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Norma J. Hipwell, record setting wheelchair athlete

May 24, 2013, 4:00 pm
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June 12, 1935 – Jan. 13, 2013

A memorial service was held May 9 for Norma J. Hipwell of the Town of Tonawanda, a standout wheelchair athlete in her youth. She died Jan. 13 in the Schofield Residence, Town of Tonawanda. She was 77.

Born in Buffalo, she was a secretary and bookkeeper for Martin Fireproofing and Holler Bros. Inc.

Miss Hipwell, who was unable to walk after being stricken with polio in the mid-1950s, set a record in javelin competition in the 13th annual National Wheelchair Games in New York City and was a leading competitor in archery, table tennis and bowling in the 1960s.

She encouraged the disabled to be active and traveled the world at a time when there were few accommodations for the handicapped. She took pride in living independently and in later years organized activities for seniors.

Survivors include two friends, Christine Crotty and Mary Gill, and several relatives.
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Area Deaths

May 24, 2013, 4:04 pm
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Helen J. (Bryk) Brzozowski, died May 22.

John D. Dougan, died May 22.

Jeanette M. (Fehan) Hall, of West Seneca, died May 23.

Marie Margaret Hellerer, died May 22.

Lillian A. (Ondrus) Kotaska, of the Town of Tonawanda, died May 23.

Diane H. (Dielman) Kowalski, died May 20.

Dorothy Josephine (Richter) Kwiatkowski, died May 20.

Shirley Mae (Morefield) Marsillo, of Lackawanna, died May 23.

Samuel Martorana, 93, World War II veteran and retired assessor for City of Buffalo, died May 22.

Peggy A. Mosandel, 50, formerly of Lancaster, volunteer, died May 20.

Mary Norine (Sullivan) Nielsen, of Orchard Park, died May 22.

Vincent J. Piscitelli, 86, died May 16.

Eva (Carballa) Salazar, of Lackawanna, died May 2.

Herbert G. Schulz, died May 19.

L. Jerome Schwaed, died May 23.

Herbert Strauss, died May 23.

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Timothy Maggio, drug and alcohol rehab counselor

May 24, 2013, 5:29 pm
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Oct. 27, 1944 – April 17, 2013

Timothy Maggio, of Buffalo, a licensed rehabilitation counselor and state health therapist for more than 30 years, died April 17 in Sisters Hospital. He was 68.

Born in Lackawanna, he was a graduate of West Seneca West High School and served in the Air Force. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Daemen College and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from Canisius College.

Mr. Maggio was employed as a drug and alcohol counselor at the Downtown Clinic and also worked at Child and Adolescent Treatment Services. Most recently, he worked part time as a psychology professor at both Medaille College and Trocaire College.

Mr. Maggio was a past director of Action for Mental Health and served on the advisory council for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. He was chairman of the board for Phoenix Frontier and served on the boards of C.M.H. Counseling and Unity Church of Buffalo.

He was a volunteer for First Night Buffalo and the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament, among other local events, and also was the recipient of many volunteer awards.

He is survived by four sisters, Jane Herzog, Cheryl Evans, Ruth Doering and Sheila Serafini; and a brother, Gerald.

Services were held April 22 in Unity Church of Buffalo.
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Dr. Carlos e. Villarini, longtime Southtowns pediatrician

May 24, 2013, 7:31 pm
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May 11, 1930 – May 18, 2013

Dr. Carlos E. Villarini, a pediatrician in the Southtowns for 37 years, died last Saturday at his home in Fox Run, Orchard Park, after a long illness. He was 83.

Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, he graduated from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School. He served in the Navy as a medical officer at St. Albans Naval Hospital.

Dr. Villarini began his internship in 1955 at Mercy Hospital and completed his pediatric training at Children’s Hospital. He established a pediatric practice with Dr. Joseph Ravin in Hamburg and became the coordinator of pediatric education at Mercy Hospital. He retired in 1997.

