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Andrew "AO" McKenna Odlum

10/30/2019

Andrew “AO” McKenna Odlum, 32, of Skaneateles, NY died October 30, 2019, at 11:30 am surrounded by his loving family. He was born on March 17, 1987, in Hartford, CT, the son and youngest child of Mike and Pam Odlum. He passed peacefully at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York due to complications related to unknown liver illness.
Andrew will be forever remembered by his parents Pam and Mike Odlum; sister Katherine Odlum [Loren Moye]; sister Emily Andrews [Kevin]; extended family; and numerous loyal friends from Skaneateles, Maryland, Philadelphia, and Connecticut.
Andrew spent most of his childhood in Philadelphia and lived in Skaneateles since 2005. He graduated from Cayuga Community College in 2010. Andrew was multi-talented and artistic. He channeled his artistic talents in his work as a glassblower at Cicada Glassworks of Skaneateles since 2009. He enjoyed live music and how it brought people together in a beautiful way. His friends have many joyous memories of attending music festivals with him, such as moe.down at Snow Ridge. He was a huge fan of Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Flyers, and spent cherished time playing video games with friends. During the summers he would captain the family boat and especially enjoyed taking loved ones to visit the South End, Staghorn Cliffs, and The Cove.
He was known for his kindness, warmth, exuberant love, and larger-than-life personality. His loved ones will miss his incredible hugs, story-telling abilities, and way of living life to the fullest every day.
A celebration of Andrew’s life will be held this upcoming summer on Skaneateles Lake.
Please share your best memories, favorite stories and adventures with Andrew via https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewodlum.
Donations in memory of Andrew can be made to Skaneateles Lake Association, Inc, P.O. Box 862 Skaneateles, NY 13152, skaneateleslake.org.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Joanne T. Paul

10/23/2019

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Joanne T. Paul, 88, passed away peacefully at home on October 23rd after a short illness. Born and raised in Port Chester, New York, she attended Potsdam University to study music and teaching. In 1952, Joanne met and married Robert E. Paul of Skaneateles. In her long and varied life, she worked as an elementary school teacher, real estate agent, a well-known antique dealer and an assistant at the Skaneateles Library for many years.
As a retirement project, she and her husband purchased and operated the Divot Hill Golf Driving Range east of the Village of Skaneateles.
Joanne was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Robert E. Paul; and is survived by her four children: Candace and Jeffrey (both of Homer) and Robert A. and Suzanne of Skaneateles and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Skaneateles Library Association.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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John "Jack" G. Butler, Jr.

10/19/2019

34 Comments

John “Jack” G. Butler, Jr., 77, of Skaneateles passed away on October 19th at Francis House surrounded by his family. A loving husband, adoring father, and kind-hearted Irishman, he was born on February 20, 1942 in Syracuse, the eldest child of the late John G. Butler and Jane Burns Butler. John was a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving in Aviano, Italy. He was a 1965 graduate of Simmons School of Mortuary Science, a licensed funeral director, and a retired sergeant from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, having served the department for over 30 years.
John was a gregarious, kind, and generous man who loved people and could strike up a conversation with a stranger in a matter of minutes. His life’s motto, a poem borrowed from the Girl Scouts, was “Make new friends, but keep the old, for one is silver and the other gold.” He aimed to bring a smile to anyone who crossed his path because he always said, “you never know what kind of day someone is having”. Whether he was giving out candy bars to the veterans, adorning the graves of family, friends and colleagues to keep their memory alive, or helping a friend through hard times, he touched the lives of so many. A true gentleman, and an Irishman to the core, John treasured the moments when he could share a smile and a story with all those whom he had the good fortune to meet.
Proud of his heritage, he was a devoted member of the Cavalry Club and served on the Troop D Veterans Board of Directors for many years. He also served as a member and former President of the Deputy Sheriff’s Benevolent Association. He was an active member and past president of the Central New York Funeral Directors Association, a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Irish Cultural Society of Central New York, American Legion Post #239 Skaneateles, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, New York Guard, Ancient Order of Hibernians, a 40-year member of the Masonic Lodge No. 501 Liverpool, a life member of the Tigris Shrine, Central City Commandery, Central City Riverside Royal Arch Masons, 32nd degree Scottish Rite Valley of Syracuse, Central City Cryptic Council, Masonic War Veterans, Skaneateles Masonic Lodge #522, and the Skaneateles Rod & Gun Club.

