Hornell, New York

John E. Dunkley – 91 – died Sunday evening (May 31, 2020) at the Taylor Health Center in Bath, NY where he had resided for the past 3 years.

He was born in Rochester, NY on November 12, 1928 where he resided for much of his life.  He also resided in Arkport for several years.

John was married to Wilhelmina M. “Billie” (Erdin) Dunkley who died December 26, 2016.

Surviving are five children; 1step-son; several grandchildren, and step-grandchildren.

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

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

Hornell, NY  /  Redlands, CA

Audrey M. Ahearn – 93 – of Redlands, CA, formerly of Hornell died Friday (May 29, 2020) at her home, following a long illness.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Dagon Funeral Home.

James L. “Jimmy” Gleason – 84 – of 6 Sheldon Court, Hornell, died Friday afternoon (May 22, 2020) following a long illness.

Born in Hornell on April 6, 1936, he was the son of James & Mildred (Hyland) Gleason.

Jimmy grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and later graduated from Hornell High School (class of 1954).

Following high school graduation, he began a 50 year career working for the railroad.  Through the years Jimmy worked in many capacities for the Erie Railroad, Erie Lackawanna Railroad, Conrail and CSX Railroad, the final 30 years as an engineer, retiring in July, 2005.  During those 50 years with the railroad, he also served the City of Hornell as a Call Fireman and as a Hornell Ambulance driver, continuing his service to the Hornell community until he was nearly 80 years old!

Jim was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and had been a communicant of St. Ignatius Loyola Church and later St. Ann’s Church.  He had been a member of the Hornell Knights of Columbus, the Hornell American Legion, the G. Carducci Lodge (Sons of Italy), the Hornell Association and the Hornell AMVETS.

An avid golfer, Jimmy played numerous rounds of golf at Twin Hickory Golf Club and was a member of the Hornell Golf Club.  In his younger years he enjoyed hunting, especially deer hunting and quail hunting.  He loved rooting for the New York Yankees and also watching football on TV.  Jimmy had a special relationship with his granddaughter, Anna Updyke.  He attended all of her sporting events and truely was her “Biggest Fan.”

A true & loyal “Family Man”, Jimmy was a devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather & uncle.  He will be remembered for his easy-going personality and his ever-present smile.  To know him was to love him!!  He will be sadly missed by his loving family and countless friends!!

Jimmy was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Meghan Elizabeth Gleason who died in 1972; 2 sisters, Eileen Connors and Ann Smith; and his nephew, Trooper Larry Gleason.

He was married on July 19, 1969 to the former Linda Smith who survives.  Also surviving are 2 daughters, Bridget (Steve) Minisce of Raleigh, NC and Kate (Chris) Secondo of Hornell; his son, Tim Gleason of Ft. Myers, FL; his brother, Larry (Rosemary) Gleason of Canandaigua, NY; his grandchildren, Anna Updyke and Scotty Minisce; several nieces & nephews.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service for immediate family will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery with Fr. Stan Kacprzak officiating.  A Memorial Mass along with a “Celebration of Life” will be held at a later date.

The Graveside Service for Jimmy Gleason will be streamed via Facebook Live and can be viewed on the Dagon Funeral Home Facebook  page on Tuesday at 2:00 PM by visiting www.facebook.com/dagonfuneralhome.  The video will remain available for viewing on our Facebook page for 30 days. 

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

Jimmy’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to either St. Ann’s Academy, 41 Genesee St., Hornell, NY 14843 or to the Hornell Alumni Association, PO Box 135, Hornell, NY 14843.

William “Bill” Henry Hyland Jr – 83 – of 7475 Seneca Road North, Hornell, died on April 28^th, 2020 at Hornell Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation center following a long illness.

Born in Rochester, NY on January 31, 1937, he was the son of Kathryn Bell (Clark) and William Henry Hyland Sr.  He had several step siblings, a brother, Robert E. Hyland and a sister Carolyn (Hyland) Sargent of Delray Beach, Florida.

Over the years Bill held various jobs including working for The Coca Cola Company and The Salvation army.

He loved spending time with friends and family and could often be found walking around the neighborhood chatting with neighbors about the weather.  Bill also enjoyed old movies from Hollywood’s golden age, especially if it was a good western.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic there will be no calling hours at this time.  A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date.

