Irene Bialeski of Mattituck died suddenly on Aug. 6. She was 85 years old.
Irene was born on July 10, 1933, in Riverhead to Jessie (Kujawski) and Joseph Naugles. She graduated from Mattituck High School and was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Cutchogue.
Predeceased by her husband Felix Sr., son, Walter, daughter Judith and her brothers, Joseph and Thomas, she is survived by her son, Felix Jr. (Anne) of Mattituck; grandchildren Steven (Krystal), of Mattituck, Timothy of Laurel, Michael (Julia) of Columbia, Md.; two great-grandchildren, John and Elise of Columbia, Md.; and sister Denise Babinski, of Missouri.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, Aug. 9from 5 to 8 p.m., at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Aug. 10 at 10 a.m., at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt.
Interment will follow at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.
Memorial donations to the Mattituck Fire Department Rescue Squad would be appreciated. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Vincent Stephen Zdanowicz, 69, died on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. He was at his home in Eastham, Mass., with his wife Mary Theresa Zdanowicz and his friend, Deeann Deet, from North Carolina. Family members visited him from Milford, Conn. in the days before his death. He is survived by his mother Pearl; sister Patricia Mason; niece Kristen DeNardo; and two nephews, Fred and Brian Mason. He maintained relationships with friends all over the country from all stages of his life. He was a modest man and everyone loved him.
He was born in Bridgeport, Conn. and graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1966. He received a BS in chemistry from Fordham University, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Rutgers University. Vincent was a principal investigator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He began his career at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Milford Laboratory, Connecticut, where he met his wife Mary. Later, he moved to the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory on Sandy Hook, N.J. Mary followed him, and they were married in 1982.
He was an expert in the application of laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, a cutting edge technology used by only a handful of laboratories around the world. He had many accomplishments and received many honors during his career. He was awarded a Bronze Medal, NOAA’s highest award, for excellence in analytical chemistry. He was appointed to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Marine Environmental Quality Committee. He was the only American appointed to the committee at the time. He was a member of the editorial board of the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, an international journal. He was appointed as an advisor to postdoctoral research associates in a program administered by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences.
After Sept. 11, 2001, he worked for the Department of Homeland Security, where he continued to develop applications of laser ablation technology in forensic studies. He received the Anti-Terrorism Award in 2004 at the Annual U.S. Customs and Border Protection Awards Ceremony. After retiring to Cape Cod, he missed being in the laboratory. He volunteered at the water quality laboratory of the Barnstable County Health Department and was eventually hired part-time.
He loved going to sea aboard NOAA research vessels. He volunteered with FEMA and traveled to Mississippi in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. He enjoyed playing cards with his friends. He was a kind soul and he will be sorely missed. Services were held in Connecticut in April. Memorial contributions may be made to Fairfield College Preparatory School, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. For assistance making a donation, please contact the development office at Fairfield Prep: 203-254-4237. For online condolences, please visit nickersonfunerals.com.
Charles J. Quigg of Riverhead, formerly of Massepequa died Aug. 7 at Peconic Bay Medical Center. He was 88 years old.
The son of Florence (Doyle) and Joseph Quigg, he was born in Brooklyn on July 5, 1930.
He was a retired sales manager at Electrolux in Riverhead.
Family members said he loved to walk in Riverhead, especially down by the river. A family statement said, “he lived and breathed Riverhead.”
Mr. Quigg is survived by his children: Cathy (David) Silver, Linda, Charles J. (Linda), Joseph (Debbie) and Michael (Michelle); his sister Lillian; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors Friday, Aug. 10, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead, with interment to follow at the church cemetery.
Maxwell Alexander Tuthill of Riverhead, formerly of Jamesport, died Aug. 10. He was 23.
The son of Todd Luce Tuthill Sr. and Loretta Anne Trojanowski, he was born April 6, 1995, at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.
Mr. Tuthill graduated from Riverhead High School in 2012 and was attending Suffolk County Community College. He worked for Creative Environmental Design.
Family members said he enjoyed fishing, gardening, cooking, spending time at the beach, bringing smiles to the world, four-wheeling, riding his motorcycle and the great outdoors.
