Prison for Probation Violator

DELHI – District Attorney Shawn Smith announced today that Kyle Oakley, 34, of South Kortright appeared in Delaware County Court on February 26, 2025, and was sentenced to prison for violating the terms of his probation.      

Oakley had previously pleaded guilty on December 18, 2023, to Burglary in the Third Degree. These charges arose from an investigation of forced entry into a seasonal residence during March of 2022. Acting County Court Judge Rosa had previously sentenced the defendant to a 5-year term of felony probation supervision.

On October 31, 2024, Mr. Oakley appeared in the Delaware County Court on accusations that he had violated the terms of his probation by consuming illegal narcotics. Oakley admitted to the violations and a separate sentence date was set for early December.  Oakley was released at this point in order to get his affairs in order.

On December 11, 2024, Oakley was arraigned on further violations of probation. Specifically, Oakley was accused of committing crimes of Driving While Intoxicated, First Offense, Obstruction of Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Third Degree on December 7, 2024, in Greene County. Those charges are still pending. On December 11, 2024, Judge Rosa remanded Oakley without bail pending a hearing.

On February 26, 2025, Oakley made further admissions to violating the terms of his probation. Per an agreement with the District Attorney’s Office and the Defense, Judge Rosa then sentenced Oakley to an indeterminate term of imprisonment to last no less than one year and no more than three years.

District Attorney Shawn Smith stated “My office will continue to make sure defendants are held accountable for their criminal actions.  Probation provides criminal defendants with an opportunity to avoid state prison, but when they refuse to take advantage of the opportunity to be rehabilitated, they must face the consequences.”  Smith commended the Delaware County Probation Department for their work. “I want to thank the Delaware County Probation Department for the work they do in ensuring probationers are held accountable. When a probationer commits new criminal acts, they face consequences in Delaware County. Probation is not a slap on the wrist, and I’m glad that our Probation Department worked to hold Mr. Oakley responsible.”

Indictments and Criminal Complaints are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

First Assistant District Attorney Schuyler Konior Kinneman prosecuted the case.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

The Donald F. and Edna G. Bishop Scholarship Applications Open

STAMFORD – Applications for the Donald F. and Edna G. Bishop Scholarship are available for Stamford Central School seniors and graduates in the Stamford Central school guidance office.  This scholarship was established in 1989 for students who shall be studying at a four-year college or medical school in the field of nursing, biology, chemistry, physics, or pre-medicine up to $24,000 for college or $40,000 for medical school.  Students shall be selected based upon general ability, including scholarship (an average of at least 85% in high school for students going directly to a four-year college), character and extra-curricular activities and not on the basis of financial need.  Also, applicants attending a two-year college who have been accepted into a medical career transfer program with a four-year college or university which will permit the applicant to receive a bachelor’s degree from that four-year college or university will also be eligible for consideration for a scholarship or fellowship.

 The applications must be submitted to the guidance office by April 1, 2025

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) Launches Area Workshops for Bird-Friendly Homes

Snow Geese, photo by Rod Sutton

ONEONTA — Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) announces a series of workshops to support Bird-Friendly Homes throughout their Chapter Region. The workshops will focus on helping homeowners make Acopian BirdSavers window treatments for up to three windows in their homes (for free while funding lasts) in order to reduce bird-window collisions at homes throughout our communities.

It is estimated that over 1 billion birds die as a result of window collisions each year in North America with 99% of these occurring at residential and low-rise buildings. It is considered to be the third highest cause of bird mortality, following habitat loss and predation by domestic cats.

Up to 50% of bird-window collisions leave no evidence at all.

Many of the birds that fly away are likely to die later of their injuries.

Birds most often suffer concussions and internal injuries which can take days to kill them.

If a collision kills a parent bird, the young will most likely also die.

This is all preventable if people take action at their own homes.

According to DOAS Co-President, Andy Mason, “There’s not a lot we can do as individuals to directly help birds, but preventing window collisions is a hands-on way to save their lives.”

A special program to overview this issue for birds is scheduled for Friday, April 18, 7:30pm on Zoom. Interested parties can register at https://mobilize.us/s/4Mcrr7 .

Homeowners in our communities are invited to attend one of the area workshops where they can learn more and make/take home Acopian BirdSaver window treatments for up to three windows at their residences to help prevent collisions. Pre-registration is required so that ample materials can be available.

