CMYK
B4
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Obituaries For a free, 15-day archive of obituaries, go to watertowndailytimes.com
Donald
Wetherwax
Donald C. Wetherwax, 75,
of 36281 S. Main St., Antwerp,
passed away April 26, 2019 fol-
lowing a brief illness at the Sa-
maritan Medical Center.
Born on October 13, 1943 in
Watertown,
NY, son of
Clifford and
Helen (Gow-
ing) Weth-
erwax, he
graduated
from Indian
River High
School. Fol-
lowing school Wetherwax
he entered the
US Air Force and was honorably
discharged after serving eight
years.
Don worked for the Roofers
Union out of Syracuse and for
Farley Roofing in Gouverneur for
several years.
He enjoyed fixing lawnmow-
ers and doing various repairs
around his home and for friends
and family. He was an avid NAS-
CAR and Bruce Springsteen fan,
enjoyed watching Swamp Log-
gers and mud bogging on TV.
He and his wife used to mud bog
years ago and had belonged to
Team Xtreme Off-road Club.
Most of all he loved spending
time with his grandchildren.
He married Linda L. Ashley
on March 1, 1975. Linda retired
from Fort Drum where she was
a cook for many years. She
passed away January 31, 2019.
Among his survivors are his
three children, Earl K. Wether-
wax and his companion Ava
Riley, Black River, Todd P. and
Jodi Wetherwax, Philadelphia,
Bobbi Jo Wetherwax and David
Prashaw, Antwerp; six grand-
children, Derek, Brianna, Jef-
frey, Kailee, Blake, and Jackie;
two great grandchildren, Kate-
lynn and Tanner; two brothers
and their wives, William and
Carol Wetherwax, Livonia, NY,
Robert and Merle Wetherwax,
Rodman, several nieces and
nephews.
Besides his parents and his
beloved wife he is predeceased
by a brother, Richard Wether-
wax.
Calling hours will be held 5 to
7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 at the
Bruce Funeral Home, 131 Maple
St., Black River. The funeral ser-
vice will follow at 7 p.m. at the
funeral home.
Burial for both Don and Linda
will be held at 1 p.m. on May 10
at the Evans Mills Cemetery.
Donations may be made in
Don’s memory to the Indian
River Ambulance Squad, 6 Sand
St., Philadelphia, NY 13673.
John Derrigo
The graveside service for
John Joseph Derrigo, Jr., 84,
of 262 Bellew
Avenue, Wa-
tertown, who
passed away
March 21,
2019 will be
held 1 p.m.
Friday, May 3
at Glenwood
Cemetery. Ar-
rangements Derrigo
are with the
Hart & Bruce Funeral Home.
Spring Burials
GREENE, DOROTHY H. — Family and
friends are invited to a graveside
service at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May
4, 2019 at Beaches Bridge Cemetery
with Dorothy Spears officiating. Mrs.
Greene died on February 11, 2019 at
the Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation
Center, Boonville. www.sundquistfh.
com.
WARD, JAMES LYLE — A graveside
service with military honors for
James Lyle Ward, 88, of Pine Grove
Road, Glenville will be at 11:00
a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at
Beaches Bridge Cemetery, Lowville.
Arrangements are with Iseneker
Funeral Home, Inc.
The Enduring Word
I want to remind you of the
gospel I preached to you... that
Christ died for our sins ac-
cording to the Scriptures, that
he was buried, and that he
was raised on the third day ac-
cording Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
For Obits
or In Memorial Service
Phone 315-661-2420
or email obits@wdt.net
Eugene A. Abell
WATERTOWN — Eugene E.
Abell, 83, Watertown, passed
away Thursday morning in the
emergency room of Samaritan
Medical Center.
The funeral
will be 1 pm
Monday, April
29th, 2019
at the Reed
& Benoit Fu-
neral Home
with Pastor
Jeff Smith of-
ficiating. Burial
will follow in Abell
Brookside
Cemetery. Calling hours are on
Monday from 11 am – 1 pm at the
funeral home.
Mr. Abell is survived by two
sons and their wives David and
Doreen, Yorkville, Kenneth and
Michele, Watertown; 4 grand-
children Joshua (LeToshia) Abell,
Sara (Mark) Abell Gayfield, Jes-
sica Abell and Matthew (There-
sa) Abell; 6 great grandchildren;
nieces and nephews. Gene is also
survived by his companion and
caregiver Marie Mullins. Gene’s
family sincerely thanks and ap-
preciates all she has done for
Gene.
Eugene was predeceased by
2 sisters Joyce Abell, June Over-
ton and a son in infancy, Robert
Charles Abell.
