Sad News: Laura Mae Mitchell, Class Of '43, Dies

Gale Goodrich See passes along word that her mother -- Laura Mae Mitchell -- died this fall. She was 88.

As the attached obituary says, Mrs. Mitchell was a member of the LVCS Class of '43. She had lived in Las Vegas for more than five decades, but often came back to L.V. -- including for the 2013 Alumni Dinner.

Gale tells us her mother "really loved the Alumni and her class." There's an online version of her obituary posted here.

Sad News: Laurie Keenen Urbanski Dies

Laurie Keenen Urbanski -- daughter of Tom and Juanita Keenen; sister of Ann, Matt, Bernie, Charlie and Kevin; and a member of the Class of '75 -- died on July 30 after a long illness. She would have turned 56 on Aug. 3.

As the obituary in the Olean Times Herald notes, along with her mother, siblings and husband Dennis, Laurie is survived by "two sons, Jason (Holly Edwards) Urbanski and Jordan (Amanda Spaulding) Urbanski, both of Salamanca; [and] one grandson, Cole Urbanski of Salamanca."

According to the newspaper, "a memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 10, 2013) in [Salamanca's] Our Lady of Peace Parish with the Rev. Patrick Melfi officiating."

Dori Sipe White, Class Of '76, Has Died

Sad news: Dori Sipe White, member of the Class of '76 and wife of Jon (Class of '75), died this past week after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm. She was 53.

The Jamestown Post-Journal's obituary is here. 

Dori, as many know, wasn't just an alum. She was also a key part of the school district's staff for the past 15 years. She was, as the Post-Journal says, "confidential secretary for the superintendent."

And as this blogger and others from the Class of '76 will tell you, she was a great person. Her smile was infectious.

According to the Post-Journal:

"In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation at their website: bafound.org or by sending a check to Donations at The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 269 Hanover Street, Building 3, Hanover, MA 02339 or Protect the Adirondacks at www.protectadks.org or send checks to Donations at Protect the Adirondacks, Inc., P.O. Box 1180, Saranac Lake, NY 12983."

Sad News: 'Coach' Newhouse Has Died

From The Post-Journal in Jamestown:

LITTLE VALLEY - Thorton A. "Pete" Newhouse, 89, of Court Street, passed away Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, at Absolut of Salamanca.

Of course many of us will always think of him as "Coach" and remember his many years teaching at LVCS and then in Randolph.

There are calling hours Wednesday (Dec. 22) at the Mentley Funeral Home on Rock City St. The funeral is planned for Thursday, at 11 a.m., in the Little Valley Memorial Church. The obituary adds that "memorials may be made to the Little Valley United Methodist Church or the charity of the donors' choice."

Alumni Passings

Some sad news to pass along.

-- Dorotha Young Dooley, class of 1929, passed away last month. As the obituary in the the Jamestown Post-Journal says, she was 98.

Many who were at last year's Alumni dinner will recall that Mrs. Dooley was the oldest LVCS graduate in attendance.

-- Leah Jeanne Parkhurst, class of 1936, died on March 1, the Post-Journal writes. If you didn't go to school with her, there's a pretty good chance you went with one of the Parkhust "kids." Mrs. Parkhurst ("Jeanne") was 91.

-- Robert "Bob" Bigelow, class of 1979, died just this past week. He was 49. According to the Post-Journal obituary, Bob's sister Deb (class of 1977) is living in Freeport, Pa.

Don Krug, 1932-2008

As many of you may have heard, there was sad news this week.

Don Krug died on Monday.

Click here to read the obituary that ran in the Salamanca Press. Or, since it's likely to disappear from that webpage in coming days, I'm pasting it in here as well:

Donald M. Krug, 76, of Little Valley passed away on Monday (Nov. 3, 2008)at his home on New Albion Road, after a short illness.

Born Feb. 25, 1932 in Salamanca, he was the son of the late Marie Baumann) and Max Krug of Little Valley. On July 9, 1954, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Phyllis Charlesworth, who survives.

Mr. Krug attended Little Valley Central School (LVCS) where he graduated as salutatorian of his class in 1950. An all-around athlete, he won ice-skating competitions, played football and baseball. He played varsity basketball for LVCS all four of his high school years when they won the County Championships (1947; 1948; 1949; 1950) and won Sectionals in 1950.

Mr. Krug received his BS degree from Albany State Teachers College where he played college basketball. He also received his Masters in Education and Masters in Administration from St. Bonaventure University.

He served in the US Army from 1954 to 1956 as a part of the Korean War peacekeeping troops. Mr. Krug was a high school math and science teacher for 37 years from 1956 to 1990 at LVCS. He also coached basketball there for many years. In addition to his teaching, he ran a dairy farm where he bred and raised registered Holsteins from 1961 to recently.

Mr. Krug believed in being active in his community. He was the Director of Cattaraugus County Agricultural Society; in charge of the Cattaraugus County Fair Dairy Barn; a member of the NY State Holstein Association; and a former officer of the Cattaraugus County Holstein Association.

In addition, he served on the Board of Assessment Review for the Town of Mansfield, was a former member of the Planning Board and the former Town Building Inspector. He was a member of the NY State Retired Teachers Association and was a former member of the board of Education for Little Valley Central School. He was also a member of the American Legion.

In his spare time, besides enjoying his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was a devoted fan and season ticket holder at the St. Bonaventure basketball games. He was also an avid Buffalo Bills fan and all-around sports enthusiast.

Surviving besides his wife, are his four children: Joanne K. (Robert) Harris of Rye Brook, Donald J. Krug of Cattaraugus, Max J. Krug of Jamestown, Elizabeth K. (Douglas) Rose of Bethesda, Md.; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his brother, Richard F. Krug (formerly of Hammondsport) and his sister, Ruth Painter (formerly of Salamanca).

Burial will be in Little Valley Rural Cemetery. Private family services will be held.

Memorials may be made to the Little Valley Memorial Library or the American Cancer Society, Western New York Region, 101 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst, NY 14228.