Paul J. Schmoyer, 90, retired contractor, veteran

July 8, 2014, 5:12 pm

≫ Next: William T. Grady, 92, retired Buffalo police officer

≪ Previous: John C. Courtin, executive director of Darwin Martin House Restoration Corp.

May 2, 1924 – July 7, 2014

Paul J. Schmoyer, a retired contractor from both Youngstown and Fort Myers, Fla., died Monday in Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, Lewiston. He was 90.

Born in Weehawken, N.J., Mr. Schmoyer was a World War II veteran who served in the Army Air Forces as a radar mechanic and was stationed in the Asian-Pacific Theater.

Shortly after his discharge from the military, Mr. Schmoyer founded Schmoyer Co. in Youngstown.

As a contractor, he built Willow Beach RV Campground in Youngstown, as well as the Townhouses of Youngstown.

He also was instrumental in the design and construction of the Cannon Design Building on Grand Island, Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Lewiston and two other churches in Niagara Falls. He retired last year.

Mr. Schmoyer was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church and was a charter member of the Lewiston Kiwanis Club. He also had been a member of Frontier Country Club.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, the former Betty J. Swift; two sons, Jeffrey and Stephen; a daughter, Kyle Sachs; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. July 25 in Messiah Lutheran Church, 915 Oneida St., Lewiston.

↧

William T. Grady, 92, retired Buffalo police officer

July 8, 2014, 6:03 pm

≫ Next: Joseph R. Stillwell, 96, retired UB vice president

≪ Previous: Paul J. Schmoyer, 90, retired contractor, veteran

Jan. 17, 1922 – July 6, 2014

William Thomas Grady, of East Aurora, a retired Buffalo police officer, died Sunday in Hospice Buffalo, Cheektowaga. He was 92.

Born in Cleveland, he attended Kensington High School before he enlisted in the Navy in 1940.

He served in the Pacific during World War II aboard the USS Saratoga and the USS Barataria.

Returning to Buffalo, he earned his diploma at Vets High School, worked as an electrician and at Bell Aerospace.

Mr. Grady began a 30-year career with the Buffalo Police Department in 1952 and was assigned to Precincts 6, 7, 8 and 12.

He and his partner, Jimmy Gates, received a commendation for bravery for capturing a suspect in a chase.

In retirement, he lived for 28 years in the Tampa, Fla., area.

He returned to Western New York last year.

A devout Catholic, he attended Mass daily for many years.

His wife of 65 years, Helen Crotty Grady, died Nov. 29.

Survivors include three daughters, Susan Moore, M. Norine Schlau and Karen Krempholtz; a son, William Jr.; two brothers, Dana and Thomas; 16 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:15 a.m. today in Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Ridge Road and South Park Avenue, Lackawanna.

↧

Joseph R. Stillwell, 96, retired UB vice president

July 9, 2014, 2:24 pm

≫ Next: Christine M. Wolcott, former VA registered nurse

≪ Previous: William T. Grady, 92, retired Buffalo police officer

July 26, 1917 – July 5, 2014

Joseph R. Stillwell, of Amherst, retired vice president of student affairs at the University at Buffalo, died Saturday in the Rosa Coplon Home, Getzville. He was 96.

Born in Buffalo, he attended St. Teresa’s School and was a 1935 graduate of South Park High School.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Canisius College in 1939.

Mr. Stillwell worked at National Aniline Co. and American Brass as a young man and enlisted in the Navy in 1942. Trained as a pilot, he flew dive bombers on patrol of the Atlantic to protect against German submarines.

Returning from service, he worked for the Veterans Administration while earning his master’s degree in education from Canisius College.

He served as director of admissions at Canisius College and in 1966 became director of financial aid at UB.

A longtime South Buffalo resident, he moved to Williamsville in the mid-1980s after he retired. He was a member of St. Martin Catholic Church in South Buffalo and St. Gregory the Great Church in Amherst.

A baseball player in his youth, he later enjoyed swimming, cross-country skiing, walking and reading.

His wife of 52 years, Mary Jane McCarthy Stillwell, died in 1998.

Survivors include two sons, James and David; two daughters, Maura and Julia Lefler; 15 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

A memorial Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. July 26 in St. Teresa Catholic Church, 1974 Seneca St.

↧

Christine M. Wolcott, former VA registered nurse

July 10, 2014, 3:06 pm

≫ Next: Edward Pitts, financial consultant, tax accountant

≪ Previous: Joseph R. Stillwell, 96, retired UB vice president

Nov. 6, 1946 – July 8, 2014

Christine M. Wolcott, of West Seneca, a registered nurse, died Tuesday in Buffalo General Medical Center after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 67.

