Dr. Stephen Brodsky of Lake Grove, formerly of East Setauket, died Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. He was 84.
Brodsky was a retired physician. He met his wife, Judy, at Adelphi College, and they married during his first year of medical school. He graduated from Chicago Medical School and completed his residency at Albany Medical Center, followed by two years in the Air Force, stationed in Hawaii. After finishing his residency at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, Brodsky and Judy moved to Setauket with their three children, where they lived until recently. Six years ago, they downsized and relocated to Lake Grove.
Brodsky knew he wanted to be a doctor from a young age; it was his true passion. He loved helping people, and even after retiring, he remained available to assist others. He was a respected member of the medical community.
Brodsky is survived by his wife, Judy; daughter, Sharon; sons, Kenny and David; six grandchildren, Sophia, Alexander, Jonah, Max, Sam and Nathan; and his brother, Nick.
Donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in his memory.
Barbara R. Mohar passed away on Aug. 20, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She was a beloved piano teacher and college music professor, dedicating more than 40 years to teaching hundreds of students at her home in Stony Brook, and teaching music history at Long Island University.
Known for her creative spirit, generosity and tenacity, Mohar was a charismatic force who always found beauty in her surroundings and in the arts. Her love of painting, music, gardening and animals reflected her deep appreciation for all things beautiful. She cherished her piano students as if they were family, leaving a lasting impact through her dedication and generosity.
Mohar was featured in Newsday and The Village Times Herald for her imaginative teaching style, transforming her Stony Brook home into a theater for her annual “piano plays.” These productions brought music to life, casting each student as a character with costumes, dialogue and choreography.
In addition to her private teaching, Mohar was an adjunct music professor for over 30 years at Long Island University where she received the “Excellence in Teaching” award. She also served as program director for the Suffolk County Music Guild, was a music specialist for the Creative Learning Program of the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education and was a board member of The Friends of Sunwood.
A lifelong painter, Mohar filled the walls of her sunroom with paintings of animals, landscapes and flowers, many inspired by her own garden.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mohar studied at the Dana School of Music until she married and relocated to New York City with her musician husband, who was attending the Juilliard School of Music. She later earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from C.W. Post College in Greenvale, graduating with highest honors.
Mohar is survived by her son Brian (Diane) of New Kingston; daughters Victoria (Imade Sudana) of Acton, Massachusetts and Allison Fabella (Ted) of Atlanta, Georgia; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and her ex-husband Conrad Mohar, with whom she remained close.
In addition to a private family service in Upstate New York in September, a casual gathering will be held on Friday, Sept. 20, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Eastern Pavilion Chinese restaurant in Setauket. Friends and students are welcome to share memories and raise a glass in her honor. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mohar’s memory may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a cause dear to her.
Priscilla Ewer Pratt of Port Jefferson, died peacefully on July 31. She was 83.
Priscilla was born on March 21, 1941, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Edmund Addison Pratt and Priscilla Swint Ewer. She graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois with a B.A. in English, earned a Master of Library Science from Rutgers University, and an M.A. in English from SUNY Stony Brook.
Priscilla had a long career as a librarian spanning nearly 54 years in college libraries across Long Island, most recently at Suffolk County Community College, where she worked part-time well into her 80s.
Her love of books was extraordinary, and her intellectual curiosity was lifelong. She excelled at languages, loved poetry and the classics, and participated in book clubs throughout her life. Priscilla also enjoyed writing, history, genealogy, art and nature.
She wrote and published two novels and composed award-winning poetry. Additionally, she played the piano and was an enthusiastic concertgoer and choir member.
Priscilla is survived by her brother, George, and nieces, Cindy, Kathy, Beth, Wendy and Sophie, as well as their families. An inurnment ceremony was held at Caroline Episcopal Church in East Setauket on Sunday, Aug. 11.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Nature Conservancy or the New York Public Library.
Edward G. Leahey. Courtesy The Island Funeral Home & Crematory
Prepared by Leahey family
Edward G. Leahey passed away on Aug. 6 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, at the age of 87.