He served in the University at Buffalo Medical School’s teaching program at Children’s Hospital. He was school physician for Hamburg High School and Eden High School and served as a consultant for the Hamburg Central Schools Committee for Exceptional Children.

He was a member of the Baccelli Medical Club and the Knights of Columbus.

He enjoyed skiing and traveling around the world. He also hosted annual New Year’s Day pig roasts.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, the former Rosemary Chamberlain, a registered nurse in the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing; three sons, Carl, Robert and Dean; and three daughters, Lisa Palmer, Carmen Kluckhohn and Marisa Atendido.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday in SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 66 E. Main St., Hamburg.
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John A. Busse, Buffalo IRS office investigator

May 25, 2013, 7:32 am
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April 11, 1948 – May 22, 2013

John A. Busse, a former supervisory special agent for the criminal investigation division of the Rochester field office of the Internal Revenue Service, died Wednesday in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after a short illness. He was 65.

A Buffalo native, he was a graduate of Bishop Fallon High School

He was a cum laude graduate of the University at Buffalo.

Mr. Busse, an Amherst resident, retired in 2005 after a 33-year career with the IRS.

He was active through his professional career with the FBI and other federal and state agencies on task forces dealing with public corruption at all levels of government.

In 2001, Mr. Busse was selected to supervise a group of criminal investigation special agents for the IRS in Western New York, and he played a key role in the convictions of 227 people involved with 53 Western New York telemarketing companies in the 1990s, resulting in $9.6 million in court-ordered restitution and $1.1 million in business income forfeitures. In December 1999, U.S. Attorney Denise O’Donnell personally lauded Mr. Busse for his efforts in the telemarketing scam investigations.

A member of the Army National Guard, Mr. Busse was honorably discharged in 1974 as the chief of the communications section of Buffalo’s 152nd Engineer Battalion.

He was a coach and manager of various levels of youth hockey teams in Amherst and Depew, and a former manager-coach in the Amherst Soccer Association and Amherst’s Christy Mathewson/McCarthy Baseball Little League.

He also was an avid golfer and former vice president of the IRS Buffalo Golf League.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Adrienne; two sons, John and Brian; two daughters, Michelle and Nicole; his mother, Frances; two brothers, Joseph and James; and a sister, Judy.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9 a.m. Tuesday in St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church on Maple Road in Amherst.
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Sister Wilma Holler, 93, longtime educator

May 25, 2013, 6:56 pm
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Sept. 21, 1919 – May 24, 2013

Sister Wilma Holler, a Sister of St. Francis for 72 years, died Friday in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst. She was 93.

Born Geraldine Holler in Buffalo, she entered the congregation in 1940. She studied at the former St. Clare Junior College in Williamsville and at Mount St. Joseph’s Teacher’s College, now Medaille College, Buffalo.

For 50 years, she taught in elementary schools, in first through sixth grades. At times, she taught double grades and she also served as the school librarian.

Her teaching years began at Annunciation in Elma and included SS. Peter & Paul in Hamburg, St. Aloysius in Springville, Nativity in Orchard Park, St. Francis in Tonawanda and St. James and Sacred Heart in Buffalo.

For several years, she ministered to the sick in Tonawanda and then came to St. Mary of the Angels to help with community service and to do supportive correspondence for many.

Most recently, her ministry was one of prayer and loving presence.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, 201 Reist St., Williamsville.
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Vincent Steffan, Buffalo native and New York event coordinator

May 26, 2013, 6:03 pm
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Nov. 28, 1958 – May 20, 2013

Vincent Steffan, president and founder of the Steffan Group, an event and destination management company based in New York City, died unexpectedly last Monday in New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. He was 54.

Mr. Steffan had lived in New York City for more than 25 years.

Born and raised in Buffalo, he was sought out throughout his career for his expertise in planning and staging exclusive galas, fundraisers and corporate destinations.

