Obituaries & Guestbook

John "Jake" Moore

1/11/2020

John “Jake” Moore, 86, of Skaneateles, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2020. He was the son of the late, Leo and Mabel (Cox) Moore. Jake graduated from Cathedral High School in Syracuse, and the University of Massachusetts at Stockbridge. He worked at the Skaneateles Country Club as a superintendent for over 40 years and was a member of the GCSAA for over 50 years. Jake was a US Airforce veteran and a member of the American Legion Post #239.
He was survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Mary Tierney Moore; daughter, Kathleen Moore Bianchi; son, John K. (Shay) Moore of Richmond, VA; two grandsons, John “Jake” and David Bianchi; three sisters, Elaine Sexton, Dorothy (Mike) Cogswell, and Carol Shannon, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be private. Donations in Jake’s memory may be made to SAVES or Michael Cogswell’s Scholarship Fund.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Nancy Mains Ennulat

1/8/2020

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Nancy Mains Ennulat, 84, of Skaneateles, died peacefully on January 8, 2020 at Upstate University Hospital.
Born in Kingston, PA on October 26, 1935, she was the daughter of Charles V. Mains and Neva Gertrude Mains. Mrs. Ennulat went to preparatory school at Wyoming Seminary, continued her education at Syracuse University and completed a Master of Science in Microbiology at Upstate Medical Center, where she worked as a Transplantation Researcher.
She married Joachim Ennulat August 4, 1956 in Germany and they have two sons David Ennulat of Phillipston, MA and Sean Ennulat of Jordan, NY. They lived on a picturesque farm in Skaneateles, NY. Her hobbies included horseback riding, gardening, and sailing. She completed a lifetime dream with her husband of sailing from Cayuga Lake to the Bahamas.
She is survived by her loving and devoted husband as well as her two sons and five grandchildren Nathan Ennulat, Melissa Ennulat, Tase Lottermoser, Colin Ennulat, and Ashlee Ennulat.
A celebration of life will be held this summer, date to be determined.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Mrs. Ennulat’s name may be made to The Wyoming Seminary 201 North Sprague Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Ethel Stewart Sheppard

1/5/2020

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Ethel Stewart Sheppard passed away surrounded by family on January 5, 2020 in Geneva at the age of 101 just shy of her 102nd birthday. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Kenneth; her brothers Richard and John, sister Eleanor Clark and grandson Jeffrey Sheppard. She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Knitter (Carl) and son Stewart (Jeralyn), 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 5 great great-grandchildren.
She was born in Auburn to Clifford and Clara Stewart of Skaneateles where she lived most of her life. She graduated from Skaneateles High School in 1937. She was a life-long member of Skaneateles Methodist Church. After high school she worked in many restaurants in Skaneateles including The Krebs and Sherwood Inn. She worked at Thomas' 5&10 Store. She married and was a homemaker. After her children left home she worked in the cafeteria at the school and also babysat for two families in Skaneateles. She was an avid bird watcher and loved flowers. In her younger years she grew African Violets for sale and had quite a business. She loved her family and always enjoyed seeing all of her grandchildren.
Calling hours will be held at 11:00am on Friday, January 10th at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles with a memorial service to follow at 12n. Ethel will be buried in Lake View Cemetery. Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Mottville Fire Department or SAVES.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Harold Edward Leonard

