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Obituary

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Donn Medd Gaebelein

Prepared by the Gaebelein family

Donn Medd Gaebelein passed away peacefully at his home on Oct. 9, at the age of 96. He was born July 12, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, to Frank Ely Gaebelein and Dorothy (Medd) Gaebelein.

Donn graduated from The Stony Brook School in 1945 and from Princeton University in 1949, later obtaining a master’s degree from Columbia University.

He was married to the love of his life, Norma Louise Allen. Their devoted 72-year marriage inspired all who knew them. Donn yearned to be with his predeceased wife, Norma, and daughter, Paula Seligson, and is now in the eternal embrace of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Donn was noble in character and humble by nature. A deeply committed Christian, serving Jesus Christ was the main focus of his personal and professional life. Throughout his distinguished career in education as a teacher, coach and administrator, Donn served as headmaster and president of two premier private college preparatory schools for more than 30 years. His leadership was characterized by humble service to others, and the number of students and colleagues who regarded him as a mentor is legion. As head of school, Donn was a realist and strategic thinker, always with an eye to the future.

As headmaster of The Stony Brook School, Donn guided the school through the turbulent 1960s, increasing diversity and overseeing the inclusion of young women in co-education. Later, in Atlanta, Georgia, as president of The Westminster Schools, he actively promoted a diverse staff, faculty and student body. He established a substantial endowment and improved the physical plant.

In retirement, Donn served as treasurer of the Rock Stream Presbyterian Church and oversaw the Rock Stream Cemetery. Up to the day he passed, Donn began every day with devotions. He was a lifelong reader and scholar of scripture, literature, history and current events. Just days before his passing, he recited stanzas from memory of his favorite poem, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” by Thomas Gray.

An avid sports lover, baseball and golf were his passions. He was a lifelong scratch golfer — shooting a 78 at age 90.

Donn is survived by his daughter Laura Mantius (Peter), son Thad Gaebelein (Elektra), son Frank Gaebelein, former daughter-in-law Monika Gaebelein, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Those who wish to remember Donn in a special way may make gifts in his memory to the Food Bank of Southern Tier, 388 Upper Oakwood Ave., Elmira, NY 14903, (607) 796-6061.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family next summer. Arrangements are entrusted to Baird Funeral Home, 36 Water St., Dundee, NY. Online condolences can be sent by visiting www.bairdfuneralhomedundee.com.

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Kathryn Reeves (right) with loved ones. Courtesy Reeves family

Prepared by the Reeves Family

Kathryn T. Reeves, a lifelong resident of Port Jefferson until recently, died Sunday, Sept. 8 while visiting family in Pennsylvania. She was 79.

Kathy graduated from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School and earned a degree in accounting from Dowling College. She spent most of her career as an accountant with the CPA firm Michael J. Berger & Co. in Ronkonkoma.

Her father, the late Honorable Charles R. Thom, was Suffolk County’s first police commissioner. Her mother, the late Dorothy Thom (née Lee), was a homemaker and a descendant of Thomas Lee, one of Connecticut’s earliest settlers.

Kathy was a talented pianist, artist, singer and seamstress. She was a member of Bay Area Friends of the Arts and performed annually with the Choral Society of Moriches in their holiday presentation of Handel’s Messiah.

She loved gardening and dancing. Kathy was also a golfer and a longtime member of the Heatherwood Women’s Golf Club.

A single mother who balanced raising two children, working full time and attending night school, she married the love of her life, Michael Reeves, on June 29, 1985. Together, they built a lasting union founded on respect, friendship and love.

A memorial service will be held at Bryant Funeral Home in Setauket on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life and share cherished memories.

Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home of Setauket. Visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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Edward Smith

Prepared by the Smith Family

Edward J. Smith Jr., 95, of Northport, died Sept. 10.

He was the beloved husband of the late Joan C. Smith (née Quigley.) He is survived by his loving children Suzie Smith, Cindy Latchford, Kevin Smith and Keith (Kathy) Smith. He was the cherished grandfather of Bryan and Dylan Latchford, Christine Orfei, Jenni, Katie, Heath, Meghan, Ryan and Shannon Smith, and the dear great-grandfather of Teagan and Jack Latchford, Cormac, Rowan and Winnie Orfei.

