Hornell, New York

Elizabeth S. “Kate” Campbell – 72 – a resident of the Houghton Nursing Facility, formerly of Hornell, died Sunday afternoon at Strong Memorial Hospital, following a brief illness. 

Born in Franklin, OH on March 3, 1950, she was the daughter of Richard & Verda (Smith) Erwin.   Her father, Rich was a professional wrestler who went by the name “The Oklahoma Ranger.” 

Growing up in a wrestling family, Kate traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe.  For several years, she also performed as a wrestler under the name “Fallen Angel.”

A resident of the Hornell area for about 25 years, Kate enjoyed making jewelry — especially beaded necklaces. She had a deep affection for animals and at one time owned & operated a dog kennel and served as a dog breeder.

She is survived by her loving companion of 25 years, Tom Blake; several children & grandchildren.

At Kate’s request there will be no calling hours.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Kate’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY  14843.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visits www.dagonfuneralhome.com.

Alfred, New York

Mary A. Obuhanich – 76 – of 59 West University St., Alfred, NY, died Wednesday afternoon (February 22, 2023) at Highland Park Rehab & Nursing Facility in Wellsville, following a long illness.

Born in Hornell on September 24, 1946, she was the daughter of Nicholas “Nick” & Gertrude “Gert” (Baker) Obuhanich.

As a child, Mary’s family resided in many locations throughout the years (due to her father’s job with the FBI) including Norfolk, VA, Detroit, MI, Buffalo, NY, Elmira, NY and Cleveland, OH before moving to the Alfred area in 1961.  She was a graduate of Alfred-Almond Central School (class of 1964) and later attended Olean Business Institute and Alfred State College.

Mary had been employed at the Alfred State College Book Store for several years.  After working various other jobs in the Alfred area, she was employed for many years as a resident assistant for the Steuben ARC, primarily in Canisteo, NY.  She retired about 12 years ago.

She was a longtime member of the Alfred-Rural Cemetery Association where she served as secretary.  In her younger years, Mary was an avid golfer and a member of the Hornell Country Club and also enjoyed bowling in several women’s leagues.  She was a Fighting Irish of Notre Dame Football & Basketball fan and also loved rooting for the Buffalo Bills — especially during the Super Bowl years.

Mary will be remembered as a loving & caring woman who enjoyed helping family & friends in any way that she could especially serving as a “care-giver” when someone was sick or in need.  She will be sadly missed by all those who had the good fortune of knowing her!

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nick & Gert Obuhanich.

Surviving are 2 brothers, Nick (Lyn) Obuhanich of Grandville, MI and Mike Obuhanich of Belmont, NY; 2 nieces, Marcy Obuhanich and Michelle Obuhanich; 1 nephew, Lucas Obuhanich along with numerous special cousins.

At Mary’s request there will be no calling hours.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 12:00 Noon until 3:00 PM at the Off Duty Restaurant in Belmont, NY.  Please join her family and share stories & memories and simply celebrate the life of Mary.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Mary’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105.

Dorothy Anna Housworth, 90, loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died peacefully at home on February 18, 2023, after a long illness.

Born August 3, 1932, in Easton, PA, she was the daughter of Charles Arthur and Helen (Schaible) Ridge.  Dorothy grew up in Erwinna, PA attending the one-room Erwinna Schoolhouse and then graduating from Frenchtown High School, Class of 1950.  She had many happy memories of her childhood and the lifelong friendships she made.

On August 3, 1951, Dorothy was baptized in the Guyandotte River at Marianna, West Virginia while visiting her Aunt Alma.  She faithfully read her Bible each night and enjoyed the old-time hymns of her childhood.

She was married on August 29, 1952 to George Housworth.  They purchased land on Chestnut Ridge Road in Upper Black Eddy, PA where they built their home and raised their two sons.

In 1972, Dorothy began driving bus for the Palisades School District.  It was a job she loved, and she drove two generations of children to school safely for many years.

Dorothy was a kind, generous, and fun-loving woman who enjoyed many activities.  First, she loved spending time with her family.  Dorothy did her best to attend any activity in which her grandsons were involved.  She enjoyed going for rides, going to the shore, and playing pinnacle with the family.  Dorothy especially enjoyed going to the races, where she was the number one fan of her son Jim and later her grandson Jimmy.

