“Obituaries for Sept. 19 - Troy Record” plus 2 more

Obituaries for Sept. 19 - Troy Record
Jobless picture improves Area unemployment rates still among highest ... - FortWayne.com
Bookmobile almost ready - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 05:02 AM PDT

By The Record

Charles Burridge — Sand Lake

Naoma Dundon — Marysville, CA.

William Hoffmeister — North Greenbush

Marge "Peg" Murphy — Troy

Burr R. Reeves — Inverness, FL.

Jason Scavo Jr. — Brunswick

John Volks Jr. — Troy

Charles Burridge

SAND LAKE - Charles C. Burridge, 80, of Ebert Drive died suddenly on Thursday September 17, 2009, at Albany Memorial Hospital after being stricken in West Sand Lake.

Born in Manhattan, Charles was the son of the late Hubert and Martha Fogwill Burridge and husband of Edna Teal Burridge. Charlie had resided in the Sand Lake area for more than 70 years and had served in the Navy where he was a cook and then in the Army where he was a tank commander.

Charlie had worked for 30 years at the Agway at the Port of Albany where he was a chemical mixer and then worked as a driver for Wynantskill Auto Parts before woking for Hudson Valley Community College in the Custodial Department from which he retired in the mid- 1980s.

Charlie was a member of the Schodack Senior Citizens, a member of AARP, attended the Zion United Church of Christ in Taborton and was a former member of the Good Sam RV Club and enjoyed camping and spending time with friends and family.

Charlie was the brother of the late Hubert Burridge.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, include his children, Lynn (Gary) Coonrad of New Smyrna Beach, FL., Brian (Mary) Burridge of Pawckatcuk, CT, Derrek (Marie) Burridge of Long Lake, NY., Craig (Janice) Burridge of Waterford and Bruce (Sharon) Burridge of West Sand Lake; his brothers, Gordon Smith of Nova Scotia, W. Robert (Lorraina) Burridge of Averill Park, and John Burridge of Kingston; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral Service Monday 10 a.m. at the Perry-Komdat Funeral Chapel, 2691 NY 43 at Glass Lake, Averill Park. Relatives and friends are invited and may also call at the funeral chapel on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. Interment Sand Lake Union Cemetery.

If desired the family suggests donations in memory of Charles Burridge may be made to the Sand Lake Ambulance, PO Box 222, West Sand Lake, NY 12196 or the Zion UCC, 741 Taborton Road, Sand Lake, NY 12153.

Naoma Dundon

MARYSVILLE, CA - Naoma Irish Dundon, 87, most recently of Marysville, CA, and formerly of Salem, passed away Sunday, August 30, 2009, in California.

We give praise and thanksgiving to God for Naoma.

Services are private with interment in Holy Cross Cemetery in Salem.

Arrangements are by the McClellan Funeral Service, Salem, NY.

To sign Naoma's online guestbook, please visit www.mcclellanfuneralservice.com

William Hoffmeister

NORTH GREENBUSH - William L. Hoffmeister of Troy passed away peacefully into eternity on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, at the age of 83, of natural causes.

Mr. Hoffmeister will be interred at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville.

At his request, there will be a private graveside service for the family.

The family desires that in lieu of sending flowers people would take the time to show someone that you love them — while you still have them.

Marge 'Peg' Murphy

TROY - Marge "Peg" Pendell Murphy, 89, of Second Avenue, died, Wednesday September 16, 2009, at Van Rensselaer Manor.

Funeral services will be Saturday 11 a.m. from the McLoughlin & Mason Funeral Home, corner of 109th Street and Third Avenue, Lansingburgh,

and 11:30 a.m. in St. Patrick's Church, Troy where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery.

Calling hours will be Saturday 9 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.

Burr R. Reeves

INVERNESS, FL - Burr R. Reeves, 81 of Inverness, FL, died on September 16, 2009.