Born Christine Korpanty in Buffalo, she attended Resurrection School and graduated from Villa Maria High School.

Mrs. Wolcott earned an associate degree in nursing from Trocaire College in 1975 and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from D’Youville College in 1977.

In 1975, she began to work as a registered nurse at then-Veterans Administration Medical Center and retired in 1980 to raise her son.

The daughter of Matt Korpanty, former director and announcer for Polonia Varieties on WHLD Radio from 1940 to 1980, she was a Polish debutante for St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Survivors include her husband of 39 years, Richard D.; a son, Matthew; a sister, Linda Jacobson; and a grandson.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 2950 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park.

↧

Edward Pitts, financial consultant, tax accountant

July 10, 2014, 3:08 pm

≫ Next: Joseph V. Nicosia, 97, bricklayer, stonemason

≪ Previous: Christine M. Wolcott, former VA registered nurse

Oct. 24, 1931 – July 6, 2014

Edward Pitts, longtime Buffalo resident and financial consultant, died Sunday in Veterans Affairs Medical Center after a long illness. He was 82.

Born in Greenwood, S.C., Mr. Pitts showed commitment to education at an early age, receiving an award for perfect attendance for his 12 years of schooling. He was a honor student and cross country runner at Hutchinson-Central High School. After graduation in 1949, he enlisted in the in Army, serving as a drill sergeant and sharpshooter from 1952 to 1954. After the military, he studied at Buffalo State College.

An income tax accountant and financial consultant, he started his business, Edward Pitts Tax Service, in the late 1950s, operating it for 50 years. In 1968, he started to work for New York Telephone/Verizon as a salesman and later held management positions. In 1994, he was promoted to a senior account executive in business marketing. He retired in 2002.

Survivors include his former wife of 20 years, Beverly J. Walker; two sons, Edward L. “Monty” and Gregory S.; a brother, Eugene; a sister, Martha Workman; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His funeral will be at noon Saturday in Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, 965 Delaware Ave.

↧

Joseph V. Nicosia, 97, bricklayer, stonemason

July 10, 2014, 6:01 pm

≫ Next: Mario J. Rossetti, retired state court justice

≪ Previous: Edward Pitts, financial consultant, tax accountant

March 26, 1917 – July 7, 2014

Joseph V. Nicosia, of Orchard Park, a bricklayer and stonemason, died Monday in Absolut Care of Orchard Park after a short illness. He was 97.

Born in Buffalo, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 and was assigned as a lumberjack near Seattle.

He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II as a mechanic for airplanes flying “the Hump” spanning India, Burma and China.

Returning from service, he began a 33-year career as a bricklayer and stonemason, retiring in 1979. He was a life member of Bricklayers Local 3.

Mr. Nicosia was a life member of Orchard Park Post 6247, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a member of Orchard Park Post 567, American Legion. He also was a past member of the Romulus Club.

His wife of 59 years, Mary LoCurto Nicosia, died in 2005.

Survivors include a son, Steven; a daughter, Kathleen Pares; three sisters, Madelyn Russell, Edith MacFarland and Antoinette “Pat” Kwiatkowski; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church, 26 Thorn Ave., Orchard Park.

↧

Mario J. Rossetti, retired state court justice

July 10, 2014, 6:36 pm

≫ Next: Dorothy S. Schaus, telephone company supervisor

≪ Previous: Joseph V. Nicosia, 97, bricklayer, stonemason

Oct. 23, 1935 – July 8, 2014

Mario J. Rossetti, a retired justice of State Supreme Court who was assigned as a judge of the state Court of Claims for about 19 years, died Tuesday in his home in Williamsville. He was 78.

A native of Worcester, Mass., Mr. Rossetti attended Buffalo School 3 and Grover Cleveland High School. He received his bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Buffalo.

Mr. Rossetti was a parishioner at Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church on Buffalo’s West Side and served as a lay minister and co-chairman of the Parish Council at St. Gregory the Great Church in the 1980s.

He was an active member in the Justinian Legal Society, Romulus and Rotary clubs, Catholic Charities and countless other public endeavors. He also served on the Erie County Library Board and the Diocesan Review Board.

Along with a successful law practice in the firm of Pierino and Rossetti, he served as confidential law secretary for two Erie County surrogates. In 1987, he was appointed to the Court of Claims, where he served until his retirement in 2006.

In his retirement, he was Of Counsel to the law firm Stamm and Stamm.