He attended Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., and began his career working at ViewPoint International. He later studied under George Trescher, eventually becoming director of George Trescher Associates. He launched his own business in 2001, and his corporate clients included the New York Times, American Express, AIG, Eli Lilly, Christie’s and Time Magazine.

He also reached out to a number of nonprofit organizations, including New York Foundling Hospital and the Caron Foundation. He was known for mentoring, gifted storytelling, a gregarious voice and his love of a stupendous party. In addition to his home in New York, he had homes in the Hamptons and Palm Beach, Fla.

Survivors include three sisters, Lisa Steffan Barnett, Susan Steffan Mathias and Barbara Steffan Gallagher, and a brother, Robert.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Mark Catholic Church, 401 Woodward Ave. A celebration of his life will be conducted in New York City in June.
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Carolina Petrus, teacher’s aide, X-ray technician

May 26, 2013, 6:09 pm
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June 18, 1935 – May 25, 2013

Carolina Petrus, a retired X-ray technician and teacher’s aide, died Saturday in Williamsville Suburban Nursing Home. She was 77.

Born in Kansas, she worked at the former Lafayette Hospital as an X-ray technician. She was a teacher’s aide in the Ken-Ton School District, working at Ben Franklin School.

She and her husband of 56 years, Bruce, moved from Lyons, Kan., to the Town of Tonawanda. She was active in St. Amelia Parish and was a volunteer for various causes. She also worked as an election inspector.

Survivors, in addition to her husband, include three daughters, Christina LaJoie, Elizabeth Sperandio and Debra Beebe; two sons, Michael and James; and a sister, Anita Villalpando.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Lombardo Funeral Home, 885 Niagara Falls Blvd.
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Joseph E. DeMarco, Niagara Parks Police captain

May 27, 2013, 5:49 pm
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Jan. 2, 1925 – May 25, 2013

NIAGARA FALLS – Joseph Edward DeMarco, of Niagara Falls, a retired Niagara Parks Police captain who took part in numerous rescues and recovery efforts around the Falls, died Saturday in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Buffalo after a short illness. He was 88.

Mr. DeMarco was on duty when a whitewater excursion raft capsized with 27 persons aboard, killing three. He also was on duty for three helicopter crashes at the falls, including the 1973 crash of the Jack Prior helicopter as it attempted to rescue three people from rocks above the falls.

“Someone grabbed the undercarriage and tipped the rotors into the rapids,” he told Buffalo News reporter Michael Levy upon his retirement in 1992. “The helicopter crashed and burned. We got into our boat but lost a propeller, so there we were, nine of us in the water. Eventually, the Canadians got a helicopter out to drop a line to us, and we all made it back.”

Born in Niagara Falls, the son of a policeman, he was a graduate of LaSalle Senior High School and enlisted in the Marines in December 1942, attaining the rank of corporal. He fought in World War II for nine months in the Pacific, in the Marshall Islands, Saipan and Tinian, where he was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Returning home, he began his law enforcement career with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department in 1947 and joined the Niagara Parks Police in 1948, rising through the ranks as sergeant and lieutenant before he was promoted to captain in 1974, serving as commander of the Niagara Region State Park Police in all the state parks in Erie and Niagara counties.

In addition to his rescue and recovery duties, he accompanied numerous dignitaries around the Falls, including world leaders, royalty and entertainers.

Mr. DeMarco was a 60-year member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church and its successor, St. Vincent de Paul Parish. He was a life member of the 4th Marine Division Association, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Disabled American Veterans.

He was a member of the Century Club of the American Red Cross blood donor program.

He traveled extensively in the United States and abroad and had a passion for gardening.

He and his wife, the former Margaret Ann Connery, would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in September.

In addition to his wife, survivors include four sons, John, James, Francis and Robert; and two daughters, Mary Saunders and Joanne Daniel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Vincent de Paul Parish at Prince of Peace Church, 1055 Military Road.
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Morton H. Abramowitz, World War II Army veteran, Falls attorney

May 28, 2013, 4:41 pm
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May 7, 1927 – May 26, 2013

Just about everyone who knew Morton H. Abramowitz knew this much about him – he absolutely loved his hometown of Niagara Falls.

