Robert B. Schlather, Esq.

1946 - 2022

COOPERSTOWN – Robert Bernard Schlather, Esq., Cooperstown lawyer, CPA and philanthropist, died Wednesday afternoon, April 27, 2022, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown as a result of a brain tumor diagnosed in June 2020. He was 75.

Born May 3, 1946, in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, Bob was the second eldest of thirteen children of Bernard Paul Schlather and Helen Virginia Bilskey. Raised in Elyria, Ohio, he graduated in 1964 from Elyria Catholic High School. He went on to attend and graduate magna cum laude with a BA in Accounting from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and earned his Juris Doctorate and graduated cum laude from University of Notre Dame Law School in South Bend, Indiana. In addition, he was awarded a Certificate in English and American Law from the University of London as part of the Notre Dame Law School curriculum. He successfully completed the New York State Bar and Certified Public Accountancy Exams in 1971 and commenced work in the tax department of Price Waterhouse & Co, in both New York City and London. 

On July 14, 1973, Bob married his best friend, Karen Ruth Hammer in a ceremony at Saints Philip and James Roman Catholic Church in St. James, Long Island. They moved to Cooperstown in 1976. 

As both an Attorney and a Certified Public Accountant, Bob began his practice in Cooperstown in 1977 with a focus on tax planning preparation, estate and trust planning and administration and real property transactions. In 1986, Robert W. Birch, Esq. joined Bob, and they formed Schlather & Birch, Attorneys at Law. In 1987 they formed a real estate service business, Cooper County Abstract Company, Inc., the largest abstract and title insurance company in Central New York, as well as Northern Otsego Management Company, Inc. In recent years, he was part of Schlather & Kinley CPAs PLLC with his partner, Patrick R. Kinley. Bob was a member of the New York State Bar Association and a member and treasurer of the Otsego County Bar Association. 

Karen and Bob’s son, Robert Hammer (R.B.) Schlather was born and grew up in Cooperstown, to the joy of all who experienced his theatrical and operatic exploits. 

In addition to his professional practice, Bob was an active member of his community through many memberships and affiliations. A long-time devotee of the Glimmerglass Opera, he served what is now Glimmerglass Festival for more than forty years in various leadership positions including as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, as well as Treasurer of the Board and briefly as Interim General Director. In February of this year, Glimmerglass Festival’s Board of Trustees named Bob an Honorary Life Trustee in recognition of his extraordinary service and exceptional contributions with the world-renowned program. The highest honor a Trustee can ever reach, Bob contributed thousands of hours to the Festival, helping the organization evolve from its years in the Cooperstown High School auditorium, and finding and securing the Company’s 37,000 square feet warehouse and rehearsal hall in the Town of Warren, a necessity and game-changer as the Festival grew in scope and reputation. 

Bob also served as Trustee and Treasurer for more than thirty years of the Friends of Bassett Healthcare, and for many years as Trustee and President of Helios (Hospice) Foundation. He particularly enjoyed working with the parents of residents of Pathfinder Village, helping to ensure that those residents could remain at Pathfinder for as long as each chose, and considered these residents “his kids.” 

He and his siblings established the Schlather-Bilskey Family Foundation in memory of their parents to provide scholarships to Elyria Catholic High School from which most of them were graduated. 

A Paul Harris Fellow, he was an active member since 1979 and former president of the Cooperstown Rotary Club. He served nine years as Trustee of Hartwick College with a commitment to the importance of independent liberal arts colleges. Through the years he was also a member of the New York State Historical Association, the New York State Forest Owners Association, the Roseboom Historical Association, the Cooperstown Art Association, The Mohican Club and most recently was a founder of the Community Foundation of Otsego County. 

An avid golfer, he was a subscriber to the Leatherstocking Golf Course since arriving in Cooperstown. As well, he was a member of Otsego Golf Club and a shareholder of Head of the Lake, Inc., the owner of the land on which Otsego Golf Club is located. He reveled in the time spent each winter in Vero Beach, Florida, with Bob, Chris, Richard, Ron and Earle, for as long as it lasted. 

Bob is survived by his wife of 48 years, Karen; son R.B.; son-in-law Adam Weinert; his mother’s sister Rosemary Bilskey; sisters Sr. Mary Rita Schlather, SND, Sr. Mary Margaret Ann Schlather, SND, Jeanne Frey, Roseann Brown and Mary Agnes Schlather (Gary Hammil); and brothers Raymond (Kathleen), Paul (Karen), Donald (Darlene), David (Jennifer), Kenneth (Donna) and Patrick (Joanne); sister-in-law Rebecca; former sister-in-law Brooke; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

He was predeceased by his parents, their many siblings, brother William, niece Erin Schlather and brother-in-law Lawrence Frey. 