In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband George; her two brothers, Gene and Jim Ridge; her sister, Betty Pagano; many much loved aunts and uncles; and recently her sister-in-law Marianne Schaible.

She is survived by and will be greatly missed by her two sons, George Housworth JR and Jim (Pat) Housworth; her five grandsons, James L. Housworth, James E. (Stacy) Housworth, Zachary (Ally) Housworth, Chad (Jess) Housworth, and Alex (Kristen) Housworth; and her great grandchildren Joseph Housworth and Adaline Housworth.  Also surviving are her two sisters, Sonja Mitchell and Cindy Cagle; her brother, Edwin Ridge; nieces, nephews, and many dear friends.

At Dorothy’s request there will be no calling hours.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family with burial in Upper Tinicum Cemetery in Upper Black Eddy, PA with her husband.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Joyce A. Kautz – (79) – of 6003 Bonny Hill Rd., Bath, died Thursday (February 16, 2023) at her home.

Born in Jersey City, NJ on January 26, 1944, she was the daughter of Kenneth & Ann (Bobownik) Downey.

Joyce grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1962).  She had been employed for a time as a Nurse’s Aide at the former St. James Mercy Hospital and has resided in the Bath, NY area since 1972.

She enjoyed knitting and making beautiful sweaters for family & friends.  She also loved watching the “soaps” on TV — especially “The Young & The Restless” and was passionate about wildlife photography.  Joyce also had a deep love of family and always looked forward to visiting the Bobownik & Downey families.

Joyce had a deep affection for animals and was especially fond of her pet yorkie, “Toby” and feline companion, “Peek-A-Boo.”

In addition to her parents, Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Adam Kautz who died in 1998 and her sister, Elizabeth Stevenson who died in 1999.

Surviving are her “significant other”, David Bacon with whom she resided; her daughter, Maryanne (Joe) Sears of Midland, NC; 3 sisters, Judy (Mike) Crook of Canisteo, Kathy (Al Reynolds) Chiarelli of Hornell and Susie Cook of Painted Post, NY; her brother, Ken (Lisa Postilli) Downey of Hornell; 4 grandchildren, Alexandria “Alex” (Matt) Goins, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Coulter, Adam Sears & Mya Sears; 1 great-grandson, Cameron “Cam” Underwood; several nieces & nephews.

At Joyce’s request there will be no calling hours.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Joyce’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY 14843.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Thomas William Glynn, age 85, died October 31, 2022 while in Alive Hospice, Nashville, Tennessee.

He was born May 8, 1937 in Hornell, New York, the son of Thomas A. and Mary Alice (Riefer) Glynn.

Tom graduated from Hornell High School, Class of 1955.  Following graduation he served in the US Army.  After serving he married Nancy Lee Kull, also of Hornell.  They would have celebrated 63 years of marriage on December 12. For 39 years Tom was a proud member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 832 where he worked as a crane operator.

Tom and Nancy moved to Avon, NY in 1965 and raised four children.  In addition to his wife, Tom is survived by Colleen (Stephen) Heyman of Nashville, TN, Thomas (Julie) Glynn of Canandaigua, NY,  Shawn (Julee) Glynn of Durango, CO, and Dan (Kelly) Glynn of Longmont, CO  He was blessed with ten grandchildren Tyler, Caitlin, Kevin, Shayla, Anna Rose, Mandi, Sam, Emily, Riley and Abbey.  He was doubly blessed with 8 great grandchildren, Annabelle, Olivia, Keegan, Xander, Darby, Roree, Wyatt and Sawyer.  He is also survived by his sisters Mary Ann Argentieri, Suzanne (Marty) Christensen, Peggy Argentieri/Cregan and Mary Helen (Mark) Huffsmith; his brother-in-law, Bob Samiec; as well as many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Tom was predeceased by his sister, Martha Samiec; his brothers-in-law, Roger Argentieri, Jack Creagan and Babi Argentieri.

The only son in a family of daughters, Tom was a man of steadfast character who found ways to connect with family even while being, in his late years, a man of few words.  He was an avid lover of sports, having his share of favorite teams, namely the New York Yankees and the Buffalo Bills, that he followed with his sons and grandsons and when geography allowed, he also enjoyed going fishing.  His hardworking and frugal nature helped him build a life for his family that enabled them to thrive and in his retirement, he remained the beloved patriarch of his sprawling family stretching from Canandaigua to Colorado, until the end.

