Esslie-Frenia Law June 2023 Leaderboard

OBITUARIES: Earl, Chesna, Duignan, Beck, Minkowitz, Van Nest

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John W. Earl, II (1958 – 2016)

ALBANY—John W. Earl, II, 58, passed away Thursday, September 29, 2016 at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by his family.

Born September 19, 1958 in Rockville Centre, he was the son of the late John William and Jane (Powers) Earl, Sr.

Mr. Earl was a graduate of C.W. Post University on Long Island and retired from the New York State Department of Transportation.

He enjoyed fishing, cooking and the company of his family and friends. His kindness and generous spirit will be missed by many. The family thanks Rose Thomas and Carol Desmond for their tireless love and support.

Mr. Earl is survived by: his loving wife of 30 years, Ruth Earl of Valatie; two sons, John Earl (Jennifer) of Barrington, NH, and Andrew Earl of Washington, DC; and his grandson, Samuel Earl.

Funeral services were held Saturday, October 1 at the North Chatham United Methodist Church, North Chatham, with the Reverend Darienne Gagne officiating. Burial followed in the North Chatham Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Columbia-Greene Humane Society, 111 Humane Society Road, Hudson 12534.

Arrangements were with the Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, Valatie.

Rose Ann Chesna (1939 – 2016)

GALLATIN—Rose Ann Chesna, 77, of Gallatin passed away at her home Wednesday, September 28, 2016.

Born August 26, 1939, in North Tarrytown, she was the daughter of the late Francis and Rose (Morabito) Fiorella. She married Raymond Chesna, who predeceased her July 15, 2005.

Mrs. Chesna was as LPN, and worked for more than 30 years as a pediatric nurse at Grasslands in the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

Mrs. Chesna was a member of The Penny Bridge Ladies Auxiliary. She volunteered at the food bank of Monmouth County, NJ, Interfaith Neighbors and The Center in Asbury Park, NJ.

Her passions included her faith, her family, helping others, entertaining with multicultural meals. She also enjoyed music, travel, and had a love of dancing.

Mrs. Chesna is survived by: her loving family, including her children, Rosanne (Manuel) Hagenbuch of Gallatin, Raymond (Amy) Chesna of Cumming, GA, and Carl F. Chesna of Asbury Park, NJ; her sisters, Elizabeth Fahey of Tarrytown, Frances Mannino of Germantown and Maribeth Marino of Norwalk, CT; her grandchildren, Stephanie Milstrey, Courtney Pavlovich, Stephen Hagenbuch, Alyssa Hines, Jessica Yoli, Amanda Lee, Nicholas Chesna, Alexandra Chesna and Julianna Chesna; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and extended family.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her daughter, Cynthia Lee in October 2015 and a brother, Joseph Fiorella in February 1999.

A Mass of the Christian Burial was held Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Church of the Resurrection, Germantown.

Memorial donations may be made in Mrs. Chesna’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Mid-Hudson Chapter, 2 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie 12601-4027.

Arrangements were under the direction of Burnett & White Funeral Homes, 7461 South Broadway, Red Hook.

To sign the online guest book visit www.Burnett-White.com.

James F. Duignan (1946 – 2016)

BAYSHORE—James F. Duignan, 70, of Bayshore passed away Sunday, September 25, 2016 at the Southside Hospital.

Born June 1, 1946 in New York City, he was the son of the late James and Florence (Hummers) Duignan.

Mr. Duignan held his master’s degree in education and was a teacher for many years at St. John the Baptist High School in Bayshore.

He is survived by a sister, Veronica Duignan of Elizaville along with many colleagues and friends.

Graveside services were held Monday, October 3, 2016 at Elizaville Methodist Cemetery, Elizaville. Burial was at the Elizaville Methodist Cemetery, Elizaville.

Arrangements were under the direction of Burnett & White Funeral Homes, 7461 South Broadway, Red Hook.

To sign the online guest book visit www.Burnett-White.com.

William P. Beck, Sr. (1937 – 2016)

ALBANY—William P. Beck, Sr., 79, of Craryville died in the company of his family Friday, September 30, 2016 at Albany Medical Center.

Born in the Bronx, February 11, 1937 he was the son of the late William G. and Anna (Thompson) Beck.

Mr. Beck proudly served in the U.S. Army during the VietNam War from 1960 to 1962. Later he was employed for 19 years with Atlas Cement in Hudson and then retired as a foreman from the Columbia County Department of Public Works.

Mr. Beck was a member of the Churchtown Fire Company, treasurer of the Churchtown Rod and Gun Club, life-member of the Craryville Rod and Gun Club and member of Council #316 Hudson Knights of Columbus.

