Irvington Woman, 83, Burned in Fire Dies

Angelina Smercak passed away at the Westchester Medical Center on Sunday night.

Angelina Smercak, 83, who was severely burned in a fire in her Irvington home Friday morning died at the Westchester Medical Center Sunday night, police said.  There will be a wake held Friday, Jan 27 at Dwyer & Vanderbilt Funeral Home in Tarrytown from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. According to the obituary posted on Dwyer & Vanderbilt's website, Smercak: "worked as a school secretary, legal secretary, and receptionist, and was retired when she passed away. She is survived by her loving daughter, Patti (Casey) Cordon, loving grandsons, Christopher and Ryan Cordon, her devoted brother, Albert (Eleanor) Scogna, caring sister, Anne Mastandrea, eight nieces and nephews and their families. She loved spending time with family, vacationing in …

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Firefighters Mourn Death Of 54-Year-Old Mount Vernon Firefighter

Kevin Townes died of an apparent heart attack.

Westchester firefighters today mourn the loss of one of their own, 54-year-old Mount Vernon firefighter Kevin Townes, who died of an apparent heart attack at the scene of a house fire this morning. Townes, a 25-year veteran of the fire department, was one of more than 20 firefighters who raced to the scene of a fire early this morning on Lorraine Avenue. Fire officials said Townes collapsed suddenly and died at Mount Vernon Hospital despite efforts to revive him. Officials noted that Townes had recently passed a mandatory physical exam and city officials said the married father of three children was one of the city's outstanding firefighters. In White Plains, firefighters there were quick to post a note about Townes on their Facebook page…

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Remembering Steve Jobs, American Icon

One of Silicon Valley's greatest electronics and computer-industry pioneers succumbs to pancreatic cancer.

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer, now Apple, Inc., died on Wednesday, about 9 months after he began phasing out his leadership of the company. When I was an electronics and computer-industry editor and conference director, I met with and interviewed Jobs on many occasions. He was to technology and Silicon Valley what Washington Irving was to American literature and Hudson Valley — a person capable of extending the boundaries of their profession well beyond what had ever been done before. Apple's website posted Jobs' picture and the following message: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear …

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Jerry Eimbinder

11:09 am on Thursday, October 13, 2011

An Internet campaign to make Friday, Oct. 14 "Steve Jobs Day," is under way, the San Jose Mercury News reports. One website, www.stevejobsday2011.com, says, "Wear a black turtleneck to work. To school. Anywhere and everywhere. You can even go full Steve and wear blue jeans and tennis shoes." Apple is not involved in promoting the movement.   more ›

Former Dobbs Ferry Mayor Rolon William Reed Dies at 80

Please provide your memories of Mayor Reed in the comments box below.

The following message is courtesy of Dobbs Ferry Mayor Hartley Connett: The Village is saddened to learn of the passing of Rolon William Reed, who was a former Mayor of Dobbs Ferry. Mr. Reed passed away near his home in Florida at the age of 80.   Reed, who was born in Pittsburg and graduated from Yale Law School, moved to Dobbs Ferry in 1963. A former Westchester County Judge, Mr. Reed ran for village trustee in 1974, and was Mayor of Dobbs Ferry from 1979 – 1984. His many efforts and initiatives included helping to transform the waterfront’s Willow Point from a semi-industrial eyesore into a public park area. Reed served as mayor until he was appointed by former Governor Mario Cuomo to a judgeship.   Reed is survived by his wife, his …

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David Vaillancourt Remembered for Dedication to Family, Kindness

A funeral service for David Vaillancourt will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church on Warburton.

Alexandra Hall best remembers David Vaillancourt twirling on the dance floor at her wedding last year — never separated from his wife Joan. Hall, who has worked at the Hastings Public Library with Joan for more than a decade, thinks of her colleague as a mother. "I looked to Joan and David as an example for my husband and me," Hall said. "I hoped we would be like them in 30 years." David Vaillancourt, 63, was killed Wednesday evening when his bicycle was struck by a vehicle on Ravensdale Avenue. There will be a funeral service Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church on Warburton Avenue. "David was incredibly dedicated to his family," said Sue Feir, director of the Hastings Public Library. She has worked with Joan Vaillancourt since 1993…

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Former Supervisor and Ad Man Famous for Charmin Quote Dies

The wake for John Chervokas, advertising executive and public servant, is July 28.

