All Obituaries

Rhinebeck – John Joseph Heller, 88, passed away Saturday, March 7, 2020, surrounded by his family at home in Rhinebeck. John was raised in Germantown on the family farm, and was a graduate of Germantown High School, Albany Business College and the RCA Institute. Following his Korean War service in the US Army from 1951-1953, he returned home and began his career as an electronics technician with IBM, first in Poughkeepsie and then Kingston.  He married Cecilia R. Dlhos on May 26,...

After a long, rewarding, and generous life, Frances Avirgan passed away peacefully on the morning of March 23, 2020 at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, NY. She was 104 years old. She remained mentally alert to the end, cast her absentee ballot last week, and died when her lungs gave out. As she told family members the day before, she had had a good life, was feeling happy, and was ready to let go. Her son Tony and daughter-in-law Martha Honey are extremely grateful that the staff at...

Rhinebeck – Eileen Melia, 101, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2020, at the Baptist Home, Rhinebeck. Born September 7, 1918, in New Jersey, she was the daughter of Fred and Ethel (Jones) Schmitt. After graduation from Holy Angels School in New Jersey she worked as a secretary for Otis Elevator in NYC.  She married the love of her life James A. Melia in 1941 devoting her life to her husband and her five daughters while raising them in Stuyvesant Town, NYC.  From 1990 she and...

Mary Tay Cox went to be with the Lord on February 29, 2020 at the age of 92.  She died peacefully with her daughter and son in law at her side. She was surrounded by family and caring staff at Sentry Hill Assisted Living Center in York Maine where she lived the last few years. Mary was a resident of Rhinebeck, NY.  She was born in Weirton, W. Virginia on 9/23/27, daughter of John and Julia Onufer Tay.  She married Theodore C. Cox in 1958 at St....

  Gary Lee LaBelle died peacefully and surrounded with love on Sunday February 16. Gary fought a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia, but retained a sense of humor, a sparkle in his eye, and a love of sweets until his final weeks. Gary was born December 12, 1944, the eldest of five children of Marcelyn and Gerald LaBelle. Raised in Coldwater, MI, Gary was honored with an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from which he graduated in 1967. Gary went on to...

Elizabeth (Betty) Weingaertner, 77, passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at the Thompson House. Betty was born April 16th, 1942 to Charles J. and Florence (Malone) Lamont.   She was born on a dairy farm in Ancramdale.  On February 10, 1963 she married Emil Weingaertner in Rhinebeck.  Betty and Emil resided in Rhinebeck where they raised their family. Betty is survived by her husband Emil, her son Eddie (Melissa) of Rhinebeck, and her daughter Elissa (Jeff)...

Jacqueline Lee Fenn, 73, a former longtime Millerton resident, passed away Friday, February 7, 2020, at the Baptist Home, Rhinebeck. Jackie, the daughter of, Charlotte (Manning) Fenn of Rhinebeck, and the late Merrill G. Fenn, was born February 16, 1946 in Sharon, CT.  Jackie lived with and was cared for by her mother for most of her life.  Having lived with cerebral palsy since birth, her positive attitude and beautiful spirit were an inspiration to all who knew...

Soubhieh Ali Hammoud was born on March 13, 1944 (Passed on February 5, 2020) to Ali Assim Hammoud and Fatimah Hammoud.   She was in love with God,  family and friends.  Soubhieh excelled and was passionate about all she placed her hands on from baking to cooking to embroidery to entertaining, sewing and antique doll dress designing.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Sobhi Mohammad Hammoud, to whom she was married to for 50 years.  Her sons Ali...

Rhinebeck – Penni Cullen, 72, of Rhinebeck, passed away on January 27, 2020 in Pawling, NY. Born in Passaic, New Jersey on October 6, 1947, she was the daughter of the late Stanley and Doris (Sarachevitz) Goldstein.  After graduating high school, Penni went to beauty school and worked for many years as a beautician in New Jersey. She later worked in customer service at the Poughkeepsie Journal. In 1996, Penni married John Cullen of Rhinebeck.  Penni was a kind-hearted,...

John Leslie Prutton, 56, a resident of Oak Harbor, Washington and Rhinebeck, New York passed away unexpectedly on November 27, 2019 in Oak Harbor.  Born in Montgomery, West Virginia on November 23, 1963, John was the son of the late Rev. Leslie and Theo Prutton. He graduated from Rhinebeck in 1982.  He is survived by his sister, Wendy Prutton, niece Heather (Sean) Howard, and great nephews, Charlie and Ben Howard.  During his career, John served as an MP in the US Army from...