Blog Archives

John "Jack" Floyd Newton

2/27/2022

    John “Jack” F. Newton, 87 of DeRuyter, passed away on February 27th, after a brief illness. John & Helen were married 62 years before she predeceased him in 2016.
    Jack was an avid farmer and a custom crop owner/operator. His love for the outdoors and his machinery was tremendous. “Jack was the only person I’ve known that would buy a Combine @ 85 years old”. Jack’s love for harvesting crops and helping his sons with their crops filled his heart. Jack was working (combining) right up until he became ill in November of 2021.
    Jack loved his horses Duke & Dan, and loved his Auctions, (whether or not he needed to go and/or buy something was beside the point), more importantly he loved his Red Dodge. Jack was also very proud of his family and their accomplishments and more so, proud of his Grandchildren & Great Grandchildren. He would always share stories with anyone about them.
    Jack is Predeceased by his Loving wife “Helen”, his 2 sons, Doug & Dean, 2 grandchildren Jessica & Amanda and his parents Laura & Leo Newton.
    He is Survived by his Children Don (Sue), Delbert (Christine), Duane (Joann), Daniel (Caren), Melissa (Jeff), John (Jeanette) & Michele (Edwin), 21-Grandchildren, 27-Great-Grandchildren, 2 sisters Viola Powers, Valerie Gray, and 2 brothers Lloyd, Terry and his loving Dog Charlie.
    A memorial service will be on March 7th at 11am, at the United Church of DeRuyter. A Celebration of Life will Immediately follow the services at Shelly’s Bar & Restaurant. Private burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery in the Spring.
    Because of Jack’s love for farming, In Lieu of Flowers, Please Make a Donation to the DeRuyter FFA Chapter, C/O Aleisha Newton Pforter, 106 County Rd 12C DeRuyter, NY 13052. To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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John D. Bettis

2/21/2022

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John D. Bettis of Skaneateles N.Y .passed away on Monday, February 21, 2022 at the age of 87, Son of Elizabeth Harris Bettis , Skaneateles N.Y. and Harvey Bettis of Pennsylvania.
John was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was retired from Skaneateles Central School District were he was a custodian .
John enjoyed any opportunity to take his grandchildren to meet the cows at the Richards Farm. Or just to watch the grandchildren mow with his John Deere mowers. In his spare time he enjoyed caring for a friends camp on the lake and helping a couple local farmers put up hay . And the annual dip in the Lake at Sandy beach.
John was predeceased by his wife of 54 years Kathryn E "Kay " Bettis and brother Edwin H. Bettis . He is survived by several tolerated children and many cherished grandchildren , nieces and nephews.
Rest in peace Dad, Papa/, Pops, Bet, Sarge. Til we meet again.
A memorial service will be held in the Spring.
Donations in John's name can be made to the Skaneateles Rod and Gun Club for the benefit of the Skaneateles High School Trap Team , Saves or any charity of your choice.

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Susanna M. Snyder

2/17/2022

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Susanna M. Snyder, 90, passed away at Huntington Center on Thursday. Susanna spent most of her life in Skaneateles Falls. Survived by a daughter Brenda Weedo of Syracuse. Graveside service Wed. Feb. 23rd at 10am at Lakeview Cemetery.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Christopher John Paradise