Mr. Rossetti’s wife, the former Helen Pacini, predeceased him.

Survivors include three sons, Michael, Thomas and David; three daughters, Ann Marie, Barbara Thompson and Renee Prisaznuk; a brother, Victor; and 10 grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9 a.m. Saturday in St. Gregory the Great Church, 200 St. Gregory Court at Maple Road, Amherst.

↧

Dorothy S. Schaus, telephone company supervisor

July 11, 2014, 2:50 pm

≫ Next: Rosetta Menifee, devoted county AIDS educator

≪ Previous: Mario J. Rossetti, retired state court justice

Sept. 23, 1925 – July 1, 2014

Dorothy S. Schaus, of Williamsville, a retired telephone company supervisor, died July 1 in Beechwood Continuing Care, Getzville, where she had been a resident for three years. She was 88.

Born Dorothy Steven in Cincinnati, the daughter of Scottish immigrants, she moved to Buffalo in 1932, attended Bennett High School and was a 1943 graduate of Kenmore High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami University in Ohio in 1947.

Mrs. Schaus worked as a supervisor in the Personnel Department of New York Telephone for 37 years, retiring in the early 1980s.

She was a past president of the Telephone Pioneers of America, a past president of the Seton Guild of Sheehan Memorial Hospital and a past president and board member of the Twentieth Century Club. She was a former member of the Women’s Board at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and was honored for more than 7,000 hours as a volunteer. She was a past president of the Buffalo Interclub Bowling League and a past president of the Wednesday Women’s Golf League at Audubon Golf Course.

She was a former member of Brookfield Country Club and a member of the Buffalo Canoe Club, where she was chairwoman of the scorekeepers, couples’ bowling, women’s bowling and women’s bridge.

A Kenmore resident for many years, she moved to Williamsville in the 1980s.

Her husband of 42 years, Francis, died in 1992.

Survivors include two sisters, Janet Rutherford and Murial Meny.

A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in the Chapel of the Elms at Elmlawn Cemetery, 3939 Delaware Ave., Town of Tonawanda.

↧

Rosetta Menifee, devoted county AIDS educator

July 11, 2014, 3:26 pm

≫ Next: Area Deaths

≪ Previous: Dorothy S. Schaus, telephone company supervisor

March 22, 1958 – June 11, 2014

Rosetta Menifee, of Buffalo, who helped others with drug addiction and HIV after she overcame her own drug habit, died June 11 in Hospice Buffalo, Cheektowaga, after a short illness. She was 56.

Born Rosetta Brunner in Red Bank, N.J., she came to Buffalo from New York City in the mid-1980s.

Addicted to heroin in her early 20s, she decided to turn her life around after she was diagnosed with HIV.

About 10 years ago, she entered Erie Community College on the College to Church program, became a dean’s list student and earned an associate’s degree in science.

She began her professional career in 1999 with the American Red Cross Women’s HIV Initiative as an HIV peer educator. She became an HIV training assistant in the Erie County Health Department’s HIV Education Program in 2003, supervised HIV peer educators and worked there until her death.

She served on the Statewide AIDS Service Delivery Consortium, the New York State Prevention Planning Group, the board of directors of the AIDS Network of WNY and the AIDS Alliance of WNY, the New York State People Living With AIDS Training Institute and the New York State HIV Quality Consumer Group.

She received numerous awards, including the AIDS Network Red Ribbon Award for Distinguished Service, the Courage to Come Back Award, the Erie County Honor Roll Award and the Found Woman Award. She also worked as a volunteer to promote knowledge about sexual health. A former member of the Buffalo Prostitution Task Force, she was one of the founders of the Buffalo John School, which educated men arrested for soliciting prostitutes, and talked tough to them about the dangers of AIDS.

Asked to provide counseling to johns and young women in prostitution by the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, she assisted in the program until May and flew to New York City monthly.

She also ran an AIDS ministry with her mother, the Rev. Clara Gillies, an Episcopal deacon, who died May 26.

Survivors include a brother, Steven Brunner, and three sisters, Judy Martisek, Virginia DeCicco and Katie Ball.

A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. July 20 in the Delaware Park Casino, 199 Lincoln Parkway.

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Area Deaths

July 11, 2014, 3:38 pm

≫ Next: Angela Y. Hightower, stay-at-home mother survived innovative surgery in 2008

≪ Previous: Rosetta Menifee, devoted county AIDS educator

Adelina Colosimo, 86, of Tonawanda, worked briefly at M. Wile and Co., died July 8.