Ed was born in Far Rockaway, and grew up in Hollis. He attended Cortland State Teachers College. After graduation, he entered the Marine Corps, where he became an officer, and served in both California and the Far East. Following his military service, he became the director of physical education and athletics, at Suffolk County Community College.
Ed later worked in the shipbuilding industry, with E.W. Hazard Associates, and, later, became the owner of a small resort, the Whiteface Chalet, located in Wilmington.
He was involved with local attractions, businesses and sports — even going so far as to serving, along with his wife, Linda, as an official in both the World Cup and the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.”
After selling the chalet, Ed and Linda became general and business managers for large recreational resorts. He was affiliated with Gurney’s Inn, in Montauk, the Sheraton, in Glens Falls, and the Windmill Point Marine Resort, in Virginia.
Ed and his family moved to Hilton Head in 1987, where he and Linda worked in real estate for more than 25 years. He eventually became a teacher of real estate to newcomers in the industry.
Ed is survived by his wife; son, Todd, of Tolland, Conn.; daughter, Michelle Cox, of Columbia, Mo.; and six grandchildren.
Ed will be cremated, and a memorial is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to the American Cancer Society.
Joseph Shroyer in 2019. Courtesy the of Shroyer family
Prepared by the Shroyer Family
On Aug. 4th, 1932, Dr. Joseph Mark Shroyer (Joe)passed away at 91 on July 9th at Stony Brook UniversityHospital.
Born to Dr. Reed M. and L. Pearl Shroyer in Vincennes,Indiana, he grew up as the youngest of four. In Indiana, he learned the importance of hard work, education and family.
A photo of Joseph Shroyer taken when he was at college at the Indiana University. Courtesy of the Shroyer family
He, subsequently, completed his bachelor’s degree at the Indiana University,where he served as the president of the Acacia House and was a co-founder of the world-renowned Little 500 bicyclerace.
Joe married Nancy Jane Morris, and his first child, Ken, was born, while attending medical school at Yale. Followinggraduation, Dr. Shroyer pursued training in experimental pathology, at the University of Rochester, in Upstate N.Y., where his daughter, Beth, was born.
Following this, Joe completed residency and clinicalfellowships, in adult and pediatric orthopedics, at the MayoClinic, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the New Mexico State Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Shroyer enlisted as an officer in the U.S. Army in 1962, serving as a trauma and orthopedic surgeon, for almost nine years. He was the commanding surgeon of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit in Vietnam, as well. Additionally, he was the chief of orthopedics at military bases, throughout the southwest.
Dr. Shroyer entered private practice in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1969, where he lived with Ken, Beth and his first wife, Nancy, until she passed away. In 1982, Dr. Shroyer married Joann Arnold, with whom he raised their daughter, Katie, and his stepson, Brian. Later in life, he married his highschool sweetheart, Nancy Knowles, with whom he lived for many years before she passed away, last year.
Joe was an adventurer, avid horseman, skier, sailor andmotorcyclist. He and the family traveled frequently to Kino Bay, on the coast of one of the most remote areas of Northwest Mexico, and to the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
He devoted his life to serving others, and was a role model to his children, grandchildren and those whose life he touched.
Dr. Shroyer is survived by his son, Ken, his wife, Laurie, his daughters, Beth and Katie, and his three grandchildren: Robert, Jessica andBrad.
A memorial service was held at the Three Village Church in Setauket.
Henry Hull (Hank) of Port Jefferson passed away on July 26 at the age of 91.Born in 1933 in Orange County, Hank was the son of Henry Hull and Helen Frances Smith of Highland Mills.
Having lost both his parents by age 14, building a strong family was everything to this man.His greatest joy was spending 64 years married to the love of his life, Eileen Katherine Hull.Together they had four children: Jacqueline Hull, Suzanne Frances Wolff, the late Lawrence Henry Hull and Christine Cognetti.The role he treasured most was being grandfather to his all-star team of seven who lovingly called him Pop: Thomas Henry Hull, Sarah Hull, Alexa Jane Wolff, Connor Wolff, Ella Cognetti, Olivia Cognetti, and Katherine Cognetti.