Family & friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass to be celebrated on Friday, May 5^th, 2023 at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church.  Final interment will be in St. Ann’s Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Memorial Contributions can be made to Alive Hospice of Nashville, Tennessee http://alivehospice.org.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Theresa M. Murray, 61, of Indianapolis, IN, formerly of Hornell, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 31st at her home.

Born March 31, 1961, in Hornell, she was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Alice Horan Murray.

Theresa was a 1979 graduate of Hornell High School where she participated in soccer and softball, earning letters in each. She was honored to be inducted into the Hornell High Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. Theresa was also a 1979 graduate of the BOCES LPN program in Hornell, NY.

Following high school, she continued her education at Erie Community College in Buffalo where she again was a softball standout joining the reigning junior college national champion team. In her first year at ECC she had a pitching record of 20-3 including 4 no-hitters. The school went on to two more appearances in the college championships. Theresa was then recruited to the Indiana University-Purdue University campus. Indiana University had offered her a softball scholarship and she continued her education there, earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing. While at IUPUI, her season pitching record for 1984 was 12-2 with a .82 ERA. In 1985, Theresa went 14-7 with an ERA of 1.20. Theresa was honored to be placed by the NAIA in 1985, district 21 to the all-district team. Her Bachelor’s degree was earned in 1987, having already started her career in 1985 at Community Hospital East as a staff RN in Critical Care.

Over her 35+ year nursing career, Theresa worked in many different roles including but not limited to Staff Nurse, Assistant Head Nurse, Educator and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist. Her MSN degree as a Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist was achieved in 1995. Theresa’s membership and participation in the AACN (American Association of Critical Care Nurses) at the local, state, national levels helped shape the standard of care in ICUS across the country. Her work in eliminating Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia through IHI’s saving 100 thousand lives campaign was recognized nationally. Theresa introduced the intervention of proning patients in the ICU at Community Health Network and saved the lives of numerous patients. Authoring numerous articles on her work in mobilizing ICU patients and leading VHA’s TICU (Transforming the Intensive Care Unit) program, she transformed patient care in the ICU and in the process saved countless lives.

Throughout her nursing career, Theresa influenced, through her dedication and talent, the lives and careers of many nursing students, new nursing graduates and as well as seasoned professionals. She was a true nurse’s nurse, as fierce about the nursing profession as an advocate for the best patient care. She was a role model in ethical decision making and dedicated her career to improving patient safety and saving the lives of patients through evidence- based care. Theresa was loved and admired by all who had the pleasure of working with her. She had been honored as Critical Nurse Specialist of the year in 2006 by the Association of Critical Nurse Specialists, was the first recipient of the Art and Science in Nursing award at CHNw in 2003 and received the Nursing Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 at Community Hospital. She was selected for Who’s Who in American Nursing in 1990, awarded the 2003 Art and Science of Nursing award from the Community Health Network at the Annual Nursing excellence awards. Also, in 2003 she was awarded the Meritorious Award for Quality from Anthem Hospital. In 2006, Theresa was selected by her peers nationally as CNS of the year for her work in quality improvement including participating in developing the Ventilator Bundle that is the standard of care for all patients on mechanical ventilation, and the first rapid response team in the world that is now a Joint Commission mandate for all hospitals.

A brilliant speaker, Theresa delivered numerous talks and consultations across the United States. She participated on numerous local and national boards, nursing and non-nursing and as a past President of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. She served on the Board of the local YMCA and rescued Labradors.

Theresa was predeceased by her parents along with her dog & faithful companion, Lucy.

Theresa loved her family and friends and enjoyed spending time with them. She loved animals, especially dogs. She loved playing golf and was a fan of the Indianapolis Colts.

She is survived by her two sisters, Patricia (Andy) Butler of Hornell and Maureen (Timothy) Daubert of Norfolk, VA; three brothers, Joseph Murray of Montoursville, PA, Michael Murray of Hornell and William (Deborah) Murray of Gaithersburg, MD; two nieces, Nicole Butler and Susan Butler both of Hornell; two nephews, Brian Butler of Hornell and Lucas (Rebecca) Murray of Arlington, VA; one grand-niece Mia Butler of Hornell; several cousins and numerous friends and colleagues.

