Presbyterian Church. She was also a member of the Wallkill Junior Home Demonstration. She was a very talented mom who had high standards that she imparted to her family. She was a meticulous seamstress and an award-winning baker. Evelyn treasured her grandchildren and was an advocate for education for all. In addition to her husband Milton, she is survived by her three daughters, Nancy and her husband Don Wood, Susanne Merrill, Kathleen Hamilton and her husband Bud, all of Middletown; son, Daniel and his wife RuthAnn; one brother, Richard and his wife Joyce of Roxbury, N.Y.; grandchildren, Frank, Brian, Matthew and Andrew Wood, Karen Strong, Peter Frolich, Peter Hamilton, Christine Blindell, Christine Teander, Michael Severin, Bonnie Jean Grogan, Amy Mellow, Jim Grogan; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. She was predeceased by one daughter, Cynthia Severin; and one granddaughter, Sharon Merrill. Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 20, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc., 130 Highland Avenue, Middletown. A Funeral Service of Remembrance will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, October 21 at 3 p.m. Cremation will be private.

LESTER E. MARTIN (Times Herald-Record, 4 April 2010)
A service to celebrate and honor the life of the late Lester E. "Earl" Martin, a World War II veteran and longtime resident of Scotchtown, will be held Saturday, April 10, at 11 a.m. at the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church, 367 Blumel Rd., Scotchtown. Earl died at age 90 on November 20, 2009. Born in Ossining, Earl was the son of the late Lester and Lillian Wolven Martin. He first resided in Briarcliff Manor, and moved with his family to the town of Wallkill in 1925. Earl was educated at the one-room Franklin Square District No. 6 School and the Middletown High School on Academy Avenue. Earl enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1941, served in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre in the Aleutian Islands, where he attained the rank of First Sergeant, attended Tank Destroyer Officer Candidate School at Camp Hood, and was promoted to First Lieutenant, serving with the 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion in the European Theatre in Germany prior to his discharge in 1945. Following discharge from the military, Earl was self-employed as a building contractor, constructing many custom-designed homes in the Middletown area, and operated the television and appliance repair business Martin's Electronics. After his retirement from business, he worked part-time as superintendent of the Scotchtown Cemetery for about 20 years. He constructed and donated to the Cemetery a flagpole to honor all veterans in 2003. Earl was a member of the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church for over 44 years, and was ordained and installed in the office of Elder in 1966, serving in this position several terms through 2004. He is remembered by his church family as one who contributed many volunteer hours to various building improvements and repairs. Earl enjoyed photography, fishing and hunting in his younger years, and later realized much pleasure in home gardening and trailer camping, especially in the Adirondack Mountains. He long held the reputation as "the man who could fix anything" among family, friends, and neighbors, and was one who truly realized great pleasure from any opportunity to offer assistance. His fascination with things mechanical or electrical never faded, and he explored the use of the video camera and computer during his final years. His knowledge of the local area's history and his storytelling talents were treasured by many. Earl was married to Clara J. Ford, and they celebrated 56 years of marriage prior to her death in 2000. He is survived by his loving daughter, Sharon Martin Zankel, and her husband, Lewis, of Brunswick, Rensselaer County; six nieces, a nephew, several cousins, and many grandnieces and grandnephews. In addition to his parents and wife, Earl was predeceased by an infant daughter, Nancy Lynn, and his two beloved sisters, Eola Martin Baldwin and Myra Martin Baldwin. Interment at the Scotchtown Cemetery will be private and at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions to the Scotchtown Cemetery Association, PO Box 6, Bullville, NY 10915 or a charity of one's choice will be appreciated.