1/4/2020

10 Comments

Harold Edward Leonard of Skaneateles and Brookdale Senior Living, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on Saturday, January 4, 2020 in Syracuse at the age of 91. He was pre-deceased by his wife of 59 years, Mary and his brother Lester. He is survived by his children, Jim (Patty), Amy and Dave (Susan) and grandchildren Elizabeth, Ellie, Katie and Tim.
Harold was born to Walker and Gladys Leonard of Skaneateles, where he lived most of his life. He graduated Skaneateles High School in 1946, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Rochester in 1950, and a Master’s degree from Syracuse University.
His introduction to teaching science and technology came during the Korean Conflict when he was selected to be an instructor in the Ground Radar School at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi. After the service and a year teaching high school science, he transitioned to college level instruction. He joined the faculty of Cayuga Community College (Auburn Community College) in 1956 and served as a full-time professor for over 40 years.
His hobbies were as wide as his intellectual curiosity. Camping, sailing, gardening, radio-controlled model boats, bird-watching and music were all a vital part of his life. His favorite activity however was fishing, and he loved nothing more than being on the lake catching perch, bass, salmon and especially trout. He served as a ranger naturalist for the National Parks Service in Glacier National Park for two summers, volunteered for the Boy Scouts, and led family camping expeditions every summer. He was an active member of both the Skaneateles and Auburn Community Bands, and could be found most summer Friday nights in the Gazebo at the end of the lake in the “horn” section. He was particularly proud of giving back to the community, and volunteered regularly at Baltimore Woods, the MOST in Syracuse and for the Skaneateles historical society at the Creamery.
Calling hours will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 11th at the Skaneateles Methodist Church, with a memorial service at 2:00 pm. Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Baltimore Woods Nature Center.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Patricia Mahoney Blackler

12/23/2019

5 Comments

Patricia Mahoney Blackler, 84, of Skaneateles, NY died
Monday, December 23, 2019, at her home surrounded by
family.
Born to Daniel Patrick and Jeanette Lemoine Mahoney on
December 29, 1934 in Haverhill, MA, Patricia graduated from
Haverhill High School in 1952. She graduated from the
University of New Hampshire in 1956 with a BA in Chemistry
and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. Following
graduation, Pat worked as a chemist for Eastman Kodak in
Rochester, NY. While in Rochester, she met Walter Hazard
Blackler III at a YMCA ski event for young singles. They were
married in Haverhill in February 1960. They lived in
Cambridge, MA and West Hartford, CT, eventually settling in
Skaneateles in 1965. She had five children.
Pat worked as a real estate agent in Skaneateles for 28 years,
where she developed a deep appreciation for the Village and its
history which shaped her community service for many years.
She was appointed by the mayor of Skaneateles to serve as the
Village Historian in 1996. She proudly served in this position
for 16 years, under four mayors. As historian, she enjoyed
helping people with genealogy research and educating the
community about the rich history of Skaneateles. She served
on the Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission as a
member and the Chairman. She was active in the Skaneateles
Historical Society and was a docent and served on the Board of
the Creamery.
She was instrumental in the design and installation of section
markers for Lake View cemetery and the roadside historical
markers for notable sites on State, Genesee and Onondaga
streets. She started the tradition of the ‘Historic Moments’
presentations at the Skaneateles Village Board meetings. In
2012 her work was recognized by the Skaneateles Sunrise
Rotary Club with the Paul Harris Fellowship given to a person
whose life demonstrates a commitment to helping others in the
community.
Pat was a communicant at St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic
Church. She was active in religious education, shepherding
many classes of candidates through Confirmation. She was an
inaugural member of the Parish Council on which she served for many years. She served as the parish librarian and on the
Human Development Committee.
She was a proud member of the Leisure Hour Club. She
belonged to the Skaneateles Garden Club, she performed in
Skan-e-antics, she was a room mother, and she was a skilled
artisan in many crafts. She made beautiful clothing and taught
all of her daughters to sew. At Christmas time, notwithstanding
her five small children, she produced silk screened Christmas
cards, decorated the tree with her own handcrafted ornaments,
and constructed elaborate gingerbread houses.
Pat and Walt enjoyed sailing on Skaneateles Lake, and they
were active in the sailboat racing community. They were
members of Owasco Yacht Club, Skaneateles Sailing Club and
Skaneateles Country Club. Pat enjoyed annual summer
vacations in the Adirondacks with her extended family, where
she climbed Mt. Marcy, Giant and Noon Mark. She prioritized
spending time with her children and grandchildren, never
missing a graduation ceremony. She enjoyed traveling, and she
and Walt took each of their grandchildren on a special week-
long trip during their 9-year-old summer. Pat was an avid
bridge player, tennis player and an enthusiastic sports fan. She
especially enjoyed watching Syracuse lacrosse.
Pat was pre-deceased by her parents, her brother, Daniel Patrick
Mahoney Jr, and her son, Walter Hazard Blackler IV. She is
survived by her husband Walt and their four daughters, Anne
Marie Reynolds (Harris) of Houston, Texas, Ellen Blackler
(Francis McNally) of Takoma Park, Maryland, Laurel Grow
(Dan) of Farmington, Connecticut, and Catherine Blackler
(Derek Raymond) of Skaneateles; nine grandchildren, Rudy
Reynolds (Buffin), Catherine Reynolds (Tony Zupancic), Nora
McNally Reiff (Zach Reiff), Peter McNally, Patrick Grow
(Tory), Stephen and Mary Kate Grow, and Caroline and Libby
Raymond, and two great-granddaughters, Sadie Reynolds, and
Penelope Zupancic. She is also survived by her two sisters,
Janet Aliapoulios (Paul) of Freeport, ME and Maureen
MacLeod (Ed) of Seattle, WA, and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Pat’s care givers, Hospice of the
Finger Lakes, Marilyn O’Connor and Cheryl Seymour for their
support over the last months of her life.
Calling hours will be held at Robert D. Funeral Home,
Skaneateles on Friday, December 27th from 4-7. A funeral
mass will be held on Saturday, December 28th at 10 AM at St.
Mary’s of the Lake. Burial will occur immediately following at
St. Mary's cemetery in Skaneateles. Friends and family are
invited to gather at the St. Mary’s Parish Center following the
funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Skaneateles Historical Society, 28 Hannum St, Skaneateles, NY
13152.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com