Gene was born in Watertown,
July 22, 1935, a son to Sydney
and Frieda Simmons Abell. Fol-
lowing his education in the Water-
town school system, he worked
for the New York Air Brake and
Chapin’s Watermatics. Gene
worked for the Borden’s Plant in
Watertown for over 30 years until
his retirement. Gene worked as
a groundskeeper at Brookside
Cemetery during his retirement
years.
He married Kay Hammond
May 18th, 1957 at St. Johns Epis-
copal Church in Rochester. Mrs.
Abell passed away January 27,
2008.
Gene was a longtime member
of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
until the church closed and later
Trinity Episcopal Church. He was
a former member of the North
Side Improvement League and
the Teamsters Union. He enjoyed
traveling and supporting his sons
in Pop Warner football and Little
League baseball.
Memorial contributions may be
made to the Salvation Army, 723
State St., Watertown, NY 13601
or charity of ones choice.
Condolences may be made at
www.reedbenoit.com.
Donald Colvin, Jr.
Donald L. Colvin, Jr., age 67,
life resident of Richland, be-
fore moving to London, Ohio in
2012, passed away Thursday at
home in London, Ohio. Donnie
was born July 21, 1951 in Wa-
tertown, the son of Donald L.
and Mabel Johnson Colvin, Sr.
He graduated from Pulaski High
School in 1970. Donnie was em-
ployed by Conrail in East Syra-
cuse for 20 years, retiring due to
a work-related injury.
He enjoyed volunteering, and
giving and doing for others. He
was dedicated to the MCV sum-
mer lunch program, feeding all
kids who showed up Monday
through Friday, for eight weeks
in the summer over the last five
years. He was a beloved friend
and neighbor; member of the
Madison County Vineyard,
member of the MCV Men’s
Group, and he played chair vol-
leyball three times a week. Don-
nie was an avid Yankee fan. He
also enjoyed going to yard sales.
Donnie was a former member of
the Richland Fire Department.
Surviving are one son, Ja-
son Colvin (companion Sam-
mie Noakes) of Woodstock, GA,
one daughter, Andrea Colvin
(companion Nathan Saddler) of
Watertown, two sisters, Donna
Moyer of Oswego and Edie
(Dick) Joyner of Sandy Creek,
two brothers, Steve (Abby) Col-
vin of Sandy Pond and Mark
(Rhonda) Colvin of London, OH,
three grandchildren, Logan,
Serena, and Alyssa, and many
nieces and nephews. Donnie
was predeceased by his sister,
Elizabeth.
Funeral services will be held
10 a.m. Wednesday, May 1st at
the Foster-Hax Funeral Home,
52 Park Street, Pulaski with buri-
al in Riverside Cemetery in Pu-
laski. Calling hours will be held
from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the
funeral home.
Donations may be made in
Donnie’s memory to MCV Sum-
mer Lunch Program, 106 Olive
Street, London, OH 43140.
OBITUARIES/NEWS WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES
Robert Buckland
CHAUMONT — LTC (Ret) family and friends, and enjoyed
Robert I. Buckland, 71, passed many outdoor activities, especial-
away unexpectedly on Thursday, ly ice fishing this past winter.
April 18th, 2019. He was born in Surviving is his loving wife of
Syracuse, NY on April 11th, 1948 49 years Karen, three sons: Rob-
to Robert H. and M. Bar- ert J. (Debra), Rome, NY,
bara (Lang) Buckland. Brian (Erica), Phoenix,
Following his gradua- NY, and Kevin (Mar-
tion from Central Tech- garet), Poughkeepsie,
nical High School in NY; 5 grandchildren,
Syracuse, he attended Elizabeth (Lizzy), Emma,
Canton ATC graduat- Emily, Eva and Cara, all
ing with an Associate’s at home ; three sisters, SUBMITTED PHOTO
Degree in Mechanical Sally (Owen) Densk, Writer/Producer/Co-Director Joleene Moody, Photography
Technology. He ob- Baldwinsville, NY, Col- Director Andrew Wolf and Co-Director Elena Melener discuss
tained a Bachelor’s De- Buckland leen (Wayne) Nicholson, ‘Sticks’ scenes at Snow Memorial Library in Pulaski.
gree in Civil Engineering Clay, NY, and Maureen
Filming to start
from Penn State University while (Susie) Buckland, West Monroe,
on active duty in the United States NY; a sister-in-law, Sandra Elen,
Army. Liverpool, NY, and several nieces
Bob served his country as a and nephews.
commissioned officer for over 27 Arrangements have been en-
in Pulaski for
years, spending 13 years on ac- trusted to the Cleveland Funeral
tive duty, and finishing his military Home in Watertown. There will be
career in the U.S. Army Reserves. no calling hours at this time but a
He was employed by the Vet- Memorial Mass and burial service
TV series pilot
eran’s Administration as a Senior with Military honors will be held at
Programmer Analyst for 12 years, a later date.
retiring in October of 2018. Bob was a lifelong lover of all
Bob was an active member of animals, and in lieu of flowers, the
the Catholic Community of Cape family requests that donations be
Vincent, Rosiere and Chaumont made in Bob’s memory to “Caring
and enjoyed many volunteer ac- for Cats Foundation”, P.O. Box BEGINS JUNE 5: ‘Sticks’ is proposed show
tivities with his parish family. 72, Three Mile Bay, NY 13693.
