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Obituary

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uard Elijah Olaniyi in action against Yale on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Olaniyi passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27 after a battle with brain cancer. Photo by Emma Harris/Statesman file

By George Caratzas 

Elijah Olaniyi, a former star for the Stony Brook University men’s basketball team died on Thursday, Feb. 27 after an on-and-off battle with brain cancer. He was 26.

More than 15 months ago, Olaniyi was diagnosed with a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain. After undergoing three different surgeries to remove it, it was revealed that the tumor had been cancerous. Olaniyi went through radiation therapy and declared himself cancer-free on Feb. 27, 2024. Late in 2024, Olaniyi was once again hospitalized, as the cancer returned.

Olaniyi was recruited out of Newark East Side High School in Newark, N.J., and lost his mother, Ruth Olaniyi, just two days after arriving at Stony Brook in 2017. Across four years with the Seawolves, Olaniyi distinguished himself as one of the best players in program history, averaging 12.2 points per game.

Nonetheless, he excelled on the court, serving as the sixth man for the Seawolves as a freshman. Appearing in every one of Stony Brook’s 32 games, Olaniyi averaged 7.8 points per game, on the way to being named the America East Conference’s Rookie of the Year.

He then took the next step forward as a sophomore, becoming a full-time starter and continuing his dominance. His production jumped, as he averaged 12.3 points per game and was named to the All-America East Third Team in the 2018-2019 season. His junior year proved to be his most fruitful, as he averaged 18.0 points per game. After his stellar 2019-2020 campaign, he was awarded with a selection to the All-America East First Team. 

The next year, Olaniyi took his talents south, transferring to the University of Miami for his senior year. After moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Olaniyi still found some success as he was good for 10.5 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA gave Olaniyi an additional year of eligibility, which he used to return to the north shore of Long Island for a graduate season as he pursued a degree in Business Management. 

In his final year of college basketball, Olaniyi dealt with a knee injury which sidelined him in the third game of the Seawolves’ season. Even upon returning to the court, Olaniyi took time off throughout the year to deal with mental health issues, something doctors later attributed to the tumor which they believe began to form during the 2021-2022 season.

After leaving Stony Brook, Olaniyi moved overseas, where he tried launching a professional career with the Basket-Ball Club Sparta Bertrange in Luxembourg. He played well in Europe during the 2022-2023 season, but was forced to medically retire on Dec. 6, 2023. 

In a statement to Stony Brook’s Statesman, Stony Brook Athletics said “We are completely shattered by the news of Elijah’s passing. Not only was Elijah a beloved member of our Seawolves family, he was a son, brother and friend who gave so much of himself to so many. Throughout his battle with cancer, he displayed the competitiveness and courage that he displayed on the basketball court. Although Elijah’s brave fight has peacefully come to an end, his legacy and the memories he left behind will endure forever.”

During their game against Hofstra the night of his passing, current members of the Seawolves wore a heart-shaped patch with the letter “E” in the center in Olaniyi’s honor. In emotional fashion, Stony Brook won that game over its cross-island rival by a final score of 59-56. 

“It’s hard because those of us that know Elijah and were part of his career and life, it’s difficult because he’s a kid, he’s a young man,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame press conference. “We knew it was coming because he had been battling this illness. He hung in there way longer than what was advertised, which was no shock because of the competitor and a warrior he was as a player.”

Olaniyi is survived by his father Festus, and five siblings: Samson, Gabriel, David, Esther and Hannah. 

George Caratzas is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

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Dr. Arthur Leonard Graff, FACS, of Scranton, N.C. passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, March 1. He  was 80 years old.

Arthur Leonard Graff

Dr. Graff was born in Brooklyn on Sept. 21, 1944, to the late Joseph and Doris Andersen Graff. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 33 years, Marnette Travia Graff. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law: Robert Graff and his wife Jennifer of Bloomington, Minn.; Matthew Graff of Newcastle, Maine, and his first wife, Dorothy Dreasen Graff; and Sean Burk of Belhaven, N.C.; as well as grandchildren Rachel Graff, Ella Graff, Kevin Graff and Ryan Graff and his fiancée Katie Cronin. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Graff.

