Elinor Coleman (1932-2023)
Elinor A. Coleman, 90, a longtime Beacon resident and most recently of Wappingers Falls, died March 11 at her home, surrounded by family members.
She was born in Beacon on April 25, 1932, the daughter of Ralph and Amelia (Nicholls) Frost.
On Aug. 18, 1951, at St. Luke Episcopal Church in Beacon, she married Ronald Coleman, who died in 2009 after 58 years of marriage.
Elinor is survived by her daughter, Nancy Birkler (Scott) and grandchildren, Stephanie and Scott Jr; son-in-law Luis Galarza and grandsons Jonathan and Steven; and daughter, Alice Breidhaupt and granddaughters Christina and Tracey. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren.
Her daughter, Rhonda Galarza, and brother, Richard Frost, died before her.
Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery in Beacon.
John DeSouter (1948-2023)
John M. DeSouter, 74, a longtime resident of Beacon, died March 11 at home, surrounded by family members.
John was born Aug. 5, 1948, in the Bronx, the son of Charles and Muriel (Tedesco) DeSouter. He graduated from Marist College in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in business. John served in the U.S. Navy from 1970 to 1971 until his honorable discharge with the rank of ensign.
On June 20, 1970, he married Mary Ann Gorey. John was employed as a salesman his whole life, working as a sales rep for Nabisco, Subaru and Macy’s, where he worked in the suit department. John was an avid golfer and also a member of the Southern Dutchess Country Club. He was a parishioner of St. Joachim-St. John the Evangelist Church in Beacon and a former member of the Knights of Columbus, Trinity Council 445.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Kristen Causey (Michael), and his siblings, Linda Manns and Robert DeSouter (Kathi).
A Mass of Christian Burial was held March 16 at St. John the Evangelist Church, followed by internment with military honors followed at St. Joachim Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to either Hudson Valley Hospice (hvhospice.org), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) or the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (lustgarten.org).
Sarah Ghent (1941-2023)
Sarah Virginia Ghent, 81, a lifelong resident of the Beacon area, died March 11, surrounded by family members.
She was born in Fishkill on Dec. 29, 1941, the daughter of Willie and Eliza Ann (Hill) Woodward. Her husband, Major Ghent Sr., died in 1984.
Sarah worked for 20 years at the Castle Point VA Medical Center. After her retirement in 1985, she spent many years with her granddaughters and her daughter, Leona, and also helped care for her daughter’s cat, Honey.
She enjoyed reading and listening to oldies music, walking the Beacon High School track with her granddaughters and classic TV shows. Her favorite times were family gatherings, whether they were birthday parties or family picnics — anywhere that the family gathered together.
Sarah also played an instrumental role in the lives of many children from her family and friends, who sometimes needed a little help along the way by opening her heart and home to care for them, her family said.
She is survived by her children: Leona Ghent of Kingston; Major Ghent Jr. (Rosie) of Pleasant Valley and Derek Ghent (Deborah) of Beacon; her granddaughters, Isabella Ghent and Gabriella Ghent, both of Beacon; and her sister, Madeline (Mattie) Woodward of Glenham Her siblings Calvin Woodward Sr., William Woodward and Mary Lucille Parker died before her.
Her family gathered for a graveside service at Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
Elida “Kathy” Villa Peña (1955-2023)
Elida “Kathy” Villa Peña, 67, of Beacon died March 7 in Poughkeepsie.
She was born May 16, 1955, in San Francisco de Macorís of the Dominican Republic, the daughter of Jacinto Villa and Antonia Peña.
A strong, determined, and passionate woman, she came to the U.S. in her late 20s. She pushed herself to learn English and was employed for many years at the Marriott at IBM, working her way up from a frontline worker to a bilingual supervisor. She was also an entrepreneur and established great friendships within the Beacon community, her family said.
Elida was always independent and hardworking. She enjoyed being sole proprietor of a retail fashion store that she built on her own 3 Bs (Bueno, Bonito y Barato) in 1996. She opened a storefront located on Main Street in Beacon known as Casa de Jonsi.
She is survived by her children, Awilda Mendez of Connecticut, Stephanie Leticia Hudson of Utica and Tillman (Timmy) Hudson Jr. (Marlena Scroggins) of Poughkeepsie; and her grandchildren, Jessica Gutierrez, Emily Mendez, Nathaniel Mendez DeVanté Wright, Sonjai Hudson-Pollock, Elidonya Hudson, Romel N. Hudson and Zoë Hudson.
She is also survived by her siblings, Lydia Villa Peña, Heroino Peña Mercado, Mirella Villa, Glady Villa Peña and Maria Villa Peña.
A visitation was held March 13 at Doyle Funeral Home in Poughkeepsie.
