Larry DeResh (1941-2023)
Larry DeResh, 81, died May 14.
Known as “Rock” to his family and friends, Larry was born Aug. 23, 1941, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the son of the Joseph and Amanda De Roche.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a military police officer, earning a prestigious award for marksmanship. After serving in the Army, he worked as an officer in the Bedford Police Department and the Yorktown Police Department, where he was the first K9 handler in Westchester County with his K9 partner Fritz. Rock went on to be a U.S. marshal until his retirement.
Rock was an avid outdoorsman, enjoyed hunting, was a Level A mechanic and could fix anything, his family said. In 2007, he purchased a piece of land in Chenango County so he and his children and grandchildren could have a place to hunt and relax. He loved animals and made sure the stray cats near home had a warm place to go in the winter, building them huts, complete with running water.
He is survived by his children, Larry DeResh (Sue), Rick DeResh (Karen), Dori Pochintesta (Richard) and Danielle Forma (Baird); grandchildren: Kayla, Richard, Renee, Anthony, Hailey, Taylor, Derek, Emily, Brennan, Olyvia and Colin; sisters, June Blada and Roselene DeResh; and his significant other, Anne Chapman.
Memorial donations may be made to the National Police Dog Foundation (nationalpolicedogfoundation.org).
Richard Morel (1930-2023)
Richard Anthony Morel, 92, a lifelong Beacon resident, died May 10.
He was born on July 30, 1930, the son of Anthony and Estrienna (Centofant) Morel. Known to friends and family as “Richie,” he graduated from St. Joachim School in 1944 and St. Patrick’s High School in Newburgh in 1948. While at St. Patrick’s, he earned letters in football and track.
Richie graduated from Krissler Business School in 1949 and began working at Texaco, leaving there in 1952 to go on active duty with the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. (He had joined the Naval Reserve in 1950.) He served as a seaman on the USS Mount Olympus until his discharge in 1954.
After his service, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Catholic University of America, graduating in 1958. He was an agent with New York Life from 1960 to 2020, and a life member of its Million Dollar Round Table.
Richie was a hunter and fisherman, enjoying long friendships with fellow sportsmen and their families, especially in the Adirondacks. He was devoted to his parents and extended family, caring for them as they aged, his family said. He is survived by many cousins, a generation that fondly called him Uncle Richie.
A Celebration of Life is being planned. Memorial donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (cff.org).
