Hornell, New York

Lettie Estelle Pettitt —– Heaven’s gain was our loss when our precious baby girl was called by Jesus and became an Angel Tuesday morning (November 19, 2024).

Although Lettie was only with us for 34 days, she was very much loved, cherished and touched all of our lives. Our “Little Angel” will forever live in our hearts and will never be forgotten.

She was greeted at Heaven’s Gate by her maternal great-grandfather, Edward Clair; her cousin, Kamron Conklin; and others.

Lettie Estelle Pettitt was loved and will be sadly missed by her mother, Katelinn Pettitt of Hornell; 2 brothers, Noah Clark and Carson Towner, both of Hornell; her maternal grandmother, Julie Vaughn of Hornell; maternal grandfather, Chuck Vaughn of Illinois; maternal great-grandmother, Betsy Clair of Dunnellon, FL; 3 aunts, Kirsten Perry of Hornell, Madalyn Pettitt of Hornell and Molly Hodge of Hornell; 6 cousins, Darrious Hodge, Rylie Hopkins, Lyla Brown, Elliot Perry, Emmet Perry and Jade Wood; along with other relatives who will miss her dearly.

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.

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

To leave an online condolence, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com.

Bath, New York

Joan (Snyder) Tichenor – 90 – of Lake Country Estates, Bath, NY died Sunday evening (November 17, 2024) at her home, following a long illness.

Born in Elkland, PA on March 2, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Robert & Nellie (Foote) Hall.

Although raised in Elkland, Joan was a graduate of Addison Central School (class of 1952).  Upon graduation, she moved to Bath, NY where she resided for her entire adult life.

Joan worked for many years as an assistant manager at Sears & Roebuck in Bath.  In the mid 1970s, she returned to college and found her calling in special education, teaching for approximately 8 years.  After her time teaching, Joan continued her employment at the Haverling Central School District and retired as a custodian in the early 1990s.

She was a member of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Bath, and she generously gave her time as a volunteer secretary at Cornell Cooperative Extension for more than 20 years, dedicating her time and commitment to the Bath community.

Joan was known for her creativity and enjoyed knitting & crocheting among other crafts.  An avid reader, she continued her love for literature even after losing her sight, enjoying audiobooks, especially those by Rita Mae Brown.  She also had a great love for animals, especially her two cherished cats, and found joy in feeding the squirrels that visited her yard.  Joan was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Bath.

Joan was married twice in her life.  She first married John Snyder on December 31, 1954.  They shared many happy years together until his passing on June 16, 1982.  On August 20, 1988, Joan married Milton Tichenor, with whom she spent her later years until his death on November 14, 2000.  Also preceding her in death was her infant son, David Snyder in 1957; 2 brothers, Donald Hall & Raymond Hall.

Joan is survived by her son, John (Jodi Flood) Snyder of Bath, NY; her daughter, Ellen Snyder of Ruskin, FL; her “adopted” children, Dale Hennigan of Ruskin, FL & Pauline “Missy” Bauman of Bath, NY; one brother, Thomas Hall of Spencerport, NY; one sister, Roberta (Ted Breitbeck) Sparling of Tyrone, NY; her good friend, Ted Hess of Bath, NY; many nieces & nephews, and her feline companions, Charlie & Boots.

To honor Joan’s wishes, there will be no calling hours.  A private graveside service will be held in Onondaga Cemetery, Bath, NY.

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

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

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

Corning, New York

Diane Goodsell, 68, of Corning, NY, passed peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Born on May 23, 1956, in Jersey City, NJ, Diane was the daughter of the late John and Florence (Lemise) Cilino.

Diane dedicated 30 years to the Corning-Painted Post School District, where she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant and Interpreter for the Deaf. She had a special passion for helping children with special needs providing support to many students throughout the district.

Outside of work, Diane had a deep love for dolphins. She amassed a large collection of dolphin figurines over the years. Diane enjoyed many hobbies, including playing trivia, playing cards at the Senior Center, and crafting, especially crocheting. She was an avid bingo player and cherished the time spent with friends and loved ones.

