Illa I. France – (89) – formerly of 1190 County Route 66, Hornell, died late Saturday evening (July 28, 2018) at Elderwood of Hornell, where she had resided for the past 4 months.

Born in Wayland on March 24, 1929, she was the daughter of Myron & Cassandria (Cole) Harter.

Illa grew up and lived on the family farm in the Wayland / Loon Lake area.  In her youth, she helped out on the farm and helped raise her brothers & sisters.  She attended a one-room schoolhouse located near the family farm and later attended Wayland Central School.

During her teenage years, Illa met Walter France and they were married in 1949.  Together they resided in Hornell for many years and for over 30 years lived in Oklahoma.  Illa moved back to the Hornell area in 2007.

In her younger years, Illa had been employed at the former Marion Rohr Corporation in Hornell and also at Westinghouse Corporation in Bath, NY.  While in Oklahoma, she operated a home day-care service.

Illa enjoyed a variety of crafts especially needlepoint and crocheting.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter who died in 1998; her son, Rick France; 4 brothers, Donald Harter, Tracy Harter, DeMyrl Harter and Robert Harter; 2 sisters, Ruby Brundage and Eloise Schwartz.

Surviving are 5 sons, Jack France of North Tulsa, OK, Dick (Joan) France of Hornell, Lonnie France of Almond, Barry (Sharon) France of Coweta, OK and Jim France of Hornell; 1 daughter, Darcie France of Hornell; 2 sisters, Margaret (Dan) Downey of Livonia and Wilma (Frank) King of South Dansville; many grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

At Illa’s request there will be no calling hours.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Dorothy A. “Dottie” Meehan – (86) – formerly of 188 East Ave., Hornell, died Friday evening (July 27, 2018) at Elderwood at Hornell, where she had resided for the past four years.

Born in Rexville, NY on September 30, 1931, she was the daughter of John & Blanche (Waterman) Meehan.

Dorothy lived her early life in Rexville where she attended school in a 1 room school house until 6th grade. She spent her teenage years in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1948). She later graduated from Hornell Business School.

Dottie was employed for over 35 years at New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) beginning as a customer service clerk and later as secretary to the District Manager. She retired in 1988.

For 45 years, Dottie was associated with the Hornell Children’s Home where she served as bookkeeper, secretary and was a member of the board of directors.

She was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church. She was an avid reader and also enjoyed bird watching. Dottie loved to travel and especially enjoyed the 28 day motor trip through Italy that she took with her best friend, Josephine “Jo” Carretto. She also enjoyed rooting for the NY Yankees and Buffalo Bills.

In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her brothers, Francis Meehan & Gerald Meehan; her sister, Evelyn Voorhees; her nephew, Thomas Meehan; her niece, Susan Stillman.

Surviving are her best friend of 70 years, Josephine “Jo” Carretto; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews.

At Dorothy’s request there will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Dottie’s family request that memorial contributions in her name be made to St. Ann’s Academy, PO Box 446, Hornell, NY 14843.

Robert W. “Bob” White – 61 – of 11 Ashland Ave., Elmira Heights, NY died Monday afternoon (July 23, 2018) at Elcor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Horseheads, following a long illness.

Born in Corning, NY on February 28, 1957, he was the son of George & Nanna (Norton) White.

Bob grew up in Corning and attended Corning West High School. Throughout the years he had been self employed as a carpenter and mechanic.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing & camping and also enjoyed working in his vegetable garden.

Surviving are his children, Jimmy White, Shannon White, Robert White & Sherry White; 5 sisters, Jean Clark, Charlotte Dominic, Carol Shaul, Barbara Jones and Malene Pashalidis; 4 brothers, David White, George White, Donald White and Thomas White with whom he resided; several grandchildren, nieces & nephews.

At Bob’s request there will be no calling hours. Private Services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Memorial contributions in Bob’s name may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

David R. Ferland – (79) – formerly of 19 Bostwick Pl., Hornell, died early Sunday morning (July 22, 2018) at the Bath VA Medical Center, following a long illness.

Born April 9, 1939 in Mexico, ME, he was the son of Albert & Alice (Drouin) Ferland.

Dave grew up in Maine and attended Leavitt Institute in Turner Center, ME.  He was a veteran of the US Navy (1956-1960), a veteran of the US Air Force (1960-1964) and a veteran of the US Coast Guard (1964-1977), retiring as 1^st Class Gunner’s Mate.

For many years, Dave was employed at an apple packing plant in Maine where he worked as a “Jack of All Trades”.  His job included making boxes, packing apples, loading apples, shipping apples, receiving apples and making apple cider.

Dave moved to Hornell in 1982 where he resided until moving to Bath, NY in 2016.  He was an avid reader, loved to take daily walks and had been a member of the American Legion.

