Obituaries (March 18)

William Roger Stilson

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 10, 1944

William Roger Stilson, 17, Otego [Otsego Co., NY], was instantly killed Saturday morning at 1:45 when he was struck by an automobile driven by his brother-in-law, Pvt. Leland Wilber, who is home on a furlough from Fort Dix, N.J.  Dr. Norman Getman, coroner, said the youth suffered a fractured skull.  An investigation disclosed that Pvt. and Mrs. Wilber were returning from a dance and the driver turned out to pass another car without observing his wife's brother walking on the left side of the highway. The other car was to have been operated by a relative of the family.  The youth had escorted a girl home from a dance and was returning to the village when he was hit by the car.  He was born Oct. 9, 1926, in Walton.

 

Walter Gray

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

A prominent Maine area [Broome Co., NY] farmer was burned to death and his wife suffered severe burns and other injuries Tuesday morning of last week, when fire leveled their home off the Maine-Ketchumville road, five miles northwest of Maine.  The victim was Walter Gray, about 64, a longtime resident of that area, who succumbed to burns after he had been dragged from the burning building by his wife, who was bare-footed and clad only in her night clothes.  The injured wife is Mrs. Alecia Gray, 40, who is in Ideal Hospital suffering from second degree burns of the left arm, severe lacerations of the right hand and arm and severe shock.  Hospital officials say her condition is fair. The fire in the remote farm homestead was seen first about 5 a.m. by neighbors who live about one-half mile from the Gray house.  By the time the men reached the scene, the roof had fallen in and the home was soon consumed together with its contents.  The fire is supposed to have caught from stoves in the kitchen.

 

Beth Skinner & Metro G. Stanchak

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Miss Beth Skinner, 20, of 4 Garfield avenue, Binghamton [Broome Co., NY] and Metro G. Stanchak, 18, of Thompson, Pa., R.D.2, were found dead Saturday morning in Mr. Stanchak's car, parked a short distance from Miss Skinner's home.  Dr. John J. Breivis, an acting Broome County coroner, who investigated with police and detectives, said death resulted from carbon monoxide poisoning and apparently was accidental.  He is withholding his verdict.  Detectives identified the Stanchak youth from his chauffeur's license.  He boarded in Binghamton and was employed at the Eureka Tent and Awning plant.  The bodies, discovered by residents of the area about 9 o'clock were virtually frozen.  Detectives said the couple apparently parked and left the motor running to keep warm.  Exhaust fumes seeped into the car because there was no tail pipe on the exhaust, detectives said.  Miss Skinner is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Skinner, of 4 Garfield avenue.  She was employed at Ansco.  Detectives learned that she attended a dance at the C.F.J. Pavilion in Johnson City Friday night with two girl friends and was given a ride home by Mr. Stanchak.  The bodies were removed to a funeral home in that city.

 

Katherine O'Connell

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Miss Katherine O'Connell, native of Susquehanna [PA], and one of the oldest residents of the borough, died at the home of her niece, Miss Margaret Geary, Washington street, Tuesday morning, Feb. 15.  Two years ago, Miss O'Connell suffered a heart attack from which she never fully recovered.  She was born in Susquehanna about 85 years ago, her parents being John and Margaret O'Connell, pioneer residents here.  She is the last of her family.

 

Harry C. Wood

Bainbridge News & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

United States authorities are continuing their investigation into the death of Harry C. Wood, general auditor for Pan-American airways, who suffered an electric shock in a hotel room in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 30.  Mr. Wood, a former resident of Delaware County, had stopped in Havana while enroute to Baranquila, Colombia.  Details of his death have been withheld pending complete investigation.  He was born Dec. 4, 1892, in Sidney.

 

Mrs. Byron Goldsmith

Bainbridge news & Republican, February 24, 1944

 

Mrs. Byron Goldsmith died at her home near West Delhi [Delaware Co., NY] after an illness of an hour Monday night.  Mrs. Goldsmith suffered a ruptured blood vessel three years ago which had impaired her sight, but had been in her usual health during the day and had retired for the night when she was taken ill and passed away before a doctor arrived.  Death was caused by a hemorrhage.