Donald J. “Don” Rechichi – 52 – of Blaine St., Hornell, died unexpectedly Thursday afternoon (October 6, 2022) at his home.

Born in North Hornell on May 22, 1970, he was the son of John & Julia “Judy” (Padden) Rechichi.

Don grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1989).  He had been employed in the kitchen/cafeteria at the former St. James Mercy Hospital and later served as a “prep-cook” at Country Kitchen Restaurant in Hornell.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church.  Don had also been a member of the Hornell Association.

In his younger years, Don enjoyed bowling and was a member of several bowling leagues.  He had been a hunter who enjoyed hunting deer & small game.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John & Julia Rechichi along with several aunts & uncles.

Surviving are his brother, David (Yvette) Rechichi of West Seneca, NY; 1 nephew, Michael Rechichi; 1 niece, Rachel Rechichi; along with several aunts, uncles, nieces & nephews.

At Don’s request there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery at the convenience of the family with Deacon Robert McCormick officiating.

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

Don’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, PO Box 1000, Department 300, Memphis, TN  38148.  Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

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

Rose Anna McCormick – 71 – of Hornell, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

Born in Fort Ticonderoga, NY on October 29, 1950, she was the daughter of Morgan & Helen (Carpenter) Belden and was raised by her grandmother, Esther Belden.

Rose had a way of capturing every special moment with her family and friends.  She was selfless and this was evident throughout her long career as a nurse and her most cherished job of being Nana to her seven beloved grandchildren.  Rose found greatest joy when surrounded by her grandkids.

She was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church where she served as a Eucharistic Minister.  Rose was a dedicated advocate for Relay for Life and was proud to walk in the Wilmot Cancer walk and to raise funds to find a cure for cancer.

On December 29, 1970, Rose was married to Deacon Bob McCormick who survives.  Also surviving are 3 daughters, Tara (Robert) Pienkowski of Syracuse, Erin (Terrence) Sloan of Selkirk, NY and Nicole (Matthew) Einhorn of Selkirk, NY; 7 grandchildren, Mia Pienkowski, Carissa Pienkowski, Aiden Sloan, Bryson Sloan, Kaleb Sloan, Cameron Einhorn and Avery Einhorn.

The family would like to extend sincere gratitude to all of the health care providers that helped Rose throughout her illness; especially, the staff from Care First Hospice that were with her in her final days at home.  So many wonderful nurses cared for her that we cannot list all of them individually.  Also, thank you to Dr. Picco and Dr. Sharda and their medical staff for the countless hours and devoted medical care provided.

At Rose’s request there will be no prior calling hours.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 3, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church, Hornell, NY. A reception will follow at The Main Place, 215 Main St., Hornell, NY.

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

In lieu of flowers Rose wishes for her friends and family to enjoy every moment, live life to the fullest, and spend time with the ones you love.

Donations in her name may be made to St. Ann’s Church, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell, NY  14843 or Care First Hospice, 3805 Meads Creek Road, Painted Post, NY  14870.  Memorial forms will be available at St. Ann’s Church.

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

Fred F. “Ted” Ames, Jr., 85, of Bath, NY died early Thursday morning (September 22, 2022) at St. James Hospital.

Born in Bar Harbor, ME on January 28, 1937, he was the eldest son of Fred and Florence (Harriman) Ames (deceased).

He graduated from Bar Harbor High School in 1955, then attended the University of Maine, Orono, and graduated in 1959 with a degree in Civil Engineering.  Fred began a career as a civil engineer with the New York State Department of Transportation, Hornell Regional Office.  He retired in 1997 as the Regional Director of Transportation Operations.