Burr was born on December 27, 1927 in Montgomery, AL, the son of Burr and Olive Reeves. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict.

Burr was a professor at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy where he was also the head football coach during the late 1970s and early 1980s. He enjoyed fishing, football and crossword puzzles.

Survivors include his daughter, Elizabeth Reeves-Smith of Queensbury; sister, Ann Dean of San Antonio, TX; four grandchildren, Caitlin Smith, Joshua Smith, Gabriel Smith and Liam Smith; and great granddaughter, Natalie Ordway, and good friends Fred and Connie Acosta.

Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness, FL.

Jason Scavo Jr.

BRUNSWICK - Jason Anthony Scavo Jr., angel of God and cherished infant son of Michelle Grace and Jason Anthony Scavo, entered into eternal life on Monday, September 14, 2009 at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany.

He was the little brother of Emma Marie Scavo, beautiful Maternal Grandson of Edwin and Helen Godfrey of Raymertown and Paternal Grandson of John and Anna Scavo of Latham.

Also survived by many dear aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services will be Monday, Sept. 21, 2009, at 10 a.m. in the Dufresne & Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 149 Old Loudon Road, Latham, with Rev. Arthur Hagy officiating.

Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 2-6 p.m.

Interment will be in Eagle Mills Cemetery.

Memorial contributions to the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center, 1 Marcus Blvd. Suite 105, Albany NY 12205. (www.aim-high.org) would be appreciated.

The family would like to thank the Upstate OB/GYN and St. Peter's Hospital Labor and Delivery Staff for their care and compassion throughout this difficult time. A special thank you to Jennifer Coppola RN and Tammy Stone RN for being the special nurses that they are.

For directions, information or to light a memory candle for the family, please visit www.dufresneandcavanaugh.com.

John Volks Jr.

TROY - John F. Volks Jr., "Jack," 56, of Bellview Road , died Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at his residence.

Born in Troy he was the son of the late John F. Volks Sr. and Rose Winkelman Volks of Troy and husband of Kathy Anzalone Volks of Troy. Raised and educated in Troy he was a graduate of Lansingburgh High School, class of 1972.

Jack was a bus driver for the Center for Transportation in Albany. He previously worked for many years as a salesman for Carpet Master in Latham. He also was proprietor of Jack Volks Flooring Installation.

He was a communicant of St. Anthony's Church, Troy, and a member of the bingo committee. Jack enjoyed motorcycling, gardening and was a New York Yankees and Giants fan.

Survivors include a son, John F. Volks III of Troy; a sister, Eileen Geracitano (David) of Latham; a brother, Matthew Volks (Debra) of Schenectady; his dear friend Sandy Anselment; and several nieces, nephews. Jack was predeceased by his brother, Peter Volks, and sisters, Barbara and Susan Volks.

Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Monday, September 21, 2009, in St. Anthony of Padua Shrine Church, State Street, Troy. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery, Troy.

Calling hours will be 9 to 11 a.m. prior to Mass in church.

onations to the Rourke Center, St. Anthony's of Padua Church, 28 State St., Troy, NY 12180. For guestbook please visit the Web site www.mcloughlinmason.com.

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Jobless picture improves Area unemployment rates still among highest ... - FortWayne.com

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 02:53 AM PDT

It might not seem like it, but northeast Indiana's economy is getting better.

Even so, the region remains harder hit than other parts of the state. Nine of 11 area counties ranked in the state's 25 highest unemployment rates for August, according to preliminary data released Friday. Only Allen and Wells posted rates low enough to miss being included.

All 11 area counties reported lower unemployment rates in August than in July, ranging from 0.3 percentage point to 1.2 percentage points. Any shift of more than one-tenth of 1 percentage point is considered statistically significant.

But state officials are concerned that such substantial improvement might be a fluke.