“He grew up in the Falls, went to schools in the Falls and loved the city,” recalled his daughter, Deborah Carey of North Tonawanda. “He always called it ‘my city.’ He loved Niagara Falls and was convinced that someday it was going to come back, better than ever.”

Mr. Abramowitz, a popular and highly respected lawyer who worked for city and county government and spent countless hours doing volunteer work in the city, died unexpectedly Sunday in his Niagara Falls home. He was 86 and still running a busy legal practice at the time of his death. He attended a Memorial Day parade in Niagara Falls with friends Saturday.

An Army veteran from World War II, he was a Niagara Falls attorney for more than six decades. He was one of Niagara County’s leading experts on municipal law.

He was also active in Democratic Party politics for many years and was extremely proud of the friendships he struck up with nationally known government officials, including former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and two late vice presidents, Hubert H. Humphrey and Nelson Rockefeller.

Born in Niagara Falls, Mr. Abramowitz graduated from Niagara Falls High School before enlisting in the Army at age 17 to join the war effort. He became a noncommissioned officer and, near the war’s end, ran a supply depot for the Army in Berlin.

After the war, he continued his education, earning a degree in business from the University of Michigan, and then his law degree from the University at Buffalo Law School. He began working as a lawyer in the early 1950s, and soon after that, he became a law partner with Aldo L. DiFlorio and Anthony Rotella.

Eventually, Mr. Abramowitz and his two partners became three of the city’s most widely known attorneys, but in the early days, they started small. “They had one desk in their little office, and whenever a client would come in, the attorney who served them would pretend it was his desk,” Carey said.

In the 1960s, Mr. Abramowitz served as city manager for more than five years in the administration of Mayor E. Dent Lackey. He later became an assistant Niagara County attorney and then county attorney for two years, beginning in 2002. In recent years, he served as legal adviser to the Niagara Falls City Council and the Niagara Falls Library Board.

Over the years, Mr. Abramowitz was recruited several times to leave Western New York and work on government jobs in other cities, his daughter said.

“He always turned down job offers in other parts of the country. He said he could never leave Niagara Falls because it was his city,” Carey said. “My father always felt Niagara Falls had the potential to become so much more than it was. He always tried to be a peacemaker between different political camps. He always wished that people would put aside their differences and work for the best interests of the city.”

Mr. Abramowitz was long active in volunteer activities for the Niagara Falls Rotary Club, the Red Cross, the Jewish Federation and the Salvation Army, for which he often served as a Christmas bell-ringer. He was a recipient of the Jacqueline Koshian Award for public service in Niagara County.

He enjoyed golf, spending time with his family, and rooting for his favorite sports teams – the Buffalo Bills and the Niagara University basketball team.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the chapel at Otto Redanz Funeral Home, 2215 Military Road, Niagara Falls.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Abramowitz is survived by a sister, Edith Shapiro. His wife of 47 years, the former Esther Pasternak, died in 1998. He is also survived by special friends Michael and Mary Maloney and Cathy Colquitt.



– Dan Herbeck
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Barbara R. Kreutzer, retired small-business owner

May 28, 2013, 5:37 pm
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March 5, 1944 – May 19, 2013

A Memorial Mass will be offered at 9:30 a.m. June 21 in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1085 Englewood Ave., for Barbara R. Kreutzer of the Town of Tonawanda, a small-business owner, who died May 19 in Buffalo General Medical Center after a short illness. She was 69.

Born Barbara R. Kamman in Buffalo, she graduated from Kenmore East Senior High School in 1961.

In 1989, Mrs. Kreutzer opened Affordable Overhead Door Service with her husband, the late Lawrence J. Kreutzer. The couple ran the business at their home until it grew too large and needed a warehouse. It then was moved to Buffalo, and snowplowing and landscaping services were added.

Mrs. Kreutzer did all of the secretarial work and bookkeeping until she closed the business and retired in 2006.

