Connell, Dow & Deysenroth, Inc.Funeral Home: July 2023

Linda T. Davis

1950 - 2023

SCHUYLER LAKE – Linda Davis, 73, entered eternal rest Friday morning, July 21, 2023, at Albany Medical Center.

Born April 12, 1950, in Oneonta, Linda was the daughter of George and Sara W. “Sally” Tyler. Following her graduation from Oneonta High School, she attended college and then went to work for the treasurer’s office for Otsego County. She loved working with numbers and by the time she retired, had become Deputy Treasurer. Upon retirement from the county, she went to work for the Cooperstown Dreams Park, becoming Director of Human Resources, Money Services, and the Village Office.

On July 14, 1973, Linda married Glenn Michael Davis in a ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church of Oneonta. Together they made their home and raised their children in Schuyler Lake.

Throughout her life, Linda was dedicated to her community in numerous years of service. She spent many years as a Girl Scout Leader taking her daughter’s troop all the way to their gold award as seniors. She took on the role of head of the Girl Scout Troops of Richfield Springs and led them for several years.

Linda also served on the Town Board for the Town of Exeter, various Republican committees, and the local fireman’s auxiliary.

Linda was an avid crafter. She knit, crocheted, and sewed and loved to learn and share her abilities with everyone. She was forever learning and took many classes and workshops with her daughter and friends. Since losing her vision to an autoimmune disorder, she spent the last handful of years knitting blankets of all sizes, shawls, and dishcloths for people. At last count, she had donated at least 110 blankets to various organizations for children in need.

Linda put a little bit of herself into everything she did, whether it was listening to someone in HR, giving someone a blanket she’d made, or just sending a text reminding you that she loved you. She possessed a calming energy that everyone truly appreciated, and in various ways, she became a “mom” to many throughout her life.

Linda is survived by a daughter, Jennifer L. Davis of Schuyler Lake; a son, Geoffrey M. Davis of Salisbury, NC and Cooperstown; a grandson, Lucas E. Davis of Schuyler Lake; and many other loved ones in the Davis, Williams and Tyler families.

She was predeceased by her husband of 37 years, Glenn M. Davis, her father George Tyler, her mother Sara W. “Sally” Tyler and two infant siblings, Kathleen Ann Tyler and Kenneth Wayne Tyler.

Linda will be laid to rest in East Meredith Cemetery following a private burial.

A visitation and Celebration of Life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Oneonta on Saturday, September 2, 2023, beginning at 10 a.m. The Celebration Service will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a short reception following.

In lieu of flowers, the Davis family requests that memorial donations be directed to the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI), 507 Kent Street, Utica, NY 13501, or the First Presbyterian Church of Oneonta, 296 Main Street, 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.

Norma L. Onyan

1930 - 2023

COOPERSTOWN – Norma Louise Onyan, a long-time resident of Cooperstown, entered into eternal rest Friday afternoon, July 21, 2023, at her home on the southern shore of Otsego Lake in the Village of Cooperstown. She was 92.

Born December 13, 1930, in Wichita, Kansas, she was one of eight children of Ernest Edward Rothwell and Myrtle Grace Powell Rothwell.

In her youth, she and her family moved to New York State and settled in Peekskill. She would later move upstate, and for a time was employed by McCredy Motors in Sherburne. Norma moved her family to Cooperstown when she was employed at Smith-Cooperstown, Inc. as the office manager.

Norma is survived by her son, Gregory L. Onyan of Fly Creek; a daughter-in-law, Wendy A. Onyan of Fly Creek; grandchildren, Jacqueline Savoie (Benajmin), Joshua Onyan, Amanda Swatling, Garret Bucklad and Joanna Onyan; and great grandchildren, Nathaniel and Christopher Savoie, Gillian and Addison Onyan and Cole and Liam Hribar. She is further survived by her siblings, Geraldine Irwin, Edward Rothwell and wife Frances, Roy Rothwell, Loren Rothwell, sister-in-law, Sally Rothwell and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her beloved, Edward C. Smith who died January 21, 2017; two sons, Bradley Onyan who died March 26, 2004, and Terry Onyan who died October 15, 2022; her daughter, Louise Ann Wayman who died April 24, 2023; a granddaughter, Christina Wayman Selan who died April 3, 2007; a sister, Carolyn Miles; and two brothers, Richard and Robert Rothwell.

Norma’s family extends their thanks and appreciation to all the dear friends and healthcare workers and Helios Staff for all the care and support they provided which allowed her to remain in her beloved home on Otsego Lake.