Dr. Graff was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon for thirty years who started a four-man practice on Long Island where he also participated in cleft palate clinics and performed hand microsurgery. He was co-owner of a Port Jefferson restaurant where he learned to love cooking. After moving to North Carolina in 1996, Dr. Graff continued practicing medicine in Belhaven, where he gained coverage approval from the state of North Carolina for Medicaid patients with reconstructive needs. He also worked in the Emergency Department at Pungo District and Washington County hospitals.

Dr. Graff took pleasure in hunting in the Catskills and in his hunt club in North Carolina, deep-sea fishing around the world and attending the sporting events of his children and grandchildren. In retirement he enjoyed Nascar and F-1 racing, and would often be found walking his dogs along the Pungo River. In Hyde County, he was a member of the Scranton Volunteer Fire Department and served on various committees and boards throughout Eastern North Carolina. He traveled to many foreign countries with his wife but always looked forward to returning home to Scranton, a place he came to love. A devoted and supportive grandfather, he also cherished the friendships he made and kept in New York, North Carolina and England.

The family gratefully extends their thanks to the caring staff of Amedisys Hospice who allowed Arthur to spend his last days at his home, especially Kristen Battershell, RN, and Hattie Dixon.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Scranton Fire Department at 5224 Sladesville Credle Rd., Scranton, NC  27875.

Arrangements are by Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter.

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Lilly Horner

Lilly Horner, of Centerport, passed away on Feb. 21, at 89 years of age. She was the beloved mother of Christian (Carolyn) Horner; loving grandmother of Michael (Carson Newton) Horner, Thomas (Dani) Brennan and Catherine Horner; and dear sister of Gunnhildur Sugurdardottir, Nannabjorg Sigurdardottir and the late Bergsveinn Sigurdsson.

Visiting hours were held at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport on Feb. 24. Cremation was private. Donations in Lilly’s name may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project ( www.woundedwarriorproject.org).

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Madeline C. Smith

Madeline C. Smith, of Kings Park, formerly of East Northport, passed away on Feb. 18 at 95 years of age.

She was the beloved wife of the late Warren and loving mother of Nancy Petit, Lisa Meinecke, Peggy Ann Smith, and the late Robert Smith; the cherished grandmother of Jennifer Fargnoli, Ryan Smith, Gina Neary, Kelly Brady, Steven Meinecke, and Katie Kostuk and the devoted great grandmother of Kira, Alyssa, Lea, Lindsay, Madeline and Layla. She was the dear sister of Marion Bopp.

The Funeral Mass was held at Feb. 28 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in East Northport. Cremation was private.

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Michael Piersa. Photo courtesy Nolan Funeral Home

Michael Piersa, of East Northport, passed away on Feb. 27 at 61 years of age.

Piersa was the beloved son of Patricia and the late George M. Piersa, the loving brother of Theresa, Apel, Barbara Piersa and John Piersa and the dear uncle of Jonathan, James, Kaitlin, Ashley, Jacqueline and Mikayla. He was great uncle to Arriana and Emma.

Visiting to take place Tuesday, March 4, from 5-8 p.m. at Nolan Funeral Home, 5 Laurel Ave, Northport. Family and friends will gather at the funeral home Wednesday, March 5,  at 10 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. prayer service with Friar Valentine officiating. A burial will follow at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Michael’s memory to People’s Arc of Suffolk would be greatly appreciated.

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Barbara Muttitt Thomas

Barbara Louise Muttitt Thomas, age 93, of Brentwood, NY, died on Feb. 10. The cause of death was heart failure.

Born March 22, 1931, in Port Jefferson, Thomas was the daughter of the late John S. Muttitt and Ruth Schmeelk Muttitt. She was married to Charles L. Thomas (deceased) with whom she had three children. They later divorced. She lived in the Setauket area most of her life and used the surroundings of the area as subjects of her paintings. Thomas developed quite a talent. Her artwork is prized by her family and friends. In 1984 she moved to Hartwell, GA, to be near her mother.  She was a secretary for the Department of Art at the University of Georgia, Athens. In 1992, she returned to Setauket to help care for her daughter’s two young boys.  She was a longtime member of Setauket United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and led Bible studies.

Thomas is survived by two sons, Glenn Thomas of Santa Clara, UT, and Mark Thomas of Heathsville, VA; sisters, Lillian Muttitt of Patchogue, and Shirley Kowalski of Hartwell, GA; and by grandsons Jared Thomas, Charlie Thomas, Peter Steinert and Kristopher Steinert.  She was preceded in death by daughter Sharon Thomas Steinert of Setauket and brother Dennis Muttitt of Hartwell, GA.

