Classifieds | Community News | Contacts | Our Locale He graduated from Morris Central School, Class of 1952.
He was married to Anna C. Livesey on Aug. 2, 1953. He was married to her for 19 years.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1952, and completed his specialized Air Training command at the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. While in the Air Force he served in the Korean conflict and was injured in an airplane crash on the island of Hokkdido, Japan, resulting in a lifelong disability. After release from the active duty, Sonny returned to his hometown to build a home in Welcome Center for his family.
He worked for Raymond Corporation in Morris as a welder and for Austin Thompson Trucking in Mount Vision, as a driver before opening his own trucking business, E.L. Cole Trucking in the 1960s. He also ran a local milk route for farmers shipping canned milk and drove a mail truck for the U.S. Postal Service.
He was a 4-H leader for many years in Otsego County and a member of the United Methodist Church of Garrattsville and the Garrattsville Volunteer Fire Department.
Sonny enjoyed the outdoors and exercising his creative talents. In recent years he spent his days hunting, gardening and building outdoor furniture and other novelty items. His compassion and concern for others kept him busy. He always there to lend a helping hand and was fondly known by his family, friends and neighbors as "the Mayor of Welcome." An all-American boy, Emerson maintained his allegiance to his country and flag through memberships in local chapters and military organizations. He was a member and officer of the American Legion post 1567 of Hartwick and a life member of the V.F.W. post 1417 of Morris and the DAV chapter No. 159.
He is survived by his mother, Bernice Butler of Apopka, Fla.; a son, George (Buster) Cole and his wife, Sun, of Cocoa Beach, Fla.; three daughters, Melody Cole of South New Berlin, Annette L. Guinn and her husband, Timothy, of Norwich and Tammie Collins and her husband, Richard, of New Hartford; his dear sister and confidant, Doris Martin and her husband, Bill, of West Laurens; sisters, Elizabeth William of Apopka, Fla., and Zaida Welden of Richfield Springs; a paternal uncle, Harold Cole and his wife, Alice, of Old Forge; a maternal uncle, Leroy Barton of Salisbury Center; his grandchildren, Michelle and Thomas Cole, Rachel Pigg, Jason Geywits, Hope Berberick, Amy Winton, Tiffany, Tim Jr., Shawna and Jackie Guinn and E. Bryan and Christine Salie; and a great-grandson, Hunter Geywits; many nieces and nephews; and a special niece, Renee Weaver; and his canine companion, Sonya.
He was predeceased by his father, Emerson C. Cole, who died in 1981.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, Feb. 21, 1999, at 2 p.m. at the Johnston Funeral Home in Morris with the Rev. William Highfield officiating. Calling hours will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and from noon till service time on Sunday. Burial and military honors will be in the spring at the Bennett Cemetery in West Laurens.
Those who wish are asked to donate to the Garrattsville Methodist Church or the Hartwick American Legion or the Garrattsville Fire Department in his memory.
Funeral arrangements are by the Johnston Funeral Home of Morris.
When he was 16, he came to the U.S. with his family, and eventually settled on Elk Creek, where Bill lived for 60 years.
He married Gertrude Koenig on Feb. 26, 1938, in Greenville.
For a number of years he was in the trucking business and transported locally grown vegetables and hay, and subsequently owned and operated his own dairy farm. Following his retirement he moved permanently to Ridge Manor, Fla., in 1985, returning to Delhi during the summer months.
The Kathmann family was a founding member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Delhi, of which Bill served as president of the congregation. One of his greatest pleasures was the wonder of nature, which he enjoyed during his numerous travels in his trailer throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, much of which is chronicled in his autobiography "The Life and Adventures of a 1924 German Immigrant," published in hard cover in 1993, by Theophilus Press.
Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Gertrude Kathmann; a son and daughter-in-law, William Jr. and Marsha Kathmann of Delhi; a daughter and son-in-law, Margo and Harold Burrows of Ridge Manor, Fla.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Erna Richtsfeld and Dora Benjamin, both of Delhi; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited to call today, at their convenience at the Hall & Peet Funeral Home, Delhi, and the family will be in attendance from 7 to 9 p.m.
Funeral service will be conducted 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, by the pastor, the Rev. John E. Priest, and burial will be later in the Woodland Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Delhi, 13753.
Arrangements are entrusted to Robert A. Peet, Delhi.
Ernie was born Nov. 7, 1925, in Millers Mills, son of Earl R. and Mildred C. Archer Gay.
He attended Millers Mills and West Winfield schools.
On May 1, 1948, he was united in marriage to Doris M. Dunham in North Columbia by the Rev. Ridgeway, a blessed union of more than 50 years.
Ernie was employed as a machine setter at Remington Arms Co. and at one time enjoyed farming. He attended Richfield Springs Bible Church and enjoyed restoring old radios and tinkering with old engines.
Survivors include his wife, Doris; two daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce and her husband, Don Urtz, of Richfield Springs and Karen and her husband, Bill Schorer, of Millers Mills; one son, David Gay of Herkimer; four grandchildren, Wendy Urtz, Melissa and Desiree Wentworth and William Schorer; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; three aunts and one uncle; his mother-in-law, Winifred Dunham; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and several very close friends.
He was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Lloyd; sister, Verna Pickersgill; and brother-in-law, Richard Dunham.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at 1 p.m. at Richfield Springs Bible Church, 17 Church St., with the Rev. Roger S. Smith, pastor, officiating. Spring interment in Millers Mills Cemetery will be held at a date and time to be announced.
Calling hours will be held Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Applegate & Day Funeral Home, 102 West St., Ilion.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be offered in Ernie's name to the Cedarville Ambulance Corps or Richfield Springs Bible Church. Donation envelopes are available at Applegate & Day Funeral Home, Ilion, and church.
She was born on Aug. 19, 1948, a daughter of the late Robert G. and Eleanor F. Burlingham of Suffern.
Nonie was a resident of the Otsego School in Edmeston until 1980, when she moved to the newly built Pathfinder Village. There she was beloved by friends, family and staff alike who will remember her warmth and kindness, her sense of humor and her indomitable will. She was a gentle woman who enjoyed country music, flowers, basketball and socializing. Everyone was her friend.
She is survived by her brothers, Will Burlingham of Madison, Wis., and Bo Burlingham of Cambridge, Mass.; and her sisters, Dr. Nell Burlingham of New York and Caroline Ellis of Minneapolis, Minn.
She was a special aunt to Mark, Brad and Scott Burlingham of Madison, Wis., Kate Burlingham of New York City, Jake Burlingham of San Francisco, Calif., and John and Suzanne Ellis of Concord, Mass.
A memorial service will be held in the spring at the Morgan-Jackson All Faiths Chapel at Pathfinder Village, Edmeston, with the Rev. Paul Towers officiating. Interment will be at Edmeston Union Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Robert G. and Eleanor F. Burlingham Memorial Fund at Pathfinder Village, RR 1, Box 32A, Edmeston, N.Y. 13335-9798.
Arrangements are by Houk-Johnston-Terry Funeral Home, Edmeston.
She was born in Oneonta. She came to Gainesville, Fla., 43 years ago from Durham, N.C.
She worked in Duke Hospitals Department of Pathology, and retired from the University of Florida's Statistics Department.
Mrs. Beach was an avid sports fan and a wonderful mother who dedicated her life to her children.
She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Cozad of Lenexa, Kan., and Laurie Tennant of Carrollton, Ga.; son, Robby Beach of Gainesville, Fla.; and sister, Doris Colleer of Santee, Calif.
Funeral arrangements are by the Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, Gainesville, Fla.
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