Bob was a loving and devoted Online condolences may be
about lives of four women in small town
husband, father and grandfather. made at www.clevelandfhinc.
By DEBRA J. GROOM ling. These women end up
He loved spending time with his com.
dgroom@wdt.net taking risks they wouldn’t nor-
Just what is it like to live out mally take, as they struggle to
Janet W. Cornish in the “Sticks?” find their place in life. They’ll
It’s not boring, that’s for soon discover that what they
Janet Werness Cornish, age even “adopted” Jake the squir- sure. There is intrigue. There were seeking was in their small
87, formerly of Massena NY, rel, who appeared each morn- are secrets galore. There are town all along, but not before
died Saturday, April 13, 2019 ing outside her kitchen window drug deals. There are friend- they take roads and risks that
at the N.C. Little Memorial Hos- ledge, begging for a tasty treat. ships. become harder and harder to
pice in Edina, Minnesota. She is Janet loved to travel and en- And even some alpacas to cover.
survived by her daughter Carrie joyed fine dining at The Village “Those risks include run-
boot.
of Minneapolis, and son Kevin Inn and the 1844 House in Pots- “Sticks” is a television series ning heroin to the Canadian
of Edina. dam. Many years after Harry’s
proposed and being devel- side, covering up a handful
Janet was born in Minneapo- death, Janet was fortunate to oped by writer/producer/co- of murders that unfolded on
lis, where she graduated from find a second love in her life,
director Joleene Moody, of Pu- Cherry Island in the Thousand
Southwest High School in 1950. Bob Harrigan. They enjoyed ice laski. The pilot of the series will Islands, and eventually turn-
She attended Macalester Col- skating and going out to dinner
begin filming in and around ing on each other just to save
lege in St. Paul Minne- together until Bob’s Pulaski June 5, so residents their own butts and get what
sota, and in 1953 mar- death in 1997.
should be on the lookout for a they want,” Moody writes.
ried Harry E. Cornish, Janet had a giving
Hollywood feel to envelop this Filming for the pilot is ex-
Jr. at St. Stephen’s heart, compassion for
Salmon River village. pected to take a week — from
Episcopal Church in others, and a desire
Moody, a long-time writer, June 5 to 9. Moody has gained
Edina, Minnesota. They to expand theater and
actor, motivational speaker access to some of Pulaski’s
met while Janet was concert offerings in
working at Glacier Na- Massena via the Mas- and journalist (she worked popular sites for shooting,
for WWTI in Watertown and including the Barclay Court-
tional Park in Montana. sena Arts Council. She
After marriage, Janet thoroughly enjoyed Spectrum News), came up house, Pulaski Public Library
Cornish
with the idea for the television in the Snow Memorial Build-
and Harry settled in Ida- the fine music perfor-
ho where they had two children mances at the Crane School of show after leaving the news ing, Pulaski Junior-Senior
High School, two residences i,
(Carrie and Kevin). In 1958 the Music, and the outdoor summer business in 2010.
young family moved across the concerts in Norwood and Wad- “I had spent eight years an old holding cell in the for-
country to Massena NY, where dington. working as a ghost writer and mer jail in the Barclay Court-
Harry (a Penn State Electrical Starting in 2005, Janet’s life in public speaking,” she said. house and even the Seven
Engineering Graduate) worked gradually became hampered Wanting to move back to her Acres Alpaca Farm near Phoe-
his way up the ranks at the New by a slowly progressing form of creative side, she thought nix.
