Obituaries

E. Lavonne “Vonnie” McKane, 85, of North Lansing, passed away following a brief illness on Sunday, December 29, 2019, at her home. Born in Elmira, NY, she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Lillian (Coon) McDermott.  After graduating from Genoa High School, Vonnie went on to retire from NYSEG in Ithaca.

Vonnie was a past matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, Lansing, and member of the North Lansing Fire Department Auxiliary.  In her free time, she enjoyed gardening, crafts, and trips to the casinos with her friends.

Isaac Kramnick, the Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government Emeritus, a renowned scholar of English and American political thought and history, and a longtime champion of undergraduate education, died Dec. 21 in New York City. Kramnick was 81.

Cornell President Martha E. Pollack said Kramnick was “a beloved Cornellian; a teacher and leader who, in his time at Cornell, touched the lives of generations of students, faculty and staff.”

“Professor Kramnick leaves behind a distinguished legacy of insightful scholarship, passionate teaching and forward-thinking leadership,” Pollack said. “His memory will live on for those who knew him and felt firsthand his warmth, his intelligence and his generous spirit. The university has lost a great Cornellian.”

Patricia Gail Putnam, 73, of Lansing passed away while surrounded by those she loved on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca.  Born on August 5, 1946, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Olga “Ollie” (Geiger) Holden.  Pat was employed as an aide at Lansing High School and went on to retire from the Lansing Residential Center, where she worked as a corrections officer and made an impact on many people with whom she worked.  She proudly gave up some of her dreams to be a stay at home mother and raise four beautiful children.

In her free time, Pat enjoyed sewing and painting.  She also had a love of animals, especially cats and dogs.

Marvin Ostrander, 87, of Lansing, passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Crown Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Cortland.  Born in Varna, NY, on October 26, 1932, he was the son of the late Orry and Ada Johnson Ostrander.  After working for Smith Corona for several years, Marvin went on to retire from the Town of Lansing Highway Department.

Marvin was a lifetime member of the Lansing Fire Department and charter member of the North Lansing Fire Department.  During his service, he was active in the fire police.  In his free time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and NASCAR.

LANSING - Chuck Benson of Lansing passed away unexpectedly at home on the morning of December 2nd due to complications from his lifelong battle with a spinal tumor. Chuck was a Lansing native and graduated high school in 1965. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Cornell University in 1969 and married the prettiest coed in Alpha Phi, Andra Weidenhamer, after a less than impressive first date. The two of them spent the next two years in the mountains of Colombia with the Peace Corps teaching animal husbandry and nutrition.

Chuck and Andra returned home to take over Bensvue Farms, which was started by Chuck’s parents Clarence and Mary (Munson) Benson. The milk price was often low, but Chuck’s spirit was always high. One day Andra was telling the children that the most important part of a relationship was communication. She asked Chuck, who wasn’t listening, what the most important part of a relationship was, to which he answered, “always saying ‘yes dear.’” Andra declared that no, the most important part of a relationship was communication. To which Chuck replied, “Yes Dear.”

Fred Voss, 99, a Holocaust survivor and World War II veteran who spent years talking at high schools, churches, and other gatherings to keep alive the memory of the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s, died on August 30, 2019. Voss’s speeches had a consistent message: Don’t hate.

Born on April 12, 1920, in Aachen, Germany, Voss and his family fled the Nazis and came to the United States in 1940. He returned to Europe in the U.S. Army, serving in France and Germany in the months after D-Day. (He became an American citizen on the troop ship to England. His citizenship papers were signed by Commander Jack Dempsey, the famous prizefighter, who was the highest ranking officer on the ship.) In 2012, in honor of his work speaking to schools and his military service, the Lansing, NY, High School arranged for him at age 92 to receive the high school diploma denied to him by the Nazis.

H. Duane Smith, 83, of Lansing passed away on August 20, 2019. Duane was born in Mount Pleasant, PA, and moved to a farm on Storm Road in Lansing as a young child. He was retired from a utility company where he worked as a welder.