There will be no calling hours. A private Mass will be held at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. Livestream will be available by going to https://stmaryscoop.org and click on “View Livestream Here.” He will be laid to rest in the St. James Methodist Church Cemetery in St. James on Long Island. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Community Foundation of Otsego County, PO Box 55, Springfield Center, NY 13468, to be added to the Robert and Karen Schlather Donor Advised Fund for support of all things Otsego County, New York, particularly the performing arts. 

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.

Ronald N. Jennings

1943 - 2022

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. 

PHOENIX MILLS – Ronald N. Jennings, a life-long resident of Phoenix Mills and a devoted family man, passed away after a brave fight following a recent diagnosis of cancer on the night of Good Friday, April 15, 2022, at his beloved family home by the banks of the Susquehanna River in Phoenix Mills. He was 78. 

Born August 18, 1943, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, he was the youngest of seven children and last surviving child of Charles E. and Frances A. (Trask) Jennings.

He grew up in the family home in Phoenix Mills and attended school in Cooperstown, graduating with the Class of 1961from Cooperstown Central School. On October 1, 1964, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He received his Honorable Discharge from the military on September 30, 1968, having attained the rank of Sergeant. 

Ron returned to Cooperstown and was employed by Arnold Staffin, owner of the Glen Garage. In November 1970 Ron began a career at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in the facilities maintenance department, retiring in September of 2003 after nearly 33 years of employment. 

On June 21, 1969, Ron married the former Edith (Edie) Marie Ainslie in a ceremony at the Cooperstown United Methodist Church. They lived for a time in Toddsville, but following his mother’s passing in 1974, they took ownership of the family home in Phoenix Mills and have resided there ever since. Purchased by his parents in 1921, the Jennings were only the second family to live at this location, and Ron spent countless hours faithfully restoring and maintaining the family home. 

Ron had a special interest in the history of the various mills and other industries within the hamlet of Phoenix Mills, and was always willing to share his knowledge with friends and neighbors. He was in the process of publishing a book about the history of those mills. In 2005 Ron started a three-year career at Hanford Mills Museum, which for him was like living in the past. Ron’s other interests were many, including genealogy, American history, especially the period of the Civil War, as well as wood working and wood carving. 

In all that he did, Ron’s attention to detail and meticulous nature was well respected and admired by his family and friends. 

A member of the Cooperstown United Methodist Church, he served the church on the Board of Trustees for a number of years. He was also a member of the Clark F. Simmons American Legion Post No. 579, the Otsego County Historical Association, NYSHA, and in the early 1970s was a member of the Hartwick Fire Department Company #2 in Hartwick Seminary. A Trustee of the Hartwick Seminary Cemetery Association, he served as President of the Board up until this past February. 

Most of all, his favorite past-time was spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. These times were above all his fondest memories. 

Ron is survived by his wife of 52 years, Edie, of Phoenix Mills; their daughter, Teresa Russo and husband, Peter of Whitefield, New Hampshire; and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Maeghan Russo. He is further survived by a large extended family and many friends, including special friends Mike and Tami Pelcer and their children, Mia, Max and Grace, and Randy and Susan Gelatt and their children, Colin, Emily and Amanda.

He was predeceased by his son, Michael Howard Jennings, who passed away November 21, 2014. He was further preceded in death by all of his siblings, Richard A. Jennings, Robert C. Jennings, Arnold R. Jennings, Douglas L. Jennings, Gerald “Jerry” F. Jennings, Alice Tomasi and lifelong friend Tom Morrissey. 

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, we will be remembering the life of Ron Jennings. The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022, at the Cooperstown United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, with a service at 3 p.m. officiated by Rev. Dana Horrell, pastor. The service will be livestreamed: www.tinyurl.com/cooperstownumc.

The service of committal will follow at the Hartwick Seminary Cemetery, with Military Honors to be accorded by members of the Cooperstown Veterans Club and the United States Air Force Stratton Air National Guard Base Honor Guard. 

As an alternative to flowers, the Jennings family respectfully suggests that expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial donations be directed to the Cooperstown United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 66 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or the Hartwick Seminary Cemetery Association, 1636 Kelly Corners Road, Oneonta, NY 13820. 

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.

Vincenza Alessi

Her time on Earth was far brief, but her legacy of love and caring goes on.