John will be greatly missed and is survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara (Comstock); three children, Stacy Drake (Dale), John G. Butler, III (Christa), and Jennifer Grippa (Chris); five grandchildren, Michael, Patrick, Hannah Jane, Chase, and Carson; three step grandchildren, Alex, Matthew, and Christopher; his sister Anna Janet Maloney-Brobst (Bernie) of Florida; his brothers Anders Butler (Deborah) of Syracuse, J. Langley Butler (Eileen) of Virginia, William Butler of Massachusetts; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 25th from 4 to 8pm at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles, with a Masonic Service at 7:45pm. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church, Skaneateles on Saturday, October 26th at 10:00am with a private burial to follow at Lakeview Cemetery. Following the services at 1:00pm, family and friends will gather at John’s favorite spot, the Cavalry Club, Troop K Road, Manlius to toast to his life and honor his memory. In lieu of flowers, contributions in John’s name can be made to Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave., Syracuse, NY 13208 or SAVES Ambulance of Skaneateles, or any of the organizations that John loved and supported.
The family would like to thank the talented and caring physicians and nurses at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, all of whom worked hard to care for John and prolong his life, and to the caregivers and volunteers at Francis House who gave him the very best last days of a full and rich life.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

34 Comments

William D. Wilkinson

10/17/2019

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William D. Wilkinson, “Grandpa to Many”, 89 of Liverpool passed away on October 17th. He was predeceased by his wife of 59 years Barbara. He’s survived by his daughter Debora (Tim) Ganey, 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus and an avid fan of SU sports. There will be a public celebration of life at a later time and date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Knights of Columbus Council #9042, PO Box 255, Elbridge, NY 13060.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Edwin S. Tokarz

10/13/2019

42 Comments

Edwin S. Tokarz, 65 of Skaneateles passed away at home on Sunday, October 13th. Edwin was full of life, loved helping out everyone. He loved riding his bike, working with his hands building things, collecting bottles and cans, and in is free time drawing. Edwin is predeceased by his Father Lewis and brother Michael. Survived by his mother Alice Lader Tokarz, and 6 sisters Suzanne of Syracuse, Linda of Central Square, Diane of Syracuse, Donna of Kirkville, Maria of Auburn and Melina of Skaneateles. Several nieces and nephews. Services are private. Edwin will be buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Skaneateles, NY.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

42 Comments

Flora Cheney Dries

10/11/2019

43 Comments

Flora Cheney Dries, 98, of Auburn, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 11th at Matthew House in the comfort of her family.
Flora was born in Auburn, daughter of the late Clarence L. Cheney and Dorothey J. Carpenter Cheney.
Flora enjoyed spending time with family and friends and cherished every moment. Ted and Flora had many interests including motorcycling & snowmobiling. The camp they shared with close friends, Harold and Betty Delan, in the Adirondacks was one of their favorite vacation spots.
Flora was predeceased by her husband Theodore; 3 brothers and 3 sisters - Clarence Cheney, Theodore Cheney, Bill Cheney, Virginia Cooper and Barbara Tanner.
She is survived by 3 sons, Richard and his wife Carol of Florida, James of Auburn and Gene of Mottville, 7 grandchildren, several great grandchildren and one sister, Nancy Netti of Auburn and several nieces and nephews and special daughter-in-law, Mary Dries.
Funeral service will be held on Friday, October 18th at 11am at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles. Calling hours will be on Thursday from 4 to 7pm at the funeral home. Burial will be private in Owasco Rural Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in memory of Flora to Matthew House of Auburn.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com

43 Comments

Donlinda "Donnie" A. Barron

10/11/2019

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Donlinda “Donnie” A. Barron, 77, of Skaneateles passed away on October 11, 2019 at St Joseph’s hospital after a short illness. Donnie is survived by her daughters Stephanie (David) Bales and Katya (Frederick) Cornelius, a brother DeForest “Dee” (Maura) Barron, her grandchildren, Collin, Abbie, Katie, Casey and Hunter, niece Shailer (Vikas) Vatsa and a nephew, Seamus (Renee) Barron and several great nieces and nephews. Donnie enjoyed gardening and was a lifelong and passionate follower of current events. She loved to learn, always curious to see or experience something new. She enjoyed Traveling and vacationing with her family. They would make a yearly pilgrimage to Chincoteague, Virginia where she enjoyed the beach, crabbing, seeing the wild ponies and exploring. Family was always the most important above all else, and She always did whatever was needed to support her daughters, grandchildren and extended family for which they will always be grateful. Friends can pay their respects and visit the family at calling hours that will be held at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home in Skaneateles on Wednesday from 4pm-7pm. There will be a small service for family and close friends on Thursday at 10am at the Funeral Home. Contributions can be made in her memory to SAVES Ambulance or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. https://secure.cbf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=1502&mfc_pref=T&1502.donation=form1
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Joseph John Lawton, Jr.

