Obituaries

Kenneth Bryan Kasperek, 71 of Akron, New York passed away peacefully Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Buffalo General Hospital.

He was born May 6, 1951 in Batavia, NY, a son of the late John Kasperek II and Janet (Frost) Milani.

A 1969 graduate of Akron Central School, he attended Houghton College West Seneca campus and completed many continuing education hours in design, photography, and advertising over the years.

Ken was Co-Publisher of the Akron Bugle, a weekly community newspaper in Akron, NY, an award winning photo-journalist, and newspaper designer.  He recently completed terms as a member of the New York Press Association Board of Directors and was an active partner with Weekly Independent Newspapers.

A gifted musician, Ken was a member of the Akron Community Band for 58 years, playing principal trumpet for many of those years.  He served as librarian of the Band for 56 years and was a Trustee and trumpet section leader.  In recent years, he was also a member of the Pembroke-Corfu band.

Active in The United Methodist Church, he was an associate member of Newfane UMC and a member of Akron First UMC.  He was a founding board member and contributor to the C. Dee Wright Community Ministry Center.  He was an equalization member of the Upper New York Annual Conference and for many years worked with their communication team as a photographer and designer for their publications.  He participated in the Bell Choir at Akron First UMC and was Director of that group for multiple years.  He taught Sunday School and led the Youth Fellowship at Clarence Center UMC in the 1970’s.  Ken received the Western New York United Methodist Committee on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) award for his commitment to the advancement of women’s issues.

Ken has been a member of the Rotary Club of Akron-Newstead since 1990 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.  He is a Past Vice President and Past President of the Akron-Chamber of Commerce, and past member of the Akron Celebration Committee.

He was the first male Girl Scout leader in Western New York and led Junior and Senior Girl Scout Troop 352 in the Akron neighborhood.

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn J. Kasperek of Akron. Daughters, Karlyn (Michael) Backus of Batavia, Alison (Justin) Allaman of Erie, PA, and Sarah (Chris) Roth of Clarence. Grandchildren, Shaun Finucane, Kirra Roth, Teagan Finucane, Bryan Allaman, Hailey Roth, Riley Allaman and Abigail Allaman. Brothers, Thomas (Nancy) Kasperek of Nebraska and John (Ann Marie) Kasperek III of W. Seneca. Sister, Nancy Knop of Tonawanda. Also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are cordially invited to share thoughts, condolences, and fond memories on Friday (March 24th) from 4-7 p.m. at the Newstead Fire Hall, 5691 Cummings Rd, Akron, NY 14001. A Celebration of Ken’s Life will be Saturday, 4:00 p.m. at the Newfane United Methodist Church, 2699 Main St., Newfane, NY 14108.

Memorial contributions may be offered to the family for distributions to various charities. Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.mcandrewfuneralhomes.net.

ARRANGEMENTS WERE ENTRUSTED TO THE J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 32 JOHN ST., AKRON, NY 14001. RONALD KONIECZNY II, DIRECTOR.

 

 

Carole S. Kryzan, 71, of Batavia, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 19, 2023, at The Grand in Batavia.

Carole was born on October 18, 1951, in Batavia, a daughter of the late Richard and Genevieve Day Kryzan. She was the sister of the late Curtis L. Kryzan.

Carole loved to go shopping and play bingo.

She is survived by her sisters, Ingrid (late Lee) Stone and Kim (Dale) Weatherbee. Several nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and cousins also survive.

Family and friends may call Wednesday, March 22, 2023, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the C. B. Beach & Son Mortuary, Inc., 4 East Main Street, Corfu. Funeral services will be held at the mortuary on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 11 a.m. with burial to follow in Hillside Cemetery, East Pembroke.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to any Breast Cancer or mental health charity of the donors choice.

LeRoy ~ Betty Rose DeJesus, age 60, of Genesee Street, passed away unexpectedly at home on Friday, March 17, 2023.

    

She was born March 13, 1963 in San Jose, CA, a daughter of the late Harlan and Orpha Corthell Gilbert.

     Betty will be remembered for her love of family and her kindness towards other people.  She was an avid book reader and Buffalo Bills fan. Her compassion is what made her stand out above the rest.

     In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Miguel Angel DeJesus in 2020 and her brother, Charley Gilbert.

     She will be sadly missed by her sons, Mickey (Taylor Perkins) DeJesus, Gregory (Megan Gill) DeJesus and William (Trisha) DeJesus; grandchildren, Dominic, Aliyah, Harlan, Javier, Aurora DeJesus; sister, Donna (James) Burdick; step-children, Marisol DeJesus, Miguel DeJesus Jr. and Diana DeJesus, along with many friends.