2/14/2022

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    Christopher John Paradise, age 63, of Skaneateles, N.Y., passed away Monday, February 14, 2022, at Upstate University Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.
    The eldest of three children, Chris was born on June 29, 1958, in Potsdam, N.Y. to Donald and Cleolee (Rowe) Paradise. Shortly thereafter, Chris and his parents moved to Skaneateles, where he grew up and lived his entire life. Chris attended Skaneateles High School and was also enrolled in the BOCES program. He was a communicant of St. Mary’s of the Lake Roman Catholic Church.
    For most of his life, Chris worked with his father, helping with landscaping projects. He also had a talent for fixing small engines. Chris especially liked repairing lawnmowers and took great pride in his work.
    Chris liked to be independent, despite his disabilities. He enjoyed dining out for a good meal, and an even better cup of coffee. He also loved watching the History Channel, especially his favorite programs, Pawn Stars and American Pickers.
Chris had a great love for animals. He cared very much for the pets he and his family had over the years, but was especially fond of his cat, Contiko. Chris also loved traveling with his family. His favorite places to visit were Cape Cod and Florida, and locally, Cayuga Lake. Most of all, he loved just spending time with his family.
    Chris was predeceased by his parents, Donald and Cleolee Paradise, and his grandparents, Cosmo and Rose Paradiso and Carl and Eleanor Rowe. He was also predeceased by several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
    Chris is survived by his loving family – his sister, Dawn M. Schaeffer, his sister and brother-in-law, Toni L. and Craig R. Anderson, his niece, Nicole E. Schaeffer, his nephew and godson, Eric M. Schaeffer, and several cousins.
    A funeral mass will be offered Tuesday, February 22nd, at 10am at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church. Calling hours will be held Monday, February 21st, from 4 to 7pm at the Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles.
    In memory of Christopher, contributions may be sent to SAVES or the SPCA.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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David L. Piper

2/10/2022

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    David L. Piper, 79, of Skaneateles died Thursday, February 10th, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, NY. David was born May 20, 1942, in Auburn, ME, to Maynard and Alice Piper. A 1964 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, David went on to complete the GE Advanced Course in Engineering and worked for over 40 years as a systems engineer for General Electric and Lockheed Martin.
    David married Kathleen Lynch of Lockport, NY on August 1, 1970 and they were blessed with three children.
As a child, David cherished his summers in Belfast, ME and forever loved to be surrounded by family – especially his nine grandchildren – and friends. He was a Skaneateles Rotarian, an avid reader, and loved the Boston Red Sox.
    David is survived by his brother, Kenneth Piper, of Berea, Ky.; his wife, Kathleen; his daughter, Jill (Gary), of Skaneateles; his two sons, Brian (Elizabeth), of West Chester, Pa. and Michael (Dawn) of Kensington, Md.; and 9 grandchildren.
    Family and friends are welcome to attend calling hours at Robert D. Funeral Home, Skaneateles from 4 to 7pm on Wednesday, February 16th. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church in Skaneateles on Thursday, February 17th at 10am. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Skaneateles.
    In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (michaeljfox.org) or the Skaneateles Rotary (skaneatelesrotary.com/donate).
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Thomas "Tom" Michael Jankowski

