Herbert E. Baumann

1929 - 2019

LAURENS – Herbert E. Baumann, 90, of Laurens, passed away after a brief illness early Sunday morning, December 22, 2019, surrounded by love and a loving family at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. 

Born September 19, 1929, in Garfield, New Jersey, he was a son of Herbert Paul and Elsie (Kinscher) Baumann. He first attended schools in Paramus and later Paterson, New Jersey. He left high school and worked for a time as a machinist for John Johnston in Paramus. On May 22, 1951, he joined the military, and served with the United States Army 12th Infantry in Germany during the Korean War. Corporal Baumann was Honorably Discharged from the military on May 7, 1953, and returned home to New Jersey. 

On April 24, 1954, he married Eleanor Diani in a ceremony at Most Holy Name Roman Catholic Church in Garfield, New Jersey. 

In March of 1956, Herbert was hired by Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) in Newark, New Jersey, and was employed as an electrical lineman, working out of a substation in Hackensack. During this time he became a member of the 25-year club, was a recipient of a suggestion award, and received the “turtle club” safety award in July of 1971 for having been hit on the head on the job and his life saved by his hard hat. He retired in March 1991.

In 1982, Herbert and Eleanor began coming to Hartwick and eventually lived on Lipton Road. They later moved to South Carolina, but moved back to New York State in November 2010 and settled in Laurens. 

He was a member-at-large of the American Legion and the Laurens Senior Citizen Group. 

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Eleanor Baumann of Laurens; a daughter, Judy Gruchacz of Hartwick; a son, Herbert P. Baumann and wife, Lesia, of Knob Noster, Missouri; four grandchildren, Jacquelyn Gruchacz, and Jesse, Jill E. and Brittany Baumann; and a brother, Walter W. Baumann and wife, Ellen (“Penny”) of Laurens. 

He was predeceased by a brother, Richard Baumann. 

​A graveside service of committal and burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 19, 2020, in the Hartwick Cemetery in Hartwick, with the Rev. Paul R. Messner, S.T.S., pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Laurens, officiating. Military Honors will be accorded by members of the Cooperstown Veterans Club and the New York State Military Forces Honor Guard.

Arrangements are under the care and 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 at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Alma M. Baker

1933 - 2019

COOPERSTOWN – Alma M. Baker, 86, of Hyde Park, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Friday morning, December 20, 2019, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. She will forever be with her husband, Carl, and her Lord.

Born Alma Marie Marr on August 25, 1933, at home in the Town of Burlington, she was one of six children of Jesse J. and Gladys S. (Davis) Marr. Raised in Cooperstown, she graduated from Cooperstown High School with the Class of 1951.

On September 1, 1951, Alma married Carl A. Baker in Milford. They both enjoyed flowers and greenhouse work, and from 1964 until 1996 Alma assisted her husband in owning and operating Baker’s Greenhouse in Hyde Park. Married for 48 years, Carl passed away December 3, 1999. 

A devoted and faithful Christian, Alma was a long-time member of the Hartwick Christian Church. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Alma is survived by two sons, Dennis Baker and wife, Judy of Cooperstown and Ken Baker and wife, Sheryl of Georgia; one daughter, Linda Padula and husband, Steven of Pennsylvania; and her beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren, Patrick Baker and wife, Jessica and their daughter, Caitlin, Wendy Lichtman and husband, Adam and their children Ethan and Alyssa, Karen Griffith and her children Kali, Joelle and Melanie, Sharon Butts and husband, Michael and their children Matti and Rylie, Amanda Gutman, Matthew Gutman, Steven Padula, Stephanie Padula and husband, Danny and their daughter, Sophia, Cassandra Padula and her son, Eli, and Nicholas Padula. She is further survived by three sisters, Dorothy Knapp of Milford, Virginia Rathbun of Schenectady, and Elaine Himes of Virginia, and many nieces and nephews. 

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by one sister, Helen Lincourt, who died August 31, 1996, and two brothers, Frederick E. Marr who died December 27, 1993, and Francis Jay Marr who died December 14, 2014. 

A funeral service will be offered at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 28, 2019, at the Hartwick Christian Church, West Main Street, Hartwick. Alma’s family will receive friends at the church Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. until the service. 

Burial will be in the Spring of 2020 in Hartwick Seminary Cemetery. 

Memorial donations may be made to the Hartwick Christian Church, PO Box 65, Hartwick, NY 13348.

Arrangements are under the care and 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 at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Nan G. Pedersen Williams

1924 - 2019

MILFORD – Nan G. Pedersen Williams, 95, passed away Sunday morning, December 8, 2019, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. 

She was born Nan Jeanette Gerling on June 7, 1924, at Community Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey, the daughter of John and Edith (Saxton) Gerling.