Susan O’Handley, DOAS Education Chair, is coordinating these programs and states, “We are very grateful to each of our host locations and our student assistant groups for their enthusiastic response to help with these workshops. We are working on this issue collaboratively with other chapters throughout NY and CT this year and I’m excited at the prospect of meaningful reduction in bird deaths as a result.”

The schedule of bird-friendly window events is as follows:

March 22 Workshop in Sidney, NY

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/VsIj0s

11am-1pm at Sidney Memorial Public Library, Smart Community Room

Assisted by Binghamton University Audubon Society Campus Chapter

March 29 Workshop in Oneonta, NY

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/CWnZp2

11am – 1pm at Southside Mall, Oneonta, NY

Assisted by SUNY Oneonta Environmental Science Club

April 12 Workshop in Cobleskill, NY

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/KiXz8H

10am-12pm at SUNY Cobleskill Center for Agricultural and Natural Resources

Assisted by SUNY Cobleskill Wildlife Society

April 18 Overview Presentation on Zoom

7:30pm, given by DOAS Education Chair Susan O'Handley

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/4Mcrr7

April 26 Workshop at Earth Festival, Milford, NY

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/bh0wyu

10am-3pm at Milford Central School

Assisted by Hartwick College FORCES (Environmental Sustainability Club)

May 3 Workshop in Delhi, NY

Register at https://mobilize.us/s/tJJqjN

10am-12pm at SUNY Delhi

Assisted by SUNY Delhi Sustainability Club

These workshops are made possible through a 2025 Collaborative Grant from National Audubon Society and through donations that are collected through the events. Any questions can be directed to Susan O’Handley at s.ohandley@doas.us or 607-397-3815.

 Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TOWN OF HALCOTT

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing to adopt both the amended Town of Halcott Comprehensive Plan and Town of Halcott Land Use Code will be held on March 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Town of Halcott Grange Hall, Halcott Center, N.Y.  Regular Town Board meeting to follow.

                                                By order of the Town Board

Dated February 24, 2025

Patricia Warfield Town Clerk

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Town of Halcott Republican Caucus Notice

The Town Of Halcott Republican Committee will hold a caucus on Monday March 10, 2025 at 7:00PM at the Halcott Grange Hall, 264 County Route 3, Halcott Center, NY  12430 for the purpose of nominating candidates for the General Election to be held Tuesday November 4th, 2025 and for any other business that may properly come before this meeting.

By the order of Alan Reynolds Republican Town Chair

Feb, 28, 2025

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

THE CATSKILL GEOLOGISTS BY PROFESSORS ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS The Mills Mansion 5: Stylolites at Staatsburgh

If you are going to a tea at Staatsburgh, you are likely to spend a little time in a waiting room behind the gift shop. That, long ago, was sort of a reception room in a section of the house reserved for single male visitors. We love the teas at Staatsburg and have spent a fair amount of time in that room. We are always looking for and are attracted to things that are geologic, and there it was - at the south end of the room – a fine stone fireplace mantle. See our first photo by Don Frazer.

                                                              

Even from across the room, this is a geologic wonder, but it only gets better the closer you come to it. Take a good look at the mantle sometime when you are there.  Most people would identify this stone as being marble and that is technically right – sort of - but there is so much more to this particular stone. Take another, more careful, look. You should be able to make out a crystalline structure within it. We spotted this as indeed being marble and that meant that all these crystals were composed of the mineral calcite which is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. But long before this became marble it was limestone. That’s a sedimentary rock which originated as a deposit in a special ecology - the bottom of a shallow tropical sea. We gazed into the marble mantle and looked into its distant past. We saw a sea that closely resembled today’s Bahamas. There were currents of aqua colored waters flowing across pink sand with algae growing out of it. Geologists have those sorts of experiences all the time, especially when stuck in a waiting room for just a little too long – and when being just a little bit too hungry!

But how did the Bahamas turn into a marble fireplace mantle at Staatsburgh? That’s not as hard as you might think. It’s actually very commonplace geology, but it does take a lot of time. All that “Bahamian” limestone sediment came to be buried under deeper and heavier masses of thicker sediments. It was gradually squeezed and hardened into true limestone. Much later that limestone got caught up in a collision of tectonic plates. That collision lifted it up into the core of a rising mountain range. The intense pressures that accompanied all this squeezed the limestone even more and that’s when it began to be converted into marble. You see, under intense pressures, calcite becomes soluble. Sooner or later the dissolved material recrystallizes; it becomes converted into the coarsely grained crystalline mass that we call marble.