Diane is survived by her daughter, Maria (Donald) Anderson of Painted Post, NY; two sons, Johnny (Carrie) Adames of Pennsylvania and Raymond (Jennifer) Adames of Buffalo, NY; three grandchildren, Samantha Fish, Joshua English, and Evan Anderson; and one great-grandson, Bentlee Shuart. She also leaves behind her “Special Friend,” Bill Howells of Corning, as well as four brothers and many nieces and nephews.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, John and Florence Cilino.

In accordance with Diane’s wishes, there will be no calling hours. A “Celebration of Life” will be held at her daughter’s home in Painted Post on November 23, 2024, from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all who offered their love and support during this difficult time.

Arrangements are under the direction of Dagon Funeral Home, Hornell, NY.

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

Hornell, New York

Robin Kaye Smith – 48 – of 110 East Ave., Hornell, died Thursday morning (November 7, 2024) shortly after arriving at St. James Hospital, following previous medical conditions.

Born in Hornell on September 11, 1976, she was the daughter of Stephen Dickinson & Peggy (Dickinson) Smith.

Robin grew up in the Jasper-Troupsburg area and later lived in Hornell.  She was a graduate of Hornell High School (class of 1993).

For many years, Robin was employed at the Alfred University Dining Hall and was affectionately known as the “Gelato Lady.”  She also served as a bartender at the Old Mill Inn in Alfred.  For several years Robin was employed as a surgical coordinator at Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville.

Robin had a deep appreciation for music, such as Poison, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Post Malone and Morgan Wallen. Robin loved going to concerts of her favorite bands with her daughters. She was an avid Buffalo Bills fan and enjoyed reading — especially Mystery Thrillers and Romance Novels.  She loved spending time at the beach. She was also a former member of the Hornell VFW. Robin loved surrounding herself with family and friends, most importantly her cousin, Nicole Shinebarger, and their group of girls.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Frank & Sharon Dickinson; and her maternal grandparents, Clayton Drake and Berdena Cornell.

Surviving are 2 daughters, Brooke Smith of Canisteo and Ashley Smith (David Fowler) of Hornell; her mother, Peggy Smith of Hornell; her father, Stephen Dickinson of Westfield, PA; 2 sisters, Roxine (Stacey) Wilson of Mansfield, PA and Christy Dickinson of Addison; 2 brothers, Ryan Dickinson of Hornell and Christopher Dickinson of Addison, NY; her treasured granddaughter, Kaleesi Kaye Fowler; along with several nieces & nephews.

At Robin’s request there will be no calling hours.  A “Celebration of Life” will be held at the Canisteo American Legion on November 30th, at 1:00 PM.

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

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

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

Hornell, New York

John C. Cumbia – 60 – of 170 East Ave., Hornell, died early Wednesday morning (November 6, 2024) at his home.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.

Alfred, New York

Deborah S. “Debby” (Soule) Esposito – 74 – of Hernando, FL, formerly of Alfred, NY died unexpectedly early Saturday morning (November 2, 2024) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Born in Ithaca on September 11, 1950, she was the daughter of Lauren & Maureen (Casterline) Soule.

On November 29, 1975, Debby married Gerard “Jerry” Esposito who survives.  She was preceded in death by her father, Lauren Soule, and is survived by her mother, Maureen Soule of Alfred.  Debby also leaves behind two sisters, Linell Soule of Almond (Bill Sortore) of Angelica and Terah Soule of Wellsville, NY; two sisters-in-law, Diane Murphy (John) of Lancaster, PA and Christine Stromberg (Jim) of N. Middleton, NJ.  She will also be greatly missed by her four nephews, three nieces, and four grand-nieces as well as several other extended family members.

Debby grew up in Alfred and was a graduate of Alfred-Almond Central School (class of 1968).  She also attended her H.S. sophomore year at American Community School in Beirut. In 1972, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry & Physics from Wells College in Aurora, NY.

For 25 years Debby loyally served the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester starting as a chemist, and moving on to work in other science positions, before transitioning into the Human Resource Department as a Senior Technical Recruiter.  She eventually moved into various manufacturing positions and finally as GM/Vice-President of Storage Products.  Debby was recruited by Essilor of America in 1997 to be the Executive VP of Operations in St. Petersburg, FL.  She finished her corporate career at Talla-Com Industries as Director of Administration coaching senior staff on high performance management, leadership skills and strategy implementation.  Her skills and experience led her to start her own Management consulting firm.  She also worked alongside her husband Jerry, beginning in 1983, with his Photographic Events company on weekends.