Fred enjoyed photography and, at the age of 18, held the honor of being the youngest licensed movie projectionist in the State of Maine.  He was a member of the Bath Elks Lodge and volunteered with the Canaseraga ambulance.  Fred enjoyed flying, earning his Private Pilot License.  Fred was a lifetime member of the Penn Yan Flying Club and a member of the Civil Air Patrol.  He was a Buffalo Bills Football fan and avid golfer.  He enjoyed target shooting as a member of the Bath Rod & Gun Club. In retirement, Fred learned to play the violin and piano.  Several times a year he enjoyed traveling to Maine to visit family and friends, and to attend the annual Bar Harbor High School reunion.

Fred was married to Lynne M. Montgomery from 1961-1975.  In 1979, he married Dorothy Gemmell Ames, who died in 2016.

He is survived by his daughters, Patricia Ames of Rochester, NY, and Nadine Ames Rosenblum (Micah) of Towson, MD; his step-children, John Gemmell (Karen), Timothy Gemmell (Gail), Cynthia Stackpole (Robert), Linda Gemmell and Nancy Langton; his brother, Robert Ames (Judy) of Annapolis, MD; his sister, Dorothy “Dottie” Robins of Bar Harbor, ME; grandchildren, Harrison Rosenblum and Artemis Rosenblum; several step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, class-mates, and friends.  Fred will also be sadly missed by his dear friend and companion, Aileen Mahoney, and her family.  He was preceded in death by his brother, Peter Ames, his stepson, William Gemmell, and his step-granddaughter, Brittni Gemmell.

The family of Fred F. Ames, Jr. will receive friends on Saturday, (Oct. 1^st, 2022) from 12:00 PM  –  2:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY with a brief service to follow at 2:00 PM.  Final interment will be in Ledgelawn Cemetery in Bar Harbor, ME.  Information about the grave-side ceremony and reception in Maine will be available in the future.

Fred’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to The American Heart Association, PO Box 3049, Syracuse, NY  13220 (www.heart.org) or the Humane Society of the United States, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037 (www.humanesociety.org), or the Bar Harbor Historical Society, 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609  (www.barharborhistorical.org). Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

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

Hornell, NY  /  Bath, NY

Kevin M. “Kayla” Brown – 62 – of 135 Water St., Bath, NY, died unexpectedly Monday afternoon (September 19, 2022) at his home.

Born in Olean, NY on May 13, 1960, he was the son of Milton & Virginia (Page) Brown.

Kevin grew up in Olean and was a graduate of Olean High School (class of 1978).  He had been employed in the housekeeping department of the former Castle Inn and had resided in the Hornell – Bath area for the past 10 years. He was an avid Buffalo Bills football fan and enjoyed reading mystery novels.

In addition to his parents, Kevin was preceded in death by his half-brother, Frank Anastasia.

Surviving are his sister, Gail Goodridge of Erie, PA; 2 half-brothers, Anthony Anastasia and Robert Anastasia; his aunt, Olive Clark; several nieces & nephews.

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.

Kevin’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his 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

Sheila Ann Dwight – 57 – of 7696 Ricks Road, Hornell (Town of Fremont), died Friday morning (September 16, 2022) at her home, following a long illness.

Born in Hornell on August 15, 1965, she was the daughter of Betty (Young) Shorts.

Sheila grew up in the Canisteo area and attended Canisteo Central School.  She was a veteran of the US Army National Guard, serving her country from 1982 – 1983.

Following her honorable discharge from the National Guard, Sheila briefly worked as a seamstress & sorter at the former Marion Rohr Corporation.  For several years she was a “Stay At Home Mom,” raising her children and taking care of her family.  For over 20 years, Sheila was employed at the Hornell High School Cafeteria, serving as a cook, server and eventually as kitchen manager.  She retired about four years ago due to ill health.

Sheila had a deep love of animals and for many years raised cows, chickens and pigs.  She also had a deep affection for her many border collies that she owned throughout the years.  Along with her husband, Kurt, she enjoyed rooting for the New York Yankees (MLB) and the Buffalo Bills (NFL).

As a young girl, Sheila’s family spent time on Loucks Pond in Avoca where she developed a love of the outdoors and fishing.  Throughout the years, she continued her love of fishing — especially on the Dwight Family Pond in Fremont.