Jane Gosden, 94, of the Town of Tonawanda, former sales clerk at AM&A’s in Amherst, died July 6.

Robert Allen Moody, 70, Army veteran, retired welder from Ironworkers Local 6, died July 3.

Henry B. Robins, 31, of Buffalo, died July 7.

↧

Angela Y. Hightower, stay-at-home mother survived innovative surgery in 2008

July 11, 2014, 5:41 pm

≫ Next: Mattie M. Thompson, 93, pianist and church organist

≪ Previous: Area Deaths

Nov. 9, 1965 – June 27, 2014

Angela Y. Hightower, a mother and homemaker who survived pioneering kidney surgery in 2008, died June 27 in Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. She was 48.

Ms. Hightower was born in Buffalo and graduated from South Park High School in 1984. She became a certified nursing assistant upon graduation and held the job until 1997. The single mother raised seven children, and family members said she was caring, compassionate and patient, and put others before herself.

In 1997, when she was pregnant with twins, Ms. Hightower was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease at Erie County Medical Center.

Scheduled to undergo a kidney transplant, she received a bad blood transfusion that canceled the operation.

Forced to undergo dialysis for several years, she experienced blockage in nearly all major arteries – making a second attempt at a transplant unlikely.

But in 2008, she was accepted into the Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center, and on July 8 of that year, Dr. Robert Montgomery performed a lifesaving surgery that rearranged Ms. Hightower’s organs to accommodate a new kidney that was attached to her liver.

The surgery was the first of its kind and considered a success. Ms. Hightower remained healthy until forced to return to dialysis in 2013.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Monday in True Bethel Baptist Church, 907 E. Ferry St.

↧

Mattie M. Thompson, 93, pianist and church organist

July 11, 2014, 5:50 pm

≫ Next: Robert Allen Moody, Army veteran and retired welder

≪ Previous: Angela Y. Hightower, stay-at-home mother survived innovative surgery in 2008

July 2, 1921 - July 8, 2014

Mattie M. Thompson, a lifelong resident of Buffalo and church organist, died Tuesday under hospice care in Buffalo General Medical Center, six days after her 93rd birthday.

The former Mattie M. Lewis attended School 75 and graduated from Fosdick-Masten Park High School in 1940. Later in life, she learned basic office skills.

Mrs. Thompson played piano and was the organist for St. Paul’s AME Zion Church. She also played organ at other churches.

She excelled in direct sales, achieving top-seller levels for Sarah Coventry jewelry in-home sales of more than $70,000 in less than a decade. She also was a 20-year board member at Erie County Medical Center and served as vice president.

Mrs. Thompson was proud of the accomplishments of her daughters, including a national magazine editor, State Police officer and director of a health care program.

As a skilled cook, her lemon meringue pie and homemade soups were specialties at church bake sales.

Her husband of 66 years, Albert J. Jr., died in 2012.

Survivors include three daughters, Edmonia Watkins, Pamela Sharpe and Yvonne Askew; a sister, Sarah Lewis; a brother, Robert Lewis; three grandsons; and six great-grandchildren.

Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday in St. Paul’s AME Zion Church, 610 E. Eagle St.

↧

Robert Allen Moody, Army veteran and retired welder

July 11, 2014, 5:51 pm

≫ Next: Bruce Hoffman, Army veteran, Little League coach

≪ Previous: Mattie M. Thompson, 93, pianist and church organist

July 29, 1943 – July 3, 2014

Robert A. Moody, an Army veteran and retired welder, died July 3 in his Buffalo home. He was 70.

The Buffalo native attended School 75 and Burgard Vocational High School. In 1961, he enlisted in the Army and was part of the 501st Airborne Infantry. He served until 1963.

He then worked as a welder for Ironworkers Local 6 until he retired.

Mr. Moody was described as an excellent storyteller who often joked about “adding yeast” to his stories. An active member of the 82nd Airborne Division Chapter, he enjoyed fishing, reading and music.

Mr. Moody donated his body to the University at Buffalo Anatomical Gift Program.

Survivors include two daughters, Renee D. Sims and Robin L. Moody-Loggans; a son, Jason Reeves; four sisters, Elsie Smith, Bertha Moody, Shirley Davidson and Cheryl Jordan; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

His wife of 48 years, Dorothy Mae Williams Moody, died in May.

There are no services.