He was also a dear brother to Walter (Lorraine) Smith and the late Gloria Mae Schafer.

The proceedings were held by Nolan Funeral Home, in Northport.

He will be greatly missed.

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Howell E. Leming

Prepared by the Leming family

Howell E. Leming, a 55-year resident of Stony Brook and one of the first graduate students at Stony Brook University, died May 28, at 90.

Leming was born in Chicago where his father was a doctor at Hines Veterans Hospital. He spent his early years in La Grange Park, Illinois before his family returned to his father’s home state of Arkansas. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1951 and from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1955 with a degree in chemistry. In college, he was a cadet in the Army ROTC Chemical Corps.

Leming attended graduate school in physics at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri then followed his adviser, Alexander Pond, to become one of the first graduate students at the State University of New York at Oyster Bay (now Planting Fields). When the Stony Brook campus opened in 1962, he was among its first graduate students during its early years of mud and scaffolding. Like many students, he rented an apartment in Port Jefferson. In 1969, he moved to Stony Brook where he lived for the rest of his life.

He worked for many years in the publishing and printing industries, first as an editor at Prentice Hall and Exxon’s publications division and then in sales for Mergenthaler Linotype Company and Hell Graphic Systems, a printing equipment firm owned by Siemens. His career spanned the transition from hot type letterpress mechanical typesetting to the desktop publishing revolution and the dawn of the internet age.

Leming was a true gentleman and a Renaissance man, educated in the sciences with a deep love for history and literature. He had a way with words both spoken and written and read widely—from Xenophon and Caesar to A.A. Milne and Chinua Achebe. He was a font of knowledge, a gentle man and a true gentleman. Ave atque vale.

He is survived by his children Mary Claire of Stony Brook and Nicholas Reynolds of the United Kingdom, as well as five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wives Christine Reynolds and Beatrice Willard Leming.

After retirement, Leming spent many happy hours in local libraries. Donations in his memory may be made to the Port Jefferson Free Library, 100 Thompson St., Port Jefferson, NY 11777 (portjefflibrary.org) or the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket, NY 11733 (emmaclark.org).

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 490 North Country Road, St. James, 11780.

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John Leahy

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John J. Leahy Jr., 79, of Selden, passed away on Sept. 22.

He was born Dec. 30, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, to the Honorable John J. Leahy and Catherine Ryan Leahy. John grew up in both Southampton and Astoria, graduating from All Hallows High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fordham University.

John had a distinguished career as a senior sales account manager for Coca-Cola and Cablevision until his retirement in 2010. He also proudly served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

An avid sports enthusiast, John was passionate about all sports and was a devoted fan of the New York Yankees and New York Giants. He loved barbecuing and treasured time with his family, especially during their yearly trips to Woodloch Pines in Pennsylvania. Known for his great sense of humor, he kept friends and family laughing throughout the years and was affectionately called “Bud” by those closest to him.

John enjoyed dining at his favorite restaurants, Paces Steakhouse and The Elbow Room, and had a lifelong love for the Rolling Stones.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Pamela; his three children, Heather Leahy, Christina Leahy Gregory and Brian Leahy Jessica; and his three adored grandchildren, Brielle Leahy, Ethan Gregory and Jameson Leahy.

Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home of Setauket. Visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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Anthony Stanziale

Prepared by the Stanziale family

Anthony Stanziale of Setauket passed away on Sept. 16, at the age of 90 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was born in Brooklyn to Thomas and Jean Stanziale on Oct. 21, 1933.

He is survived by his two children, Karen and Laurie Stanziale; his three brothers, Eugene, Thomas Jr. and John Stanziale; his wife, Carol; his two stepchildren, Gabrielle McAndrews and Michael Pisano; and his four step grandchildren, Lane Lofaso, Nicholas Lofaso, Kayla Pisano and Asli Pisano.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carole, and his brother, Henry.

Anthony spent his career as an aeronautical engineer at Grumman Aerospace, where he contributed to the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. An avid golfer, he was also a longtime member of UNICO National, a national Italian American service organization.