He was married to the former Sharon Robbins who died August 25, 2012.

Surviving are his daughter, Edith Ferland of Hornell; his sister, Anita Richard of Maine.

At David’s request there will be no calling hours or services.  Final interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, NY.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY. 

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

Nancy A. Hanks – 62 – of 7505 Knoll Crest, Almond, died Tuesday evening (July 17, 2018) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, following a brief illness.

Born in Hornell on February 18, 1956, she was the daughter of Gerald “Hammer” & Elizabeth “Jean” Hanks.

Nancy was a lifelong resident of Almond and was a graduate of Alfred-Almond Central School where she excelled in softball & soccer.  She attended Alfred University for one year and later graduated from Elmira Business Institute (EBI) where she studied bookkeeping and accounting.

She was employed as a cashier & sales clerk at Hitchcock Pharmacy in Alfred for about four years.  For the past 38 years, Nancy worked in the Food Service Department at Alfred University, first as an assistant office manager and for the past 13 years as office manager.

Nancy was a communicant of St. Brendan’s Church of Almond and also attended St. Ann’s Church of Hornell.  She had a deep love of sports and for several years coached girls softball in the Alfred-Almond Summer Softball League.  She enjoyed spending weekends attending craft shows & flower shows and also loved spending countless hours working in her flower & vegetable gardens.

Known throughout her life as a generous & caring person, Nancy was always the first to respond when a family member or friend was in need, often bringing food and/or comfort or simply lending a “helping hand.”  She had a deep love and affection for her family and especially enjoyed her nieces & nephews.

In addition to her parents, Nancy was preceded in death by her brother, Bill Hanks.

Surviving are her longtime companion, Ed Ellington of Thatcherville; 2 sisters, Barb (Pat) McPoland of Greenville, SC and Marilyn (Bill) Weidman of Spring Hill, TN; several nieces & nephews; 2 great-nieces and 1 great-nephew.

The family of Nancy A. Hanks will receive friends on Friday from 3:00 PM  –  6:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at11:00 AM on Saturday at St. Brendan’s Church in Almond, NY with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery, Almond, NY.

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

Lee R. Atherton – (66) – of 242 Chambers St., Beaver Dams, NY, died early Monday morning (July 16, 2018) at his home, following a long illness.

Born in Wellsboro, PA on August 14, 1951, he was the son of Harry & Eleanor (Wilcox) Atherton.

A lifelong resident of Beaver Dams, Lee was a graduate of Corning – Painted Post High School (class of 1969). Following high school graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy and served his country from 1969-1970.

Throughout the years, Lee enjoyed attending flea markets and had acquired a large collection rare items, such as beer steins, coins, jack-knives, Pez dispensers, older books and vintage toys. He was an avid hunter & fisherman and loved rooting for the Green Bay Packers. He also enjoyed attending local Little League games and also Little League games played in Williamsport, PA where the Little League World Series is held annually.

In addition to his parents, Lee was preceded in death by his brother, Harry “Denny” Atherton.

He was married on February 6, 2014 to the former Donna Benedict-Fisk who survives. Also surviving are his children, Doug Atherton of Big Flats and Amy (Anthony) Henderson of Veteran, NY; his step-son, Harley Fisk of Corning; his sister, Nancy (Alton) Smith of Tuscarora, NY; 4 grandchildren, Colvin Atherton, Jaylen Henderson, Skyler Henderson and Aubrey Henderson; several nieces & nephews.

At Lee’s request there will be no calling hours. Final interment will be in Beaver Dams Cemetery. A “Celebration of Life” will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com

Michael A. “Nip” Stevens, formerly of Hornell, died June 5, 2016 in Palm Harbor, FL following a long illness.

Born in Hornell on June 14, 1951, he was the son of Arthur “Art” & Margaret (DiCosimo) Stevens and was the brother of Cheryl Stevens Phillips.

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Cheryl Stevens Phillips, formerly of Hornell, died March 27, 2018 in Palm Harbor, FL, following a long illness.

Born in Hornell on August 9, 1954, she was the daughter of Arthur “Art” & Margaret (DiCosimo) Stevens, the brother of Michael A. “Nip” Stevens and the wife of William “Bill” Phillips.

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At Michael & Cheryl’s request there were no calling hours.  Private graveside services were held on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at St. Mary’s Cemetery when they were both interred alongside their parents.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

William A. “Billy” Gemmell – 66 – of Hartford, CT, formerly of Hornell, died Wednesday (June 20, 2018) at the Uconn Medical Center in Hartford, CT, following a brief illness.

Born in Hornell on July 16, 1952, he was the son of Robert & Dorothy (Crooks) Gemmell.

Billy grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1970). He was a veteran of the US Army, serving his country from 1970-1972.