↧

Bruce Hoffman, Army veteran, Little League coach

July 12, 2014, 5:24 pm

≫ Next: Richard F. Wiesinger, Calspan retiree, active volunteer

≪ Previous: Robert Allen Moody, Army veteran and retired welder

July 9, 1952 – July 10, 2014

Bruce Hoffman of Lancaster died unexpectedly Thursday from a heart attack at home. He was 62.

Born in Buffalo, he graduated from Frontier High School and earned an associate degree from Erie Community College. He was an Army veteran.

From August 1979 to January 2012, Mr. Hoffman was a supervisor for DRS Technologies in Cheektowaga, the former Sierra Research, founded in 1957 by engineers from Bell Aircraft Corp. DRS supplied integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide.

The company closed in 2013.

A coach for the Lancaster Depew Little League from 1983 to 1995, he also was an avid golfer.

Survivors include his wife of 41 years, the former Ann Hacic; two sons, Joe and Bobby; two daughters, Wendy Januchowski and Betsy; a brother, Paul; and five grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Fellowship Wesleyan Church, 1645 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park.

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Richard F. Wiesinger, Calspan retiree, active volunteer

July 13, 2014, 2:50 pm

≫ Next: Mary S. Frenett, GMAC’s first female claims adjuster

≪ Previous: Bruce Hoffman, Army veteran, Little League coach

Richard F. “Dick” Wiesinger, of Clarence and Saranac Lake, who worked at Calspan Corp. for 40 years and was an active volunteer, died June 9 at his home in Clarence. He was 80.

Mr. Wiesinger was born in Buffalo and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1951 from the University of Buffalo’s school of engineering. He worked in Calspan’s wind tunnel and rose to the rank of technical manager in the Research and Development department.

He married Carole E. Godfrey on Sept. 20, 1958.

He was an active member of the Harris Hill United Methodist Church, where he was a youth leader for 10 years, a 4H leader and also served on the board.

Upon Mr. Wiesinger’s retirement in 1994, he and his wife moved to Saranac Lake, where he joined the First Presbyterian Church and served as an elder and deacon.

In the first two years of his retirement, Mr. Wiesinger designed and built a unique tunnel hull boat. He enjoyed fishing in and hiking around the Saranac chain of lakes. He also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, for the New York Ski Education Foundation ski races and Olympic trials at Whiteface Mountain, at First Night Saranac Lake and as part of his church’s holiday helpers program.

Mr. Wiesinger and his wife traveled extensively, visiting Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Ireland and other European countries. He drove to Alaska three times and toured the lower 48 states.

Besides his wife of 55 years, Mr. Wiesinger is survived by three sons, Keith, Kenneth and Brian; and 10 grandchildren.

↧

Mary S. Frenett, GMAC’s first female claims adjuster

July 13, 2014, 3:40 pm

≫ Next: Phillip L. Tallmadge, glass designer, traveler

≪ Previous: Richard F. Wiesinger, Calspan retiree, active volunteer

Sept. 14, 1926 – July 10, 2014

Mary S. Frenett, a U.S. immigrant in the early 1930s who went on to become the first female claims adjuster at GMAC in Buffalo, died Thursday in Mercy Hospital. She was 87.

Mrs. Frenett had battled a long illness.

Born in Drmeni in the Republic of Macedonia, the former Mary Stevanoff sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with her mother and sister to arrive in the United States in the early 1930s. After the family connected with Mrs. Frenett’s father, Eftin, they settled in Lackawanna and later moved to Blasdell.

Mrs. Frenett, who earned her associate degree in business from Bryant & Stratton College, was the first member of her family to attend college. Her first job came as a sales associate at W.T. Grant’s Department Store in Buffalo.

In the 1950s, she became the first female claims adjuster at GMAC, an auto insurance company.

Mrs. Frenett started working for Frontier Central Schools in the 1970s and became the lunchroom monitor at Blasdell Elementary School. She was also the attendance officer at Frontier High School.

Mrs. Frenett, who was fluent in Macedonian and English, attended annual conventions for the Macedonian Patriotic Organization with her family. She was an excellent ballroom dancer, an accomplished horticulturist and an avid reader. Mrs. Frenett was known to read a book in one day.

She also enjoyed baking, knitting and needlepoint, and conversing with family and friends on politics and current events.

Mrs. Frenett is survived by her husband of 55 years, John Frenett; a son, John E. Frenett; a daughter, Michele Frenett; a brother, Peter Stevanoff; a sister, Rose Danforth; and three grandchildren.

A private service was held in her honor.