     Any other family and friends, whose lives Betty touched are invited to call on Friday, March 24 from 10:30 - 11:30 AM at the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service, 8700 Lake Road, LeRoy, NY.  Interment will immediately follow in the Stafford Rural Cemetery. After the cemetery services, there will be a celebration of life held at the American Legion, 53 West Main St., LeRoy, NY 14482 from 1 PM to 4 PM.

     Memorials are suggested to Betty’s family.

     Your memories and condolences may be shared with Betty’s family at www.falconefuneralhome.com.

Nicholas (Nick) Pascucci of Stafford, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 17, 2023, just 3 weeks shy of his 94^th birthday. He is the son of the late James Pascucci (originally from Vasto, Italy) and Mary Sammarco (originally of Vallelunga, Sicily) who settled in Batavia to raise their family. He is predeceased by brothers Louis, Joseph, Dominic, James, John and Victor and sisters, Edith Kipp, Irene Lewis and Jean.

   

  Nick always said with a chuckle, “You have to keep your body moving because if you let yourself slow down, you’re done for!” He lived by that philosophy and was a role model for all of us in demonstrating it. He was rarely at rest from dawn till dusk. Judging from his longevity, it seems he knew what he was talking about!

     Always witty and quick with a joke, he will be remembered for his great sense of humor and ability to make others laugh through his gift of storytelling; and he had plenty of stories and adventures to share! One could consider oneself fortunate to be regaled with his tales of growing up in Batavia, or his years in the army when he was in the Philippines and Japan, or his years as a civilian living in Japan. His flair for detail could transport the listener to the era and setting to which he was referring. His experiences and adventures were amazing and fun to hear.

     His greatest adventure began when meeting his future wife, Florence Corona, who, at the time, was a telephone switchboard operator in Batavia. He asked her out for coffee and the rest of the story has taken 66 years to complete. Together, they raised four children, Nicholas (Nick), Vincent (Vin), Gina and Renee.

     While raising his family, Nick worked as an electrician through the IBEW local 86 in Rochester where he made many lifelong friends. He loved to fish and garden and until recently could be found outside, checking his garlic, in particular. He was a long-time member, and eventually president of, the Stafford Zoning Board of Appeals. He fulfilled a long time dream of learning to play the piano when he was in his 40s, spoke 2 languages other than English (Japanese and Italian) and loved classical music and opera.

     Nick was a kind and gentle man with a relaxed nature who had the ability to make everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome. He was a real treasure and will be greatly missed.

     He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Florence Corona Pascucci, his children, Nick, Vin (Liz), Gina (Mark) Battaglia, Renee (Glenn) Mitges; 7 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, a sister, Delores Lanzo and brother, Floyd, many nieces, nephews and beloved friends.

     Family and friends may call on Friday, March 24 from 3 ~ 7 P.M. at the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service Inc., 8700 Lake St. Rd., LeRoy.  Nick’s Rite of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 25 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, St. Peter’s Church, 44 Lake St., LeRoy.    

     In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nick’s name to either St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org).

     Your memories and condolences may be shared with Nick’s family at www.falconefuneralhome.com.

Churchville ~ Shirley Mae Zinter, age 93, passed away early Monday morning (March 13, 2023) at the LeRoy Village Green Nursing Home.

    

She was born July 2, 1929 in Bradford, PA, a daughter of the late Henry C. and Helen M. Brown Smith.

     Shirley will be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother, who loved gardening and was a supporter of animal charities.  She also enjoyed car rides with her husband, John.

     She is survived by her loving husband of 71 years, John Zinter; her children, Helen (Thomas) Gumkowski, Susan (late Donald) Miller and John (Barbara) Zinter; grandchildren, Thomas (Amy) Gumkowski, Jeffrey Gumkowski, Jessica Gumkowski, Donald (Kim) Miller, Christine Miller, Brittany (Adam) Drexler, Tiana (Jeffrie) Pack, Aurora (Skylar) Wade, Devon Zinter and Sawyer Zinter; great-grandchildren, Shane Drexler, Alyssa Drexler, Hunter Harden, Zachary Harden and Benjamin Harden; and siblings, Florence Reynolds, George Smith and Donald Smith.

     In addition to her parents, Shirley was predeceased by her son, David Zinter and her sisters, Eleanor Oney and Grace Auge.

     Interment and graveside services in the Riga Cemetery will be private at the convenience of the family.