Raised by his loving sister-in-law Carrie, college seemed out of reach until he was inspired by a high school teacher to apply to Albany State. There he discovered his lifelong love for education.Hank earned his bachelor degree from the University at Albany, a master’s degree from Hofstra University and did extensive graduate work in mathematics at Boston College.
Hank was a believer in the power of education, so teaching was not only his career but also his true calling.He spent 35 years teaching mathematics at a variety of levels,ranging from middle school classes in Northport to courses at Suffolk Community College and Dowling College. In addition, he was a founding member of the Continental Mathematics League (CML), an organization that enables students and schools to compete in a variety of subjects on a global level.
Giving back to the community was always a priority for Hank. He was a member of the Eaton’s Neck Fire Department and an ex-Captain and lifetime member of the Port Jefferson Fire Department. A veteran of the US Air Force, he was a mathematics instructor at Sampson Air Force base in Geneva.
Using stories and jokes he touched so many lives; Hank was always ready with a (not so) quick story to engage those around him. He loved the challenge of puzzles and met the crossword each day with a hopeful spirit. Hank found a passion for poetry, often gaining inspiration at night and writing throughout the day. We are now fortunate to have hundreds of poems to comfort us.
Hank enjoyed the simple things in life with his grandchildren like ice cream, oreos, a cold beer and deep discussions. He loved seeing his children and grandchildren play the sports he once played himself and could often be found cheering on the sidelines of soccer, lacrosse, golf, basketball, and baseball. Up until the end, he kept track of where everyone was in their travels so he could pray for their safe returns.
Wherever Hank went he touched the lives of so many with his deep sense of caring and utmost respect for others.
Memorial visitation was on Thursday, August 1 from 2–4 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home. Firematic services are on Friday at 8:00 p.m.A mass followed by celebration of life was held on Friday, August 2 at 11:30 a.m. at Caroline Episcopal Church in Setauket. The burial was at the Cemetery of the Highlands on Saturday, August 3 at 1p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Caroline Episcopal Church of East Setauket.
Cecilia M. Verbeek, a longtime resident of Stony Brook, died Monday, July 1, in Potomac, Maryland, of natural causes. Her brother, Robert Miguel who also lived in Stony Brook, predeceased her in 2023 in Whiting, New Jersey. Her husband of 53 years, Clemens, died in June 2020.
Survivors include her brother Mauro Arturo Miguel and his wife Gloria of Severn, Maryland, their children Celerina, Arturo, and Fernando, along with their families. Mrs. Verbeek is also survived by three sons: Christiaan and his wife Siobhan and their two sons, Nicolaas and Aidan, of Potomac; Erik and his wife April and their daughter Alexa of Morgan Hill, California; and Philip and his wife Tara and their daughter Brooklyn of Hudson, Massachusetts. She also leaves behind a large extended family on her husband’s side in the Netherlands.
Mrs. Verbeek, a registered nurse and 1962 graduate of Cornell Nursing School, lived and worked in New York City before moving to Long Island. She enjoyed the arts with lifelong friends and roommates Dottie Eva, Barbara, and Lizzie. After nursing school, she traveled extensively through Asia, parts of the Middle East, and Europe, where she met her husband in Amsterdam. They married in New York in 1966. Mrs. Verbeek first worked at New York Hospital in Manhattan — now New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center — alongside her mother Celerina, also a registered nurse, and later at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, Long Island, until her retirement.
An avid gardener and skilled baker and cook, Mrs. Verbeek was also a master quiltmaker and enjoyed music – singing and playing the piano – well into her 80s. She was a central figure in her large family, who emigrated from the Philippines after World War II, and will be deeply missed.
A funeral service for Cecilia Verbeek was held July 20 at the Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Home in Maryland.
A family burial is scheduled for August 2 at 10 a.m. at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum in Farmingdale. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to a charitable organization of the donor’s choice.
Martin Stromsten. Courtesy of the Stromsten family
Prepared by the Stromsten family
Martin “Marty” L. Stromsten, 88, passed away after a short illness on Tuesday, July 16.He was born in Port Jefferson, on Jan. 31, 1936 and was the son of Norwegian immigrants, the late Endre and Karen Gard Stromsten.