Cherished Vincenza Alessi, 28, became an angel on Sunday, April 10, 2022, after a two-year battle against a rare blood disorder. Heaven is so lucky to have her home.

Vincenza was a 2012 graduate of Cooperstown Central School, earning her degree in psychology and women’s studies from the State University of New York at Oneonta. She recently had earned her master’s degree in special education from Grand Canyon University.

Vincenza taught special education classes at Charlotte Valley Central School in Davenport, New York and, while studying for her master’s, substituted for two years at Cooperstown Central.

She loved teaching and her students adored her. She found great joy in the young children she was able to help and looked forward to a long career using her talents in her chosen field. Without knowing, Vincenza even taught the dieticians at New York Presbyterian Hospital how to expand and modify their menu selections; as her health deteriorated and she was eating less, she would ask her nurse for simple foods not on the menu: pasta and butter, pasta and red sauce, string cheese, salad with chicken. When she returned to New York Presbyterian for the final time several weeks ago, staff reached out to proudly show her a brand-new menu for patients -- one filled with the very dishes she had requested, now a part of the Hospital’s regular offering.

In and out of the classroom, Vincenza looked out for and cared for the disadvantaged. She never failed to be kind to people, always had a friendly wave for the people she met, and, even in the weeks before her passing, continued to feel genuine happiness for others celebrating their own good news. We were not surprised that even after her diagnosis, she still would stop to save lost and wandering dogs and cats to make sure they got home safely. If they didn’t have a home, she would find one for them.

Vincenza loved holidays, filling her home with decorations for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and any other special day -- although she was the person who could wake up on Tuesdays and celebrate that it was Tuesday! She enjoyed feel-good movies from Disney and Hallmark and, after ceasing her medical treatment, was able to hear her two favorite songs, “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran and “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright.

She fought hard for her life for the last two years, enduring hundreds of blood transfusions and operations as she struggled forward. She was deeply grateful to the community for listening and taking on the conversation of bone marrow transplants to help those in need. We plan to continue to work the “Be the Match” program in her honor.

Our fearless Vincenza lived for light and renewal for everyone and, with that in mind, we plan a celebration of her life to take place in the near future at Glimmerglass State Park. We plan to offer seed packets in her honor, as she believed the world would be an even more beautiful place with more butterflies and birds attracted by flowers growing everywhere.

We thank the doctors, nurses, and entire staff of New York Presbyterian Hospital and Bassett Cancer Care for their care and kindness, and Helios Care for their caring and wonderful dedication to Vincenza.

Vincenza is survived by her mother, Ln Alessi, and brother Dante Alessi of Cherry Valley, half-siblings Nicole (William) Grueter and children of Medford, New York, and Christian Alessi of Oakdale, New York, Cindy and Jeffrey Treis of Duanesburg, New York, and her treasured pets -- cats Chloe, Mr. Magoo, and Theodoria and dogs Kiyah and Belle.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 22, 2022, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, NY  13326. At 7 p.m. that evening, a service will be offered with the Rev. Sharon Rankins-Burd, pastor of the Fly Creek United Methodist Church officiating. 

Arrangements are under the care of Connell Dow & Deysenroth.


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.

Richard Daley

1946 - 2022

SPRINGFIELD CENTER – Richard Daley, 76, of Springfield Center, passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2022, surrounded by his beloved family. 

He was born in Manchester, Connecticut, on January 27, 1946. After graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force and proudly served his country in the Vietnam War with the K-9 Unit. 

On May 11, 1968, Richard married his high school sweetheart Elizabeth Treat. 

Richard wore many professional hats – professional photographer, teacher, farmer, story teller and judge. Most recently he worked at the Meadow Links Golf Course where he was a fixture in the Clubhouse; he was always ready to talk with everyone who came to play golf. Out of his many accomplishments, Richard was most proud of his family. He will be greatly missed by them, as well as all those whose lives he touched. 

Richard is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his daughters, Julie (Barry), Jennifer (Patrick), Kyle (Brad), and Kimberly; son Patrick; and grandchildren Isabel, Emmett, Liam, Penelope, Charles, Eleanor and Andrew. 

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects from 10 a.m. until 12 Noon on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. Directly following the visitation, a service will begin at 12 Noon at the funeral home with the Rev. Dr. Jason N. Cashing, pastor of The First Presbyterian Church in Cooperstown officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, Richard’s family respectfully requests that expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial donations be made in his name to AMVETS.

Service arrangements are with 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.