Melinda Sohval (1958-2024)
Melinda Sohval, 66, of Wappingers Falls, and formerly of Beacon, died Sept. 18 of injuries sustained in a car crash.
She was born into a broken home and spent much of her childhood staying with her grandparents, Nanny and Poppy, and adoptive grandparents Millie and Seymour Kleban, her family said. She beat cancer twice, including breast cancer at age 24, when she was Memorial Sloan Kettering’s youngest patient on record. She survived organ failures and multiple broken bones.
She dedicated her life to the Jewish principle of tikkun olam, or “repairing the broken world.” Melinda served as a nurse practitioner, specializing in mental health care. She trained her pets to be therapy dogs and pushed her children to take on careers at the service of others in medicine and education. She actively volunteered, especially in college mental health services.
Melinda loved nature and animals. She moved to Beacon hoping to be closer to both. She was an enthusiast of the arts and a lover of painting, literature and musical theater, her family said. A talented artist, Melinda would give birthday gifts of hand-painted floral watercolors or calligraphed poems.
She drew comfort in Jewish philosophy and practices, while also keeping an open mind to the teachings and traditions of other world religions. A lifelong reader, Melinda devoured multiple books in a single week, still leaving time to enjoy her favorite HBO shows such as Succession and Veep. Among her favorite songs was “The Impossible Dream” from the musical Man of La Mancha, which her family played for her in her final moments.
She is survived by her husband, Bob, and their children, Sophie and Daniel.
Family and friends will gather at 11 a.m. on Sunday (Sept. 22) at Libby Funeral Home, 55 Teller Ave. in Beacon. A service will take place at noon, followed by interment in the Beacon Hebrew Alliance Cemetery in Fishkill. A reception will follow at 1 p.m. at the Overlook Pointe Clubhouse, 3001 Sylvan Loop, in Wappingers Falls.
Jimmy Vetrano (1956-2024)
James “Jimmy” Vetrano, 68, died Sept. 13.
He was born in Yonkers on June 29, 1956, the son of Eli and Rosemarie (Regis) Vetrano. Jimmy loved to fish and volunteer and was most recently working for Leros Point to Point in Hawthorne as a driver.
Jimmy is survived by his sisters, Debra Visconti and Judy Ehler; his nephew, Ronald Lombardi Jr.; and his close friends, Thomas “Tommy” Curran III and Katelyn “Kaycee” Curran. Jimmy’s brother-in-law, Michael Visconti, died earlier.
A graveside service was held Sept. 19 at Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
