Obituaries Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, June 2, 2011
Stephen F. Thomas
Stephen F. Thomas, who lived in Saranac Lake where he was born and raised but spent much time in Voorheesville where his sister lives, died on Saturday, May 28, 2011, at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. He was 59.
“He loved fishing and having picnics at Lake Myosotis,” said his sister, Nancy Thomas.
As someone who enjoyed the outdoors, Mr. Thomas frequently took pictures of nature, which he shared on his Facebook page, said his sister. “He has beautiful pictures. His love was wolves,” she said.
He also enjoyed going to the annual Memorial Day parade in Voorheesville, said Ms. Thomas, and he was a favorite of the elderly ladies who lived on her street — East Road in Voorheesville.
“One of his favorite memories is when my neighbor Peg Flanders snuck up behind him and tied a balloon to the loop on the back of his pants,” said Ms. Thomas. “He got such a kick out of that.”
Born in Saranac Lake on Oct. 30, 1951, Mr. Thomas was one of Roland and Ruth (Towner) Thomas’s three children. “Our parents started the Thomas Boat Livery,” said Ms. Thomas, “and had four boats and three children” — Nancy, Carol, and Stephen. They built the Nancy Carol and operated the Miss Saranac tour boat in the 1950s and 60s.
Mr. Thomas’s parents died when he was young, in 1968, and he went to live with
an aunt, his sister said. In 1970, Mr. Thomas graduated from the Severna Park High School in Severna Park, Md.
He married Martha Ann Loomis on July 23, 1977 in Burlington, Vt.
Mr. Thomas worked as a carpet installer for G. Carver Rice for many years and owned and operated the CBS Furniture Store in Saranac Lake. He was employed at North Country Community College, was a dispatcher for the New York State Police in Ray Brook, and worked in shipping and receiving for American Management Association and Trudeau Institute.
“Stephen’s all-time favorite hobby and passion was music and playing the drums,” his family wrote in a tribute. “He had played in various bands all his life, including Zrimwich, Wild Root, and most notably Majors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating and especially photography. He enjoyed sharing his photos with his friends on Facebook. He loved spending time at their family camp on Owl Pond.”
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Stephen F. Thomas is survived by his wife, Martha Thomas, of Saranac Lake, N.Y.; his daughter, Jennifer Lynn Thomas, also of Saranac Lake; his sister, Nancy Thomas, of Voorheesville; his uncle, Dean Towner of Austin, Texas; his niece, Shyla Lamb; and two nephews, Eric Loomis and Leo Terhune-Loomis, all of San Diego, Calif.
He also left his beloved Kitty Cat Chapin.
His father and mother died before him, as did his sister Carolyn Thomas.
Funeral arrangements are by the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A memorial service will be held today, June 2, at 2 p.m. at funeral home at 20 Church Street with Rev. Joanne White officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society in care of the funeral home: Fortune-Keough Funeral Home, 20 Church Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983. Family and friends may also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.
— Melissa Hale-Spencer
George William Heath
GUILDERLAND — George William (Bill) Heath “never had a bad word to say about anybody,” according to his daughter.
Mr. Heath died peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, with his family by his side. He was 79.
Mr. Heath was born on Oct. 12, 1931. He served in the United States Air Force. Upon completion of his service, he graduated from Siena College and started his career at General Electric as a manager of computer operations.
“He was a busy man. He worked, went to school at night, and still had time for all of his kids,” said his daughter Karen Miller; she is one of Mr. Heath’s seven children.
“He loved his family, and was always so proud of his kids,” Mrs Miller said.
After working for GE for 35 years, Mr. Heath retired, and worked at New York State Tax and Finance for 10 years. He often helped people by preparing their tax returns for free, his daughter said.
In his leisure time, Mr. Heath enjoyed going to his camp on Sacandaga Lake with his friends, where he had a boat and a jet ski.
Throughout the years, Mr. Heath was involved in many volunteer activities. He was a lifetime member of the Guilderland Center Fire Department; volunteered with the American Association of Retired Persons at the Guilderland library; was a past member of St. Lucy’s Church in Altamont; and was a current parishioner at Christ the King Church in Guilderland, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister and was part of the “Lunch Bunch Group.” He also served communion to residents of Our Lady of Mercy nursing home.
Mr. Heath is survived by his children, Bill Heath, of Albany; Terry Heath and his wife, Sharon, of North Carolina.; Tom Heath and his wife, Dawn, of California.; Bob Heath, of California.; Bruce Heath, of North Carolina; Karen Miller, and her husband, Jim, of Guilderland; and John Heath and his wife, Karen, of Guilderland.
He is also survived by four grandchildren, Kyle, Danielle, Kiera and William; his brother, Ray, his sister, Peggy Drummond; and many nieces, nephews, and sisters-in-law.
His wife of 56 years, Dorothy, died before him, as did two brothers.
The family would like to express thanks to Dr. Jonathan Desantis, Dr. Bruce Coplin, and Dr. Geoff Serfilippi, and the nursing staff, Rochelle, Kathy, Natasha, and Tiffany.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 31 at Christ the King Church, in Guilderland. Interment was in the St. Adalbert Cemetery in Rotterdam. Arrangements were by the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Visions Foundation (Albany ARC), 334 Krumkill Road, Slingerlands, NY 12159, or The Community Hospice of Albany, 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205.