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

Jamie D. Travis – 16 – of 69 Bennett St., Hornell, died unexpectedly early Wednesday morning (May 20, 2020) at his home.

Born in Hornell on June 4, 2003, he was the son of James & Karen (Congdon) Travis.

Jamie grew up in Hornell and attended Bryant School, Hornell Middle School and Hornell High School.  For the past two years he has been attending BOCES – Elmira, NY Bush Campus.

He loved spending countless hours on the Internet, especially Facebook, Snapshot & Instagram.  Jamie also considered himself the “King of the Selfie” and loved taking photos of himself with his family & friends.

For most of his life, Jamie absolutely loved the outdoors, and especially enjoyed swimming.  He would immediately jump into any pool, pond, lake or creek that he came upon.  He also enjoyed wearing Nike & Adidas Sportswear.

Jamie will be remembered as a young man who “wore his heart on his sleeve”.  He was a true & loyal friend who would help anyone in need at any time.  As a son, brother, grandson, cousin or nephew, he was simply a joy to be around.  He will be sadly missed by everyone that was fortunate enough to have known him!

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Charles “Chuck” Congdon; his paternal grandfather, James Travis.

Surviving are his parents, James “Jimbo” & Karen Travis; 2 brothers, Mikey Schultz and Stanley Schultz; his sister, Marimargaret Travis; his maternal grandmother, Doris Congdon of Hornell; paternal grandparents, Roberta & Florentino Gonzalez of Bath; 1 niece; 1 nephew; several aunts, uncles & cousins.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic there will be no calling hours.  A private Memorial Service will be held at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY at the convenience of the family with Deacon Robert McCormick officiating.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held at a future date.

The Memorial Service for Jamie  will be streamed via Facebook Live and can be viewed on the Dagon Funeral Home Facebook page on Wednesday at 12:00 (Noon) by visiting www.facebook.com/dagonfuneralhome.  The video will remain available for viewing on our Facebook page for 30 days. 

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

Jamie’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his name be made to any Suicide Prevention Program or Mental Health Program of the donor’s choice.  Remember, the dollar that you give may save a life!!

Frances M. “Fran” Grillo, 99, formerly of 1260 North Maple Court, Hornell, died Tuesday, May 19, 2020, following complications resulting from a heart attack.  For the last five years she was a resident of Elderwood at Hornell Nursing Facility.

Born in Mount Morris, NY, on March 14, 1921, she was the daughter of Casimer & Ida (Andolina) Gervase.  Fran resided in the Hornell area for the past 75 years.

Fran had been employed as food service manager of Alfred State College for about 10 years.  She was a member of the Hornell Country Club where she had served on the board of directors.  She also served as the Country Club Manager for 6 years.

She was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church where she was active in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel.  She was a member of the St. James Women’s Auxiliary, a St. James volunteer, a member of R.S.V.P., and a former member of the AZB Sorority.

Fran enjoyed hiking, golf, knitting, quilting, and baking, but above all, she enjoyed the love of her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was married on June 22, 1946 to James J. Grillo who died on March 3, 1993.  She was also preceded in death by four brothers, James Gervase, Carmen Gervase, Joseph Gervase & Sam Gervase; one sister, Ida Bonadonna; and her in-laws, Anna Galbo, Peter Grillo, Andy Grillo and Bettina Trapani.  Fran was very close to her brother-in-law, Michael Bonadonna, and her sister-in-law, Vera Grillo, who also predeceased her.

Surviving are her two sons, James (Linda) Grillo of Hammondsport, NY, and Robert (Judy) Grillo of Arkport, NY; two grandsons, Tony (Monica) Grillo and Jay (Kristi Shaw) Grillo; one granddaughter, Michelle  Grillo (Jesse Harper); six great grandchildren, Otis, Leo, Benjamin, Liliana, Maryn, and Bobby, along with many nieces and nephews.  Fran leaves behind her special friend, Dottie Coddington.

The family would like to thank all the nurses and staff at St. James Hospital and especially the staff at Elderwood who took such great care of their mother during her time there.

Due to the Corona Pandemic, there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery at the convenience of the family with Fr. Stan Kacprzak officiating.

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

Fran’s family request that memorial contributions in her name be made to Our Lady of the Angels Monastery,  3222 County Road 548, Hanceville, AL 35077, or the charity of their choice.