Duane is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Gwendolyn; daughters, Konnie (David) and Karlene (Craig); son, Duane; brothers, Jim, Tom and Fred; many nieces and nephews, and a special child, Ileen, who was a granddaughter to him. He was predeceased by his brother, Bob, and parents, Elsie and Ronald.

Mary E. Searles (nee Pforter) received her wings and flew home into the loving arms of God on Sunday, August 4, 2019. She was born September 26, 1932, to Martin O. and Nellie A. Pforter. She married the love of her life, William "Bill" Searles on January 26, 1952. They were married for over 30 years until his death.

At the age of 50, Mary went back to school and received her Associate's Degree and was a home health aide for Family and Children's Services for over 20 years. She played many roles, not only as a farmer's wife, mother, and home health aide, but she was involved with 4-H, North Lansing Fireman's Women Auxiliary, Clown persona for the Lansing United Methodist Church youth, Director of the Lansing Food Pantry in 1994, and Activity Leader for the Oak Hill Nursing Home. In 2007, Mary received the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Ithaca Cayuga Rotary Club. She was a caring and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Zahra Exantus, 28, formerly of Ithaca, NY, beloved daughter of Joe and Cathy Exantus, died unexpectedly at her residence in Shanghai China on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. A celebration of Zahra’s life will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the Lansing United Methodist Church, 32 Brickyard Rd., Lansing, NY with a reception immediately following. The family will receive friends at the church on Friday, July 12, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Private interment will be held at Green Hills Cemetery, Dryden, NY. In lieu of flowers, a charity will be announced in a more complete obituary.

Sarah A. Case, 101, of Lansing, passed away at her daughter’s home in Ovid on Sunday, May 26, 2019. She was predeceased by her husband, Milton Case, and son, John Case, Sr.

Sarah is survived by her daughter, Mary Lou Dodson (Ron); grandchildren, Tammie Dodson, Wendy Seewald (Dan), Michelle Allan (Lenny) and Ron Dodson, Jr. (Jen Christianson); and great-grandchildren, Casey Underdown, Evan Underdown, Christopher Seewald and Ryan Dodson.

Jacoba Munson Baker passed away peacefully at her longtime home on Auburn Road in North Lansing, NY, on May 11, 2019, just a couple months shy of her 99th birthday.

Jacoba was born in Lansing, NY, on July 6, 1920. She graduated from Groton High School and continued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in home economics from Michigan State University in 1943. She returned home after graduation and got a job with Cornell Cooperative Extension, where she met a young extension agent, Robert C. Baker. They were married in 1944 in Groton.

Jackie and Bob moved to State College, PA, shortly afterward for Bob to work on his master’s degree at Penn State, and to Purdue University in 1956 for Bob to earn his PhD in poultry science. In between, in 1950, Jacoba and Bob started Baker’s Chicken Coop at the New York State Fair, which is still operated by her children and grandchildren. The two also started Baker’s Acres, a plant nursery in North Lansing. Jacoba had a lifelong passion for gardening, and Baker’s Acres allowed her to pursue her love of horticulture as well as financially support the operation of their 75-acre farm during retirement. Baker’s Acres is still operated by her daughter Reenie.

Daniel John Ravas, 28, of Camillus formerly of Lansing passed away unexpectedly on May 7, 2019. Born in Ithaca, NY to Cathy Mehlenbacher and Paul Ravas. Daniel was most recently employed at Auntie Anne’s at Destiny USA, and as a security officer for Westcott Security and Events. Dan was to continue working with Hammi’s Bacon Bomb of the NY State Fair this summer. He was also formerly employed at Iroquois Nursing Home and the Dunkin Donuts in Fairmount. He was an accomplished high school swimmer for Lansing and Baldwinsville Central School Districts, going to the State level competitions twice. Dan also played soccer and competed in Track and Field for Lansing CSD. Daniel loved summer camp at Camp Aldersgate, attending CCYM events at both Camp Casowasco and Aldersgate. He loved hiking, camping and the outdoors. He was making plans to hike the Appalachian Trail in the future. He had a wandering soul and a deep love for and knowledge of music.