Stand back a few feet and gaze at this stone – then peer into it. Think about all the places it has been and all the things that it has done. It originated in a beautiful tropical sea. It sank into the ground as it was buried by many thousands of feet of other sediments and that hardened it into rock. It was then compressed by a great mountain building event and hoisted thousands of feet upward by that event. Erosion stripped away most of that rock and exposed what we see to quarrymen and sculptors.

                                                                             

But then there is something else. See our next two photos. Look closely at the structures within the stone. Those jagged dark horizons are called stylolites. They are solution surfaces that were turned sideways by those sculptors. The weight of overlying rock pressed down on this marble and increased its solubility. It dissolved the calcium carbonate which escaped sideways from within this stone. Black, insoluble biological matter was left behind to clog the solution surfaces and that made the stone more attractive, especially to members of the Mills family. And now to you too.

Look, still one last time, and see the fine craftmanship. There sure is so much to see here if you know what to look at.

Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net. Join their facebook page “The Catskill Geologist.” Read their blogs at “thecatskillgeologist.com.”

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

A Conversation About: Local Color

By Jean Thomas

This past week was harsh. Ice prevailed on any surface that hadn’t been heavily salted by road crews or home owners. The bright sunny days now carry enough heat to melt a good portion of the ice, but wherever it didn’t evaporate, it flowed and refroze when the solar heat dispersed. A similar fate befell the snow on lawns and fields. The crusty top layer somehow got thicker and sharper and more reflective as the melt/refreeze cycle went on. The snow became so glazed that I could see reflections of trees, not just shadows. Each morning when I came in from dog walking I had to change from my nifty automatic darkening glasses to a different pair to be able to see anything, and sometimes it took my eyes a while to adjust from the glare.

 But the spring events are beginning, regardless. The longer days are triggering changes in behavior among my furred and feathered neighbors. I have a pavilion area with bird feeders and another fenced area with suet holders. During the “regular” winter, both have lots of visitors. During this past week or so, even with the bitter cold, activity has doubled. This is where the color happens. A month ago I would have been delighted at a visit from one red cardinal or even one of those rascally blue jays. Today there is a feathered rainbow flashing around all the feeders. There are six fully mature red cardinal males, another half dozen females and juveniles, and half a dozen young males, fully colored but not yet fully grown. The quarrelsome blue jays shove everybody else around, being the beautiful bullies they are. They all hop around the bird feeders and cling to the suet holders.  In the early morning when the sun bursts from the Eastern horizon, I can look into the cedar from the second floor window and see a crop of blue and red and black and white feathered chests puffed up to gather warmth. They look like festive ornaments tucked between the needled branches.

 I consider black and white to be colors, too, and the many woodpeckers share variations of black and white markings accented with vivid red caps. The carnival of color doesn’t include the bright goldfinches yet, although I see them among the mixed flock in their winter disguise.  I do get impatient waiting for them.

The bigger birds show off on a larger scale than my little yards can provide. It’s when I’m out on the highway that I begin to notice more activity among the Canada geese. Many overwinter, but don’t get boisterous until mating season approaches. Then I start to hear their vocalizing, some time before I see a pair winging overhead, discussing something urgent between themselves. Their colors are subtler, but exquisitely arranged.  Love is in the air for many of my avian neighbors, even in the bitter cold and ill-tempered wind. They obviously read a calendar written in a language I don’t know.

I can appreciate the gorgeous buff color on the chest of the sharp-shinned hawk. The little birds avoid this predator, but I enjoy his company every day as he stands on the same branch, feathers fluffed, and soaks up the warmth that finally comes from the rising sun. It’s been a long winter for all of us, and the bluebirds will be back to accompanying me on our walks when the hawk goes back to his normal patrol. They have already begun house hunting.

And I have moved on to searching for pussy willows and crocuses and red winged blackbirds.                                                                            

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Whittling Away with Dick Brooks - Supermarket

I was in the supermarket the other day, making my daily visit, pushing the cart that they seem to reserve just for me.  It has a wheel that flutters as you push it down the aisle.  It does serve a purpose since it alerts my fellow shoppers that they are about to be run over by a senior shopper on a mission.   Actually, I’m rarely on a mission (a mission consists of searching for an item The Queen has requested), usually I’m just browsing. 