Mr. Tuthill is survived by his father, Todd L. Tuthill Sr. and stepmother, Dawn Tuthill; his brother, Todd L. Tuthill Jr.; his brother, Nicholas May; his niece and nephew, Willow and Nathan May; his brother, John May; his niece, Bianca May; his sister, Bethany Solinger; his brother, Josh Mentesana; his sister, Paige Molinari; his longtime girlfriend, Paulina Dudojc and his grandmother, Jackie Trojanowski. He was predeceased by his grandfather, Orange Hallock Tuthill II; his grandmother, Charlotte Elaine Werner Tuthill; his mother, Loretta Trojanowski; his grandfather, Roy Trojanowski and Bruce the Cat.
The family will receive visitors Tuesday, Aug. 14 and Wednesday, Aug. 15, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead, where a service will take place Aug. 15 at 8 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen breast cancer organization.
Robert A. Moeller of Greenport died at Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quiogue Aug. 9, 2018.He was 82.
He was born Aug. 27, 1935, in Hollis, N.Y. to Herman A. and Irene (Franz) Moeller and was a graduate of Southold High School Class of 1953.
For 52 years, he was the owner and operator of Van Duzer Gas Services. In the community, he was a member of Southold Fire Department, Gull Pond Yacht Club and master of Smithtown Hunt.
He is survived by his wife and “home run,” Patricia A. (née Jacot), whom he married in May of 1995 at Bug Light; three children: Cindy Benedetto (Frank) of Bedford, Va., Thomas Grady (Donna) of Beverly Hills, Fla. and Todd Sanft (Karen) of Wellesley, Mass; seven grandchildren: Lia Benedetto, Cara Benedetto, Niki Benedetto, Brandon Grady, Jake Sanft, Audrey Sanft and Addie Sanft; and two great-grandchildren: Emma and Grayson Grady.
He was predeceased by his son, Gary Moeller; and siblings, Herman and Natalie.
The family received visitors Aug. 12 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold, where funeral services were held Aug. 13, Father Richard Hoerning officiating. Interment took place at Cutchogue Cemetery.
Memorial contribution in Bob’s name may be made to East End Hospice.
Anna A. Hawkins of Riverhead died Aug. 10 at Southampton Hospital. She was 82.
The daughter of Forrest and Ada (Stone) Hawkins, she was born Feb. 12, 1936, in Riverhead.
Ms. Hawkins worked as a nurses aide at John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility in Yaphank.
Family members said she enjoyed crocheting.
Ms. Hawkins is survived by her daughter, Diane Fisher of Southampton; her sister, Adele O’dell of Riverhead; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Cremation will be private. A memorial service will take place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Southampton. A graveside service will follow at 1:15 p.m. at Riverhead Cemetery.
Arrangements were in the care of McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Carol B. Joynes of Riverhead died on Aug. 9, 2018, at the age of 84.
She was born on Sept. 10, 1933, in Riverhead to Fletcher and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Booker who came to Riverhead as part of the “Great Migration” of blacks from southern to northern states. Her parents purchased farmland and established the town’s first middle-class African-American community by opening it to other migrants. Ms. Joynes was the youngest of eight children and grew up at the family homestead, which became a Riverhead Town landmark in 2008.
She served in Riverhead School District as a school nurse-teacher and retired in 1995 to begin her second career where she worked in many community organizations, including: East End Retired Teachers Association, Order of the Eastern Star, National Council of Negro Women, Women’s Club of Riverhead, Eastville Historical Society and the League of Women Voters.
Ms. Joynes preserved the Booker Family historical roots. The Booker family story was told in an exhibit, “Fletcher and Lizzie Booker: Pioneers in the Great Migration” that ran from July through October 2009 at the Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead. Ms. Joynes participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the exhibit’s opening.
Ms. Joynes was predeceased by her husband, Samuel Bright; her parents; and sisters and brothers, Edith Brown, Harriet Johnson, Ruthie Winn, James “Ed” Booker, Vivian Leonard and Raymond Booker.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, Aug. 16, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead. A service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Calvary Baptist Church in Riverhead.