He will be missed by: his sons, Peter and (Shelly) Beck of Craryville, William P. Beck, Jr., and (Valerie Scovel) of Livingston; his daughter, Jeannette and (Mark) Beaumont of Philmont; one brother, Thomas Beck of Craryville; grandchildren, Leah and Brea Beck, Amber, Kayla and Rachael Beaumont and Tyler Beck; many nieces and nephews; good friend, Nancy Moretti, whom he considered a step-daughter. Mr. Beck was predeceased by his beloved wife, Alice M. (Lasher) Beck in 2003.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday, October 5, 2016 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Sacco McDonald-Valenti Funeral Home, 700 Town Hall Drive, Greenport. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, October 6 at the funeral home with the Reverend Jackie Jefferson officiating, after which time military honors will be presented. Private burial in Churchtown cemetery will be at the family’s convenience. Memorial contributions are requested to The ALS Association Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 6051, Albert Lea, MN 56007 To leave online condolences visit www.saccomcdonaldvalenti.com

Irving Minkowitz (1926 – 2016)

ALBANY—Irving Minkowitz, 90, a resident of Clermont passed away Saturday morning, October 1, 2016, at Albany Medical Center.

He, and his twin brother, who preceded him in death, were born July 23, 1926 in Brooklyn.

While in school, he worked at Whalen’s Drug Store as a soda jerk and fell in love with the restaurant business. His first restaurant was the Act IV on 44th and 8th Avenue, where he loved to welcome theater-goers and actors. He expanded his business to Washington, DC, where he owned The 50 States, and to the Jersey Shore, where he owned The Mac Embers.

He was weekender and frequently visited friends in Elizaville. He eventually purchased a farm in Clermont and moved to the area, permanently, with his family. He loved to invite his friends to the “country” and to have a farm experience. In his retirement, he worked the land, growing as many as 1,800 tomato plants and gourmet vegetables, which he sold locally.

He is survived by: his wife, Cherie Minkowitz; their daughter, Honey Minkowitz; many nieces and nephews. He loved his family and his life very much.

Graveside services are 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 5 at St. Luke’s Cemetery of Route 9 Clermont.

Arrangements are with the Yadack-Fox Funeral Home, 209 Main Street, Germantown. Condolences may be expressed at yadackfox.com

Ruth P. Van Nest (1919 – 2016)

GERMANTOWN—Ruth Patricia Quigley Van Nest was an Irish girl, born St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1919, in Washington Heights, New York City.

She departed this life Friday evening, September 30, 2016, at her home among the trees in Germantown, where she had lived with her husband and children since 1952.

She was the daughter of Effie V. Lydecker Quigley and John Martin Quigley of New York City and later, New Jersey. Her husband, Reginald R. Van Nest, a carpenter and builder and master craftsman, predeceased her in 1981.

She is survived by: her two daughters, Priscilla (Randall) Albertson, and Elizabeth Van Nest, and two grandchildren, Samuel (Mayra) Albertson, and Alexis Albertson. Her nephew, Robert L. Van Nest, in Florida, several cousins living in New York City, Connecticut and New Hampshire, good neighbors and good friends also survive her. Her first grandson, David, predeceased her in 1977 as did her only brother, Gordon L. Quigley, in 2001.

Mrs. Van Nest worked for many years and in many different capacities, first on her husband’s family farm in Milan, helping with the many aspects of their fruit and dairy farm. She also worked in Stewards Control within the Cost Accounting Department of the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company in New York City when it had moved its offices to the U.S. during World War II. She worked for several years at the Germantown Central School, and briefly, for the Germantown Telephone Company. For many years she was a bookstore assistant at the Bard College Bookstore, later managed by Barnes and Noble Bookstores, Inc. She loved books and was a lifelong reader. She both loved and valued learning and was a perpetual scholar and a gifted teacher of what she had learned.

A spiritual woman who loved and served God throughout her life, Mrs. Van Nest taught Sunday school at the Rhinebeck Dutch Church of Rhinebeck Flats and at the Reformed Church of Germantown, as well as Vacation Bible School for both churches. She was a member of the Missionary Society and the Ecumenical Reformed Society. For several years she taught evening sessions in spiritual principles to the residents of the New York State Training School for Girls in Hudson and in more recent years, briefly taught in the Sabbath School of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Livingston.

At her home in Germantown, along with many cats which resided there over the years, all of which she loved tremendously, she had the experience of having several goats in the earlier days. At the beginning she was certain that she wouldn’t like those goats, but she came to love them deeply and cried for days when they were sold, making name tags for each. She also had healthy raccoons, possums and skunks that also received a place and sustenance under her watch, for she both knew and respected that they too, as God’s handiwork, had a right to be there. Simply put, Mrs. Van Nest gave to each one and to all who passed her way, in ample measure, fully and freely, and without expectation of return.

She said of herself and of her life, that on the whole, it was “the worst of times and the best of times,” and knew that God had seen her safely through it all. She also described herself as a “gleaner,” learning and taking something away from each step of life, and as she put it, “sometimes the hard way and sometimes the joyous way.”

Finally, Mrs. Van Nest visited Ireland twice, tread the sod her ancestors did, and loved it.

Calling hours are Wednesday, October 5, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Yadack-Fox Funeral Home, 209 Main Street, Germantown. Services will be held Thursday, October 6, 2 p.m. at the funeral home with burial to follow in the Reformed Church Cemetery of Germantown.

Condolences may be expressed at yadackfox.com

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