To the Editor:

Our father, Ed Stumpf, died on April 22, 2014. He worked for 35 years as an insurance adjuster; was a husband, father, and grandfather; but above all he was a Westmere fireman. He was a lifelong resident of Westmere after serving in World War II.

Lillian Lorraine Yonally loved the freedom of flying and, now in her 90s, has fond and vivid recollections of the pilots — all women — she trained and flew with during World War II.

For the first time in eight years, there is a race for trustee as the public library, in the wake of a resounding defeat to expand, plans to map its future.

GUILDERLAND — “I think we’re in an important transition in the library,” said Robert Feller. “We just had a bond vote go down,” he said of the 2012 defeat for expansion. “We have to think about what that means in our long-term plan.”

GUILDERLAND — Barbara Fraterrigo, the board’s longest serving member, believes, “It’s nice to have an old hand on the board, someone who knows the history.”

GUILDERLAND — Karen Carpenter Palumbo, making her first run for the library board, has a wide and varied career in public service and management, which she believes will serve her well as a trustee.

GUILDERLAND — Currently the library board’s treasurer, Carroll Lynn Valachovic believes her financial expertise is an asset to the other trustees.

GUILDERLAND — “Libraries have always been very, very important to me,” said Carolyn Williams, who is making her first run for the board.