Former Town of Ossining Supervisor John Chervokas, politican and ad man best known for the famous "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" commercials, has died. He was 74. The wake will be held at Dorsey Funeral Home in Ossining on July 28 from 5-8 p.m. His funeral will be on July 29 at St. Theresa Church in Briarcliff Manor at 11 a.m. John Chervokas began his public service career in the 70s as the president of the Ossining School Board. He was the director of the Ossining Chamber of Commerce in the mid-90s. In 1998 Chervokas began his first term as the Town of Ossining's supervisor. He proudly served the people of the Town of Ossining in that position until 2008. Before his career in politics, John was a Madison Avenue advertising executive. …

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Gwenael Goulet, Chef/Owner of French Restaurant Buffet de la Gare, Succumbs to Cancer at 61

A mass was held today at St. Matthew in Hastings-on-Hudson. The restaurant will reopen on July 26.

Gwenael Goulet, Chef/Owner of Buffet de la Gare in Hastings-on-Hudson, passed away on July 19 – his bout with cancer lost at the age of 61. The restaurant will continue in business and will reopen on July 26. However it normally closes for the month of August in keeping with French tradition.  Born and schooled in cooking in France, he arrived in America from Paris with his wife Annie in 1979. The following year, they bought Buffet de la Gare, began applying touches of Goulet's inventiveness to traditionally unalterable French classic dishes, and sold the restaurant in 2005 to Luc and Nicole Dimnet because of Goulet's illness. But after the business faltered, the Goulets repurchased it from the Dimnets in 2008 and closed the restaurant for…

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Obituary: Frances T. Nied

Nied's Funeral Mass will be at Immaculate Conception Church Irvington on Friday at noon.

Obituary courtesy of Coffey Funeral Home: Frances T. (Doris) Nied, a resident of Irvington died July 12, 2011 at the age of 91. Born in Yonkers on May 27, 1920, she was the daughter of Francis and Rose Spolnic Yatcak. In 1941, she married Edward Niedialkowski in St. Casmir’s Church in Yonkers. In 1946 they moved to Irvington where they raised their family and Mr. Nied delivered milk for Sherwood Farms. Doris was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society of Immaculate Conception Church in Irvington; she was a member of the Irvington Seniors and had been a member of the Irvington Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. She was also an active longtime member of the ‘Monday Nighters’. Doris is survived by her son Dennis Nied of Fairfield, ME and her …

Maria Chousa

Mrs. Chousa worked for many years at Andrus-on-Hudson.

Maria Dias Dorado Chousa died May 23, at 81. She was born Oct. 18, 1929 and was the beloved daughter of Francisco Dorado and Maria DaEira in Portugal. Her husband, Manuel R. Chousa, died before her. Mrs. Chousa was a secretary for many years at Andrus-on-Hudson in Hastings-on-Hudson. She is survived by her children, Manuel (Olga) of Croton-on-Hudson, Frank of Suffern, Anthony (Norma) of Kent, and Eileen Chousa Katzenstein of Wesley Hills; and six grandchildren.  The Mass of Christian Burial was May 27 at St. Ann's Church.  Interment followed at St. Augustine's Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were handled by Waterbury & Kelly of Ossining.

Photos: Paying Final Respects to Poughkeepsie Officer John Falcone

Officer Falcone died a hero last week and was honored as a hero Thursday.

John Falcone, a veteran police officer of 18 years, was remembered by his beloved family, friends, brothers in blue and the community Thursday. They arrived to pay their final respects to the officer, killed in the line of duty, protecting and serving the City of Poughkeepsie. Due to the amount of people attending the ceremony, shuttle buses were used to take viewers to St. James Church in Carmel. They began  arriving at 9:40 a.m. Included in the massive police presence were representatives from Poughkeepsie, Putnam, Nassau, Ossining, Suffolk, Fort Lee, Teaneck and the NYPD.  There was an estimate "of 5,000 to 10,000 attendees," said Lt. Thomas Jones, one of the thousands of officers who came. He called it a sea of brotherhood, that when …

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