Memorial donations to Alzheimer’s research in Anthony’s memory would be deeply appreciated. Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home of East Setauket. Please visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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Naomi (Hirschfeld) Solo

Prepared by the Solo Family

Naomi Solo died peacefully at her home on Sept. 23. One of her favorite movies was “Harold and Maude,” a fitting reflection of her spirit with its themes of celebrating life with love, humorand a great soundtrack. She touched many lives, and we will always remember her smile.

Naomi Hirschfeld was born in New Jersey on Dec. 3, 1937. Boston became a central part of her life — not just because she attended Boston University and became a lifelong Red Sox fan, but because it was there that she met her husband, Richard Solo, on an auspicious Friday the 13th (which our family always viewed as lucky).

She is survived by her three children, David, Michael and his wife Susan, and Julie, as well as her sister Karen Ralston, stepsister Isabel Pestronk and countless friends.

She was caring. A fixture in the Port Jefferson community since 1970, she ran the teen center — where she honed her ping-pong skills — and the senior citizen program, organizing annual St. Patrick’s Day outings to Tara’s. She also led the arts and crafts festival in downtown Port Jefferson and later contributed to the village’s Go Green efforts. In 2011, she was named Port Jefferson’s Woman of the Year.

She was curious. She instilled in her family a love of adventure — driving overnight to watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain in Maine, schlepping to Randall’s Island to see the New York Cosmos, and making a last-minute trip to Central Park for the historic Simon and Garfunkel concert. Her curiosity took her around the world, from a cross-country honeymoon road trip to regular trips to London. She made friends everywhere and kept in touch with nearly all of them.

She was musical. Our house was always filled with music, including the piano, recorders and guitar that she and our father played. They were close friends with the owners of a folk music record label, whose visits brought sea shanties and musicians into our living room. In her final months, she would still smile and sing along while watching “A Hard Day’s Night.”

She was sharp. Her business degree from BU served her well in her work at Macy’s after college and later in marketing at Danfords Hotel in Port Jefferson. A devoted “Jeopardy!” fan, she watched almost daily.

She had a way with words, whether solving The New York Times crossword puzzle or composing poems for family occasions. She and our neighbor, Ma Gull, often spent nights playing Scrabble together.

She was joyful. Whether on the tennis court, eating sushi, or watching birds, she found joy in almost every moment—and maintained her humor and positivity throughout her life.

A friend in England once shared a story that perfectly captured her spirit: “We were on the Millennium Wheel when she completely transformed the slightly dour atmosphere by leaping from side to side, chatting with everyone. By the time we ‘landed,’ we were all practically best friends. It was magic.”

She will be greatly missed.

At Naomi’s funeral, her family asked for donations to be made to Frank Melville Memorial Park and the Port Jefferson Harbor Education & Arts Conservancy, in lieu of flowers.

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Maureen Zuk

Prepared by the Zuk Family

Maureen Kelly Zuk, an educator, counselor and personal coach from Naples, Florida, and formerly of Port Jefferson Station, passed away on Sept. 13.

She was born on April 7, 1942, in New York City to the late James Bartholomew and Anne Rita Kelly.

Maureen’s teaching career spanned New York City; San Jose, California; and Ludwigsburg, Germany. Among her many achievements, she was twice awarded the San Jose Mercury News Teacher of the Year. She held degrees from Marymount Manhattan College and the New York University Graduate School.

A passionate advocate for science, technology and the arts, Maureen was active in various multicultural and educational communities, leaving a lasting legacy in each.

She was predeceased by her husband, John Zuk, Ph.D., an engineer at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, and by her sister Dorothy Kuveke. She is survived by her siblings Joan and Jim Kelly and a loving extended family of nieces, nephews and their children.

Though Maureen is no longer with us, her spirit and the love she shared will endure in the hearts of those she influenced. She will be remembered with warmth, love and gratitude.

A funeral Mass took place on Monday, Sept. 23 at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton Beach.

