Yvonne M. Chandler-Colby

1966 - 2020

FLY CREEK – Yvonne Megan Chandler-Colby, 54, of Fly Creek died September 25, 2020, at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts after an extended struggle against cancer and heart failure, while being transported via ambulance to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. 

Born Yvonne Megan Chandler on February 2, 1966, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, she was a daughter of George Henry and Nancy (Hunt) Chandler and was baptized Episcopal at Christ Church in Cooperstown. Raised in Fly Creek, she graduated from Cooperstown Central School with the Class of 1984. She married Dean Robert Colby August 31, 1991, in Fly Creek. 

Yvonne studied psychology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York in Oneonta with the class of 1989. After graduation, she moved to Queens with her husband, where she continued to study Criminal Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice while simultaneously serving as a probation officer for four years at Queens County Courts. 

Months after the birth of her first child, Richard Aaron Colby, 1994, she and her husband moved to Fly Creek. Yvonne took on the responsibility of educating both her children, Richard and Julianne Elizabeth Colby, 1996, teaching them both for the entirety of their 1st through 12th grade educations. The profound education she provided for her children is evidenced by them both graduating Summa Cum Laude from Hartwick College, 2014 and 2016 respectively. 

Yvonne volunteered her time for the community simultaneously serving as a Class A Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Fly Creek Fire Department/District from 1994-2005. Additionally, Yvonne could boast of skills in many passions including, writing long works of fiction; researching and recording family genealogy extending back farther than the landing of the Mayflower and the colonization of America; and handcrafting fine craft works of crochet, knitting, and needle point, of these she was charitable with and gifted often. 

Yvonne possessed a gentle and caring spirit and hated thoughts of any living creature suffering. She championed this cause in many personal ways, including, eating only humanely raised meat; refusing to kill “pests”, such as rodents and bugs, always taking the extra effort to relocate them safely; and keeping a large, and growing, collection of replanted succulents, because as each piece broke off, in her own words, “I just feel bad letting them die.” 

She accomplished all of this despite battles, which she won, against Hodgkin's Lymphoma, 1984, and metastatic breast cancer, 2007. She further showed great endurance living with chronic heart failure, undergoing open heart surgery twice, 2014 and 2020, and living with a host of other complications from her cancer treatments. 

Yvonne is survived by her husband of 29 years, Dean Colby, and their children, Richard Colby and Julianne Colby, all of Fly Creek; her parents, George and Nancy Chandler of Fly Creek; a brother, Christopher Chandler and fiancé, Connie of West Edmeston; a sister, Melissa Gwilt and husband, Paul of Oneida and their children, Katlynn, Kristen, Sean, and Matthew. 

She was preceded in death by her sister, Carrie Anne Chandler, who died September 30, 1993. 

Calling hours will be offered on Thursday, October 1, 2020, from 12 Noon until 1:30 p.m. at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. It is respectfully requested that all attending please wear a face covering, observe proper social distancing, and be prepared to wait to enter the funeral home.

A private graveside service will follow at the Chandler Family Plot in the Fly Creek Valley Cemetery with the Rev’d Dane E. Boston, Rector of Christ Church, Cooperstown officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, Yvonne’s family asks that you consider a donation to defray the cost of funeral expenses at GoFundMe.com, “In Loving Memory of Yvonne Chandler-Colby” (https://gf.me/u/y2rnt2). 

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.

Margaret P. Scrimgeour

1927 - 2020

COOPERSTOWN – Margaret P. “Peggy” Scrimgeour, who was employed for many years as a librarian in Queens and later moved to Cooperstown, passed away rather unexpectedly Monday afternoon, September 21, 2020, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She was 93.

Born February 17, 1927, in Manhattan, Peggy was a daughter of George E.B. Scrimgeour and Williamina C. née Penman Scrimgeour, both of whom had immigrated to the United States from Scotland. 

She attended and graduated from several institutions of higher learning, including the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and The City College of New York, and received her Master’s degree in Library Science. For 25 years she served as a librarian in the Queens Borough Public Library throughout Queens. In 1998 she moved to Cooperstown and settled into her home on Walnut Street.

Peggy loved learning new things and enjoyed using her laptop to keep in touch with old friends and to Google the amazing “encyclopedia” of information on the internet. 