I like the market, it’s a clean, well lit place to quote Mr. Hemmingway.  He would have liked our little market, not only is it clean and well lit but it’s full of nice people and exotic goods from around the world.  I spent some time in the produce aisle and checked out things like the mangos.  I picked one up, it smelled good but I’m sure that the “Grown Locally” sign above them really didn’t apply to it.  I put it back, having no idea how to eat the thing, but it was interesting to look at and hold.  In fact there were a good many things there that I wouldn’t have even known were edible if I hadn’t seen them there.  I imagine while I was making this observation that somewhere in this big world of ours, far far away, some old guy is staring at a head of cabbage or a bunch of broccoli and trying to figure out how to or why someone would eat it.

I got to reminiscing about food in my youth.  If it was meat, I knew it well.  Usually I could tell you its name and family history.  We raised a lot of our own food and got used to having this year’s pets be next year’s dinners.

I guess I hadn’t appreciated how well we ate and how healthy our diet was.  I was raised on free range chickens and organic eggs.  The chickens ate only organic foods.  We didn’t realize they were free range, we just thought we were letting them run around loose.  The cracked corn we fed them had no growth hormones or pesticides.  I’m sure the bugs and crawly things they ate were organic, probably low fat and sodium free too.  Our beef came from grass fed cows, because grass was what cows ate in the summer and they ate dried grass called hay in the winter.  Pork came from pigs fed an organic based food called “Slop” made from the finest kitchen scraps, grain and water or raw milk all cooked together.  Most of our milk was fresh from the cow, not pasteurized and certainly not homogenized.  It had a thick layer of cream floating on the top which had to be stirred or shaken into the rest.  Skim the cream off and you had skim milk-- that no fat, blue milk you can still find in the market.  The vegetables from our garden were all organic, they had holes in them and bugs crawling over them just like the finest organic foods to be found in the market today.  The only fertilizer used to grow them was manure from the barn which was all natural and had come directly from the animal’s organs so it had to be organic.

All the foods that I ate growing up are still there in the market.  They’re labeled “organic and all natural” and cost more then their unnatural and unorganic counterparts, but it’s nice to see them still around and brings back pleasant memories of my “Free Range” childhood.

Thought for the week—If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “meetings.”  --Dave Barry

Until next week, may you and yours be happy and well.

Whittle12124@yahoo.com    

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Winning Ticket Sold in Sharon

By Alexis Pencar

SHARON SPRINGS — A big winning ticket was sold just last week at our very own local Stewart’s! According to Stewart's Shops, on February 19th this winning lottery ticket was sold at a Stewart's Shop in Sharon Springs, located at 526 Route 20. The winner has not been identified.

The New York Lottery claims there are five Set For Life #1639 scratch-off game top prizes left. The winner will receive $5,000 a week for life that totals a little more than five million dollars. One unclaimed top prize remains for Game #1548 of the Set For Life series, and five unclaimed top prizes remain for Game #1639. 

There must be something lucky going on in Sharon Springs since, according to Stewart’s, “over 50 customers won $500 or more playing scratch-off tickets at the Sharon Springs store last year.” Don’t be superstitious since that is a fraction of the total winnings of the NY Lottery!

Though the winner may have been a local community member and could come forward, they could have also been a traveler passing through. We will keep up with the progress on this story! Good luck to all and any who hope to win!

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Summit Board Approves Scrap Metal Pickup

By Karen Cuccinello

SUMMIT — February’s monthly Town of Summit meeting opened right on time, as usual, at 7pm and the January minutes and supervisors report was approved.

Jim Dibble, Highway Superintendent, asked the Board about moving some funds to different line items, approved, and mentioned the large amount of sand they are buying this year due to the numerous batches of snow. He also stated that if Summit citizens have concerns about road conditions they should call him directly 518-287-1544.

Dave Jones, Assessor, reported that everything is quiet during exemption season and going very smoothly.

Karen Cuccinello, Historian, reviewed the annual NYS Historian report she sent in to the NYS Historian, mentioned looking for more old Summit farms for a 2026 book, helped someone looking for VanAlstine family in the early 1800's and Lutheranville information and asked if we have enough American flags for placing on veterans grave stones in May. Board member Kearney thanked the historian for her efforts.

Jesse Wilcox, Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer, reported that he is keeping up with open building permits, dealing with two remediation's, taking training's and gave out three new permits.

Supervisor Vroman mentioned the Clerk, Youth and Board of Appeals written reports.