At the request of the family, services will be private. She will be laid to rest alongside Ed and Bradley in Lakewood Cemetery in Cooperstown.

In lieu of flowers, Norma’s family respectfully requests that memorial donations be directed to the Susquehanna SPCA 5082-5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or Helios Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Oneonta, NY 13820.

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

Catherine Wilmot Walker

1931 - 2023

COOPERSTOWN – Catherine Wilmot Walker, a life-long resident of the Cooperstown area, entered into eternal rest late Wednesday afternoon, July 19, 2023, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. She was 92.

Born May 6, 1931, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, she was the daughter of Geary A. Wilmot, Sr. and Catherine Crain Wilmot.

When she was eight years old, Catherine was present for the grand opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame when it opened its doors to the public on June 12, 1939. School was closed that day, and several years ago she recalled, “I was on my dad’s shoulders across the street while the induction was taking place. I remember the people more than anything else; it was so crowded.” When Babe Ruth arrived to the train station (her brother, Geary, had the honor of carrying his suitcase), she recalled him walking up Main Street to the barbershop for a shave. “My eyes were as wide as saucers. And I remember he was surrounded with kids.” Memories of that day stayed with her the rest of her life, and she became part of a small group of local people known as “the 39ers”, which also included the late Homer Osterhoudt and Howard Talbot.

After graduating from Cooperstown High School with the Class of 1949, Catherine attended the State University College of Education in Oneonta, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.

In 1955, she married John Walker in a ceremony at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. They settled in Fly Creek where they raised their family.

For many years, Catherine worked at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as a visitor’s guide – or, in the old parlance, a red coat – until retiring in 2001.

Catherine is survived by one daughter, Catherine Walker Ainslie and husband, James A. Ainslie of Richfield Springs; three sons, John G. Walker and wife, Clarinda of Dalton, Georgia, Timothy J. Walker of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Steven J. Walker of Fly Creek; and six grandchildren, Bobbie Walker, Tim Walker, Matt Walker, David Walker, Emma Walker and John Walker.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Walker, who died in 1984; their son, Robert M. Walker who died in 1975; and her brother, Geary A. Wilmot, Jr. who died in 1997.

With respect for Catherine’s wishes, her services will be private.

She will be laid to rest with her family in Springfield Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the Walker family respectfully requests that memorial donations be directed to the Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 218, Fly Creek, NY 13337.

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

John B. Odell, Jr.

1961 - 2023

COOPERSTOWN – John Browning Odell, Jr., a man devoted to his family, his faith in God, and his community, passed away Monday morning, July 17, 2023, following a valiant battle with pneumonia. His wife and children were with him. He was 62.

Born July 9, 1961, in Sacramento, California, he was the son of the late John Browning Odell and Shirley Hartmann Odell Kirby.

When he was a toddler, the family moved back to Newport News in Tidewater Virginia, where generations of Odells lived. He attended Davidson College in North Carolina where he earned his degree in history. (He recently attended his 40th reunion and was a proud Wildcat.)

His love of history led him to the National Park Service where he was a park ranger at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, and then to the Curator’s Office at the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. He met Margaret “Peg” Schmid at the Senate. They married in 1992 and lived in Arlington, Virginia. While working at the Senate full-time he earned his Master’s in Museum Studies at George Washington University. After 14 years at the Senate, he read a job listing that merged his museum vocation with his lifelong passion for baseball.

As a result, John has served as Curator of History and Research for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for 24 years, working with great people and telling wonderful stories through print and exhibits. He was frequently told he had the best job, and he agreed.

John served his community in many ways. A faithful and dedicated member of Christ Church in Cooperstown, he was currently serving as Senior Warden. He participated in and then led a weekly 6 a.m. Men’s Bible Study for almost two decades. He had been a coach and board member for Cooperstown Youth Baseball. While he was an Orioles fan, he loved seeing any baseball game, at any level, especially when it was live and in person.

He had served on the Parks Board for Cooperstown, and on the board of Friends of the Parks for many years. He stepped back from volunteering in March 2020 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, which he fought bravely with the guidance of Bassett Healthcare and the caring people there. He was delighted to “ring the bell” marking the end of his chemotherapy in August 2022, and he and Peg celebrated with a trip to Portugal.

John loved the outdoors and instilled a love for it in his children. The family enjoyed hiking locally and on vacation. He was an excellent trivia player, crossword puzzle completer, and he grilled up excellent salmon.