She was married on May 12, 1984 to Kurt Dwight who survives.  Also surviving are 2 children, Nicole (Joe) Harris of Hornell and Justin (Mandi) Dwight of Sykesville, MD; 1 sister, Dawn (Glen) Burritt of Canisteo; 6 grandchildren, Aeriana Bourgeois, Derrick Harris, Lincoln Harris, Collin Wheaton, Raiden Dwight and Savannah Dwight; several nieces & nephews.

At Sheila’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.

Sheila’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

Daniel J. “Dan” Witzmann – 63 – of 8 Olive Place, Hornell, died unexpectedly Monday afternoon (September 12, 2022) at St. James Hospital.

Born in Yonkers, NY on September 8, 1959, he was the son of Herbert & Helene (Bardeen) Witzmann.

Dan grew up in the Hornell – Canisteo area and was a graduate of Canisteo Central School.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert & Helene Witzmann; and his sister, Laura Witzmann.

Surviving are 4 sisters, Diane (Pam) Griffin of Hornell, Linda Witzmann of Hornell, Mary Kay (James) Beaver of Hornell and Tracey (Moe) McNamara of Rochester; several nieces & nephews.

At Dan’s request there will be no calling hours.  A private Memorial Service was held at the convenience of the family.

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

Dan’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

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

Hornell, New York

Lynn J. Frost, 63, of 37 Sawyer St., Hornell, NY passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, September 10, 2022.

He was born in Dansville, NY on December 15, 1958.

Lynn was preceded in death by his parents Bernard Frost and Hilda (Stein) Cartwright.

He left behind siblings David (Tina) Frost and Kimberly (Jeff Todd) Frost; his son, Lynn Pete VanBuren; his uncle Merle (Carol) Stein, his aunt, Margaret Barber; nephews, nieces and cousins.

A memorial service will be private with only immediate family members present.  Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations can 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

Carolyn B. Lunn – 95 – of 1190 County Route 66 (The Woodlands), formerly of 7586 Airport Rd., Hornell, died early Friday morning (September 9, 2022) at her home, following a brief illness.

A native & life resident of Hornell, she was born October 22, 1926, and was the daughter of Arthur & Mildred (Collins) Brunskill.

Carolyn was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1945).  Following graduation, she was employed as a sales lady at the former Tuttle & Rockwell Store and later as an operator for New York Telephone.  For several years, Carolyn worked as a Kitchen Aid at the former Bethesda Community Hospital and later as a cook at the former Blue Angel Restaurant.

For a time, she worked at the former Mercycare Nursing Facility and at St. James Mercy Hospital, retiring in 1989.  Following her “retirement,” Carolyn served as a home care health provider in the Hornell area.

Carolyn was a member of Christ Episcopal Church of Hornell.  She enjoyed sewing, crocheting and making porcelain dolls.

She was married on November 13, 1954 to Truman Lunn who died in 2006.  She was also preceded in death by her son Thomas Shroyer who died in 1989; her daughter, Rebecca Sue Williams who died in 2019; 2 brothers, Bill Brunskill and Mason Brunskill; 3 sisters, Catherine Brill, Ella Mae Wilkins and Mary Howe.

Surviving are her daughter, Cindy (Donald) Wells of Ogdensburg, NY; 3 sons, Wesley Lunn of Canaseraga, Steven (Paula) Lunn of Conesus, NY and Michael (Nicole) Lunn of Modesto, CA; 1 sister, Helen Frost of Mesa, AZ; 13 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

At Carolyn’s request there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside services will be in Heritage Hill Cemetery in Arkport at the convenience of the family.

Friends are invited to attend a “Celebration of Life” to be held on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at the Fremont Fire Hall beginning at 12:00 Noon.