For the first six years of her life she lived in East Orange, New Jersey. After the death of her father and grandfather Gerling, Nan’s widowed mother moved to Westville, where she had been born 40 years earlier, and purchased the store there which she ran for three years. Nan continued to live the rest of her life in Otsego County, and attended schools in Westville, Laurens and Milford, graduating from Milford High School in 1942. He first jobs were at defense plants in Sidney and on Dietz Street in Oneonta.  

On October 23, 1944, Nan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Battalion where she was placed in a motor transport school and served as a truck driver. Private Gerling received her Honorable Discharge from the military on August 11, 1945. 

Upon her return to Otsego County, Nan met Leon Pedersen, and they were married in February 1946. They had two children, Gordon R. Pedersen who died in an automobile accident at the age of 22 on February 7, 1970, and Alana who now lives near Westford. Leon died February 27, 1975.

For many years, Nan was employed at SUCO in the bakery and food service department, and later worked in the Milford Central School cafeteria until her retirement. She then spent many years travelling and spent six years in Florida as a winter resident. 

On December 17, 1994, she married George R. “Bud” Williams and spent ten years learning about big family life. Bud died December 23, 2004. 

Nan was a charter member of the Milford American Legion Auxiliary, the Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., and was a member of the Susquehanna Senior Citizens of Milford and the Westville United Methodist Church. She loved being with family and friends, and enjoyed sewing, crocheting, quilt making and trying to play the organ. 

In addition to her son and two husbands, she was predeceased by a step daughter, Janet W. Bloodgood in 2007, a brother, Raymond G. Gerling in 2000, and a sister, Caroline Gerling Burtis. 

Survivors include Alana and Robert Williams, Jeffrey Williams of Westford, and Christy and Alex Wood of Tonawanda; nine grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; her extended family, Sue Williams of Niskayuna, Sandy and Lee Hillis of Minnesota, Bill and Kathy Williams of Pennsylvania, Deb and Ron Kapushinski of Connecticut, and special friends Richard and Iva Couse of Portlandville. 

Family and friends may call from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. 

A Funeral Service will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 12, 2019, the Westville United Methodist Church, 2706 County Highway 35, Schenevus (Westville) with Pastor Rose Bellen, officiating.

Interment will be in the Spring of 2020 in Milford Center Cemetery, where Nan will be laid to rest with her first husband and their son.

At the request of the family, they respectfully ask that flowers NOT be sent due to floral allergies within the family.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Westville United Methodist Church c/o Donna-Gene Francis, 1024 State Highway 166, Cooperstown, NY  13326. 

Arrangements are under the care and 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 at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Rosalie H. Weir

1927 - 2019

TODDSVILLE – Rosalie H. Weir, a mother, daughter, wife, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother, was unexpectedly called home Saturday morning, November 30, 2019, from her home in Toddsville to join her Lord and family. She was 92.

Of Polish descent, she was born September 1, 1927, at home in Ashley, Pennsylvania, one of seven children of Anthony Zukowski, a coalminer, and Helen (Gouse) Zukowski. 

After moving to the Cooperstown area, Rose was employed for many years as a teacher’s aide for the Cooperstown Central School District.

Throughout her life, Rose was always an ambitious and determined person - a formidable opponent in many respects! She enjoyed a variety of activities, especially attending many a polka fest, and as a lover of the outdoors was a member of the Adirondack Mountain Club. She was also an active member and past president of the Hartwick Senior Citizens.

Missed terribly and loved by many, Rose is survived by a son, Kenneth Gary Weir and wife, Gail of Hornell; a daughter, Patricia A. Haefner of Olympia, Washington; her grandchildren, Teresa Rene Weir, Katherine Megan Weir and husband, Marc Schoone, Patricia Amanda Weir and partner Adam Constantine, and Keith Travis Weir and wife, Kari; her great grandchildren, Stephanie and Jordi Schoone, Elizabeth and Shelby Weir and Monica Slaight and husband Brandon; her three great great grandchildren, Bryce, Hudson and Riley; many nieces and nephews; and a legion of extremely wonderful friends and neighbors who made it possible for Rose to live out her final years in her beloved home in Toddsville.

She was predeceased by all of her siblings: John, Anthony and Francis Zukowski, Helen Markowski, Anna Schallert and Margaret Skupski. Seven brothers and sisters, along with their mother and father, are once more reunited, an occasion that has shook the heavens as such joy and shenanigans can barely be contained by the heavens above. 

May Pope John Paul II, the best Pope ever, greet her with open arms, and may Elvis serenade her until her heart is content. Listen to your polkas, play a game of cards (try not to get caught cheating) and smile thinking of such an amazing woman.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be offered in the Spring of 2020 at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. She will be laid to rest alongside her sister, Anna, in Westville Cemetery.

With respect for Rose’s wishes, there will be no calling hours. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hartwick Fire Department Co. No. 2, 4877 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326. 

Arrangements are under the care and 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 at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.