Lorlee A. Blaser of Riverhead died Aug. 10 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. She was 61.
The daughter of Rosemary Jacobs Warner, she was born July 5, 1957, in East Meadow.
Ms. Blaser was a homemaker who loved crafts, knitting, jewelry and flowers. She helped the homeless and was involved in several charitable organizations.
Predeceased by her husband, William Blaser in 2009; and her brother, Lyle Plummer in 2008, Ms. Blaser is survived by her children Marie, Kimberly and Bryden, of Texas; her sisters, Donna Montez of Flanders and Debbie LoBianco; and seven grandchildren.
Cremation was private.
Arrangements were in the care of McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Marie Ann Dunleavy of Riverhead and Calverton died Aug. 13 in Riverhead. She was 74.
The daughter of Emilio Iannone and Consilia Iannone-Barbato, she was born Oct. 17, 1943, in Manhattan.
Ms. Dunleavy was a registered nurse, who attended St. John’s University nursing school in Queens and received a master’s degree from NYIT-Old Westbury. She worked at Stony Brook University Hospital.
She was a founding member and captain of the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps., a Suffolk County EMS instructor, an American Heart Association CPR instructor and a Suffolk County Crisis Response Team volunteer.
Ms. Dunleavy also was a member of the St. Isidore R.C. Church Holy Name Society and served as past president of the Riverhead Lions Club.
On Oct. 3, 1965, she married John J. Dunleavy in Sheepshead Bay.
In addition to her husband, Ms. Dunleavy is survived by her sons, John C. and Vincent; her daughter-in-law, Elyssa; and grandchildren, Emilie and Shane.
The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Aug. 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 16, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at St. Isidore R.C. Church in Riverhead, Father Robert Kuznik officiating. Interment will take place at Calverton National Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Isidore R.C. Church.
More than anything else, Maxwell Tuthill relished making other people smile. His wit, infectious smile and timing for a sarcastic joke could turn even a cheerless moment into a round of laughter.
Those closest to him could always count on him in times of need. When his brother Nick May needed someone to confide in, Max was there. When his friends were going through a rough patch, Max was there.
“It didn’t matter what time of day it was, what was going on in our lives, we always had time to listen to the other one talk,” said Mr. May, who is 10 years older. “We were always there for each other.”
Max was remembered as a loving uncle and a caring friend who always had a smile on his face. He died just past midnight Friday when his 1998 Suzuki motorcycle left the roadway and struck a tree on Hubbard Avenue near Jackson Street, according to Riverhead Town police. He was 23.
Max was rushed to Peconic Bay Medical Center by members of the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps and he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, police said.
“It’s a big loss for all of us,” said Jesse May, Max’s sister-in-law. “All of us are still reeling from the shock of it.”
Nick and Jesse were vacationing in Canada when they were woken up around 4 a.m. by a phone call alerting them of the devastating news.
“We all lost someone very, very important to us and it’s going to take a long time to find a new normal in our lives,” Ms. May said. “It’s almost like everything now is going to be looked at before Max and after Max.”
Max cherished his role as an uncle. He loved his nieces and nephew like they were his own children, Ms. May said. When her daughter, Willow, was born, Max, who was in high school at the time, would help any way he can, even changing diapers. Max was Willow’s godfather.
Willow is now 8 and Mr. and Ms. May’s son, Nathan, is 7. Max would often take them to the beach or take them on rides around town.
“It didn’t matter what they were doing as long as they were with Uncle Max,” Ms. May said.
Max graduated from Riverhead High School in 2012 and was attending Suffolk County Community College. He was working for Creative Environmental Design as a foreman for a landscaping crew, his brother said.
Corinne Smith of Riverhead said she knew Max for 10 years. She recalled one time when she felt distraught about something she had done. Knowing his friend was upset, Max immediately visited and brought her favorite tea with lunch for them to share.
“He stayed with me for hours to make sure I was going to be OK,” she said. “He was just the type of person that would do anything and everything for those he cared about.”