Throughout his adult life, Billy resided in many locations throughout the United States, including New York State, Florida, Texas, California & Connecticut. He had been employed at various aspects of the construction business, primarily as a house painter (both interior & exterior painting).

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his niece, Brittni Gemmell who died in 2015.

Surviving are his son, Keegan Gemmell of Raleigh, NC; two brothers, John (Karen) Gemmell of Hornell and Timothy (Gail) Gemmell of Poughkeepsie, NY; three sisters, Cynthia “Cindy” (Robert) Stackpole of Fairfies, CT, Linda Gemmell of Fairfield, CT and Nancy Langton of Fairfield, CT; his step-father, Fred Ames of Bath, NY; two step-sisters, Patricia Ames and Nadine (Micah) Rosenblum; several nieces & nephews.

At Billy’s request there will be no calling hours. Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Billy’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to the Hornell YMCA, 18 Center St., Hornell, NY 14843.

Mary E. Wyant – 96 – formerly of Arkport, NY, died early Tuesday morning (June 5, 2018) at Hornell Gardens, where she had resided for the past three years.

Born in Scranton, PA on August 27, 1921, she was the daughter of James & Frieda (Reese) O’Brien.

Mary grew up in Rockaway, NJ and was a graduate of Rockaway High School (class of 1939). While living in Rockaway, she had been employed in the office at Four-In-One Company.

She was married on March 4, 1946 to Raymond Wyant who died December 7, 2009. Shortly after they were married, Ray & Mary moved to Arkport, NY. For many years, Mary was a stay-at-home mother, raising her three sons. When her youngest son started school, Mary decided to return to the workforce. For 18 years, she was employed at the Arkport Central School as a Guidance Department Secretary, retiring in 1980.

Mary was an avid “TV Sports Fan” who enjoyed watching nearly all sporting events on Television. She especially liked rooting for the New York Yankees and the Buffalo Bills. For many years she enjoyed her time playing cards with family & friends.

Surviving are three sons, James (Kay Marie) Wyant of Arkport, William (Susan) Wyant of Waterloo, NY and Raymond (Kim) Wyant of Arkport; 1 sister, Jean Ruter of Rockaway, NJ;
3 grandchildren, Lauren Wyant, Jason Wyant and Steven Wyant; several nieces & nephews.

At Mary’s request there will be no calling hours. A private graveside service will be held at Heritage Hill Cemetery at the convenience of the family with Deacon Robert McCormick officiating.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Mary’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to either the Hornell Humane Society, 7649 Industrial Park Road, Hornell, NY 14843 or the Hornell YMCA, 18 Center St., Hornell, NY 14843.

Jeffery J. “Jeff” Burnett – (51) – of 6426 Crosby Creek Road, Hornell, died Thursday evening (May 31, 2018) following a courageous battle with Stage IV colon cancer.

Born in North Hornell on September 4, 1966, he was the son of John and Mary (Alverson) Burnett.

Jeff was a lifelong resident of Hornell and graduated from Hornell High School (class of 1985) and also BOCES Wildwood with certification in Auto Mechanics.

After high school, Jeff began his career as an auto mechanic. He was employed at several area dealerships over the years, including Perry & Thompson Ford of Bath, Simmons/Rockwell of Hornell, Lindsey Motors in Wayland, and for the past four years, Timebuyer of Hornell. Jeff was an extremely skilled mechanic, receiving dozens of awards for Outstanding Service in Auto Mechanics. Most recently, he was a Senior Certified Ford Technician.

In his free time, Jeff could be found at “The Shop” on Drum Road where he would restore vintage snowmobiles. He loved racing and trading snowmobiles, especially Polaris! He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. Jeff is lovingly described as a “weekend warrior” who lived life to the fullest. A stubborn man with a strong heart, Jeff loved spending time with friends and family.

Jeff reached the distinction of Eagle Scout during his teenage years. He proudly kept his badges and certificates that were earned during his years in Boy Scouts.

Jeff is survived by one son, Kyle (Sienna) Burnett of Hornell; one daughter, Justine Burnett of Hornell; his mother, Mary Burnett of Hornell; 3 grandchildren, Wyatt, Raegan, and Quinn of Hornell; 3 brothers, John (Sharon) Burnett of Dansville, NY, David (Kathy) Burnett of Tennessee, and Kenneth Burnett of Hornell; his beloved “grand-dog” Gage; his very close friend, Griffin Ellis of Hornell; several nieces & nephews.

His father, John Burnett, preceded him in death in 1990.

To honor Jeff’s wishes, there will be no calling hours. A private graveside service was held at Rural Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

In recognition of the excellent care from the staff at Strong Memorial Hospital, Jeff’s family requests that memorial contributions in his name be made to the Wilmont Cancer Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue #704, Rochester, NY 14642.  Click here to print a memorial form.