Her husband of 39 years died in 2003.

A member of St. John the Baptist on Englewood, Mrs. Kreutzer sang in the choir.

She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary at Ellwood Fire Hall, and she volunteered in the kitchen at Dooley’s Bar and Grill for the past two years.

Mrs. Kreutzer also enjoyed bowling, camping, boating, crossword puzzles, sewing and cooking.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph and John; a daughter, Jill Grodesky; a sister, Elaine Donaldson; and three brothers, Robert, Daniel and Michael.
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James P. Vallas, 93, Greek community volunteer, Moog retiree

May 28, 2013, 5:42 pm
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June 18, 1919 – May 25, 2013

James P. Vallas, a Greek community volunteer, died Saturday in Elderwood Healthcare at Riverwood, Grand Island, after a lengthy illness. He was 93.

Born in Buffalo, he was educated at South Park High School and received a diploma in production planning from Erie County Technical Institute.

He married the former Hope Manos in Buffalo at the Hellenic Orthodox Church on Sept. 14, 1944. They moved to the Town of Tonawanda in 1974.

He joined Moog in 1961 and retired in 1984 from a position overseeing production of valves for military aircraft and space shuttles.

Mr. Vallas was a lifelong member of the Hellenic Orthodox Church, where he served four terms on the Parish Council and served as vice president in 1985 and president in 1986. He helped lead efforts to build the church’s bakery and chapel. He was awarded the church’s “Man of the Year” in 1990 and co-founded the church’s Spartan Golf League. He was an active volunteer during the church’s annual Hellenic Festival.

He also was active in the Greek fraternal organization Ahepa, the Masonic Order and the Hellenic Senior Club.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Paul, and a daughter, Barbara Kish.

A funeral service was held Tuesday in the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation.
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Walter P. Kwiatkowski, VFW county commander

May 29, 2013, 2:10 pm
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June 29, 1934 – May 23, 2013

Walter P. Kwiatkowski, of North Buffalo, who served two terms as commander of the Erie County Veterans of Foreign Wars, died Thursday in Harbor Health Multicare Center. He was 78.

Born in Buffalo, he grew up on the East Side and attended city schools. He enlisted in the Navy during the Korean War and served for 12 years, then spent 25 years with the Naval Reserve.

Mr. Kwiatkowski was a production worker at Ford Motor Co.’s Buffalo Stamping Plant in Hamburg for 30 years.

At Harry E. Crosby Post 2472, VFW, he served three terms as post commander and was active in the post’s poppy drives, breakfasts and dinners. He also tended bar at the post on Tuesday nights.

In addition to serving as county commander, Mr. Kwiatkowski served a term as VFW district commander. He was instrumental in bringing a state VFW convention to Buffalo.

He was a member of AMVETS and Western New York Chapter 63, Korean War Veterans Association. He also provided counseling to veterans.

Mr. Kwiatkowski was a longtime member of the choir at St. Margaret Catholic Church and helped transport food to local soup kitchens.

His wife, Dorothy Golombek Kwiatkowski, died in 2000.

Survivors include a sister, Patricia.

Services will be at 7:30 p.m. today in Greco Funeral Home, 2909 Elmwood Ave., Town of Tonawanda.
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Ralph Nazareth, longtime Rite Aid pharmacist

May 29, 2013, 2:45 pm
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Aug. 23, 1938 – May 27, 2013

Ralph Nazareth, Ph.D., a Rite Aid pharmacist who emigrated from India and settled in Buffalo more than three decades ago, died Monday while being cared for at Hospice Buffalo, Cheektowaga. He was 74.

Dr. Nazareth moved to Buffalo with his wife, Marie, in 1978 after beginning their marriage in New York City, where they delighted in seeing 40 to 50 shows during their five years there.

Dr. Nazareth and his wife were from Goa, a small state in western India and a former Portuguese province. His father was a doctor who worked for the British government, taking posts in various colonies: Dr. Nazareth was born during a stint in Yangon, or Rangoon, Burma.