Margaret Ferretti Dill, 72, of Lansing, NY passed away at home with her husband by her side on March 27, 2019. Margie was the loving wife of James Dill for 48 years and leaves behind her daughter, Emily, son in-law Matt, and her beloved grandchildren, Elise and Griffin of Needham, MA.

Born in Boston, MA, Margie is the daughter of the late Rita (Woods) and Leonard Ferretti. She graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in 1964, Boston State College in 1968, and earned her Master’s in Education from Elmira College in 1979.

Anna S. Beckwith of Lansing died Saturday, March 2, 2019, at age 98. After a long, fruitful life in Lansing, she recently moved to live with her daughter in Manlius and enjoyed a round of weekend parties as many of her children, grandchildren, great-children and friends were able to come see her.

A lifelong communicant of All Saints Church in Lansing, Anna served on its parish council and, for a number of years, led a small prayer and Bible-study group. She worked for many years with young people in the 4-H programs of Cornell Cooperative Extension, teaching plant science, animal science, nutrition, and recreation, and serving as day-camp director and director of summer programs. She had returned to school in mid-life, earning at age 50 an associate’s degree from Tompkins Cortland Community College. She also attended clown school, and entertained children and adults as the clown “Miss Annie.”

Julianne "Jules" Milligan, a lifelong resident of Lansing, NY, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on February 25, 2019. Julie was born August 25, 1969, to Robert J. and Nancy Howell Milligan. She was a 1987 graduate of Lansing High School with a diploma from TST BOCES Auto Mechanics program, later receiving a New York State Mechanical Certification.

Her strong work ethic was established by her dad and many enjoyable summers working on The Barron Farm. Employed after high school by David Haney, she served in the parts department at Pritchard Dodge for 19 years until moving to the Maguire dealerships in Ithaca.

Francis Hugh Teeter, 92, passed away on January 8, 2019 at the VA Medical Center in Bath, NY. Born in Ithaca, he was the son of the late Raymond and Katherine (Carey) Teeter. At 17, he joined the US Navy during WWII, serving from 1943-1947, remaining a proud veteran to the end.

Leaving the military, he worked briefly at the National Cash Register Company. Next at Cayuga Lumber Company, he was promoted from laborer to yard foreman to salesman, ultimately leaving to join Cerrache TV, which installed the first TV cable in Ithaca. Before his retirement, he won the contest to rename the company American Community Cablevision.

Melvin Eastman, 75, passed away on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, at Cayuga Medical Center as a result of a head injury.  Born September 11, 1943, to the late John and Ethel (Crockford) Eastman, Mel graduated from Lansing High School in 1961.  Mel went on to work for Smith Corona, Cargill Salt Company, and he retired as a Rural Carrier with the United States Post Office.

A fan of many sports, especially the St. Louis Cardinals, Mel bowled and played slow-pitch softball for a number of years. 

Jackie Butler, 69, of Lansing, NY, passed away unexpectedly at her home on Sunday, October 28, 2018.  Born in Ithaca, she was the daughter of the late Byron and Josephine Campbell Stone. Jackie worked at Ithaco and later at BF Goodrich, from where she retired as a manager.

Jackie’s joy in life came from being grandma to her two grandsons, Tucker and Mason.  Her grandkids and their sports were her life.  She was also very close to and loved her sisters and the family dog, Jackson.  In her free time, she enjoyed golf, visiting the casinos, and playing games—especially poker, euchre and scrabble.

Lorin 'Lefty L. Hardy, 78, of Lansing, passed away on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, at Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca, while surrounded by his loving family. Born in Torrington, CT, he was the son of the late Lorin G. and Dorothy Bramen Hardy. Following high school, Lorin enlisted in the US Army, where he proudly served his country from 1958 to 1962. After being honorably discharged, he married Marguerite Wightwood on October 26, 1963. Lorin was employed at Cargill in Lansing for several years before joining the Laborer's Union Local 785 in Ithaca, where he retired after 32 years.

The most important thing in life to Lorin was his family, and he loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also had a passion for fishing, golfing, gardening, bowling, and playing horseshoes. He was a Dallas Cowboys football fan and NY Mets baseball fan. Lorin was also a member of the American Legion, and enjoyed reading their publications.