10/7/2019

98 Comments

Joseph John Lawton, Jr., 93, died October 7 at the Crouse Community Center in Morrisville. Joe is survived by five children: Joe (Mary Jane Kinney) Lawton of New York City; Jeff (Kathy) Lawton of Croton-on-Hudson; Eileen (Fred) Rogers of Cazenovia; Daniel (Paula Hawkins) Lawton of Falls Church, VA; and Sara (Paul) Recktenwald of Tiburon, CA; and ten grandchildren. A life-long resident of Central New York, he was predeceased by his beloved wife of 58 years, Mary Clarke Lawton; his sister, Monica Lawton; his brother, the Honorable John Lawton; and his parents, Joseph and Monica Lawton. Joe worked for his entire 40-plus-year professional career as an attorney at Syracuse law firm Bond, Schoeneck, and King, specializing in contract and construction law. He was active in the American Subcontractors Association and the New York State Bar. He was a proud alumnus of Most Holy Rosary School, Niagara University, and St. John's University Law School. At the end of World War II, he was deployed to northeastern Italy with the 88th Infantry Division. Prior to retirement, Joe enjoyed gardening, snowmobiling, and golf. In his retirement, he was fond of traveling, taking photos, rooting for the New York Yankees, and chatting over a five o'clock beer. He basked in the company of family and friends throughout his life.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary's of the Lake Church, Skaneateles at 1pm on Saturday, November 2nd. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lourdes Camp at 1150 Ten Mile Point, Skaneateles, NY, 13152.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

98 Comments

Douglas J. Woodruff

10/6/2019

13 Comments

On Sunday, October 6, 2019, Douglas J. Woodruff quietly departed this life at the age of 59, at his home in Mottville, NY. Doug was born December 12, 1959 in Syracuse, NY to Patricia Woodruff and the late John Woodruff and raised in Fabius. At a young age, he found his calling as a Mason. He received his apprenticeship in 1986 to the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 Union and worked in this craft for nearly 30 years. He was awarded for his exceptional quality of work at the Turning Stone Casino, something he was very proud of. He is the father of four sons, Joshua (Nicole), Ryan (Christina), Spencer, and Hunter and the brother of five siblings, Tracey (Jim), Julie (John), Jenny (Albert), Lori (Matt), and Chris (Jennifer).

Doug was born with a drive to work. The same could be said about his father, John and this trait was certainly passed on. Doug viewed his craft as an art, and found joy and accomplishment in every job he completed. Anybody that has taken a drive around Central New York with Doug has certainly seen his work, as he had probably pointed it out, saying something like “See that chimney there? I built that.”. Doug had an affinity for animals, but more specifically, his dogs. Throughout his life, Doug had several canine companions in his life and he cherished each and every one of them. Most of us will remember Ty, a border collie that touched his life beyond any of those before him. Doug and Ty’s spirit were mutually connected, and they are to be buried together, reunited at last.

Doug was a caring and compassionate man. His friends and family will always remember his welcoming smile, his uplifted spirit, and his desire to please. He was always there to help out a friend with any task. He was the kind of man that could lift your spirits and make problems in your life feel smaller, just by being close to him or talking to him. His life will forever be cherished, and he lives on through his four sons, grandchildren, family, and friends.
Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 11th from 4pm to 7pm at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles. A graveside service will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Clear Path for Veterans, in support of their Canine Program.
When sending donations, please write Douglas Woodruff in the memo. Donation envelopes will be made available at the funeral home. If you would like to donate online, please refer to the following link: https://clearpath4vets.networkforgood.com/projects/62522-supporting-the-journey-home . Please ensure that you select Dogs2Vets for where to "apply donation to" and write Douglas Woodruff in the donor scroll.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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Erma Paddock Beckley Dorosh

10/3/2019

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Erma Paddock Beckley Dorosh, 101, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, October 3rd, at Syracuse Homes Nursing Home in Baldwinsville, NY. She was born in Richland and she worked many years at the Metropolitan Water Board in Clay. Erma was a lifelong Yankees fan and she would not miss any of Tiger Woods golf matches. She is survived by two sons, Jerry Beckley of Cicero, Richard Beckley of Baldwinsville, and two daughters, Joyce L. Roberts of Phoenix, and Carole Clark of Phoenix, and one brother Kenneth Paddock of Cazenovia.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 19th at 10am at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, DeRuyter at 1pm.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

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