To celebrate Theresa’s rich legacy as a kindhearted, passionate, and talented woman, a memorial service will be held at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY on Saturday, February 25th at 12 Noon with Deacon Robert McCormick officiating. Final interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Fremont, NY. Theresa’s service will be live streamed and can be viewed via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DagonFuneralHome.

Funeral arrangements are in care of Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Theresa’s family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Area Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY 14843. Memorial forms will be available at the funeral home or by visiting https://www.hornellanimalshelter.org/donate.html

Kathleen C. “Kathy” Sexton – 82 – of 1190 County Route 66, Hornell, died unexpectedly on Sunday (February 12, 2023) at her home.

Born in Hornell on June 28, 1940, she was the daughter of Leo & Ruth (Norton) Conkey.

Kathy grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1958).  Following high school graduation, she was employed for about 3 years as a secretary and office worker for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT).

Leaving the workforce for several years to get married & raise a family, Kathy later worked several jobs including cashier for Connors Pharmacy, secretary for Louis Zannieri, Attorney, dental assistant for Dr. Monroe and dental assistant for Dr. DelCampo.

Kathy was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and had been a communicant of St. Ignatius Loyola Church and later St. Ann’s Church. She loved going out to dinner with her family and enjoyed walking her loving dog, Maddie.  She was an avid reader (novels & newspapers) and enjoyed working on jig-saw puzzles and crossword puzzles.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Sexton (August 1995); her son, Joseph Sexton (2013); 5 sisters: Vivian Congdon, Phyllis Donahue, Jean Sackett, Helen Remchuk, Christine Gensler, and her brother, Michael Conkey.

Surviving are her daughter, Joan (Jim) Lecceardone of Hornell; her son, James “Jim” (Teresa) Sexton of Conway, SC; her sister, Lois Jimerson of Hornell; 7 grandchildren: Patrick Cullen, Raymond Lecceardone, Danielle Sexton, Joseph Sexton, James (Emily Shephard) Sexton, Brianne (Zach) Aumick and Courtney (Toby) Nobiling; along with 13 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

The family of Kathleen C. “Kathy” Sexton will receive friends on Saturday from 12:00 (noon) – 2:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY. A Memorial Service will be held at the conclusion of calling hours at 2:00 PM with Deacon Robert McCormick officiating.  Final interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Kathy’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY 14843. Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Linda M. Walters – 66 – of Cunningham Creek Rd., Canisteo, NY (Town of Hornellsville), formerly of Rochester, died unexpectedly on Wednesday (February 8, 2023) shortly after being admitted to St. James Hospital.

Born in Rochester on July 31, 1956, she was the daughter of Charles & Catherine (McDonald) Walters.

Linda grew up in Rochester and was a graduate of Nazareth High School.  She was employed at Kodak Corporation, working in many capacities, retiring with over 35 years of service.

A resident of the Hornell-Canisteo area for the past 5 years, Linda will be remembered as a loving & caring woman who was “generous to a fault” and who simply enjoyed helping others.  She truly would “give you the shirt off her back” if needed. Linda absolutely loved and was devoted to her family!  She was also an animal lover who owned many dogs throughout her lifetime and was especially fond of her canine companion, “Ginger”.

In addition to her parents, Linda was preceded in death by her brother, William “Bill” Walters who died October 4, 2018.

Surviving are her sister, Carol (Debbie) Hummel of Rochester; 2 brothers, Michael (Anne) Walters of  Rochester and Charles (Tammy) Walters of Rochester; 5 nieces; 2 nephews; 7 great-nieces; & 10 great-nephews.

At Linda’s request there will be no calling hours.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held at time and date to be announced.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Linda’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY  14843.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Hornell, New York

Jacob W. “Jake” Flaitz – 91 – of Hornell, died early Tuesday morning (February 7, 2023) at Elderwood at Hornell Nursing Facility, where he had resided for the past 10 months.

Born in Hornell on January 13, 1932, he was the son of Leon & Lena (Saxton) Flaitz.