John is survived by his wife, Peg Schmid Odell, of Cooperstown and their three children, Rebecca Louise Odell of Albany, John Floyd “Jack” Odell of Cooperstown, and Emrys Carleton Odell of Cooperstown. His family love him very much and will miss having such a thoughtful, funny, caring, and supportive husband and dad. He is further survived by a sister, Beth Odell Dunn of Newport News, Virginia, and a brother, Scott Odell and his partner Marci Kisling of Quinton, Virginia, as well as his wife’s mother, Ruth A. Schmid of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and Peg’s siblings, Barbara Schmid Heifetz and husband, Hal of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and William O. Schmid and wife, Lori of Allendale, New Jersey and their families, his aunt Nancy Hartmann Welker, and a stepfather, Douglas Kirby. He enjoyed spending time with family, including much loved cousins, at the holidays, in creeks, at the beach, and at Taff Family reunions.

Friends are welcome to pay their respects to the Odell family from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, July 24, 2023, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown. A service will be offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at Christ Church, 46 River Street in Cooperstown, with Father Nathan Ritter, Rector, officiating. Immediately following the funeral there will be a reception in the Parish Hall.

Interment will be private in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown, where John will be laid to rest near Fairy Spring, where he and his family enjoyed picnics, cooling off in the lake, and kayaking.

In lieu of flowers, John’s family respectfully requests that memorial donations be directed to Friends of the Parks, PO Box 1008, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

John would encourage each of us to take that trip, to enjoy a hike, to call a friend, to spend time with family, and to go see a ballgame.

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

Kenneth Parker

1943 - 2023

TODDSVILLE – Kenneth Parker, 80, of Cooperstown, New York, and a native of Moultrie, Georgia, passed away unexpectedly Thursday July 13, 2023.

Born April 2, 1943, in Moultrie, Georgia, Ken was the son of the late Hayward T. Parker and Myrtle Lee Harrell Parker.

For the past 39 years, Ken has shared his life with his wife, Barbie, of Cooperstown.

Kenneth is survived by his three daughters, Michelle and husband, Bobby Nuckles of Crestview, Florida, Alisa and husband, Dewayne Bruce of Moultrie, Georgia, and Kelly and husband, George Johnson of Cooperstown, New York, and grandchildren Christopher and Thierry Nuckles, Lora Grace and husband, Brett Bullard, Parker Bruce and Evie Johnson. He is also survived by two sisters, Fran Weber and Ava Lee Bush and husband, Harry Bush, two brothers, Larry Parker and Donnie Parker and wife, Carol Jean Parker, and a sister-in-law, Elaine Parker. He is further survived by many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his brother, Franklin L. Parker.

Roger Leo LeDuc

1961 - 2023

Roger Leo LeDuc, of Summit, New York, and a long-time resident of Panama City, Florida, passed away unexpectedly late Tuesday night, July 4, 2023, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. He was 61.

Born December 30, 1961, at Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County, Florida, he was a son of Joseph G. LeDuc, Sr. and Marie Rita Carrignan LeDuc.

He loved spending time with his family and also enjoyed landscaping. He was truly at his best as a fantastic cook and flapjack chef for over 30 years at local restaurants in Lynn Haven, Florida. In his leisure he loved to chill out by the lake and have a casual smoke with friends.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Rita R. Cox, and Joseph G. LeDuc, Sr. and a loving step parent, D.W. Cox; two sisters, Teresa LeDuc and Louise Rice; and two brothers, Jerry LeDuc and Victor LeDuc.

Roger is survived by his amazing, beautiful and loving wife of 30 years, Melinda LeDuc of Summit, New York and Panama City, Florida. He also leaves behind his loving children who cherish his memory: Robert LeDuc and wife, Amanda, of Hamilton, New York, Johnny LeDuc and Tamara of Williamsburg, Ohio, Tabitha Stovall of Panama City, Florida, Matthew Poole, Brittney Coburn, Mary, and Randi and husband, Robert, as well as 15 beloved grandchildren, Georgia, Airiana, Jaxson, Emery, Tyler, Johnny, Jasmine, Damahri, Alana, Calib, Bentley, Jayden, Jameson, Caden and Elijah. He is further survived by a loving brother, David R. LeDuc and wife, Pat, of Summit, New York, and a little sister, Diane R. Bois and husband, John, of Panama City, Florida, and numerous nieces and nephews and great nephews who are loved. He also leaves behind his beloved dog and faithful friend, Buddy.

He will be laid to rest in Mount Hope Cemetery in Lynn Haven, Florida.

Roger left a legacy here on earth to cherish his love. Until we meet again, rest in peace.