2/10/2022

12 Comments

    Thomas "Tom" Michael Jankowski departed peacefully on February 10, 2022, with his wife, Joanna and two daughters by his side. Tom was born on May 17, 1951, to Alma J. Godfrey and Joseph V. Jankowski. He was raised in Hart Lot, New York by his father, his grandmother, Aniela Kaniewski (d. 1981), and his grandfather, Valentine J. Jankowski (d. 1962). Tom graduated from Jordan Elbridge High School in 1969 and spent 32 years working at New Venture Gear where he mastered his mechanical skills as an automobile assembly operator, played in softball and bowling leagues, and made life-long friendships. When he retired in 2002, after 32 years of service, he was able to focus his time and energy on the things he loved most; cars, music, food and traveling the world with his wife, Joanna
    It’s hard to find anyone that loved tinkering with cars more than Tom. He had a known affinity—and a knack—for finding a beat-up old classic car and restoring it to ‘like new.’ He was extremely loyal to the American auto industry (and part of U.A.W. for 32 years) and loved restoring the greatest American classic cars. He and his wife, Joanna spent much of their free time traveling to car shows in the Northeast. Tom could name the year, make and model of almost any American car. He was also so skilled at restoration that he could call out a car that had been rebuilt within just a few seconds. His cars were his pride and joy.
    One of Tom’s greatest talents was his music. He loved to make people smile when he played his guitar. Tom taught himself the guitar when he was 12 years old. He played all his classic-rock favorites with a well-established band in Central New York, The Flipside Band. He loved watching everyone enjoy his music. He was happy if the crowds were dancing and asking for ‘one more song.’ The Flipside Band played at resorts, parks, campgrounds, bars, golf courses, taverns, wineries, beach clubs, charity events, The American Legion, and also The Great New York State Fair (Chevy Court), to name a few. Many will miss Flipside’s events.
    When you spent time with Tom, you were likely eating a good meal or talking about a great meal that you just had. Many did not know, but Tom was actually an ice cream aficionado. Good food was an important part of every conversation, and discussions about food typically turned into reviews of restaurants to try or intrigued him for a new at-home recipe. A great supper brought him so much joy—at 4 p.m., so that he had enough time throughout the evening for all his other favorite snacks. He was always on the hunt for ‘the best,’ … the best steak, the best sandwich, the best ice cream, the best burger, the best seafood, the best steamed clams, etc. Tom’s routine was also very predictable with the foods he loved so much. For example, he had poached eggs and toast for breakfast almost every day of his life (for 70+ years), and he ended almost every single night of his life with a few scoops of ice cream right before bed. It was a good day if he fit in all his favorite foods.
After Tom retired, he spent years traveling and discovering the world with his wife Joanna. Together, they visited 27 countries, took 11 cruises, and visited many states within the U.S. Their adventures were sparked by their curiosity in discovering the world, people, foods and different cultures.
    Tom is preceded in death by his mother, Alma J. (Godfrey) Greenwald (d. 2019), his father, Joseph V. Jankowski (d. 1995), his sister, Rita Leubner (d. 2018) and his son, Michael T. Jankowski (d. 2005).
Tom is survived by his wife, Joanna Jankowski, two daughters, Shawn Jankowski and Carrie Jankowski (Christopher) McNish, their mother, Debra LeRoy-Elliott, three grandchildren, Tony Hodges, Brittany Bethea and Reilly McNish, his brother, Donald Jankowski, and brother and sister John and Susan Greenwald, and many nieces and nephews.
        Calling Hours will be held on Monday, February 14th from 4 to 7 pm at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles. Church Service will be held on Tuesday, February 15th at St. Mary’s of the Lake at 10am. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Skaneateles.

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Robert J. Simmons

2/8/2022

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Robert J. Simmons, 91, of Skaneateles, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. Robert was born on November 1, 1930 in Parish, NY and resided in Skaneateles for most of his adult life.
He served as a corporal in the Army of Occupation in Japan in 1948 and was discharged in 1950, subsequently serving in the Army Reserves until 1960, when he was discharged as a Second Lieutenant.
Following his military service, Robert attended State University of New York at Oswego, graduating in 1956. He then attended Syracuse University nights to study the Russian language. In 1960, he was one of 25 students nationally selected for a full scholarship to participate in a Russian language program at Indiana University. During this period, Robert traveled to the Soviet Union for 6 weeks as a member of this program to expand his expertise in Russian.
After earning his Masters degree at Indiana University, Robert taught Russian at the Marcellus Central School District. In 1966, he was offered a position as a medical training program writer at Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse. He left Bristol Labs in 1973 and founded his own company, Ximed Research, Inc., which created pharmaceutical sales training programs, specializing in oncology. Robert retired in 1995 and enjoyed traveling, boating on Skaneateles Lake, gardening, playing piano and studying history. He was an avid reader, with a particular fascination with world history and the life of Winston Churchill.
Robert is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Lillian; his four sons Mark (Sheryl) of Boca Raton, FL, Gregory (Maria) of Skaneateles, NY, Christopher (Daniella) of Owasco, NY, and James (Kristen) of Skaneateles, NY; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Services are Private.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Matthew House, Inc. 43 Metcalf Drive Auburn NY 13021.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Joseph E. Batlle