The Board approved a contract with the Cobleskill dog pound, if needed for stray dogs.

Fred's Septic and Roll-off Inc. is raising the garbage pick up service from $30 to $60 per Saturday. Supervisor Vroman mentioned that they had not raised their price in 20 years so it was understandable but wished he had known ahead of time.

The town needs to upgrade their security system to be compatible with cell towers, total cost about $1,700. Supervisor Vroman hopes that he can get the cost down some by utilizing some of the monies previously paid when setting up the system.

Board member Shafer reviewed the Revitalization Committee activities. They are still waiting to see if Schoharie County is going to set up a County Facebook page that Summit could potentially join in with. They set up a Park committee. Wayne Stinson is working on a Complete Streets presentation. Next Revitalization meeting March 12 at 7pm.

The floor then opened to the public.

James Morell spoke about offering scrap metal pick-up in Summit on a regular basis. He mentioned he currently offers this service in Richmondville once per month, is fully insured and will take care of all advertising. After a few questions the Board approved giving it a try. Highway Superintendent Dibble mentioned that there needs to be provisions for metal being dropped off before or after the designated days. Morrell assured the Board that he would take care of any issues and would pick up large items, by appointment. Morell will start April 5th and be set up in the town hall/garage parking lot near the garbage roll-off and recycling bins.

Public hearing for Unsafe Building Law March 20 at 7:30pm, Summit Town Hall.

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Thayne Repeats as NAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

WATERVILLE, MAINE — The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) announced today that SUNY Cobleskill senior center Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls, NY) has been named the 2025 NAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, as voted on by the league’s coaches.

Thayne’s dominant play helped lead the Fighting Tigers to a 21-4 regular season record, an 11-2 mark in conference play, and a perfect 13-0 record at home. The standout senior anchored Cobleskill’s success, guiding the team to its second straight NAC West Division Championship and securing just the second NAC Championship berth in program history.

Head women’s basketball coach Megan Bowman credited Thayne’s relentless work ethic and dedication to improvement as key factors in her back-to-back Player of the Year honors.

“To have the Player of the Year alongside three other all-conference players speaks to our team’s success and just how dominant Logan has been in every game. She’s the complete package, making an impact on both ends of the floor as the NCAA’s leader in double-doubles and the NAC’s leader in blocks. Last season, she became our program’s first All-Region player, and her dedication in the offseason has elevated her game to a whole nother level.”

Thayne put together one of the most impressive individual campaigns in the country, averaging 18.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 83.5 percent from the free-throw line, and 36.6 percent from three-point range. She's currently tied for the most double-doubles in all of NCAA Division III with 24 double-doubles and is riding a streak of 13 consecutive games with one.

Throughout the season, Thayne was recognized as NAC Player of the Week seven times and Defensive Player of the Week once. She also earned a spot on the D3hoops.com Team of the Week, further solidifying her status as one of the top players in Division III.

Statistically, she led the NAC in free throw percentage (83.5), total blocks (50), blocks per game (1.9), total rebounds (327), offensive rebounds (123), and defensive rebounds (204). She ranked second in the conference in points per game (18.9), rebounds per game (12.6), field goal percentage (46.8) and total points (492).

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Great Success for Winter Fest

By Alexis Pencar

SHARON SPRINGS — Bison Island Ranch hosted their first annual Bison Island Winter Fest this past Saturday, February 22nd from 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the Ranch in Sharon Springs! This was one for the books with Live Ice Sculpting, sledding, local beer & wine, photo ops, free hot cocoa, and so much more! Everyone had a blast!

With a large turnout on a beautiful day, everyone came out for an afternoon of fun! The sledding hill was busy with children of all ages and the sun was out for the first time in a while! The weather couldn’t have been better! 

Nationally Recognized Ice Sculptor Aaron Pencar created a large ice bison throughout the event, allowing onlookers to see the sculpture progress and learn more about how these incredible ice sculptures are made!

Local musician Roger Shafer made a special appearance and was singing lovely country songs while strumming away on the guitar! The campfire was roaring and everyone, especially the children, enjoyed the complimentary s’mores & hot cocoa!

At this special event, attendees were also able to enjoy the featured local brews from Red Shed Brewery of Cherry Valley, local NY State wine from Brotherhood Winery, America’s Oldest Winery, of Washingtonville, NY, and delicious non-alcoholic sparkling cider from Middlefield Orchard of Middlefield.