     Donations in memory of Shirley are suggested to Volunteers for Animals of Batavia, 3841 West Main Street Road, Batavia, N.Y. 14020 or an animal organization of the donor’s choice.

     Your memories and condolences may be shared with Shirley's family at www.falconefuneralhome.com. 

     Mrs. Zinter and her family are being cared for by the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service Inc. in LeRoy.  585-768-2400

Thelma I. Schwab, 100 of Batavia, passed away peacefully on Thursday (March 16, 2023) at the LeRoy Village Green Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

She was born November 14, 1922 in Batavia, a daughter of the late George and Hattie Williams Wagner.

Thelma was employed by Eastman Kodak prior to her retirement. She enjoyed crocheting and produced several blankets and towels for family and friends. She enjoyed reading Danielle Steel novels, watching soap operas during the day and Family Feud and Jeopardy in the evening time. Listening to music, playing solitaire and sudoku on her iPad was also a favorite hobby for her. She was greatly loved by her family and will be dearly missed by everyone who knew her.

She is predeceased by her husband, Loren Schwab; son, Clayton Schwab; daughter, Kathleen Sparks; siblings, John Wagner, Frank Wagner, George Wagner, Gladys Walker and Nellie Lambein.

Survivors include her daughter Bonnie Morgan of Batavia. Grandchildren, Kimberly Lawrence, Koren Spaulding, Kristen LaClair and Tammy Battaia. Also survived by several great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to share in a Memorial Service on Tuesday (March 21^st), 10:00am at Ascension Parish (corner of Swan Street and Sumner Street)  in Batavia.

She will be laid to rest in North Byron Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family for future distributions to various charities. Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.mcandrewfuneralhomes.net.

ARRANGEMENTS WERE ENTRUSTED TO THE J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 2 BOGUE AVE., BATAVIA, NY 14020. RONALD KONIECZNY II, DIRECTOR.

 

 

Bradley F. Rogers passed away on March 17, 2023 with his loving family by his side.  He was born December 11, 1938 in Franklinville, NY to the late Dean and Florence (Jones) Rogers.  In 1969, he married the former Sheila Tehan.

Brad graduated from Ten Broeck Academy in Franklinville and continued his studies at SUNY College at Brockport where he earned a BS in elementary education, MS in education and a CAS in educational administration.   He taught for Olean CSD, Byron-Bergen CSD, and Batavia City Schools. He was a JV and Varsity basketball coach at Notre Dame HS and Batavia HS.  He was also a BHS track and golf coach.  He coached summer basketball clinics, was president of the Batavia Teachers’ Association and taught migrant education.    He was a former Genesee County Legislator, Member of the GCIDA Board of Directors, General Manager of the former Batavia Clippers, and Director of the NY-Penn Professional Baseball League.   He served on the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District in a variety of roles, including being Vice-Chairman.  He was President of the NY Association of Conservation Districts and Chair of the Great Lakes Commission, with the National Association of Conservation Districts in Washington, DC.  In the 1980s, he received Governors Carey’s and Cuomo's appointments to the State University College of New York at Brockport College Council. 

He was a member of the St. Joseph’s Holy Name Society, the Knights of Columbus, Elks Club, Batavia Country Club, and Terry Hills Golf Course, (where he shot a hole in one on #14).  He loved following St. Bonaventure, Syracuse, and Notre Dame basketball, along with the Yankees and the Bills, golfing, fishing, painting, and solving puzzles.  All of these couldn’t compete with the love he had for his family, creating a special bond with each of them.

In addition to his wife of 53 years, he is survived by his children Julia, Michael, Maria (Mark) Fitzpatrick, Kathleen (Jon) O’Day, Marcia (Brian) Danahy, Paul (Kacey), and Kevin (Megan) and grandchildren Kathryn, Arabella, Ryan, Megan, Matthew, Evan, Courtney, Nolan, Jacob, Emma, and Caden.  He is also survived by his sisters, Joyce Kelly and Carole Dallas, and brother-in-law, Bruce (Jeanette) Tehan, and nieces and nephews. 

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Charles, his mother-in-law and father- in-law, Kathryn and Frank Tehan, his brothers-in-law, Edwin Kelly and Douglas Dallas, sister–in-law, Mary Ann Heveron, nieces Mary Kathryn O’Geen and Sheila Heveron and nephew, James Heveron.

There will be no prior calling hours.  His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Resurrection Parish (St. Joseph’s site-303 East Main Street, Batavia) on Monday, March 20 at Noon.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Joseph’s Regional School, 2 Summit St., Batavia, NY or Notre Dame High School, 73 Union St., Batavia, NY. To leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle in his memory, please visit www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home, 308 East Main Street, Batavia.