Matthew P. “Matt” Gambino – (90) – of 56 Sawyer St., Hornell, died peacefully at his home on Sunday morning (May 17, 2020).

Born in Borgetto, Sicily on November 16, 1929, he was the son of Natale & Francesca (Camachi) Gambino.

Matt’s family moved to the United States when he was seven years old and settled in the Hornell area.  He was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and later graduated from Hornell High School (class of 1949).  He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, serving his country from 1950-1955.  While in the Air Force, Matt was stationed in Florida and later in Puerto Rico.

For over 50 years, Matt was employed as a licensed plumber and a member of Local #13 Plumber’s Union out of Rochester, NY.  He was also a self-employed plumber, working throughout the Hornell and neighboring communities.

Matt was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a lifelong communicant of St. Ann’s Church where he served as an altar boy in his youth.  He was an avid New York Yankee fan and also enjoyed fishing, especially lake fishing and ice fishing.

An avid gardener, Matt always seemed to have a “Green Thumb.”  His love of gardening developed into him becoming a garlic farmer.  He operated several garlic farms throughout the area and loved attending and participating in garlic festivals.  Some of the garlic festivals included Fox Run Garlic Festival in Penn Yan, NY, the Cuba Garlic Festival and Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties, NY which would draw nearly 200,000 people over festival weekend.

Matt was married in 1955 to the former Gloria Gallagher who died May 1, 1988.  He was also preceded in death by his brother, Peter Gambino and his step-son, Edward Robinson.

Surviving are 3 sons, Matt (Patricia) Gambino of Greenville, SC, Peter (Candy Brundu) Gambino of Hornell and Michael (William Booth) Gambino of Lake Worth, FL; 1 step-daughter, Bell Steiner of Clewiston, FL; 1 step-son, Clarence “Bub” Robinson of Arkport; 9 grandchildren; 1 great-grandson; several nieces & nephews.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service with Full Military Honors will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery at the convenience of the family with Fr. Stan Kacprzak  officiating.

The Graveside Service for Matt will be streamed via Facebook Live and can be viewed on the Dagon Funeral Home Facebook page on Thursday  at 2:00 PM  by visiting www.facebook.com/dagonfuneralhome.  The video will remain available for viewing on our Facebook page for 30 days.   

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

Matt’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Ann’s Academy, 41 Genesee St., Hornell, NY 14843.

Marilyn M. Grillo – 90 – of 49 John St., Hornell, died early Thursday morning (May 14, 2020) at Elderwood of Hornell Nursing Facility, following a brief illness.

Born in Hornell on May 8, 1930, she was the daughter of Frank & Camilla (Angel) McClary.

Marilyn grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1949).  While in high school, she began working, in many capacities, at the former Tuttle & Rockwell Store in Hornell, a job that she held from 1946-1950.  She later was employed for several years as assistant manager and buyer at the former Cameo Shop in Hornell.

In the 1970’s, Marilyn acquired her Real Estate License and for several years served as a real estate agent for Winter’s Real Estate in Hornell.  She later received her Broker’s License and began working for Real Inc. in Hornell.  She retired in 2017 at the tender age of 87.

Marilyn was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church.  She was also a member of the Ladies of Columbus, St. James Auxiliary, G. Carducci Lodge (Son’s of Italy) and the Hornell Alumni Association.

Having a deep love & affection for her family and many friends, Marilyn loved entertaining at her home and always enjoyed the company of others. One of her favorite times of year was Halloween inviting all the neighborhood children into her decorated home to give them candy, cider and doughnuts. She also enjoyed sketching pictures on the hill at Kanakadea Park.   She will be remembered as a genuine, giving, loving, compassionate woman who always had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.  She will be sadly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her!!

Marilyn was married on January 13, 1951 to Joseph “Joe” Grillo who died July 22, 2003.  She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Deborah “Debbie” Fahl who died September 5, 2019.

Surviving are her son, Michael “Mike” Grillo of Hornell; her daughter, Mary (Stephen) Westfall of West Palm Beach, FL; her sister, Betty Jean (Gene) Saville of Port Charlotte, FL; her son-in-law, James Fahl of Avoca; 4 grandchildren, Eric (Misty) Grillo, Jessica (Rhett) Snyder, Brian (Jessica) Fahl and Stephen (Brittany) Westfall; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

Due to the Caronavirus Pandemic there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family at St. Ann’s Cemetery with Fr. Stan Kacprzak officiating.  A celebration of life with family and friends will be held at a later date.

