Cliff Dunkel (1966-2017)
Clifford Albert Dunkel III, 51, of Beacon, died Sept. 22, 2017.
He was born Jan. 29, 1966 in New Rochelle, the son of Clifford Albert Dunkel Jr. and Doris (Weir) Dunkel.
A U.S. Army veteran, Cliff touched many lives with his smile, sarcasm and humor. He never let anything get him down, He enjoyed listening to music, watching football, basking in the sun and sharing in the lives of his family and friends.
Cliff is survived by his five sisters: Kristine Mitchell, Mary Festa (Sal), Jill Craig (Rodger), Susan Petersen and Stacey Schroeder (Eric).
A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 27 at Blessed Sacrament Church in New Rochelle, with interment to follow at Beechwoods Cemetery.
Erin Higgins (1975-2017)
Erin Brooke Higgins, 42, of Harriman, died Sept. 21, 2017, from injuries sustained in an accident while visiting the New Jersey shore. Erin was employed as a social worker at Hudson Valley Mental Health in Beacon.
Erin was born in Greenwich on March 17, 1975, the daughter of Thomas and Betty (Sabourin) Higgins. She was a 1994 graduate of Roy C. Ketcham High School and attended Dutchess Community College, SUNY New Paltz and Adelphi University, where she received her master’s degree.
Besides her parents, Erin is survived by her sisters, Erica Higgins-Webster (Robert) of Guilderland and Melissa Higgins (Rafael Cuello) of New Windsor.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Sept. 23 at St. Mary, Mother of the Church in Fishkill. Erin’s final, selfless act was being an organ donor. Memorial donations may be made to the Dutchess County SPCA, 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538.
Andrea Oquendo (1992-2017)
Andrea Oquendo, 25, of Newburgh and formerly of Beacon, died Sept. 26, 2017.
Andrea was born Sept. 20, 1992, in Cold Spring, the daughter of Jesus Manuel Oquendo Martinez and Margarita Cruz Vasquez. She was a nursing assistant and homemaker. She married Jaison Ayala.
In addition to her parents and husband, she is survived by her children, Abimael Pinero and Abisael Ayala; her brothers, Luis Manuel Oquendo and Luis Edgardo Perdomo; her sister, Keyshla Oquendo (Ariel Sosa); her maternal grandmother, Andrea Vasquez; her mother and father-in-law, Nelson and Ester Ayala, Sr.; and her brother-in-law, Nelson Ayala Jr.
The family will receive friends on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Halvey Funeral Home, 24 Willow St., in Beacon. A service will be held at the funeral home on Sept. 30 at 10 a.m., with burial to follow at Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
Carmine Serino Jr. (1940-2017)
Carmine Anthony Serino Jr., 77, of Fishkill and formerly of Beacon, died Sept. 24, 2017.
Born in Beacon on July 18, 1940, he was the son of Carmine and Anna (Fasano) Serino. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1960, he became a volunteer fireman serving for more than 50 years and was a life member at all three Beacon fire companies. In 1967 he became a career firefighter for the City of Beacon until his retirement in 1996. He was married for 34 years to Carolin (Clum) Serino, who survives him.
Carmine enjoyed traveling and was proud to have visited every state in the U.S., all seven continents and countless countries. He was an avid golfer and card player; nothing could keep Carmine from his Wednesday golf match with the Grasshopper League and, in recent years, his Monday and Thursday poker games.
After retirement, he was known for his daily morning walks when he would stop at each Beacon firehouse to catch up on the local news and to enjoy the camaraderie of that brotherhood, which meant so much to him. Everyone who knew Carmine knew how proud he was of his Italian heritage and the importance of his family. He made friends easily, including those he held very dear: Harry Coris, Jimmy Myers and Joe Killimayer.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son Steven Serino, his daughters Nancy Longenberger and Rena Serino (Robert Millan Jr.), and his grandchildren Taylor, Hunter, Brandon, and Mason Longenberger. He is also survived by his siblings Emily Forbes, Michael Serino, Rose Camp and Mary Williams; and his in-laws Claire Serino, Joan Serino, Christine and John Updyke, Franklin Clum and Fred Seither.
Friends will be received on Sept. 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Halvey Funeral Home, 24 Willow St., in Beacon. A prayer service will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).
Richard Wilson Sr. (1934-2017)
Richard Valentine Wilson Sr., 82, of Beacon, and formerly of Lake Katonah, died on Sept. 21, 2017, at the Veterans’ Hospital in Montrose.
Richard was born Dec. 12, 1934 in Riverdale to Valentine and Mildred Wilson and was raised there. He was a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corp, and served from 1953 to 1961 on the USS Valley Forge CV-45. He married Mary Joan Higgins, who he met in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where they spent many vacations with their children and her family. She died in 1997.
After the service, Richard attended photography school and began his career at Loral Advertising in Yonkers. He went on to run his own advertising company, RV Wilson Advertising, with his wife. He was a real estate photographer, and designed/printed brochures. He retired from the U.S. Post Office in 1998.
Besides Rehoboth Beach, the family vacationed in Camden, Maine every year to spend time with his parents. He enjoyed antique cars, and reading about military history. Richard also enjoyed nature and taking care of animals. He often fed the deer, birds, and other small animals that would visit his lake view house.
He is survived by his son, Richard V. Wilson Jr., of Beacon, and daughter, Suzanne Wilson of Cary, North Carolina. He also is survived by three sisters, Carol, of Fishkill, Valerie of Falmouth, Maine, and Donna of Tucson, Arizona.