5 Comments

Gary McKinley

12/23/2019

4 Comments

Gary McKinley passed away quietly at home surrounded by family his on December 23rd. He fought a long hard battle with the blood cancer multiple myeloma. Gary is originally from Michigan and moved here in 1995. He worked as an account manager for Catalina Marketing retiring in 2017.
Gary is survived by his wife LeRhea, son Camron (Kelly), son Casey (Claire), grandchildren Ben, Pat, Lily, father, Derald McKinley, mother Carolyn Minnick (Lyle), brother Jay (Kim) McKinley, sisters Diane Payne and Marlene Butzow. Sisters in law Gena Swisher and Lynnette Poole and many nieces and nephews.
A private celebration of life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Kevin Guest House 782 Ellicott St. Buffalo, NY 14203 or Roswell Park Cancer Center Elm St. Buffalo, NY 14203.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

4 Comments

Linda Day-Dennie

12/17/2019

2 Comments

Linda Day-Dennie of Skaneateles passed away on Tuesday, December 17th surrounded by her loving family at Upstate Community General Hospital.
Mom was a tough cookie, raised in White Plains, NY, with three beloved older brothers, Donald, Richard, and William and her sister Barbara. She was the last of the siblings to depart this life. She was, and we were, proud of her artistic skills. She painted beautiful landscapes she displayed in her home, and we, in ours. She displayed her work at art shows and at local venues including the New York State Fair. She enjoyed tennis as a teenager and later, played at Syracuse University, where she studied Fine Arts.
Mom enjoyed her country lake life and raised “The Day Girls” in a home filled with both love and craziness, both wonderful homemade dinners and kraft macaroni and cheese, beautiful horses, and a variety of family pets. She maintained a large and bountiful vegetable garden for our family and poured her energy into lovely flower gardens as well. As kids, we played in the surrounding fields and woods, found and slid down hidden streams, rode our bikes to Skaneateles Lake to swim all day and had a glorious childhood.
Through the years, Mom still considered herself to be a real New Yorker. She was thrilled when she could travel to the city with her job at RPM Industries to work trade shows and she always found time to enjoy Broadway shows, local cuisine and the energy of the city.
Mom enjoyed many sports, supporting her girls, and then grandchildren, at countless softball, soccer, hockey and football games, wrestling matches and track meets. She was a big fan of the Syracuse Orangemen and attended many events at the Syracuse Dome.
She is survived by her daughters and their spouses Kelly Day (David Peterson), Kathe Catto (Ed) and Kara Leubner (Jon). She joins daughter Kim McLean, who passed ten years ago. She will be missed by her grandchildren Paul, Daniel, Maria, Joey, Cassie, Tessa, Lacy, Jonathan, Stephen, James, and Rachel and will be an angel watching over three great grandchildren due in 2020.
She was predeceased by husband Paul Day when the girls were very young and later, by husband Richard Dennie.
Mom fought health battles in recent years, yet the suddenness of our loss has broken our hearts. She will be missed.
Services are private.
Donation can be made in Linda’s name to the Borodino Fire Department.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

