Reba Norton Mahany – 83 – of 9696 Oak Hill Rd., Arkport, died Monday afternoon (May 1, 2017) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, following a brief illness.  She has resided at Updyke Willow Ridge Nursing Facility since January, 2016.

Born in Wellsville, NY on October 11, 1933, she was the daughter of Lyle & Katherine (Jones) Norton.

Her family resided for a time in Allentown, NY later Alfred, NY, eventually moving to Arkport.  She was a graduate of Arkport Central School (class of 1951) and later graduated from Hornell Business School (Federal Commercial School).  She had resided in Arkport for most of her adult life and had been employed for a time at Crowley’s Dairy and also as secretary at the former Marion Rohr Corporation.

Reba was married on October 23, 1954 to R. Murray Mahany who died September 5, 2014.  She was involved in farming her entire adult life and in a “Joint Venture” with her husband, three sons and her son-in-law, owned & operated Poverty Knob Farms in Arkport raising potatoes, oats, wheat, corn, green beans and alfalfa.

Being recognized by Cornell University for her hard work of raising six children and still tirelessly working on the family farm, she was honored by actually having a potato — the “Reba Potato” named after her.  In 1993, the Mahany family received the State of New York Governor’s “Outstanding Farm Family Award” presented by Gov. Mario Cuomo.  Reba and Murray were also honored when they were presented with the “Industry Leadership Award” by the Empire State Potato Growers.

Reba was a former member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church.  For the past 22 years, she was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church of Canaseraga.

In addition to her husband, Murray, she was preceded in death by 4 sisters, Rita Smith, Muriel Kame, Charlene Kramer and Karen Clancy.

Surviving are 3 sons, Robert (Debora) Mahany of Dansville, Gary (Patricia) Mahany of Arkport and Gregory (Karen Meade) Mahany of Arkport; 3 daughters, Brenda (Dennis) Acomb of Dansville, Linda (Mark) Mahoney of Hornell and Susan (Rick Wilcox) Cotter of Dansville; her former son-in-law, Daniel Cotter; 18 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

The family of Reba Norton Mahany will receive friends on Friday from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Canaseraga.  Reba will be buried next to her husband at Heritage Hill Cemetery in Arkport overlooking the fields that she loved.

Reba’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.