While their lives took them in different directions in recent years, Ms. Smith said she will always remember the memories they shared.
Tyler Person, another friend, said he will always remember the laughter Max provided.
“The whole community is mourning, which just goes to show how many lives he truly touched,” he said.
Aly Milner of Riverhead said she met Max through a youth group at Mattituck Presbyterian Church. They became close friends as Max began dating her friend, Paulina Dudojc, nearly eight years ago.
“I’ll always remember Max as a human with no boundaries,” she said.
Ms. Dudojc recalled how Max loved to cook. There were nights she’d come home from work around 11:30 p.m. and Max would be wearing a chef hat and cooking her dinner. He would refer to everyone he met as “sweetheart,” she said. And he had become part of her family.
“We need a lot more people like Max in this world,” she said.
Max was predeceased by his mother, Loretta Trojanowski, who died Aug. 9, 2013, at 58. In addition to Nick and Jesse May and their children, he is survived by his father, Todd Tuthill Sr., and stepmother, Dawn Tuthill; his siblings Todd Tuthill Jr., Josh Mentesana, John May, Paige Molinari and Bethany Solinger; his niece Bianca May; and his grandmother Jackie Trojanowski.
The family received visitors Tuesday and Wednesday at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Marion E. DiGregorio of Calverton, formerly of Brentwood, died Aug. 15 at her home. She was 86.
The daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Villardi, she was born Jan. 31, 1932, in Queens. She graduated from Long Island City High School in 1950.
In 1959, Ms. DiGregorio married Joseph in Astoria, Queens.
She worked as an administrative assistant with the Brentwood School District.
Family members said she was a member of the Aquebogue Homemakers and enjoyed knitting.
In addition to her husband, Ms. DiGregorio is survived by her daughter, Linda Kuebler of East Patchogue; son, Robert, of Garden City Park; and four grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors Sunday, Aug. 19, from 3 to 6 p.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 20, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Susan B. Komen or North Shore Animal Welfare League.
Diana L. Zurawski of Riverhead died Aug. 18 at the Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quiogue. She was 68.
The daughter of Otis and Mary (Wegert) Hopkins, she was born Feb. 20, 1950, in Greenport. She graduated from Riverhead High School in 1968.
On April 21, 1974, she married Edward Zurawski.
Ms. Zurawski worked for Grants store in Riverhead, the Sears Catalog in Riverhead, as a dental assistant for Dr. Lizewski and as a radiology clerk for Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead.
Family members said she enjoyed gardening.
Ms. Zurawski is survived by her husband, Edward; her sister, Margaret Overton of Hampton Bays; a niece; and two nephews.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, Aug. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Riverhead Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice.
William J. “Bill” Pflum passed away suddenly Aug. 3, 2018 at the age of 58 in Austin, Texas.
Bill was born Feb. 22, 1960, in Riverhead, N.Y. and was predeceased by his father, Dr. John W. Pflum. Bill lived in Jamesport, N.Y. attended St. John’s Elementary School, Mercy High School (Class of 1978) and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. in 1982. While in high school and college he played sports and excelled in basketball and baseball.
Bill had a long and successful career in the computer software industry, with over 30 years of experience in sales and business development working for start-ups to well-established industry leaders. During his career he lived and worked in New York City, San Francisco, and moved to Austin with his family in 2005. Bill also did volunteer work for the homeless in Austin.
Bill is survived by his children, Dylan (15), Taylor (12), and their mother Margo Pflum of Austin; his mother, Jeanne Pflum of Jamesport; brother, Jeff Pflum and his wife, Jodi Pflum of Wrentham, Mass.; sisters Amy Ellwood of Las Vegas, Nev. and Janice Bays of Jamesport. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services were held Aug. 9 in Austin.
Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Maureen’s Haven homeless outreach, 28 Lincoln St., Riverhead, maureenshaven.com.
Mario Mollik, 76, of Vineland, N.J., passed away peacefully August 19, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Berazategui, Argentina, he was the son of the late Emil and Maria (Heucek) Mollik.