Debby approached life with a “joie de vive” rarely seen.  Her energy and passion for things that were important to her and immediately drew you into her orbit.  She and Jerry loved to travel, including their favorite destinations of Santa Fe, NM & Monterey, CA.  Her Western New York roots gave her a love of family, the outdoors and seeking adventures.  When others would be finding reasons not to try something new, Debby would often respond with a slight head tilt, a wry smile and her eyes dancing with the challenge of convincing people to try something new, she’d simply say “So what! Why not try it?”.  If you knew Debby, she usually changed people’s minds, laughing contagiously and always willing to join them on their adventure.  As the family historian, she was our ‘go-to’ for all dates and information regarding family & ancestors.  Her passion for genealogy helped her discover her familial roots and led her into a second career.  She twice earned her DAR certification in genealogy which allowed her to help others trace their family histories! She also took her love of food and became an excellent home chef, before sharing her knowledge by offering private cooking classes those who wanted to learn.

At Debby’s request there will be no calling hours.  Services will be held at a later date and time to be announced.

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

Debby’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220.

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

Beaver Dams, New York

Patricia A. “Patti” Sodeman – 61 – of State Route 414, Beaver Dams, NY passed Wednesday (October 30, 2024) at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA.

Born in New York City on September 16, 1963, she was the daughter of Thomas & Joan (McKeon) Burns.

Patti grew up in Massapequa, LI and was a graduate of Berner High School (class of 1981).  In the mid 1980s, her family moved to the Bath area.  Patti decided to continue her education and in 1999 she received her Associate’s Degree in accounting with honors from Corning Community College (CCC).

She resided in Waukesha, WI for several years and worked as a waitress for several restaurants including the Calypso Restaurant and the Sunset Diner.

Patti loved working on word puzzles and jigsaw puzzles.  She also enjoyed crocheting and creating winter hats & scarves for her grandchildren.  She was an avid Pittsburg Steelers (NFL) and Boston Red Sox (MLB) fan.

She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Burns; her first husband, Allen Goodman; and her close friend, Gary Foley.

Surviving are her children, Gary Goodman of Bath and Rachel Rudy of Bath; her mother, Joan Burns of Long Island; her brother, Thomas Burns of Long Island; her sister, Rose Burns of Long Island; 5 grandchildren, Lee Goodman, James Briggs, Allen Goodman, Samantha Rudy and Alora White; she will also be sadly missed by her dear friends Deanne & Josh.

At Patti’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.

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

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

Hornell, NY  /  Euclid, OH

Dorina A. Kelsey – 79 – of Euclid, OH, formerly of Hornell & Wellsville, died Friday (November 1, 2024) at the Wickliffe Country Place Nursing Facility following a long illness.

Dorina was a graduate of the former St. Ann’s School (1958), Hornell High School

(1962), and SUNY Alfred with honors.

Throughout the years she was employed at SUNY Alfred, Ferris State University, University of South Carolina, and Jones Memorial Hospital where she retired (1997) as Director of Medical Staff Services.

She loved to read, travel, cook, and bake especially with her granddaughter Zoë. She lived in Las Vegas for 12 years and enjoyed sightseeing while traveling cross-country.

Dorina was preceded in death by her infant son, Thomas James Kelsey; parents, Elvidio & Rose (Miele) Nardecchia; two infant brothers, John & Joseph Nardecchia; brother, Paul Nardecchia; her favorite uncle & godfather, Silvio Nardecchia; parents-in-law, Almus and Esther Kelsey; brothers-in-law, Arden, Glen and Rodney Kelsey & Donald Matson; sisters in-law, Sandy, Diane, Theresa, & Phyllis Kelsey.

Surviving are her husband of 57 years, Dennis; her son, Steven (Jennifer) Kelsey, of Wickliffe, OH; her daughter, Rosemarie (Kevin) Aubin, of Lindley, NY; grandchildren, Thomas George and Zoë Rose Kelsey; her brother, Sebastian (Diane) Nardecchia; sister-in-law, Elaine Matson; brother-in-law Henry Kelsey; special nieces and nephew Michael (Michelle) Nardecchia, Marisa (John) Looney, Kristina Nardecchia (John Moroney); several nieces & nephews, Aunt Barbara Nardecchia; and several cousins.