Gary J. “Fred” Fredericks, 76 of Attica, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2023. He was born June 16, 1946 in Buffalo, to the late Joseph and Una (Miller) Fredericks. He is preceded in death by his first wife Peggy (Webster) Fredericks.

Gary was a proud United States Army Veteran. He attended Syracuse University on a football scholarship. Gary coached football at RIT and went on to coach and teach physical education at Caledonia-Mumford.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary (Ziegler) Fredericks, daughter Michele (Kris) Williams, three grandchildren, Parker, Emerson and Brady, sister Sharon (Dick) Gilbert.

There will be no prior calling hours. A Celebration of his Life will be held on May 13, 2023 from 12pm to 4pm at JW Jones Hall, 366 Leicester Rd, Caledonia, NY 14423.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Genesee Cancer Assistance, 127 North St., Batavia, NY 14020. To leave an online message of condolence please visit www.marleyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements completed by Marley Funeral Home, LLC, 135 Main Street, Attica, New York 14011.

Alvaro (Al) Cadena, 79, of Pittsford, NY, passed away early March 10, following a recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis. He died peacefully at home in the company of his loved ones. Born in Colombia in 1943, Al moved to the United States in 1965 to attend college. Soon after his arrival, officiants in both Colombia and the United States observed wedding vows proclaimed via telephone, after which Martha, Al's beloved wife of 57 years, joined him to build their life in New York. Al graduated from NYU with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and later earned a Master of Engineering Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
For 39 years, he worked for Graham Corporation, first in its New York City offices, and later in Batavia, NY, where he ultimately retired as President and CEO. Al's work ethic and dedication were evidenced by the advisory roles held and honors received throughout his career, including advisory council of the SUNY Business School at Brockport, President of the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA), and RIT's 1988 Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also served on the advisory board of the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center, a position he held especially dear as a 27-year survivor of metastatic prostate cancer under their care. However, Al was not "all work". His love of life was infectious, showing a joyful appreciation for things well-done in any form: good food, exquisite pens, or even a well-constructed coffee scoop. He made everyday events more interesting, a prime example being golf, during which he scored a Hole-In-One.... twice. Al's unmatched energy was especially appreciated by his grandchildren, for whom he was never too busy: board games, field trips, swimming; if they could think it, he would do it.
In addition to his wife Martha, Al is survived by his children, Alvaro (Catherine) Cadena of New York, Jorge (Lisa) Cadena of Florida, Sylvia (Steven) Alexander of New York, and the four grandchildren who bestowed upon him his most distinguished role of all, "Abuelito" or "Tito". The family will receive friends Thursday, March 16, from 5-7pm EDT at Anthony's Funeral Home in Brighton, NY. A private memorial service for family will follow on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wilmot Cancer Institute.

VISITATION: Anthony's Funeral Home in Brighton, NY
March 16, 2023 at 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Lila B. Ball, 69, of Perry and formerly of Batavia, passed away on March 2, 2023.

Lila was born December 11, 1953 in Whittier, CA, a daughter of the late Frank and Flora (Bolster) Patrick.

Lila practiced nursing for 35 plus years as an LPN.  She loved taking care of people.  Lila graduated from McAuley Hall Nursing School.  

Surviving are her sons, Jason Ball of Batavia and Chris "Beaner" Ball of Batavia; grandchildren, Kylan Ball, Nolan Ball, Adalyn Ball and Braelyn Ball; a brother, Frank Patrick of Houston, TX; sisters, Valerie Patrick of Byron and Wendy Patrick of LeRoy and nieces and nephews.

In death, Lila is reunited with her late husband, Michael Ball.

There are no prior calling hours.  Lila's Memorial Service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on March 22 at High Point Community Church, 1163 Main Street, Corfu.    

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wyoming County SPCA, PO Box 269, Attica, NY 14011, www.wyomingcountyspca.org.  

Please leave a condolence, share a story, or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements for Lila were entrusted to the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, Batavia, (585) 343-8868.

Julia A. Gervasi, 88, of East Pembroke, passed away peacefully on February 25, 2023.

Julia was born on July 5, 2023, in Westfield, New York, a daughter of Nicholas and Mary Antoinette (June) Gervasi. 

Julie was a nurses aid at St. Jerome’s Hospital, worked at the Pembroke Primary School and was the proprietor of Magoo’s. 

Surviving is her son Bob Gervasi; honorary daughter-in-law Marie; 3 step-grandchildren, Jamie, Michael and Heather and step-great grandson Alexander. Many dear friends also survive.

