All Obituaries

Marcia Jean Vann, 67, of Trumansburg, New York passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on November 23, 2020. Marcia was born in Buffalo, NY on December 9, 1952, daughter of the late John and Dorothy Blatner. She married the love of her life, Jeff Vann, on June 27, 1981 and together they raised 3 children. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Jeff Vann; three children, Emily (Edwin) Foster, Jeremy (Christina) Vann, and James (Kristen) Vann; two grandsons, Paul and Matt...

Waldemar (Whity) Bauman Mittermeyer of Kendal at Ithaca, N.Y., formerly of Rochester, N.Y. passed away on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at Kendal at the age of 93. Whity was born in Rochester on September 28, 1927, the only child of the late Waldemar and Erna (Bauman) Mittermeyer.   Whity enlisted in the Navy in September of 1945, served as a Fire Controlman on the U.S.S. Tarawa until his honorable discharge in September 1948 (designated Honorary Chief, 1999).  After his...

Bernardino Orduño Hernandez of Ithaca passed away unexpectedly on Monday, November 2, 2020 at the age of 44. Bernie was born on May 19, 1976, a son to Jacinto and Maria Margarita Orduño del Carmen. Raised in Teziutlán, Mexico before settling in Ithaca, New York, Bernie loved his family most of all, working hard to help them get ahead while cherishing good times shared with his two children, Gustavo and Alejandra and nephews, Agustin and Luis. Always ready to take...

David E. Miller, 71, of Trumansburg passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday October 20th 2020. David was born in Ithaca, NY on August 5, 1949 to the late Robert and Pearl (Cook) Miller. David worked for many years at Bowers Fuel Company before becoming the Highway Superintendent in Enfield. He spent many wonderful years with Kathy hauling their camper to the Adirondacks for long extended stays with hiking and kayaking adventures. His grandchildren were a highlight of his...

Hazel Jennie Dew of Trumansburg left us October 7, 2020. Hazel will be remembered by all as a strong willed woman and the glue that kept all her family together. Blessed are we to have had her 95 years. Hazel is survived by two daughters, Trudy (James) VanOstrand and Kathi (Steven) Service; grandchildren, Tricia (Hank) Bennett, Nathaniel Swanhart, Miranda (Kenneth) Berkley, Tara and Nathan Service; and great grandchildren, Cali, Camren, Ethan, Teagan, Josephine, Bryce, and McKenze. She was...

Kazuko Smith died peacefully on October 7, 2020 in Taughannock House at Kendal at Ithaca. She was 94. Born in Osaka, Japan, on April 1, 1926, Kazu lived most of her life in Ithaca after marrying Robert J. Smith in 1955. She joined a remarkable group of Japanese language teachers at Cornell University where she taught for decades until her retirement in 1991. She later won the 1996 Hiromi Arisawa Awards for her translation of Makiko’s Diary: A Merchant Wife in 1910 Kyoto, a popular text...

The Reverend Richard Jordan Rice died on October 6, 2020, at the home he shared with his wife, Nancy, in Interlaken, N.Y. He was born March 19, 1933, in Flushing, N.Y., the son of George Byron Rice and Thelma Aline (Jordan) Rice. He graduated from Drew University in 1954, from the Drew Theological School in 1958, and from the New York Theological Seminary in 1973. As a seminarian he served as student pastor at the Gaylordsville Methodist Church (UMC) in Gaylordsville, Conn., and Beech...

Onolee Stapley Conklin of Ithaca passed away at Cayuga Ridge on October 4, 2020 at the age of 97. She first saw the light of day at Avon, New York on February 14, 1923. Her parents were the late Clayton and Elsie (Kelly) Stapley, who lived in the Avon area all their lives. Onolee graduated from high school in June of 1941, just before World War II would engulf the United States. From 1944-1946 she served in the WAVES of the United States Navy. After military service, she was employed for...

Cosmo J. Cusimano, 63, born in Jamestown NY, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday October 2nd 2020. Cosmo was born on January 13, 1957 to Cosmo J. Cusimano Sr. and Antoinette (Toni) Cusimano in Jamestown NY. After graduating from high school, Cos served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1983. He attended Cornell University which brought him to Ithaca NY. He then landed a job at Schickel Construction building, renovating, and remodeling homes and...

Christopher W. Vann left us as the sun rose over Cayuga Lake, on the morning of October 1, 2020, the first day of bow season, in the palliative care unit at Cayuga Med, with his wife holding him close... the golden light of the morning bringing well-earned peace. Chris tirelessly battled Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy... only recently diagnosed, this dreadful form of dementia had been messing with him for a while. That, combined with underlying cardiac issues, set the dominoes falling. He...