After earning a bachelor’s degree at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, he studied pharmacy in the U.S., earning a master’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.

His work as a pharmacist led him to Buffalo, where he worked at local Rite Aid stores for about 30 years. He was called on for his skill at high-volume work.

The couple’s son, Micheal, who lives near his parents’ Williamsville home, is a dermatologist.

Mrs. Nazareth admired her husband for the way he could do calculus in his head. He was also a sports enthusiast who played tennis and avidly followed the Buffalo Bills and Sabres.

In addition to his wife and son, Dr. Nazareth is survived by two sisters, Jackie Mascarhenhas and Lynette Fernandes.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9 a.m. Saturday in St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 200 St. Gregory Court at Maple Road, Amherst.
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Leonard C. Szymanski, two term mayor of Sloan

May 29, 2013, 2:52 pm
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April 24, 1935 – May 27, 2013

Leonard C. Szymanski, who was elected to two terms as mayor of Sloan, died Monday at his home in Sloan after a short illness. He was 78.

Born in Buffalo, he was a graduate of Seneca Vocational High School and attended Canisius College.

From 1951 to 1986, he was an ironworker for Emil Von Dugen in Cheektowaga, then joined the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, where he worked in train maintenance until he retired in 1996. He received an NFTA Employee Recognition Award in 1992.

Mr. Szymanski was elected a village trustee in 1996 and served two four-year terms. He also was village recreation director.

He won the mayor’s office in 2005. Running for re-election in a three-way race in 2009, he noted that he brought the village back to financial stability after the previous administration ran up a deficit. He said then that he acquired new equipment and uniforms for the Fire Department, and made recreation improvements. Mr. Szymanski also rebuilt Wrazen Park and started popular concerts in the village parks. In 2010, he resisted a campaign by downsizing advocate Kevin Gaughan to dissolve the village.

“It’s a community of one square mile of people knowing each other,” he said after voters rejected the plan. “We know what we have, and the people don’t want it to stop.”

He stepped down for health reasons last May.

Active in volunteer and community service projects, he was the founder of Cheektowaga Airlanes Football in the 1970s and was a director of the Cheektowaga Southside Little League. He coached many teams. He also coached Depew Legion baseball.

He also was active in St. Andrew Catholic Church. He was social chairman for the Holy Name Society, a lawn fete volunteer and served as an usher. He was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, the former Frances Jedrzejewski; three sons, Dr. Brian, Mark and Dave; a sister, Christine Leonarczyk; and four brothers, Vincent Jr., Ted, Ronald and Jim.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Andrew’s Church, Crocker and Reiman streets, Sloan.
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William Slack Jr., 93, honored Buffalo firefighter

May 29, 2013, 3:01 pm
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Oct. 26, 1919 – May 20, 2013

William H. Slack Jr., of Williamsville, a retired Buffalo firefighter who earned numerous honors for his rescue work, died May 20 in ElderWood Health Care at Oakwood, Amherst, after a short illness. He was 93.

Born in Buffalo, he was a graduate of Fosdick-Masten Park High School. He served in the Army during World War II and was among the first troops deployed to Great Britain. He took part in landings in Africa, Sicily and Italy.

He was awarded five Battle Stars, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Arrowhead, the Distinguished Service Cross and two Presidential Commendations.

Mr. Slack joined the Buffalo Fire Department in 1950 and won numerous honors and citations. He was given the Edward H. Butler Medal for assisting in saving the lives of a priest and his nephew in Lake Erie in 1954. He retired in 1981 as assistant superintendent of apparatus.

He also was awarded the Erie County Fire Chiefs Medal for rescuing a woman from a burning building; the Erie County Fire Chiefs Mutual Aid Association Award for carrying two children to safety from a house fire; the SPCA Award for saving a cat from a burning building; the Citizen Hero Award; and the Frank A. Sedita Good Neighbor Award in 1986 for his unselfish service to people in his neighborhood.