2 Comments

Carolyn Ricketts Abbott

12/2/2019

8 Comments

Carolyn Ricketts Abbott, 90, passed away on December 2nd at St. Camillus. She was born on July 3, 1929 in Johnstown, NY the only child of Dorothy Havens Ricketts and Thomas Edmund Ricketts. Carolyn was a member of St. James Episcopal Church, Skaneateles, NY, an active member of the Alter Guild and other church organizations/activities. She was active with the St. James Thrift Shop, a member in the Girl Scouts of America until her death. Carolyn was one of the founders of the Skaneateles Nursery School and taught there for 50 years. Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, and her husband William S. Abbott of 62 years. Carolyn is survived by her son Thomas (Linda) Abbott, her daughter Elizabeth (Kenneth) Cramer, seven grandchildren -Christopher (Diana) Abbott, Kimberly Holzwarth, Chelsea Abbott, Spencer Abbott, Kenneth (Valerie) Cramer, Katherine (Robert) Gallo, Jonathan (Leah) Cramer; eight great grandchildren - Emma and Jack Holzwarth, Chase Abbott, Zachary Abbott, Charlotte, Emma, and Riley Gallo, Xara Cramer and her brother and sister-in-law Richard (Barbara) Abbott and several nieces and nephews. No calling hours. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 12th at 10am at St James Church, Skaneateles. Private burial will be in Lake View cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

8 Comments

Marion F. Lear

11/27/2019

13 Comments

Marion F. Lear, 90, of Skaneateles, NY, passed away peacefully surrounded by family November 27, 2019.
Marion was born in Cortland, NY to Salem and Nazera Ferris. She grew up in a loving family as the youngest of seven children. She graduated from Cortland High School and worked as an Operator with NY Telephone Company. She married Wayne Lear in 1951 and in 1957 they moved to Skaneateles. Marion devoted her life to her family, community, and church. She enjoyed helping people. She had active roles in many organizations including the ambulance corps, St Mary’s Parish, and Republican Party. She faithfully served the local, County, Northern Central and CNY Fireman’s Auxiliaries. She worked forty-three years as the Town Tax Collector and Assessor’s Clerk. Her beautiful smile warmed everybody's heart. She loved to cook, to visit, and to play card games with friends and family. She gave her love unconditionally to daughters, June Lamon, April (Jim) Dale, Lori (Jim) Milne and Mary Jane (Otto) Meier, and their families.
She is predeceased by Wayne, her husband of 64 years. She is survived by four daughters, three grandchildren- Adam Milne, Kristen (Dave) Marks, Claire Milne, two sisters- Tena (Tom) Maguire and Rena (Jim) LeFever, and extended family.
Calling hours will be Wednesday, December 11th at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles from 4 to 7 pm.
Private burial planned in Springtime.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Skaneateles Emergency Service- SAVES.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com

13 Comments

Alice M. Tokarz

11/25/2019

1 Comment

Alice M. Tokarz, 91, of Skaneateles passed away peacefully Monday November 25, 2019 at Upstate University Hospital @ Community General. Born in Auburn to the late Fred and Millicent Brewer Lader, she retired from St. Joseph’s Hospital where she was a Central Service Technician. She was a loving caring and compassionate mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and aunt. She was a special woman who everyone loved.
Alice is survived by her 6 daughters Linda, Diane, Donna, Maria, Suzanne and Melinda. She is also survived by her sisters Marilyn, Pauline and Freda, along with several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Lewis and sons Michael and Edwin.
Services for Alice will be 10 a.m. Saturday November 30 at the Robert D. Gray Funeral Home. Calling hours will be from 4-6 p.m. Friday November 29 at the funeral home, 49 Jordan St., Skaneateles.

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Welcome

John "Jake" Moore

Nancy Mains Ennulat

Ethel Stewart Sheppard

Harold Edward Leonard

Patricia Mahoney Blackler

Gary McKinley

Linda Day-Dennie

Carolyn Ricketts Abbott

Marion F. Lear

Alice M. Tokarz

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