↧

Phillip L. Tallmadge, glass designer, traveler

July 13, 2014, 4:59 pm

≫ Next: Sam Maislin, veteran defense attorney and former Amherst justice

≪ Previous: Mary S. Frenett, GMAC’s first female claims adjuster

Dec. 28, 1993 – July 6, 2014

Phillip L. Tallmadge, a recent graduate of North Tonawanda High School, died July 6 at his home under the care of Niagara Hospice. He was 20.

Mr. Tallmadge had battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma since March 2013.

He had been an apprentice glass designer and traveler, making voyages such as a swamp-walking adventure in the Everglades and a summer road trip to Oregon.

At the time he was diagnosed, he had been learning to be a drywall hanger at Gypsum Systems in Elma. During a brief remission in the fall of 2013, Mr. Tallmadge enrolled at Niagara County Community College and studied audio engineering.

Mr. Tallmadge, a native of Buffalo, is survived by his parents, William R. and Susan Tallmadge; a brother, Bryan; a sister, Camara; and his grandmother, Albina Sukiennikof.

A remembrance and celebration service in Mr. Tallmadge’s honor was held Sunday.

↧

Sam Maislin, veteran defense attorney and former Amherst justice

July 13, 2014, 5:10 pm

≫ Next: William L. Bleyle, retired Buffalo News printer

≪ Previous: Phillip L. Tallmadge, glass designer, traveler

Nov. 26, 1945 – July 12, 2014

Sam Maislin, a veteran defense lawyer whose ubiquitous advertisements touted his expertise in drinking-and-driving cases, died Saturday in his Amherst home. The former Amherst town justice was 68.

A Montreal native, Mr. Maislin moved with his family to the Buffalo area at age 12.

He graduated from Bennett High School and the University at Buffalo, where he was a philosophy major. He later earned his law degree from the Chase College of Law, now part of Northern Kentucky University.

During law school, Mr. Maislin worked as an investigator for the State of Ohio. He returned to this area in 1973 and took a job as an Erie County assistant district attorney. In 1975, he joined the law firm that became Leader, Maislin & Gaffney, where he practiced law for 21 years before striking out on his own in 1996.

The ads for his practice reassured prospective clients that “sometimes good people make mistakes” and, with his distinctive, shaved-head appearance, Mr. Maislin himself featured prominently in the advertisements.

He served as an Amherst town justice from 1992 to 1999 and he taught criminal justice at SUNY Buffalo State for 30 years, authoring several criminal justice textbooks.

Mr. Maislin was a member of the Erie County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Trial Lawyers Association and the New York State Magistrates Association. An avid golfer and tennis player, Mr. Maislin also enjoyed riding motorcycles.

Survivors include his wife of 33 years, the former Karen Kegel; three sons, Seth Maislin, James Campbell and Blake Maislin; and a daughter, Erin Curtin.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Amherst Memorial Chapel, 281 Dodge Road, Amherst.

↧

William L. Bleyle, retired Buffalo News printer

July 14, 2014, 2:59 pm

≫ Next:

≪ Previous: Sam Maislin, veteran defense attorney and former Amherst justice

Nov. 7, 1930 - July 11, 2014

William L. Bleyle, of the Town of Tonawanda, a retired printer, Army veteran of the Korean War and rose enthusiast, died Friday in Rosa Coplon Living Center, Getzville, after a lengthy illness. He was 83.

Born in Buffalo, he served as a corporal in the Army’s 390th Infantry Division from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. He worked as a printer for The Buffalo News until his retirement in February 1992.

Mr. Bleyle was a long-standing member and served as president of the Western New York Rose Society, and at one time, tended to more than 250 roses in his backyard.

He was a competitive grower, and his entries in rose shows won 50 Queen of the Show awards. He also served as a judge at rose shows and was recognized by the American Rose Society as a consulting rosarian.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, the former Emily Jankot; two sons, William and Robert; a daughter, Linda Markarian; a sister, Marian; and five grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. today in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 263 Claremont Ave., Town of Tonawanda.

↧

//obituaries203.rssing.com/chan-13782213/article1220-live.html

July 14, 2014, 3:01 pm

≫ Next: Donald G. Hobel, an Aerospace Museum founder

≪ Previous: William L. Bleyle, retired Buffalo News printer

Raymond W. Killian, 97, WWII Army veteran, retired president of Kittenger Furniture Co., died May 7.

Donald S. Long Jr., 56, of Cheektowaga, died July 6,

PattiAnne M. Schwab, 51, of West Seneca, died July 11.

Everett M. Scudder, 85, of Amherst, a former electrician for Local 41, died July 12.

↧

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