Bill Bloom
Bill Bloom

Bill Bloom

William Bloom, 71, a former City of Newburgh police chief, died March 28 in Boynton Beach, Florida.

“It’s a sad day today for the Bloom family,” his son, William, wrote on Facebook. “Too young to be taken away from his wife, his kids, his grandkids, and his friends, but God decided to take him to heaven.”

Bloom was as a police officer for more than 30 years, rising through the ranks of the Newburgh department. He was chief for 10 years, from 1994 to 2004.

Barbara Schettino
Barbara Schettino

Barbara Schettino (1936-2021)

Barbara E. Schettino, 84, a longtime resident of Beacon, died March 31 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie.

She was born Nov. 1, 1936, in Haledon, New Jersey, the daughter of Gerhard and Ella (Ginter) Liebig. She married Bernard Schettino, who died in 1988. Barbara retired from the Texaco Research Center in Glenham. She was a parishioner of St. Joachim – St. John the Evangelist Church.

Barbara is survived by her son, Anthony “Stone” Schettino.

Family and friends will gather on Monday (April 5) from 4 to 7 p.m. at Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, 2 Beekman St., in Beacon. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 35 Willow St., followed by burial at St. Joachim Cemetery, Beacon.

Memorial donations may be made to the family to defray funeral expenses.

Norma Sommerville

Norma Sommerville (1933-2021)

Norma Elizabeth Sommerville, 87, a longtime Beacon resident, died March 26 at Montefiore St. Luke’s-Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh.

She was born on Oct. 26, 1933, in Brooklyn, the daughter of Gordon and Ella (Petersen) Fry. Norma served in the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1954. On Jan. 3, 1954, she married John James Sommerville II, who died in 2005.

Norma is survived by her children, Diana Frailey, John Sommerville III (Gracelyn), Jill Tomashosky (Jim) and Richard Sommerville (Judy); six grandchildren: Kelly, Rachel, Nicole, Ricky, Valerie and Brian; five great-grandchildren, Renee, Madison, Morgan, Mackenzie and Brayden; and a brother, David.

A private graveside service with military honors will be held at Fishkill Rural Cemetery.

Behind The Story

Type: Obituary

Obituary: Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.

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