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

Carolyn’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to CareFirst Hospice, 3805 Meads Creek Rd., Painted Post, NY  14870 or to the Fremont Fire Department, PO Box 462, Arkport, NY  14807

To leave an online condolence or print a memorial form, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Kenneth P. “Ken” Drouin – 73 – of 39 Pine Hill Dr., Alfred, NY, died early Monday morning (September 5, 2022) at Corning Hospital, following a long illness.

Born in Methuen, MA on November 16, 1948, he was the son of Alfred & Lorraine (Racicot) Drouin.

Ken grew up in Nashua, New Hampshire where he attended Nashua High School.  He was a Veteran of the United States Marine Corp., serving his country from 1966-1969 during the Vietnam Conflict.  While stationed in Vietnam, Ken engaged in combat and was wounded with shrapnel.

Following his honorable discharge from the Marines, Ken resided in California for several years and later lived in Oregon.  While living in Oregon, he owned & operated a successful cabinet making business with his brother.  Ken moved back to Nashua, NH for a time and later returned to California where he served as an explosives inspector for the United States Department of Defense.  He has resided in Alfred since 2008.

Ken was a New York Yankees Fan (MLB) and also enjoyed rooting for the Pittsburg Steelers (NFL).  His greatest joy, however, was simply spoiling his grandchildren & great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Ken was preceded in death by his daughter, Ann-Marie Navez; his brother, Ronald Drouin; and his grandson, Joshua Mejia.

He was married on April 16, 1984 to the former Robin Gilcreast who survives.  Also surviving are his son, Matthew Drouin of Palms Springs, CA; 2 grandchildren, Maria (Joshua) Rowe and Joseph Mejia; 3 great grandchildren, Miguel Carranza, Cristobal Cortez JR and Nirvana Rowe; several nieces & nephews.

At Ken’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.

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

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

Sawyer E. Karns-McManus – 8 month old son of Nick & Nykole Karns-McManus was taken into the Loving Arms of Jesus in Heaven Thursday morning (September 1, 2022) surrounded by his family.

Born with a heart defect on December 31, 2021, Sawyer fought courageously with “Everything He Had” right up to the very end.  While on earth for only a brief time, he was deeply loved & cherished by his entire family and was an inspiration to everyone.

Although he is now an Angel in Heaven, Sawyer will never be forgotten and will always be loved by his mommy & daddy, Nick & Nykole; his sisters, Spencer Loporto, Gulianna McManus & Kinsley Karns; his paternal grandparents, Tim (Ann) McManus of Hornell and Mary Ann Didio of Cohocton; his maternal grandparents, Daniel Karns of Jamestown and Cindi (Jeff) Craig of Harbor Creek, PA; his paternal great-grandparents, Andy & Margie Didio of Hornell; his maternal great-grandparents, Keith (Darlene) Garfield of Scio; many aunts, uncles & cousins.

Daddy, please don’t look so sad,
Mama please don’t cry,
Cause I am in the arms of Jesus
and He sings me lullabies.

Please, try not to question God,
Don’t think he is unkind.
Don’t think He sent me to you,
and then He changed his mind.

You see, I am a special child,
and I’m needed up above.
I’m the special gift you gave Him;
the product of your love.

I’ll always be there with you
and watch the sky at night.
Find the brightest star that’s gleaming,
That’s my halo’s brilliant light.

You’ll see me in the morning frost
that mists your window pane.
That’s me in the summer showers;
I’ll be dancing in the rain.

When you feel a little breeze
from a gentle wind that blows,
That’s me, I’ll be there
planting a kiss upon your nose.

When you see a child playing
and your heart feels a little tug,
That’s me, I’ll be there,
giving your heart a hug.

So Daddy, please don’t look so sad,
Mama please don’t cry.
I’m in the arms of Jesus
and He sings me lullabies.

                                            Author~Claudette T. Allen

The family of Sawyer E. Karns-McManus will receive friends on Saturday, September 17, 2002 from 4:00 PM  – 6:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St, Hornell, NY.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Sawyer’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105.  Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

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