But her life-long passion was for animals. She cared for animals of all kinds, but especially loved dogs: her favorite, German Shepherd Dogs! While in Queens she was an active member of the Suffolk Obedience Training Club. After moving to Cooperstown, she joined the Del-Otse-Nango Kennel Club and continued competing in obedience and stewarding. 

Peggy is survived by her cousin, Barbara W. Duffy of Cooperstown; her two German Shepherds, Daisy and Skye; cousins in Scotland and Australia; and many friends in the Cooperstown area and beyond.

She was predeceased by her mother, Mina Scrimgeour, who died when Peggy was quite young and was buried in Scotland; her father, Ernie Scrimgeour, who died May 16, 1990; and her sister, Nancy Scrimgeour who died February 17, 1992. 

The life of Peggy Scrimgeour will be celebrated from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, September 26, 2020, in her cousin’s backyard at 41 Delaware Street, Cooperstown. It is respectfully asked that all attending please wear a face mask and to observe proper social distancing. 

Peggy will be laid to rest with her father and sister in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla. 

As a way to remember and honor Peggy’s life, please consider a memorial donation to German Shepherd Rescue of NY, PO Box 242, Delmar, NY 12054 .

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.

Pierre B. Weidemann


1962 - 2020

COOPERSTOWN – Pierre Bernard Weidemann, a beloved son, brother, and uncle, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes Sunday, September 6, 2020, at his home in Schuyler Lake. He was 57. 

Born December 11, 1962, in Montreal, Canada, Pierre was the son of Marie Andrée Trempe Weidemann and the late Manfred Bernard Weidemann, a photographer and long-time owner of Pioneer Photo in Cooperstown. Pierre grew up in Newfoundland, N.J. and graduated from West Milford High School in 1980.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Pierre worked most of his life as a freelance photographer and film producer.  He excelled in digital media. 

For many years, Pierre lived in southern California, where he worked as an assistant producer on an extensive list of Hollywood films, including “The Mask of Zorro” and “Collateral Damage”. After moving to the Cooperstown area for a brief time after his father’s passing, Pierre moved to New Jersey and lived in various places throughout Hudson County, including Weehawken and Union City. He resided many years in Hoboken. In 2010, he was the producer of Algonquin Theater Productions’ musical comedy “National Pastime”, performed in the Grandstand Theater at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. 
A project dear to Pierre during his time in Hoboken was “State of Grace,” a collection of oil paintings depicting the lives of burn victims by New York-area artist Doug Auld. Pierre worked with Auld to help illustrate those who have suffered significant burn injuries and help redefine society’s standards of beauty. 

Pierre had more recently moved back to the Cooperstown area and for a time worked at the Cooperstown Beverage Exchange. He was currently working in digital media for the Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown. 

Pierre was a hardworking and creative man. He was self-taught, learning his trade by experience. He had a warm presence in any room and couldn’t be ignored. He was interested in people around him, unafraid to strike up conversation on a litany of topics if only to fuel his curiosity. A family prankster jokes were his currency – his humor will be missed by his family, more than ever in the weeks following his passing. He enjoyed working on both professional and domestic projects, recently building beautiful garden beds for his mother. He enjoyed rock climbing, music (especially The Beatles) and had watched just about every movie ever made – his favorite likely the original “Blade Runner.” 

Pierre is survived by his mother, Andrée Weidemann of Schuyler Lake; his sister, Carina Franck and her husband, Patrick, of Cooperstown; a nephew, Thomas Franck of New York City; and a niece, Katie Franck of Cooperstown. He is further survived by one cousin, Andrew Ruch of Munich, Germany, and the deWaal family – friends as close as family, who knew him since childhood. The Weidemann family is grateful to one of Pierre’s best friends, Mark Elliott, who contributed to his obituary. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Manfred, who died December 23, 2004, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. 

In consideration of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a gathering in memory of Pierre will be held at a later time. For now, please remember the times you spent with Pierre, smile, and know that he is at peace. 

One way to remember and honor Pierre would be to make someone laugh today.

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.

​Roland M. Roth


1931 - 2020

Roland M. Roth was born February 17, 1931, and passed away on August 21, 2020,
and is under the care of Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.


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.

​Rafael Manuel Franco

April 18, 1939 - August 5, 2020

​Rafael Manuel Franco was born on April 18, 1939, and passed away August 5, 2020,
and was under the care of Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.


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.