He was a member of the Fire Department Retirement Club; George F. Lamm Post 622, American Legion; and Louis J. Boland Post 258, American Legion, where he served as commander.

He also was a member of the Combat Veterans Association and the Disabled American Veterans.

An Eagle Scout, he was active in the Boy Scouts for 30 years. He was scoutmaster and chairman of Troop 55 and a member of the Order of the Arrow. He organized the Old Humboldt District Order of the Arrow and served as its first adviser.

His wife of 52 years, Mae Elsesser Slack, died in 1994.

Survivors include a son, William H. III; and two daughters, Judith Miceli and Susan.

A memorial service was held May 22 in Harris Hill Cemetery, Clarence.
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Thomas J. McMahon Jr., 91, employment counselor, WWII veteran

May 30, 2013, 2:49 pm
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Dec. 18, 1921 - May 28, 2013

Thomas J. McMahon Jr., who served as an aircraft photographer during World War II, died Tuesday in GreenFields Nursing Home after a long illness. He was 91.

Born in Lackawanna, Mr. McMahon was a 1939 graduate of Bennett High School. He completed a two-year course at Chown School of Business before accepting his first job in the business department at Bell Aircraft.

He was drafted into the military in 1942 and served stateside, at various bases, as an aircraft photographer with the Army Air Forces. During a furlough in 1944, he returned home from Oklahoma to marry Mary Frances Gareis; the couple moved to this area in 1946.

After the war, Mr. McMahon went to work for the state Department of Labor at several locations as an employment counselor. He retired in 1991 after a 30-year career.

A Williamsville resident since 1952, Mr. McMahon was encouraged by his firefighter neighbors to join the fire department. For more than 50 years, he was an active volunteer with the Williamsville Fire Department and was an exempt member up until his death.

He also was a former fire police captain – his inspiration was his father, Thomas Sr., who served as Buffalo’s police commissioner in the 1940s – and chaplain for the department.

In 2000, Mr. McMahon received a proclamation from the Village of Williamsville, thanking him for his years of volunteer service. In 2004, he received the Irvin J. Lorich Award from the Fire Department in thanks for outstanding service.

In addition to his wife, Mr. McMahon is survived by a daughter, Maureen E. Muck; a brother, Paul T.; and a sister, Dorothy Ramunno.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 5480 Main St., Williamsville.
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Nancy Gara, longtime banker, active in community

May 30, 2013, 2:50 pm
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Nov. 28, 1947 – May 28, 2013

Nancy Gara, of Lewiston, a longtime banker who was active in the community, died Tuesday in Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. She was 65.

Born Nancy Spendio in St. Catharines, Ont., she had a 43-year career in the banking industry with Marine Midland, HSBC and First Niagara. She began as a part-time teller in 1970 at Marine Midland Bank and eventually took on branch manager roles at several locations, including the HSBC head office in Buffalo and later as vice president of First Niagara Bank.

She coordinated all banking and marketing initiatives for Marine/HSBC in the Buffalo Niagara region, including the Love Canal settlement, public banking and the Festival of Lights.

Mrs. Gara served on the board of directors of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Sisters Hospital Foundation, Riverdale Cemetery Association, Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Niagara Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Niagara Falls Water Authority, NFC Development Corporation, Niagara Falls “Festival of Lights,” St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce and Family Justice Center.

She also was a founding member of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Foundation board of directors and a member of Niagara University’s advisory board.

In addition, she served as the chairwoman of the community campaign to raise funds to revitalize Schoellkopf Park on the campus of Memorial Medical Center.

Mrs. Gara was the 2011 recipient of the Prestigious CEO Award from HSBC Group USA and the Woman of Distinction Award from the Niagara Gazette.

She was given the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce Community Leader Award. She was the HSBC Manager of the Year for two years and the HSBC Business Banker of the Year. She also was recognized with Sales Leadership awards in retail, commercial, investment and public banking.