"We need to see more than one month to see if it's the beginning of a trend – which we hope – or if it's just a one-month anomaly," said Marc Lotter, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Indiana's average unemployment rate decreased by 0.7 percentage point, when compared with the previous month. August's rate was 9.7 percent, or 9.9 percent when seasonally adjusted. The 92 counties' unemployment rates aren't seasonally adjusted.

State officials are reserving their high-fives because two major pieces of data are in conflict. A business-payroll survey found 21,000 fewer jobs in the state, while the monthly survey of Indiana households reported 24,000 fewer people unemployed.

Usually, fewer jobs mean more people unemployed. The surveys are separate, and state officials couldn't explain Friday why their results appear to conflict with each other.

Not everyone is waiting to celebrate, however.

Mike Hicks, director of Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research, was cautiously upbeat Friday.

"The recession is over, but it feels like upgrading a patient from critical to serious," he said in a statement.

Employment is considered a lagging economic indicator, meaning unemployment rates are one of the last things to improve when an economy comes out of recession.

Hicks said leading economic indicators "strongly suggest the economy has turned the corner." He expects unemployment will climb slightly in the short term as the recovery takes hold.

Elkhart County, which relies heavily on the RV industry, posted the state's highest unemployment rate at 16 percent. Neighboring Noble and LaGrange counties reported 15.7 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively, earning them the dubious distinction of second and third place.

Ohio's jobless rate has fallen for the first time in a year – to 10.8 percent in August, from 11.2 percent in July.

State officials won't release county-by-county data until next week. Illinois' unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage point to 10 percent last month.

Michigan, which has been hard hit by the loss of auto industry jobs, continued its downward slide. The state posted 15.2 percent unemployment in August, a 0.2 percentage-point increase.

The national unemployment rate increased 0.3 percentage point last month to 9.7 percent.

Steuben led northeast Indiana with a one-month, 1.2 percentage-point drop in unemployment. Adams and Wells each experienced 1.1 percentage-point improvements. DeKalb's unemployment rate fell by 1 percentage point.

"I am seeing some glimmers of positive things going on with the economy," said Gary Nielander, executive director of the Steuben County Economic Development Corp.

But it's challenging to keep abreast of job creation, he said. Some employers have announced expansion plans in the past 1 1/2 years, but Nielander isn't sure where each of the companies is in regard to adding jobs promised.

Nielander's confidence in the unemployment data increased when he learned the Census Bureau calls a random sampling of homes each month to conduct surveys rather than simply relying on how many people are drawing unemployment compensation. The questions are designed to learn whether anyone living there has exhausted unemployment benefits but continues to look for work. They also find anyone who has become discouraged and given up looking but would accept a job if one were offered.

Nielander doesn't want to downplay the tough time some families are having, but he tries to keep some perspective. Although it sometimes sounds as if all the factories are closing, the evidence tells him that's not true.

"You go out on the highway, and it's still crowded with trucks," he said. "And you go to Cracker Barrel, and you still have to wait for a table. There are a lot of people working."

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Bookmobile almost ready - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Posted: 18 Sep 2009 11:47 PM PDT

September 19, 2009

For the first time ever, The James V. Brown Library's Bookmobile is being manufactured locally with plans to hit the road by early December. "This is a departure for us," said Stephanie Farr, county service manager for the library. "Traditionally, libraries would go through a major Bookmobile vendor for this kind of project, and (we) have done that in the past." The purchase of the new vehicle comes after a five-year legal battle that ended last fall with Matthews Specialty Vehicles of Archdale, N.C., over the purchase of a $288,000 mechanically defective bookmobile in 2001. The new bookmobile was purchased in August through Shirns Truck and Equipment on Lycoming Creek Road, and is now being what Farr called "Bookmobilized" at Spitler RV in Montoursville. Brodart is providing the wooden shelving and check-out desk for the mobile library, while Auto Trim Design in Muncy will handle the exterior graphic wrap with photographs taken by Terry Wild of Terry Wild Studio.

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