2/8/2022

4 Comments

    Joseph E. Batlle, 76, after a two-year fight with glioblastoma, went to see The Lord on February 8, 2022, at his home in Sarasota, Florida.
    He is survived by his sons Joseph D. Batlle, Michael F. Batlle, grandchildren Colby and Bristol, and his caregiver Brenda Sue Batlle. Mr. Batlle is also survived by siblings Jorge (Beth) Batlle, Judith Farrell, James E. Batlle, Jane (Joe) DeMeis.
    Mr. Batlle was a graduate of the Skaneateles Central School Class of 1964, with a Regents Scholarship that enabled him to attend The Rochester Institute of Technology where he learned his trade in printing and graphic arts. Mr. Batlle enjoyed reading and travel. He lived many years in Colorado, then moved to Florida.
    Interment in Lake View Cemetery, Skaneateles, NY in the Spring. To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Charles L. Coleman, Sr.

2/7/2022

12 Comments

    Charles L. Coleman SR. 78 of Skaneateles NY passed away February 7th 2022 in his home surrounded by his loved ones. Born to Margaret McIntyre and William Coleman July 24, 1943 in Marcellus and later moved to Skaneateles where he resided for over 60 years. He built a life with his wife of 35 years Joan Coleman who passed June 7, 2000, she was the love of his life. Pre-deceased by a brother Robert Coleman, and two sisters Beverly Morrill and Ruth Hartch. During his life Charlie worked in construction and roofing, building a lifelong business into a success for his two sons. In 1996, Charlie and his wife Joan opened Bearwood bait and tackle which he continued to operate thru out the rest of his years, he loved the shop and it was an essential part of his life. Charlie was an avid sportsman who traveled though out Canada, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire on fishing and hunting adventures. He loved hunting turkey and deer. In the winter months you could find him ice fishing or skinning and processing deer in his garage.
        He was considered the trout whisper around here, most importantly he loved the ocean his passions led him to peruse deep sea fishing, he was always in a planning stage for the next trip. Charlie got cancer about 8 years ago, but it didn’t slow him down, he survived it and kept doing things he loved with Rose by his side every step of the way. Last summer Charlie mowed lawns for Owasco Country Club, he tried to keep busy, always taking on projects and helping others fix things.
Surviving are his life partner and best bud of 22 years, Rose Thompson of Skaneateles. two sons- Charlie Coleman Jr (Annette) of South Carolina, Christopher Coleman (Brandy) of Moravia, surviving siblings Joe Coleman of Weedsport, Edward Coleman of Port Byron, Harold Coleman of Port Byron and his sister Mary Norman of Arizona. Charlie had three Grandchildren Bethany, Kellie and Katie, who he loved beyond words, in addition he had great grandchildren and also, many nieces and nephews to whom he loved dearly. Charlie had many friends due to the bait shop and his love for fishing and hunting.
    There will be a Celebration of Life/Fishing derby February 26, 2022 at 3 pm located at Sunset Ridge Golf course. You can sign up for the derby at Bearwood bait and Tackle, other places soon to be determined. For more information contact Bearwood on Facebook. There will also be services in July in New Hampshire and August in Jordan NY.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Charles W. Paddock

2/3/2022

13 Comments

Charles W. Paddock, 72, of Skaneateles passed away February 3, 2022 at Crouse Hospital surrounded by his family.

Charlie was born in New Berlin, NY on May 5, 1949 to Clifford C. Paddock and Camilla M. Werner. He was a 1968 graduate of Fabius Pompey High School. He was employed by P & C Foods for 36 years. Charlie was also an active member of the Mottville Fire Company for 25 years. During those 25 years, 20 of them were spent serving the First District as a Commissioner. He also served as the president of the fire company.

Charlie enjoyed his antique car collection, which led him to join the Oneida Lake Region Car Club where he was also the treasurer for 20 years of the Car Club Coalition.

He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce, of 42 years; his two sons, Michael S. Paddock (Heather) and Matthew C. Paddock; four grandchildren, Tyler, Olivia, Hayden and Taylor along with four sisters.

Services are private. There will be a graveside service on Saturday, May 7th at the Mottville Cemetery with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Mottville Fire Company in Charlie's name.

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