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Susan Romanelli

Prepared by the Romanelli family

Susan Romanelli was born on Oct. 25, 1949, in Mineola. Shortly after her birth, she moved with her parents, Charlotte and Thomas Tabosky, a combat veteran, to their new Levitt home in Hicksville. She attended Fork Lane School where she was classmates with Billy Joel. Susan became a big sister in 1959 when her brother Tom was born. She had an active childhood and was a member of the local pool’s swim team.

In 1965, after climbing the bleachers to attend the sold-out annual Labor Day Firemen’s Tournament held at Mid Island Plaza, she met her future husband, Jim. She invited him to her Sweet 16 where her grandmother predicted their future nuptials. After the Sweet 16, Jim called and asked her out on two dates: the movies and an upcoming school dance featuring Billy Joel’s band. Thankfully, the first date went well, beginning a long romance.

After graduating from Hicksville High School in 1967, Susan attended Mt. Sinai School of Nursing. Jim was at Stony Brook so they met on weekends and loved attending the many concerts and basketball games at Stony Brook. They were fortunate to see many outstanding performances including The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Who and Jefferson Airplane. In 1970, Susan achieved her dream when she received her RN. That summer, she landed her first job at Nassau Hospital.

Susan and Jim married on June 19, 1971, and in 1974, they moved into their home in East Setauket. In 1975, Susan began working at Mather Hospital and was appointed head nurse in the busy ER on the 3 to 11 p.m. shift. She became acquainted with a group of neurologists and, in 1978, started working in their office, which had one of the first CAT scans.

Life changed in 1980 when Paul was born in May. Susan became a full-time mom and worked part-time in a surgeon’s office, home nursing and weekends in the ER. On Jan. 1, 1983, Christopher joined the family. The two boys kept the family busy with soccer games, Little League and skiing in the winter.

In 1993, Susan returned to full-time nursing when she became a school nurse at a local elementary school. She often said the ER prepared her for school nursing. In her position, she cared for several medically fragile students and quickly gained the admiration of the school community. She also became president of the Nurses’ Association.

Her family continued to grow with the addition of her first grandson, Ari, born in 2005 to Christopher’s family. Paul married in 2009 and welcomed twin boys, Clark and Malcolm, in 2013 and Phineas in 2016.

Susan and Jim retired in 2010, skiing in the winter and traveling in the fall and spring. Their fall trips were to national parks and their spring trips included several river cruises in Europe where Susan fell in love with Paris and Barcelona.

Susan’s passions, besides her family, included gardening, skiing, reading, working out and traveling. Her calm, quiet demeanor served her well in all the roles she played in life. Her favorite saying, “It is what it is,” also guided her through life. She loved living at The Village Walk where she was adored by staff and fellow residents. She always had a smile on her face.

Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home in Setauket. Please visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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Robert Hendry

Prepared by the Hendry Family

After graduating from Northport High School, Robert Keith Hendry continued to live in Northport while working for several decades at Sperry Rand Corp. and Huntington Jeep. Following his mother’s death in 2015, he moved to Florida to be near his brother Jim and wife Irene in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Bob was a lifelong Yankees fan but embraced the Mets in the last 10 years. He loved decorating the exterior of his home for holidays, especially Christmas and Halloween. He was an avid fan of classic television and film, particularly from the 1940s to the early 1970s with a special fondness for Westerns. A car enthusiast, he could identify all makes and models from the past 70 years by sight. When his nieces and nephews were young, he loved taking them to Northport Sweet Shop, local bagel and candy stores and especially Adventureland Amusement Park.

Bob cherished his picturesque hometown of Northport with its quaint downtown, harbor, dock and park. His favorite season was summer when boats and small yachts would fill the harbor. He loved bringing his mother to enjoy it with him.

He is survived by his brother Jim and wife Irene; his sister-in-law Celeste Mansfield and husband Don; his nieces and nephews: Erica Hendry (and husband Max Steinmetz), James E. Hendry (and wife Arianna), Ryan Hendry and Kimberly Woods (and husband Geoff); six grandnieces and nephews as well as many cousins and friends.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport. A religious service will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the funeral home followed by burial at St. Philip Neri Cemetery in East Northport.

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