There are no calling hours. A graveside service will be held in the spring at Hillside Cemetery, East Pembroke.

Arrangements were made by C. B. Beach & Son Mortuary, Inc., 4 East Main Corfu, NY.

Leroy C. Ball, 84, of Pembroke, passed away peacefully, Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Leroy was born in Belmont, New York on June 26, 1938, a son of the late Frank and Lucille (Hall) Ball. He is predeceased by his sisters, Irene and Shirley and his brothers, Frank, Jr., Duane and Rex.

Leroy grew up on the family farm. He had a love and passion for machinery and heavy equipment. He worked for Don Smith Excavating and Lee Schoenthal and found great joy running the heavy equipment. He was a life member of the WNY Gas & Steam Engine Association, former member of the Corfu Fire Department and was a wingman on the snowplow for the Town of Pembroke. Leroy was a wonderful handyman and could fix anything. His favorite pastimes were Nascar, camping and snowmobiling. 

Surviving is his beloved wife, Nancy Ball; his children, Kevin (Dawn) Ball, Diane (John) Scroger, Sandy (Bob) Peck and Peggy Bish; 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren; his brothers, Doug Ball and David (Jeannie) Ball. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Family and friends may call Friday, March 17, 2023, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the C. B. Beach & Son Mortuary, Inc., 4 East Main Street, Corfu, NY. Funeral services will be held at the mortuary on Saturday, March 18 at 11 a.m. with burial to follow in Evergreen Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Michael J. Carragher, 72, of Leesburg, FL, formerly of Batavia, NY, passed away peacefully at Cornerstone Hospice House in Tavares, FL on Sunday, February 19, 2023. He was born on Feb. 16, 1951, a son of John and Mary Sullivan Carragher. He is also preceded in death by his sister, Donna Carragher.

Mike was a 1969 graduate of Notre Dame High School, attended LeMoyne College before enlisting in the US Navy in 1971, and finished his degree at the University of Rochester after his naval discharge. He spent his career working for the medical equipment manufacturer, Ritter/Castle/MDT/Getinge USA, in Rochester, NY. He was a Batavia Little League coach and served on the Richmond Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Mike enjoyed playing tennis in his Legacy Community in Florida and served on the Sports and Fitness Committee. After joining the Tri County Fly Fishing Club, he became very involved in the group’s activities and leadership, and made wonderful new friends. Mike loved American History, non-fiction books, sports, old movies, music, writing short articles, the National Parks, and was an avid fly fisherman. In 2016, Mike received a life-saving liver transplant, which was a gift from a generous grieving family. Mike was forever grateful for the next six and a half years he was able to spend with his family and friends. He cherished every single day.

Surviving are his wife, Christine Metzger Carragher; his sons, Timothy (Krista Pappas) Carragher of NJ, and Drs. Joseph (Tania) Carragher of FL; his grandsons, Nicholas, Alex and Benjamin Carragher; his sisters, Patricia (James) Whelehan of Geneseo and Nancy (John) Bachulak of Batavia; his brother, Robert (Beth Tuttle) Carragher of VA; many loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. A celebration of life will be held at the convenience of the family.

Batavia ~ Donald D. Lewis, age 96, formerly of Ellicott Avenue, passed away on Sunday evening, March 12, 2023 at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia.

   

  He was born November 22, 1926 in Batavia, a son of the late David and Margaret Grimes Lewis.

     Don served his country honorably with the U.S. Army as a Sergeant in the Philippines during WW II.  He was past president of the Batavia Board of Realtors and past president of the Batavia Kiwanis Club and received the George E. Hixon Fellowship Award (for 50 year senior member of the Batavia Kiwanis Club).  He was also the third oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, where he served as an elder, deacon and chairman for the board of trustees.

     He is survived by his loving wife (of 73 years), Barbara Kelly Lewis; his children, Deborah Lewis-Falcone, Diane (Robert) Clark and James (Jennifer) Lewis; grandchildren, Frank (Jenn) Trigilio and Jay K. Lewis; great-grandchildren, Gianna, Ciara and Frankie Trigilio, along with many nieces, nephews and close friends.

     Don was predeceased by his daughter, Dorothy A. Lewis; son-in-law, Joseph Falcone Jr.; brother, Richard Lewis and sister, Dorothy Worthington.

     Services are private at the convenience of Don’s family.

     Your memories and condolences may be shared with Don’s family at www.falconefuneralhome.com.

     Mr. Lewis and his family are being cared for by the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service Inc. in LeRoy.  585-768-2400