Ronald Kenneth Hill (1930-2016)
Ronald Kenneth Hill, 85, of Beacon, and formerly of Atlanta, Georgia, died at home on Oct. 19, 2016.
Ron was born Nov. 26, 1930, the son of Louise Harris Segal and stepson of Meyer Segal. He joined the Georgia Home Guard in 1942 and continued his service in the Army as a drill instructor and artilleryman deployed in the Korean War. He graduated from Georgia State University in 1959 on the GI Bill, where he was editor of the newspaper, president of the student body and was a founding member of the Eta Gamma Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He was an active alum for the both the college and the fraternity until his death.
A charismatic speaker and marketer and fine writer, Ron had a long and lively career in advertising in Atlanta. He was an avid small aircraft pilot while working in economic development at Conway Research, and later became the advertising director of Atlanta Magazine.
After the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce sold the magazine in the 1970s, Ron worked at other Atlanta companies, including Intelligent Systems, The Atlanta Business Chronicle and Goodlife Magazine. Among his many career achievements, Ron was the president of the Atlanta Ad Club, an officer of Sales Marketing Executives and governor of the Seventh District of the American Advertising Federation. For fun, Ron was an avid tennis player in the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, playing first at The Oaks Country Club in Doraville and then at Fontainebleau in Dunwoody.
After the deaths of his wife, Wilma Hawkins, and son, Ronald Kenneth Hill, Jr., Ron moved to Beacon to live near his daughter, Rhonda Donohue, and her family.
Ron, who was fatherless until his mother married his stepfather in 1943, Ron devoted his life to mentoring young men. In Beacon, this took the form of teaching the fundamentals of baseball to nine- and 10-year-olds at Beacon Junior Baseball in which he was passionately involved until after his 80th birthday. He also continued in sales and advertising with The Southern Dutchess News and IBM. MKTworks of Nelsonville, his employer for the last decade, notes with regret that their helpful, old-school, skeptic-in-chief has laid down his red editing pen but they welcome his grandson William who is stepping in.
Ronald is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Morgan Donohue, his grandsons, William and Luther Nolan, and a brother, Clifford Daniel Hill. Another brother, Homer Hubert Hill, Jr. preceded him in death.
A celebration of his life is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6 from 2 to 6 pm at St Rocco’s in Beacon. Friends and all former baseball players and their families are invited to join Rhonda, Morgan, Will and Luther for lunch. On Saturday, Nov. 12, Ron will be celebrated again in his hometown at 11 a.m. at Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs, Georgia, where he will be laid to rest with his wife, son and mother.
Frances S. Baker (1924-2016)
Frances S. Baker, 92, a former head nurse at the Matteawan Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Beacon, died in Oneonta on Oct. 7, 2016.
Frances was born, July 17, 1924, in Franklin, the daughter of Alexander and Veronica (Janisius) Sienicki. She was raised on a farm in North Franklin and graduated from Franklin Central School in 1942.
As a member of the U.S. Army Cadet Nurse Corp., she graduated from Hartwick College School of Nursing in 1947. She worked as head nurse at the Homer Folks Hospital from 1947 to 1971 (earning her bachelor’s in nursing in 1954) before moving to the Matteawan Hospital until her retirement in 1983. The hospital closed in 1997. A funeral mass was held Oct. 12.
Henrietta “Cissy” Bolander (1924-2016)
Henrietta “Cissy” (Devine) Bolander, 92, a lifelong resident of Beacon, died on Sept. 28, 2016 at St. Joseph’s Living Center in Mansfield, Connecticut, with her family at her side.
Born in Beacon on April 20, 1924, she was the eldest of the eight children of Joseph and Henrietta (Sayers) Devine. She was married for many years to William Bolander. She retired from IBM after 30 years of service. Cissy had many friends and enjoyed entertaining at her Orchard Place home. She often could be found sitting with one of her favorite Toy Manchester dogs on her lap enjoying a beer. Her home was always a welcome place to sit and chat. Most of all, Cissy was a special aunt to all her nieces and nephews. They always knew you could count on her help and support.
Cissy leaves behind her sister, Virginia Bolander and brother, Joseph Devine, along with many nieces and nephews. A brother and four sisters died before her.
Laura Odell Buck (1919-2016)
Laura Odell Buck, 97, of Beacon, died on Oct. 17, 2016, at her home. The daughter of Eddie Lee and Vera (Cruz) Wray, she was born Aug. 9, 1919 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. She married Dudley Rawson Buck, Jr. on June 30, 1946 in Greenwood, Mississippi. He died in 1966.
Prior to her retirement, Laura worked as receptionist at Texaco Research Center in Glenham. She was a member of the First Reformed Church in Fishkill. She enjoyed traveling and loved to complete crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her son, Rawson Buck and his girlfriend, Jill Hickey, of Beacon; her grandchildren, Chris Lanzoni (Kristie), Marco Lanzoni (Krista) and Luke Greenfield (Sarah) and great-grandchildren Will and Jack and Marlie and Marco. A funeral service was held on Oct. 21 at the First Reformed Church, with interment at Wappingers Rural Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to First Reformed Church, 1153 Main St., Fishkill, NY 12524.
Lori Anne DeMers (1968-2016)
Lori Anne DeMers, 47, of Beacon, died Oct. 19, 2016, at St. Lukes Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh. She was born in Sayre, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 11, 1968, the daughter of Thomas and Sherry Kidd Lutz.
Besides her parents, she is survived by her children, Joey DeMers, Ricky DeMers and Tabitha Martarano, two grandchildren and a sister, Kim Short.
Richard A. Nichols (1946-2016)
Richard A. Nichols, 70, of Beacon and formerly of Pine Top, Arizona, died Oct. 7, 2016 at home. Born June 11, 1946 in Peekskill, he was the son of Donald J. and Elizabeth (Richards) Nichols. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he is survived by his niece, Jennifer Rivera (Danny) of Orange Park, Florida. His brother Robert Nichols and sister-in-law Sharon Nichols of Beacon both died before him. Services were private.