Marty was a graduate of Earl L.Vandermeulen High School where he first discovered his love of music.At the age of 14 he took up the trumpet and by 18 he had been accepted to the Crane School of Music in Potsdam. He received his master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music where he met many titans of music.
In the United States Army, he continued pursuing his passion by playing in the Army Band, serving honorably from 1959 to 1961. Later, he worked as an elementary band music teacher, passing on his talents to many eager students and creating an elementary jazz band.He was always looking for new and innovative ways to teach his students how to understand and love music.His last place of employment was in the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District.
Every community Marty lived in benefitted from his musical talent.He was constantly forming, conducting or playing in different musical groups from Dixieland bands to big band jazz, and classical quintets to community orchestras.
Marty was a longtime resident of Port Jefferson and Riverhead.Outdoors, he loved walking on the beautiful beaches of Long Island and sailing in his sailboat on the Long Island Sound. Politics, books and music were his favorite topics of discussion. Even though he would tell you he was a “terrible student”, he was very well-read and could talk on just about any topic.Many who have met him would consider him a brilliant, generous, and friendly person.Marty settled in Port Jefferson and was very proud of the family that he and his then wife, Joan, created.
Marty is survived by Helen Jones, his life partner of 28 years; Joan Stromsten, the mother of his children; daughters Pamela Fetcho and Suzanne Hennigan; his grandchildren, Nicholas Fetcho, Jesse Fetcho, Trevor Hennigan and Taylor Hennigan; and his great grandchildren, Aiden Fetcho, Atlas Fetcho and Ava Pickett. He was predeceased by his cherished son, Erik Stromsten and his brother, Edvin Stromsten.
Marty lived a life on his terms, and it was a life well lived.
The funeral will be held on Friday, July 26, at 3:30 p.m. at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home in Clifton Park. Calling hours will be from 1:30 to 3:30 pm on Friday prior to the service. Interment will be in the Jonesville Cemetery, Clifton Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in Latham. For online condolences please visit gordoncemerickfuneralhome.com
Kathy O’Sullivan. Photo courtesy the O’Sullivan Family
PREPARED BY THE O’SULLIVAN FAMILY
Kathy O’Sullivan of Port Jefferson, a longtime writer and contributor to Times Beacon Record Newspapers, passed away April 19 after a life well lived. For the past eight years, Alzheimer’s slowly took over her body, consuming her memories one by one, but never diminishing her spirit. Until her last breath she still retained her marvelous sparkle and familiar, irrepressible sweetness.
Born Kathleen Allen in 1936, she spent her early years traveling the globe with her family. As a child in Burma, she lived among elephants and golden pagodas. Some of the last memories she held onto were of hiding in a drain ditch when the Japanese bombed Rangoon. Despite, or perhaps because of growing up in a land torn by war, Kathy had an uncommonly optimistic view of any situation. Every hardship she met in life was approached like a joyful game. She could find reason to smile in any challenge, and her enthusiasm was contagious.
Kathy wandered wide-eyed from country to country wearing many different hats. She attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris and traveled the world sharing her culinary genius with countless dignitaries. She could always be counted on to surprise you with anecdotes of random princes and movie stars she knew. She lived in Gandhi’s India, spent years in Europe becoming fluent in foreign languages, traveled the Silk Road through Central Asia and even approached a trip to the grocery store with a sense of worldly wonder.
As a journalist, Kathy delighted in writing profiles on ordinary people she encountered. It was her belief that any person you meet had at least one fascinating story to tell, and Kathy was determined to find it. She loved to ride in cabs and interview the drivers, or turn to the person next in line in a store and unearth some captivating piece of information from them. If you asked her how her day went, she never said, “Oh, fine.” She would always answer with some variation of “I just met the most fascinating person!”
A voracious learner, Kathy had a constant tower of books beside her bed. She could be counted on to give informed and nuanced opinions on a vast array of topics and maintained an uncommonly open mind to keep learning. Not only was she an encyclopedia of history and philosophy, but she gave the most insightful and comforting advice. The phone was always ringing from people who wanted her wisdom.