Thomas donated her body to the medical school at SUNY, Stony Brook. A memorial service will be held at Setauket United Methodist Church in May.

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Jean Prysock

Jean Prysock, who passed away on June 28, 2024 at the age of 97 in North Carolina, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy and The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook is a big part of that story. Prysock, who was married to jazz great Arthur Prysock, was never one to take a back seat and embodied the old adage that if “you want something done, give it to a busy person.”

Her life was full with volunteer work and helping others. In her later years she became a key spark in establishing The Jazz Loft (TJL). As a founding board member, Prysock worked with founder and president Tom Manuel, attending initial meetings with The Ward Melville Heritage Organization board and their President, Gloria Rocchio, as the idea of TJL became a reality.

Tom Manuel and Jean Prysock

“Jean tirelessly worked public relations for The Jazz Loft when we first opened in 2014,” Manuel said. “She donated her husband’s archives and that was a big addition to our collections. It opened the door for others that followed. She was an incredible mentor to me, and a real pioneer in so many shapes and forms, and more importantly, one of my dearest friends.”

Born and raised in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, Prysock graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School, receiving awards for her dedication to others and her athletic abilities. 

Prysock was married to Arthur for 49 years. The couple met at the Savoy nightclub, where Arthur was performing with the Buddy Johnson Band. 

“My dad thought my mom would be an easy pickup, but she wasn’t,” laughed daughter Jeanartta. But Prysock’s best friend Gloria was dating Arthur’s brother and that made for an introduction.

They were married on June 6, 1948.

They bought their first home in Jamaica, N.Y. Arthur and Prysock loved to entertain and their home was known for great parties, good food and the best BBQ around. Christmas Eve parties were Prysock’s specialty and people came from far and wide, which eventually required her to transform the party into a ticketed dinner-dance.

Following Arthur’s death in 1997, Prysock did not slow down, filling her days with a variety of volunteer opportunities and positions on advisory boards.

Prysock volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in St. Albans, Goldwater Hospital and Harlem Hospital. Prysock organized shows for the patients at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, featuring her talented husband. She was active in the PTA at P.S. 140 in Queens. She eventually received a position on the P.S. 140 Board of Education, and headed the Higher Horizons program.

In addition to her school and community work, the sport of bowling called. For 22 years Prysock volunteered at Cardinal Lanes, and had a league of young bowlers known as the Prysock Junior Bowlers. Bowling became a big part of her life. Through communication with Charlie Venable, a pro bowler, she got involved with the pro bowlers at Paramus Lanes, becoming a sponsor of the team The Prysock Five.  Jean was the first female recipient of an award for dedication to the world of bowling.

“You couldn’t tell my mom ‘no’ to anything,” remembers Jeanartta. “That just made her more determined. She would find a way.”

When a local Portuguese family suffered a house fire resulting in the death of several children, Jean organized a fundraising effort to raise money so that the family could relocate to a new home. 

Even though the community was divided by race, income and ethnicity, Jean brought everyone together and not only raised enough money for the family to buy a new home, but she also organized an interracial-interfaith group hoping to bring better understanding between all people. 

The National Conference of Christians and Jews presented her the Ambassador of Good Will award and she was also recognized by local professional business groups and was named to the Nassau County Advisory Board of Volunteers Services.

Prysock leaves behind two daughters, Jeanartta and Jeanine; grandchildren Jara, Arthur, and Jeanisha; and great grandchildren Kiya, Kaily, and Hibiki..

Prysock’s motto was “Respect yourself and others will do the same. And remember no one owes you anything. Learn to love, learn to be better and the world will become a better place to live. When you help someone else up the hill, you help yourself.

JEAN

Jean

Am I just dreaming 

Or is it so

You are an angel

A glow

If I should awaken would you be there? 

Queen of my castle

In the air

You’re my inspiration and to hold you near

When I need consolation

You count every fear

Then

Jean, you make my life seem

Just like a dream

Please say you will always be my Jean

 Please say you will always be my Jean

Please say you will always Be my Jean

Just my Jean

– By Arthur Prysock

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Rolone “Lonie” Polhemus passed away peacefully in Huntington, New York on Feb. 16. She is survived by her sons, Sidney, Bradford and Tyler; nieces Stacey, Heather, Wendy and Bonnie; nephew Lindsey; grandchildren Jessica and Kyle; and great grandchildren James and Judah. She is predeceased by her husband, Sidney Polhemus; parents William and Opal DeRolf; and sisters Marvis Fast and Ardyn Hontz.