York Power Authority (NYPA) to vascular dementia. Janet was about a story based on secrets The pilot is actually called
become Resident Manager of such a strong lady to have lived and what it’s like to live in a a “proof-of-concept” in TV
the St. Lawrence - Franklin D. the last several years of her life
Roosevelt Power Project. Harry without the ability to express
small town. lingo. Moody said it will not air
She took courses on screen- on cable or streaming televi-
died suddenly in December of herself in words. It was amazing writing and how to move a sion, but instead, the idea is to
1984. how she found ways to com- project through from concep- submit the finished product
While living in Massena for municate non-verbally! Janet tion to actually placing it on a to festivals to generate studio
57 years, Janet raised her fam- understood conversations even
ily and pursued her passions: to the very end. She displayed
network on television. She at- level interest and financing.
tended the Independent Tele- “If a studio buys the con-
music, ice skating, furry pets, a quiet acceptance of her failing vision Festival in Vermont and cept, the pilot would be re-
growing roses, travel and fine health. Son Kevin lived with and learned more about the long shot in its original hour-length
dining. She worked as a vol- cared for Janet in her Massena form, and recast with named
process of bringing a project
unteer for the Massena Arts home from 2007 until 2015,
to TV. actors and actresses,” she said.
Council and St. John’s Epis- when she and Kevin moved to
“That changed everything “If the idea is purchased, it
copal Church. Janet sang in Minnesota to be near Janet’s
the Massena Sweet Adelines daughter Carrie. Carrie wanted for me,” she said. could end up on Amazon, Hu-
(barbershop), Community Cho- to help care for Janet along with She wasn’t a novice to writ- lu, Netflix or a cable network.”
rus and the church choir at St. Kevin, who continued to live ing scripts, having done so in She also has written a sec-
John’s, where she planned the with Janet as her primary care- her 20s and having a play she ond episode along with what
weekly service music for over 20 giver, with Carrie as a frequent wrote produced by Syracuse is called a “series bible,” which
years. Janet was also active in visitor and “behind the scenes” Playhouse. But the knowledge outlines what would happen
Massena’s ecumenical Lenten support person. On April 3rd she had now about investing, in five potential seasons of
luncheons, held each year at the of 2019, Janet moved into an getting the correct people as “Sticks.”
various churches. 8-bed residential hospice house actors, nailing down loca- The cast of 12 Screen Actors
In their early years, Janet and located in a quiet neighborhood tions for shoots and moving a Guild union actors and ac-
Harry enjoyed square danc- close to both Carrie and Kevin. project to completion has kept tresses are coming to Pulaski
ing, and on some nights Janet There she lived out her final “Sticks” in the pipeline. from New York City, Boston,
played cards with a women’s days under the watchful care “Sticks” takes place in a Utica, Philadelphia and Syra-
bridge group while Harry was of Carrie, Kevin, and the expe- town called Doverling and has cuse for filming. “I hope to get
bowling with his team at the rienced nursing staff at the N.C. four main women characters. the community involved as
Seaway Bowl. Each Christmas Little Memorial Hospice. She Moody said the general prem- extras,” Moody said.
she reached out with home- died peacefully on Saturday ise of the show is a secrets and There are plans for a show-
made cookies for shut-ins, morning, April 13th, 2019. ing of “Sticks” at the Kallet
scandals writer stuck in the
neighbors, friends, Harry’s NY- Janet was predeceased by sticks of a small town turning Theater in Pulaski and the
PA colleagues, and those who her husband Harry E. Cornish,
to a celebrity drug dealer for Palace Theater in Syracuse in
had served the family through- Jr., her brother John S. Wer- career advice in order to keep early 2020.
out the year. In 1977, Janet took ness, and her parents Dr. Stan-
her own secrets hidden. Follow and like the jour-
up ice skating at the Massena ley M. and Dorothy Jean Wer- “It is a dramedy, or, a dra- ney of filming “Sticks” and
Arena with the “senior” skat- ness. Funeral Services will be
ma with lots of comedy,” she bringing it to life — someday
ers. She hosted skating trips to held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal perhaps on TV — at: https://
writes. “It follows four women
Brockville, Cornwall, Ottawa, Church in Edina, Minnesota on
who struggle to find relevancy www.facebook.com/pg/stick-
Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 12
in a small town called Dover- stvpilot/
and for 20 years Janet orga- noon, with visitation at 11:00
nized a festive luncheon at the A.M. Interment will follow at
end of each skating season. Lakewood Cemetery, Minne-
Janet loved all of God’s crea- apolis.
tures, but especially cats, dogs In lieu of flowers, memorial
and birds. The family dog and donations may be made to ei-
cat had strong attachments to ther Hospice & Palliative Care of
Janet. She fed the birds in the St. Lawrence Valley, or to Mas-
winter (yellow grosbeaks) and sena Meals on Wheels.
Chaumont man charged with DWI
Brady J. Madill, 41, Chau- toxicated.
mont, was charged by state The blood alcohol content
police at 10:58 p.m. Friday on was not provided by state po- SUBMITTED PHOTO
State Route 12E in the town of lice. He also was ticketed with Joleene Moody and Director Elena Melener at the Seven Acres
Lyme with driving while in- having a bad brake light. Alpaca Farm with alpaca Autumn Rose.