Her life was a kaleidoscope of the people she met, and it never ceased to give her joy. Her children joked that you never knew you would come home to Mom having tea with — it might be a festooned Maasia warrior, a Shaolin monk, a Harlem Globetrotter or the cashier from 7-Eleven.
For over 50 years, Kathy made Port Jefferson her home with her husband Desmond. Though her adventures never stopped, she lovingly raised her three kids and filled the house with a constant stream of international travelers.
Kathy spent her later decades devoted to the village of Port Jefferson. She was involved in the Dickens Festival, as well as the creation of Harborfront Park and the construction of the Bayles Boat Shop. There was rarely a day that she was not fluttering about, tirelessly attending meetings, baking brownies, writing grants and weaving people together in service of her town.
As a passionate marine conservationist, Kathy organized beach cleanups and environmental education classes. Her passion project was to work with Coastal Steward Long Island to restore the oyster population in Mount Sinai Harbor. If you are ever walking on the beach there and find an oyster shell in the sand, that is one of her babies.
She was never the sort of person who craved applause or recognition. There are no buildings with her name on them or tales of her in the history books. But in a hundred years there will be oyster shells on the beach, and knowing Kathy, that would be the most satisfying legacy she could hope for.
Kathy is survived by her husband Desmond; her children John, Desmond and Kaitlin; big sister Winnie; brother David; as well as two grandchildren, Maggie and T.J.
There will be a celebration of her life July 27 at 4 p.m. at the Port Jeff Village Center. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers or any sort of donation, the best way to honor Kathy would be to smile at a stranger, maybe talk to them and find out something fascinating.
Peter Colburn Williams, 81, passed away on May 23 in Schenectady. He is survived by his loving partner of over 40 years, Karen Barron Donegan; his three daughters, Elizabeth Greenwood, Alexis Coatney and Zanna Williams; and his grandchildren, Aleah Coatney, Gavin Coatney and Mack Grafft.
Peter was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Alhambra, California. He loved exploring the Southern California outdoors as an Eagle Scout. After graduating from Alhambra High in 1961, he went on to graduate from Occidental College with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, political science and government. He received both his juris doctor in law in 1968 and a doctorate in philosophy in 1973 from Harvard University.
After graduation, he moved to Port Jefferson to work at Stony Brook University, first as a professor in the Philosophy Department, then teaching medical ethics to hundreds of medical students. He was instrumental in crafting medical education to incorporate social, ethical and legal issues in medicine. In 1999, Peter and Karen moved to a beloved historic home in East Setauket. In 2000, Peter was appointed vice dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs and served with distinction in this position until his retirement in 2012, when he was granted emeritus status. He was a talented teacher and mentor who loved his students and was loved by them. Many former students became lifelong friends.
“The smartest, funniest, craziest, most insightful friend ever.” — Tom Karl.
“I loved Peter. So did my wife, Lynne. He was one of her favorite professors in medical school.” —Timothy Mount.
“He was one of the smartest people I knew and one of the funniest. His sense of humor was as wicked as his heart was wide.” — Will Parrinello.
“Pete had the ability either to scare the crap out of someone with his intellect or to let it more gently dawn on the listener while putting them at ease.” — Jim Paul.
Peter and Karen met at the home of mutual friends in Port Jefferson. They embarked on many adventures together, traveling to New Zealand, Colombia, the Caribbean and around the United States. He enjoyed hiking and backpacking the Appalachian Trail and Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii.
He was an active person who enjoyed playing tennis, riding his bicycle and sailing. He loved music — listening to classical music, singing in the university choir and LISCA. Peter was a jack-of-all-trades at home. He was a gourmet chef and sometimes builder, electrician, woodworker and plumber. He and Karen spent many happy hours tending their beautiful yard and vegetable garden. He also loved animals, adopting many beloved pets over the years. He had a special fondness for birds and birdwatching.
In lieu of a service or flowers, donations may be made to the Sierra Club or the National Audubon Society. To share a memory, visit Rossi & Ditoro Funeral Home at www.rossiditorofuneralhome.com.
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