Jake grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1951).  While in high school, he excelled in sports and served as co-captain of the HHS Football and was a starting guard on the HHS Basketball teams.  However, his “best sport” was baseball where he eventually signed a minor league contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers (MLB).  In 1993, Jake was honored by being elected to the Hornell High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Following high school graduation, Jake was employed for a time as a house painter, working with Al Chapman and Hud Coogan.  He was a Veteran of the US Navy, serving his country from 1952 – 1956.  While in the Navy, Jake traveled throughout the world including the Mediterranean Sea and visiting many countries including Greece & Italy.

For about 7 years, Jake resided in Niagara Falls, NY where he began working for New York Telephone.  In 1964 he moved back to his beloved Hornell and continued working for New York Telephone which later became NYNEX and Verizon.  He retired as a lineman and cable splicer in 1992 following 35 years of service.

Jake was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ignatius Loyola Church and later St. Ann’s Church.  He was also a member of the Hornell American Legion, the Hornell Moose Lodge and a proud “card-carrying” member of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Union.  

For over 10 years, Jake served as a youth football coach in Hornell.  The Cowboys, his Midget Football team had a 4 year stretch where they were undefeated.  He was a Hornell Grasshopper Baseball Coach for several years.

Following his retirement, Jake became somewhat of a golfing fanatic and would “hit the links” every chance he got.  He also became an accomplished carpenter & cabinet maker and would create beautiful, custom-made bookcases, tables and TV stands, often spending many hours in his basement fine-tuning his craft.

Jake was married on November 13, 1957 to the former M. Elaine Delaney who died October 21, 1977.  On September 27, 1980 he married the former Mary Brody Madau who died December 19, 2016.  He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Rebecca Flaitz; his son, Andrew “Andy” Flaitz; 5 brothers, Sam Flaitz, Richard “Dick” Flaitz, George Flaitz, Donald Flaitz and Robert “Bob” Flaitz; 2 sisters, Geraldine “Dean” McLane and Kathryn House.

Surviving are 3 sons, Jacob (Kelly) Flaitz, Jr. of Conesus, NY, Timothy Flaitz of Rochester and Thomas (Tonia) Flaitz of Hornell and a daughter, Patricia “Trish” (Bud) Paris of Warren, PA; a step-son, Anthony (Patti) Madau of Leroy, NY; his sisters-in-law, Donna Flaitz and Dolores Flaitz; 12 grandchildren, Jacob Andrew Flaitz, Alex Flaitz, Justyn Schumaker and Julia Flaitz; Haylie (Jariot) Spicer, Sydney Paris, Tori (Patrick) Morris, Beau Paris, Teagan Paris, Lexi Paris, Antonio Madau and Peter Madau; 2 great-grandchildren; many nieces & nephews.

At Jake’s request there will be no calling hours.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church.  Burial with full military honors will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Jake’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Ann’s Academy, 41 Genesee St., Hornell, NY  14843.

Sally A. Mills – 53 – of 25 Meadows Park, Arkport, NY died early Monday morning (February 6, 2023) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester following a long illness.

Born in Dansville on January 23, 1970, she was the daughter of Daniel & Kristine (Walker) Ryan.

Sally grew up in the Cohocton area and was a graduate of Cohocton High School (class of 1988).  Throughout the years she resided in several locations, including Cohocton, Dansville and Arkport.

She had been employed at Gunlock Corporation and had also served as a Rural Mail Carrier.  Most recently she was employed at “Just in Time” (JIT) in Dansville.

Sally enjoyed being outdoors and especially loved the time that she spent camping, working around her home and gardening.  She also had a deep affection for her beloved cats.

She was married on June 20, 2020 to Leroy J. Mills, Jr. who survives.  Also surviving are 2 daughters, Shelbylynn Walker of Arkport and Courtney (Brett) Dunn of Syracuse; her parents, Daniel & Kristine Ryan of Arkport; her sister, Kelly (Bob) Lewis of Dansville; her brother, Tommy (Sadie) Ryan of Mt. Morris; 2 grandchildren, Lilly Walker and Paddrick Owens of Florida; several nieces & nephews.

At Sally’s request there will be no calling hours.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held at a later date to be announced.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Sally’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY  14843.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com