The family of Dorina A. Kelsey will receive friends on Friday from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations to: Hornell Alumni Association, PO Box 135, Hornell, NY  14843 or to St. Ann’s Academy, 41 Genesee St., Hornell, NY 14843 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 200 Meridian Centre Blvd (Suite 110), Rochester, NY  14618.  Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

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

Hornell, New York

Dolores (Head) D’Apice – 94 – formerly of 221 Vincent St., Hornell and later Updyke Willow Ridge Quality Care Nursing Facility, died Wednesday morning (October 30, 2024) at Elderwood at Hornell Nursing Facility where she had resided for the past 2 years.

Born in Rochester, NY on March 16, 1930, she was the daughter of George & Barbara (Koester) Heidt and the step-daughter of Rudy Anselm who raised her following the death of her father and later, her mother.

Dolores grew up in Rochester and was a graduate of Our Lady of Mercy High School (class of 1948) and later received her Registered Nurse’s Diploma from St. James School of Nursing in Hornell (class of 1951).  She was employed for 50 years as a registered nurse in various positions at St. James Mercy Hospital and also the Oncology Department.  Dolores served as part time Relief Supervisor but will mostly be remembered for the time she spent in the Emergency Department (ER) where she served as Nurse Manager for many years.

She was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church (where she was a member of the church choir) and a former communicant of St. Ignatius Loyola Church.  Dolores’ memberships include the Hornell VFW Auxiliary Post 2250, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, the Hornell Ladies of Columbus, the Hornell Association and the St. James Mercy Hospital Auxiliary.  She was also a lifelong, die-hard New York Yankees fan.

Dolores volunteered her time as a member of the Hornell American Red Cross and the Pro-Action Nutrition Program (Meals on Wheels).  She was honored in 2017 when she received the “Volunteer of the Year” award from New York State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano for volunteering over 2000 hours to Meals on Wheels and the local Food Pantry.

She was married to John D’Apice who died on February 4, 2012.  She was also preceded in death by her former husband, Richard Head.

Surviving are her son, Richard (Sally) Head of North Hornell; her daughter, Barbara (Robert) Contente of Dansville; 5 step-children, Theresa Lecceardone of Arkport, Mary Lee Wetherbee of Arizona, Dominica (William) Paul of Arizona, Johna D’Apice of Canisteo and Anthony D’Apice of Tennessee; 2 grandsons, 2 granddaughters; 7 great-grandchildren; many step-grandchildren & step-great-grandchildren; along with several cousins, nieces & nephews.

The family of Dolores (Head) D’Apice will receive friends on Monday from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.  Dolores’ Funeral Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed via YouTube on PeishTV or by visiting www.facebook.com/dagonfuneralhome.

Dolores’ family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the Tommy Fund For Childhood Cancer, PO Box 8295, New Haven, CT 06530.  Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

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

Arkport, New York

Jean M. Ball – 81 – of Pine Knoll Park, Arkport, NY, died early Friday morning (October 25, 2024) following a long illness.

Born in Oneida, NY on January 31, 1943, she was the daughter of Milo & Mildred “June” (Hollenbeck) VanHall.

Jean grew up in the Alfred-Almond area and was a graduate of Alfred-Almond Central School (class of 1961).  She later earned her Business Degree from Alfred State College.

She was married on July 15, 1961 to Duane E. Ball.  Jean & Duane resided in Canisteo for over 30 years and for about 25 years lived in Rogersville, TN, moving to Arkport about three years ago.

Jean was a member of the Canisteo Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death her husband, Duane, who died April 2, 2022; and her sister, Beverly “Kay” Vaisey.

Surviving are 2 daughters, Lynda (Charles) Drum of Dansville and Sharon (Steve) Crandall of Hartsville; 3 grandchildren, Alisha (Mike) Searles, Katie (Jeffrey) Fetzner & Anthony Drum; 6 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

At Jean’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.

Jean’s family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY  10016.

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