He came to America at the age of one, living in Brooklyn and later moving to Riverhead.He eventually settled down in Vineland with his wife and children, where he has resided for the last 25 years.
He was a graduate of Riverhead High School’s class of 1964.In his younger years, he enjoyed ice skating and going to beach parties.He also had a band with his brother Emil, singing and playing accordion and guitar.Before retiring, he was a mold maker at Brockway Glass and Wheaton Glass for more than 30 years.He enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, listening to music and watching crime shows on the ID Channel.
Mario is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Sandra (Nelson); daughter Sharon Grissman of Vineland andson-in-law Cliff Grissman of Eatontown, N.J.; daughter Laura and her fiance, Chris Stidham, of Vineland; son Gary (Nicole) of Harmony, N.C.; brother Emil, of Speonk; sister Martha, of Riverhead; eight grandchildren: Crystal, Adam, Dylan, Amanda, Hailey, Selena, Madison and Gabriella; and four great-grandchildren: Brionne, Dominick, KrisT’iana and Jay’auni.
Private cremation services were provided by Alloway Funeral Home in Merchantville, N.J.
Robert C. Dick of Riverhead died on Aug. 22 at home, after a long series of illnesses. He was 69 years old.
Bob was born on July 29, 1949, in Mineola, to Harry and Marjorie Dick.
Bob was a well-known banker in Riverhead and the east end of Long Island. Starting in 1965, while still in school, he worked for Security National Bank (1960-1980), and then for Suffolk County National Bank (1980-2010), from which he retired as executive vice president and chief lending officer. During his career he was a longtime Riverhead Rotarian and was active in numerous civic affairs.
Bob leaves behind his beloved wife and partner of 43 years, Bette (Thomas); his son and best friend Andrew (Allison); his two best buddies, grandsons Tyler and Cameron, all of Riverhead; and his brother William (Deborah) of Cuenca, Ecuador.
According to his wishes, there was no funeral and interment was private. Please refrain from memorials, but instead simply take a few minutes and give thanks to God for the blessings He has given you.
Arrangements were in the care of Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Mary Louise Krauza, 80, passed away on July 25 at San Simeon by the Sound in Greenport.
Mary Lou was a kindergarten teacher at P.S. 58 in Brooklyn for three years, and then a kindergarten teacher for 27 years and retired from the Rocky Point school district. Family members said she was loved by all her students, read many books, played the piano, sang and taught them many songs. Mary Lou was also an avid reader and did the New York Times crosswords.
Predeceased by baby Peter Christopher, she is survived by her husband of 61 years, Matthew; son Stephen (Lynne) and daughter Elizabeth (Richard) Morgan; grandchildren Amy (Sean) Burke, Matthew Krauza,Elizabeth and Caroline Morgan; and great-granddaughter Amelia Burke.
A private Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. John the Baptist R.C .Church in Wading River on July 27. Interment, next to Peter, was at Holy Cross cemetery in Brooklyn. A memorial Mass will be held on Sept. 22 at 10 a.m., at St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, 1488 North Country Road, Wading River.
Arrangements were in the care of Alexander Rothwell Funeral Home in Wading River.
Lena Ottulich Occhi passed away Aug. 24. She was a talented artist and dedicated her life to serving as the link between the younger generations and our families’ cultural heritages.
Born in Astoria in 1927 to Italian immigrants, Dominic and Maria Pellegrinelli, she was the youngest of four children, Betty, Risty and Elsie, whom she adored.
She attended Washington Irving High School and Pratt Institute in New York City and began work as a greeting card illustrator.
She married her first love Louis Ottulich, and together they raised two children, Raymond and Cathie, in the same house her father built and she was born in.
Many years after the death of her husband Louie, she found love again with her second husband Joseph Occhi. They made a home and life up in Stone Ridge, N.Y. Joe’s son Eddie became a welcomed addition to her family.
Lena is survived by her son Raymond (Joan); daughter Cathie (Tom) Dickerson; and stepson Eddie (Linda). She was a loving Nonnie to her grandchildren: Ry (Diana), Nicholas (Kendra), Betsy, Cassi, Rachel, Michael and Christina; great-grandson Nolan; and Aunt Lena to many cherished nieces and nephews. She will live in our hearts forever.