Mrs. Gara was this year’s chairwoman of the Memorial Medical Center Auxiliary “Sing Sisters Sing ... Celebrate Women’s Health” fall fundraising event and chairwoman of the first Memorial Medical Center Premier Gala Event.

Survivors include her husband of 40 years, Sam D. Sr.; two daughters, Lisa Nicoletti and Dina; two stepdaughters, Judy Finitz and Donna Hoolihan; two stepsons, Sam and David Gara; and a brother, John Spendio.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at noon Saturday in St. Vincent de Paul at St. Leo Catholic Church, 2748 Military Road, Town of Niagara, after prayers at 11:30 in M.J. Colucci & Son Funeral Chapel, 2730 Military Road, Town of Niagara.
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Nancy G. Elliott, organized, led global group tours

May 30, 2013, 3:08 pm
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March 28, 1937 – May 26, 2013

Nancy G. Elliott, who organized and led group tours around the world, died Sunday in her Amherst home after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

Born Nancy Gerry in Buffalo, she attended School 56. She was a 1954 graduate of the Buffalo Seminary and a 1958 graduate of Denison University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

A certified travel consultant and group leader, Mrs. Elliott worked in the travel industry for nearly 40 years, beginning part time at Certified Travel of Buffalo and advancing to vice president of group travel and sales.

Mrs. Elliott organized and led an annual special group trip to London for more than 20 years. She also conducted contract tours to the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and Ireland, and organized and led theme tours to Scandinavia, Panama, Alaska, Western and Eastern Europe, Japan and Venezuela.

She was a member of Amherst Community Church and the PEO sorority.

She took camping trips in the U.S. and Canada, and Bareboat charters in the Caribbean with her family and maintained a summer cottage in the Finger Lakes.

Survivors include her husband of 53 years, William A.; two daughters, Laurie E. Krajna and Susie E. Nagy; a son, William G.; a sister, Jill Cline; and a brother, James E. Gerry.

A service will be at 10 a.m. June 8 in Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Highway, Snyder.
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Area Deaths

May 30, 2013, 6:53 pm
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Patricia J. (Harrington) Augustyniak, died May 28.

William C. Bender, of Williamsville, died May 29.

Rowland F. Blackley Sr., 84, of Lockport, test tunnel operator, died May 30.

Margaret L. “Peggy” (McConnell) Bryant, died May 28.

Joan Lambert Carrithers, great-granddaughter of Henry J. Raymond, founder of the New York Times, died May 22.

Theodore J. Falk, Ph.D., of Clarence, died May 28.

Eva H. (Prkich) Glofka, of Buffalo, died May 28.

Nancy (Spendio) Gara, 65, died May 28.

Jack W. Jennings, of Cheektowaga, died May 28.

Frank “Kaz” Kazmierczak, died May 27.

James A. Kessler, died May 28.

Frances (Piccolo) Laudisio, died May 29.

Marjorie E. (Jaeger) Maitre, died Feb. 10.

Thomas J. McMahon Jr., died May 28.

Michael W. Mihalic, 58, of Fredonia, died May 27.

Preston L. Newton, of Depew, died May 29.

Agnes A. (Galluzzo) Pera, of Buffalo, died May 29.

Justin R. “J.P.” Pietrowski, died May 25.

Peter D. Roberto, 88, of Kenmore, died May 29.

John David Robinson Sr., 81, died May 26.

Adelaide B. (Burton) Randall, of Wellsville, died May 29.

William H. Robinson, of West Seneca, died May 28.

Arthur F. Ross Jr., died April 30.

Dennis M. Salim, of Tonawanda, died May 28.

Marietta E. Sawyer, died May 28.

William M. Shickluna Sr., of Grand Island, died May 28.

Dr. Rita Smyth-McDonald, died May 28.

Alice T. (Fahey) St Clair, of Getzville, died May 27.

Henry A. Twist IV, 77, died May 27.

Ann M. (McLaughlin) Westner, 80, died May 29.
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