Growing up in Floral Park, New York, Polhemus was both of her time and ahead of her time. She loved music of the 40’s and adored watching and playing sports, so much so that she studied physical education at Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania. Later on, by working in her father’s book and greeting card store, she gained the experience of working in a retail establishment and a love of learning – both of which would ultimately play major roles in her life.

Upon marrying Sid Polhemus, Polhemus moved to Centerport, New York and became, in her words, “Martha Stewart before there was a Martha Stewart” with various creative projects that once a year included some rather memorable Halloween costumes for her sons.

Some years later, the family moved to Dayville, Connecticut and Polhemus’ family began a new chapter in their lives. Polhemus quickly became well-known to her sons’ teachers for her commitment to their education and her refreshing, outspoken nature.

While Polhemus possessed an often spicy sense of humor, she was also a shrewd, determined businesswoman. With her husband Sid, Polhemus started The Bargain Sleuth, a surprisingly sophisticated local boutique store business in Northeastern Connecticut’s Quiet Corner in 1974. Polhemus was not only able to continue the business after her husband’s untimely death in 1979, but successfully expanded it to multiple locations.

After closing the business in 1997, Polhemus pushed the envelope of what it meant to be retired and continued her interest in art, history and ancient cultures with many courses at Quinebaug Valley Community College as part of the Learning in Retirement (LIR) program. Via Books on Tape, Lonie also was an avid reader and belonged to a book club where she kept up with the latest in fiction.

Although she struggled with vision at times in life, she maintained an astonishing eye for color, clothing and jewelry and her creativity and worldly outlook inspired many.

Polhemus was an original – forward-thinking, forever curious, resourceful, unconventional, a savvy bridge player, and generous to a fault – but she will always be especially remembered fondly for her quick, colorful, irreverent wit.

A celebration of Polhemus and her life will be held later this year in the Huntington, New York area.

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Bernadette Bergholm

Bernadette Bergholm of Northport died on Feb. 4 at 87 years of age. She was the beloved mom of David Bergholm, Gary, Lorraine Rossi,and the late Stephen; the loving grandma of Stephen Jr., Anthony, Ryan, Hailey, Jack and the late Kyle; and the cherished great grandmother of Stephen. She is predeceased by her dear sisters Baby Mae, Catherine Wilhelm and Margaret Dolan-Lief.

Bergholm worked for 35 plus years in the real estate industry for several local Real Estate firms as a broker and most recently Douglas Elliman in Cold Spring Harbor.

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Ronald Barry Strasberg was born in Syracuse in 1942 and grew up in Carle Place, Long Island. A gifted athlete, he excelled in baseball, football, basketball and track and field, earning a place in the Carle Place High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also one of the fastest men in New York State, competing in the prestigious Penn Relays. 

Ronald Barry Strasberg

After graduating in 1960, he was offered a football scholarship as a running back at Ohio State but chose Brown University for its academics, where he played rugby.

Strasberg went on to have a successful career as a pilot, flying for Eastern Airlines, later Trump Shuttle, and ending his career with the U.S. Air. He loved being in the skies and took great pride in his work.

Beyond his professional and athletic achievements, Strasberg was known for his charm, quick wit and kindness. He had a sharp mind, an insatiable curiosity and a love for words—famously completing the New York Times Sunday crossword in under an hour, always in ink. 

In his adult life, he was also an accomplished tennis player, winning multiple championships throughout the 1970s and 1980s at the Old Field Club and the Three Village Tennis Club on Long Island. At the age of 40, he became a top-five tennis player on the East Coast.

Whether on the court, in the cockpit or among friends and family, Ron approached life with passion and dedication.

He was married to Patti Hopper Strasberg for 58 years. Strasberg’s love for his wife was unwavering and deep, and together they created a beautiful life full of memories, laughter and mutual respect. He was a devoted father to his two sons, Michael and Robert Strasberg, and a proud grandfather to six wonderful grandchildren, who have inherited many of his best qualities.

Strasberg passed away Feb 2. after 13 years with Alzheimer’s disease. His legacy of friendship, good humor and warmth will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

If you would like to make a donation in his memory please consider,

Alzheimer Dementia Resource center ADRCcares.org or Share The Care HelpForCaregivers.org

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