The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead. A prayer service will take place at the funeral home at 8 p.m.
Dawn M. Lewin of Calverton died Aug. 26. She was 50 years old.
Born in Riverhead Jan. 11, 1968, to Mary (Sobieray) and Fredric Lewin, she graduated from Riverhead High School in 1986.
Dawn was a farmer in Calverton and worked part time at RHS. She was a member of Baiting Hollow Congregational Church. Family members said she loved bowling, her nephews, and that the farm was her life.
Predeceased by her parents, she is survived by her sister Lisa of Calverton; and three nephews, Frederick, Derek and Dominic.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, Aug. 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. Funeral services will be held Friday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. at Baiting Hollow Congregational Church, with interment at Baiting Hollow Cemetery.
Memorial donations to Baiting Hollow Congregational Church would be appreciated.
Monnie Sue (Wilcoxson) Murtha of Baiting Hollow, N.Y., died of heart failure at East End Hospice’s Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quiogue on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018.
Born in Walcott, Ark. on Feb. 13, 1934, she was 84. She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, C. Rodman Murtha, and her parents, Avery and Pearlie (Newsom) Wilcoxson of Malden, Mo. Monnie is survived by two daughters, Cheryl (Kevin) Hewkin and Catherine Kent, both of Baiting Hollow; one son, Bryan (Sharon)of Owings, Md.; six grandchildren: Carrie (James) Murtha Jubane of Sunderland, Md., Travis Kent of Austin, Texas, Daniel Kent and Emma Kent, both of Baiting Hollow, Dylan Hewkin of Austin, Texas, and Marisa Hewkin of Brooklyn; and one great-grandson, Ethan Jubane.
Monnie attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, Mo., where she met and married the love of her life, Rod Murtha, a Mineola High School graduate from Williston Park, N.Y. Later, she graduated magna cum laude from Southampton College with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and English. Upon graduation, she began a distinguished career in education and completed a master’s degree in liberal studies from Stony Brook University.
Mrs. Murtha taught elementary school for 22 years in Riverhead School District, retiring as a beloved Riley Avenue teacher in 1991. She was a creative, gifted teacher, able to give students the individualized attention they needed to thrive. Her specialty was inspiring a love for reading and enabling students to find their voices as writers. She taught writing workshops, mentored many teachers, was Riverhead Teacher of the Year and a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for key women educators. She was active in the Riverhead Central Faculty Association, serving on the executive board and writing a humorous column for its “Newsbrief.” Later, she remained active by organizing monthly luncheons for retired Riley Avenue teachers.
A member of Baiting Hollow Congregational Church, Monnie participated in the church choir, women’s club, taught Sunday school, was a Girl Scout leader and on the board of deacons. She lived her Christian faith as a loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother, and as a caregiver to her elderly mother and husband, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
Monnie Sue was a bright, engaging person, a beauty queen known for her southern charm and love of people and conversation. She celebrated the arts, serving on the board of directors of the East End Arts Council, and followed local, state, and national issues by religiously reading newspapers. She enjoyed cooking, traveling, watching birds, working crossword puzzles and passed on her love for books to her children and grandchildren. She was a loyal friend with a generous heart, positive outlook, sassy spirit, and keen sense of humor. To know her was to love her–she will be greatly missed, most especially by her beloved family.
The family will receive visitors at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead on Friday, Aug. 31, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral service will be at Baiting Hollow Congregational Church on Saturday, Sept. 1, at 10 a.m. Burial will take place immediately afterwards in the church cemetery, followed by a luncheon at noon at the neighboring Baiting Hollow Club. All are welcome.
If desired, donations meaningful to Monnie can be given in lieu of flowers to the local community: the Riverhead Free Library: riverheadlibrary.org; The Butterfly Effect Project: bepgirls.org; or East End Arts: eastendarts.org.
The family will receive visitors at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead on Thursday, Aug. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by a memorial ceremony at 6:30 p.m., also at the funeral home.