The Ranch Store was open with bison meat, bison jerky, bison art and the NEW bison tallow products like soap and personal care products for sale too! This was the first time purchasing bison in either form for many.

This first annual event was a huge success and really brought the community together! Look out for more upcoming events from this unique local business! Bison Island Ranch is located at 194 Engleville Rd, Sharon Springs, NY 13459. For more information please visit www.bisonislandranch.com or Facebook and Instagram @bisonislandranch.

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Obituary - Margret Ellen English

Margret Ellen (Replinger) English of Richmondville, NY, left this world to be with her Lord in her eternal home on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, in the care of her loving family.

Meg was born on April 22nd, 1934, in the home of her grandmother in Stevensville, MD, the daughter of Charles Francis Replinger and Mary Battle (Tillery) Replinger. She grew up and attended school in several areas of the country, including Wanamasa, NJ, Delaware, Quivera Lake, Kansas, Wright AFB, Ohio, Bradley Beach, NJ, and graduated from the former Nott Terrace High School in Schenectady, NY. She attended college at SUNY Oneonta in pursuit of her master's degree in teaching, where she would meet her partner for life.

Soon after college graduation, on June 17th, 1956, she married Arnold Louis English in Hohokus, NJ and they began their careers together at the former Richmondville Central School. Meg started out in the elementary grades, eventually becoming a Jr. High Social Studies teacher and Freshman class advisor. She initiated a yearly trip to New York City to visit the United Nations followed by the circus or a baseball game. She retired from RCS in 1989.

Meg was a member of the Richmondville United Methodist Church, serving over the years in many roles – Sunday School teacher, Pastor-Parish Relations Committee, Treasurer, Choir Member. She could be found working at church suppers, rummage sales, decorating the sanctuary for Christmas, setting up for communion, and scheduling ushers. Up until last year, she helped serve free lunches in the hall during the summer as part of the Joshua Project initiative. She was a member of the Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad, on call as an EMT, working BINGO nights, and acting as treasurer. She was also a member of the following organizations: Alpha Psi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher's Sorority, Director of the Richmondville Youth Commission, overseeing a Youth Center and lifeguards at the Municipal pool; Richmondville Volunteer Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary, Richmondville Historical Society, Richmondville Cemetery Association, and American Cancer Society driving patients for cancer treatment and supporting their Daffodil Days fundraiser. In addition to volunteering her time, Meg also gave generously to many charitable organizations. She served as an election official for several years for many local elections.

Meg was a voracious reader of novels, at one time going through the library in alphabetical progression. Her other favorite pastimes included gardening, birdwatching, knitting & crocheting sweaters for her children & grandchildren and even clothes for her granddaughters' Barbie dolls. She enjoyed doing all of the newspaper puzzles, including the crossword, Jumble, Up & Down words, Boggle Challenge, and Wishing Well. She and Arnie, along with their children did a lot of travelling with the various campers/motorhomes they have had over the years, including a trip to many of the country's National Parks in a trip to California and back over several weeks one summer. In retirement, Meg & Arnie continued to travel with family and their good friends Dick & Jean Tinapp.

Predeceasing her were her siblings: Richard (Dick) Replinger, Garrett (Gary) Replinger, Charles (Chuck) Replinger, Mary (Sunny) Grover, Myra Ann (Randy) Flood, and Barbara (Beth) VanAchtoven along with her daughter-in-law Jill (Gavlak) English.

Surviving her is her loving husband of 68 years, Arnold Louis English of Richmondville, NY; her children: Michael Brian (Penelope) English of Altamont, NY, Christopher Louis English of Cobleskill, NY, Mark Edward (Robin) English of Oneonta, NY, and Mary Lee (Butch) Pickett of Richmondville, NY; her grandchildren: Sarah Marie English, Dominick Louis (Amanda) English, Mark Edward (Karina) English Jr., Margret Rose (Luis) Ramirez, Catherine Lee (Thomas) Johnston, Emily Olivia English, Ellen Anne Pickett, Naomi Lee (Tristan) Peterson, William Arnold Pickett and step-grandson, Xander Terpening and great-grandchildren: Dominick, Joey, and Anthony English, Layla, Lily, and Lexi Johnston, and Avery Lee Scholl-Hess.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Richmondville United Methodist Church, PO Box 8, Richmondville, NY 12149, the Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad, PO Box 11, Richmondville, NY 12149, and HELIOS Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Suite 1, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD