Consuelo M. Couto

October 30, 1918 - May 23, 2012

COOPERSTOWN - Consuelo (Connie) Mercedes Couto died peacefully at Otsego Manor Wednesday morning, May 23, 2012, with her daughter at her side. She was 93 years old.

Connie was born October 30, 1918, in Havana, Cuba, but was raised by her parents, Concepción and Higinio Couto in New York City, from the age of six months. She graduated from the Wadleigh School in 1936 and went on to secretarial school.  

She met her husband,  John Carroll Kraham of Cooperstown during the early days of their employment. They married on January 17, 1943, at the Church of Our Lady of Esperanza in New York City. She was primarily a homemaker and mother for the next fifteen years.  Following the death of Mr. Kraham in 1958, she re-entered the workforce as a secretary at Sun Insurance Company, which was acquired by Chubb and Son in New York City. She continued at Chubb, eventually becoming an administrative assistant to senior management.

She remarried on June 24, 1969 to Santiago Couto. She and Mr. Couto retired to Miami, Florida, in 1974. Connie was never one to "retire" and she resumed working in a secretarial capacity until returning to New York to be closer to family in 1993, following the death of Mr. Couto in 1988.

She continued to use her skills in various volunteer activities, most notably at St. Peter Church in Yonkers, where she assisted as part-time receptionist and some-time translator. She continued volunteering and living in the Bronx and in Yonkers until she moved to Cooperstown four years ago to reside with her daughter and son-in-law.

Connie was predeceased by her parents and brother, Ernesto.

She is survived by her only daughter, Consuelo Kraham Vélez and son-in-law, Deacon Randy Vélez of Cooperstown; three grandsons and their wives, John (Jessica) Vélez of Hyde Park, NY, Anthony (Dawn) Vélez of Bronx, NY, and Aaron (Jenna) Vélez of Baldwin Place, NY; and three great grandchildren, Ian and Marissa of Hyde Park and Stephanie of the Bronx.

The family will receive visitors at the Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home at 6110 Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx on Tuesday, May 29th  from 2-5 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter Church, 91 Ludlow Street in Yonkers on Wednesday, May 30th, at 10 a.m.

Interment is at  Calvary Cemetery in Queens.

In Connie's honor and in gratitude for the outstanding care she received, donations may be made to Otsego Manor, 128 Phoenix Mills Cross Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY  13820.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers, or call them at (607) 547-8822.

Janet D. Bailey

May 15, 1925 - May 6, 2012

COOPERSTOWN - Janet D. Bailey, a life-long resident of Cooperstown, died Sunday morning, May 6, 2012, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She was 86.

Born May 15, 1925, in Cooperstown, she was a daughter of Harold Lewis Davidson and Grace née Putnam Davidson.

Raised in Cooperstown, she graduated from Cooperstown High School with the Class of 1942. She then went to work for the war effort doing sewing in Oneonta.

On June 22, 1946, Janet married Leon J. "Sonny" Bailey in a ceremony at St. Mary's "Our Lady of the Lake" Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. They soon settled into their home on Linden Avenue and raised their family.

For many years, Janet was a specialist in re-weaving damaged clothing, and performed this service from her house for several area laundries. A member of the Native Daughters of Cooperstown she loved to knit and sew, do craft work, play golf, and cook. She will be fondly remembered as a loving wife and mother, and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Janet is survived by three children, Dawn "Deb" Bridger of Cooperstown, Barbara Bailey of Albany, and Rich Bailey and his wife, Nancy Ballard, of Cooperstown; three grandchildren, Kimberly Feik and her husband, Jeff, Stephen Bridger, and Lindsey Bailey, all of Cooperstown; and two great grandchildren, Scott and Sarah Feik.

She is also survived by two sisters, Patricia Sheldon of Cooperstown and Joyce Cowles of Poughkeepsie; one brother, Richard Davidson and his wife, Mary Lou, of Jacksonville, FL; one sister-in-law, Gladys Davidson of Cooperstown; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Janet was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Sonny Bailey, who died December 13, 2003; one brother, Roger "Rod" Davidson; and two sisters, Marjorie Holden and Mary Hanna.

A Funeral Service will be offered at 12 Noon on Friday, May 11, 2012, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown, with Fr. John P. Rosson, pastor of St. Mary's "Our Lady of the Lake" Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, officiating.

Janet's family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday morning.

The Service of Committal and Burial will be private in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown.

As an alternative to flowers, Janet's family suggests that memorial donations be directed to the Cooperstown Emergency Squad, P.O. Box 322, Cooperstown, NY  13326.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers, or call them at (607) 547-8822.

Roxy Carnes

June 27, 1920 - May 1, 2012

COOPERSTOWN - Roxana P. Carnes, a longtime  resident of Cooperstown, passed away Tuesday evening, May 1, 2012, at Valley Health Services in Herkimer. She was 91.

Roxana Beecher Park was born June 27, 1920, in Englewood, New Jersey. She had a sister ten years older and a brother nine years older than she. Her father, Charles Francis Park, Jr., was a graduate of Williams College and was employed as a Vice President of the Marine Midland Bank of New York City. Roxy's mother, Gertrude Roxana Beecher, was graduated from Smith College. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", was Roxy's Great-Great Aunt, and Henry Ward Beecher was her Great Grandfather.

Growing up in Englewood was fun for Roxy. Although she enjoyed playing tennis, riding horses and gardening, her favorite activities were climbing trees and reading outside in the hammock. Her parents enjoyed the outdoors as well, and played tennis and other sports. During the Depression they had a tennis court and a swimming pool built to employ men who were out of work. At a young age, Roxy felt that raising horses, dogs and children, in that order, was what she most wanted to do.

Roxy graduated from Smith College in 1942 with a BA degree. In college her favorite subjects were math, science and history.  She also loved poetry. After college she studied nursing at Columbia Presbyterian and graduated in 1945, a registered nurse with a bachelor of science degree.

While in nursing school, Roxy met her future husband, Sheldon Yates Carnes. They courted and were married on October 22, 1944. Roxy began working at Englewood Hospital, while Sheldon was overseas for a year. Roxy's first child, Sheldon Yates Carnes, Jr., was born in Englewood. Soon the family moved to Canajoharie where they lived for the next seven years. During that time Roxy gave birth to three daughters: Katy, Roxy and Sandy, at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown.

Mr. Carnes worked for Arkell and Smith, the oldest name in paper bags that held products such as flour, coffee, dog food and cement. Roxy often travelled with her husband on business to places including Havana, Cuba, and Guatemala. She remembers one of her husband's early jobs was collecting chicle in Guatemala for Beechnut. The Carnes moved the family back to Englewood, New Jersey, where son Terry was born. While living there, the family acquired a donkey named Daisy, who gave children rides in local church events and was a fun family pet. In time Daisy gave birth to Daffodil. At this time the town of Englewood passed an ordinance prohibiting new donkeys from living within the town. The children were concerned about this, but it was decided that since Daffodil had been a part of Daisy, she was not new, but an existing donkey at the time the ordinance was passed.

When her youngest child was in college, Roxy and her husband divorced. Roxy then moved to Cooperstown and was employed as a nurse at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital and The Meadows, and served as an Emergency Medical Technician with the Cooperstown Emergency Squad. She also volunteered at the Susquehanna SPCA, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown Central School, and with Catskill Area Hospice.  An active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, Roxy also belonged to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Cooperstown Women's Club, and the Cooperstown Area Christian Women's Club. Though in later years Roxy had stopped climbing trees, she still had a great love for the outdoors, sports and gardening, as well as playing Bridge, knitting and doing needlepoint.

A sense of humor and faith in God always helped Roxy throughout her long and well-lived life.

Roxy is survived by three daughters, Katherine ("Katy") Yates Carnes of Seattle, Washington, Roxana ("Roxy") Carnes Pickering of Guilford, Connecticut, and Sandra ("Sandy") Carnes Galitzer of New York City; two sons, Sheldon Yates Carnes, Jr. of Troy and Walter Baldwin ("Terry") Carnes III, and his wife, Patty, of Perkasie, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren, Roxana Pickering Ploski (Jon), Nelson Winslow Pickering, Elizabeth Appleton Pickering, Gwynn Edythe Galitzer, David Beecher Carnes and Jonathan Daniel Carnes; and one great grandson, Andrew Timothy Ploski.

In addition to her former husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, William Park and her sister, Kay Merrill Iverson.

A Memorial Service  will be offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church in Cooperstown, with the Rev. Elsie Armstrong Rhodes, pastor, officiating. Following the service a luncheon will be offered in the Chapel. 

Roxy's final resting place will be in the Columbarium in the Presbyterian Church-yard.

As an alternative to flowers, please consider memorial donations to Glimmerglass Opera, P.O. Box 191, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY  13326, or to Valley Health Services, 690 West German Street, Herkimer, NY 13350.

Arrangements are under the guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers, or call them at (607) 547-8822.

Eileen M. Jacobson

October 27, 1943  - May 1, 2012

MILFORD - Eileen M. Jacobson, a loving wife and mother and long-time resident of Milford, died Tuesday afternoon, May 1, 2012, surrounded by her family at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She was 68.

Born October 27, 1943, in Cohoes, she was a daughter of the late Clement and Lena (Boutin) Clifford.

A 1964 graduate of the St. Peter's Hospital School of Nursing in Albany, she began her career as a dedicated and caring Registered Nurse, first at Samaritan Hospital in Troy and then Cohoes Hospital. It was during her time in Cohoes that she met her future husband, Carl William Jacobson. They were eventually married May 27, 1976, in a ceremony in the chapel at Cohoes Hospital.

In 1978, the Jacobsons moved to Milford, and Eileen became the assistant head nurse on the Medical Surgical II Unit at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. She retired in 1985.

In her leisure, Eileen enjoyed doing craft work, camping, and being an avid fan of the New York Yankees and #88 Dale, Jr.  Her family was the most important part of her life, especially her grandchildren. She will be fondly remembered for her great sense of humor, and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Eileen is survived by her loving husband and friend of 36 years, Bill, of Milford; her three children, Judith A. Smith Kessler and her husband Timothy, Ernie Smith and his wife Amy and Mark Richard Smith and his wife Kathleen, all of Milford; eight grandchildren, Sarah Eileen, Timothy M., Renee Anne and Kirsten Marie Kessler, C. J. and Courtney Taylor Smith, and Kestra Mary and Ian Daniel Smith; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Dorothy Clifford Green who died in 1951 and her brother, Richard Clifford who died in 1984.

A service to celebrate Eileen's life will be offered at 3 PM on Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the Milford United Methodist Church with Rev. Mary Ellen Moore, pastor, officiating. Eileen's family will receive friends at the church on Saturday afternoon from 1 PM until service time.

Burial will be private and at a later date in the Milford Cemetery.

In grateful recognition of the many times the Milford Emergency Squad came to Eileen's rescue, her family requests that, as an alternative to flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts be directed to the Milford Emergency Squad, P.O. Box 359, Milford, NY 13807. The family also extends special thanks to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care and the staff of Bassett Medical Center for all their care and support.

Arrangements are under the guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers, or call them at (607) 547-8822.