The Graveside Service for Marilyn will be streamed via Facebook Live and can be viewed on the Dagon Funeral Home Facebook page on Monday at 2:00 PM by visiting www.facebook.com/dagonfuneralhome.  The video will remain available for viewing on our Facebook page for 30 days. 

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

Marilyn’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Hornell Alumni Association, PO Box 135, Hornell, NY   14843

James W. “Jimmy” Hess – 29 – of 7146 Tobes Hill Road, Hornell (Town of Hornellsville) died Sunday evening (May 10, 2020) at his home, following a long & courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Hornell on October 23, 1990, he was the son of James & Angela (Caruso) Hess.

Jimmy grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 2008).  He later received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Alfred State College (SUNY Alfred).

He was employed for several years at the Hornell Public Library and later assisted his father in the operation of Hess Tree Service.  More recently, Jimmy was employed as a cashier at Wegman’s Grocery in Hornell where he was well known for his warm & friendly personality and his ever-present smile.

Jimmy was a lifelong member of Hornell United Methodist Church and for many years served as Choir Director.  His faith in God was immeasurable!! He had a deep love of music and was known and admired throughout the area for having a beautiful voice.  Being as talented as he was, Jimmy actually auditioned for the nationally acclaimed TV shows, “America’s Got Talent” and also “The Voice”.  Locally, he enjoyed karaoke and taking part in many plays & recitals.

For several years, Jimmy served as an announcer at Hornell Little League and Hornell Babe Ruth Games.  He was an avid WWE wrestling fan and was a member of the Hornell YMCA and Maple City Physical Therapy.   For several years, Jimmy enjoyed the time he spent taking karate lessons.  Having been “bullied” during his school years, Jimmy devoted his adult life promoting love & peace to everyone and simply “lending a sympathetic ear” to anyone who found themselves enduring the same hardship.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Walter & Betty Hess; and also his maternal grandparents, Angelo & Ethel Caruso.

Surviving are his father, James “Jim” Hess of Hornell; his mother, Angela Caruso of Wellsville; his sister, Jessica Hess of Monroe, NC; his half-sister, Sierra Caruso of Wellsville; several aunts, uncles & cousins.

At Jimmy’s request there will no calling hours.  Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held on a day & time to be announced.

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

Jimmy’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name be made to either the American Cancer Society, 13 Beech St., Johnson City, NY  13790 or the Hornell YMCA, 18 Center St., Hornell, NY 14843 or the Hornell Community Arts Center, Broadway Mall, Hornell, NY 14843.

Lynne E. Davis – 72 – of 158 Sackett Road, Avon, NY, died unexpectedly early Sunday morning (May 10, 2020) at Elderwood of Lakeside at Brockport Nursing Facility in Brockport, NY.

Born in Penfield, NY on December 25, 1947, she was the daughter of Joseph & Harriet Kotzin.

Lynne grew up in Penfield and was a graduate of Penfield High School (class of 1965).  She later graduated from Bryant & Stratton College in Rochester, majoring in writing & journalism.

She resided in Beckley, WV for about 20 years and lived in Dansville for several years.  She had resided in Avon for the past year.  While living in the Rochester area, she had been employed at K-Mart and for most of her adult life worked as a telemarketer for several companies.

Lynne absolutely loved writing and was the author of several books, primarily mysteries and romance novels.  She also had a deep love of music and enjoyed listening to just about any type of music including classical, county and rock & roll.  She also spent countless hours crocheting.  Her greatest joy, however, was simply spending time with her family & friends.

Being a very “spiritual” person, Lynne belonged to several churches throughout the years, including Southern Baptist and Presbyterian.

She was married Ronald Eugene Davis who died September 28, 1998.

Surviving are her son, Chad “Tony” Landon of Hornell; 2 sisters, Sherry & Amy; 8 grand-children, Corie Kusse, Mersadizes Graham, Dawson Graham, Tapanga Landon, Trinity Landon, Anthony Landon, Ranezamae Landon and Bailey Stephens; 4 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic 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. 

Lynne’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, PO Box 1000 – Dept. 300, Memphis, TN  38148.