Memorials

This page is dedicated to honoring the memories of our classmates who have passed away.
If you know of a classmate who has passed who is not listed here, you can add a new memorial with a photo by clicking the Add Memorial button.
You can also write a tribute or leave your comments about those already listed on the page. (Approval may be required prior to publishing)

Waldron Benners

Birth Date: 1955-05-26
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2014-07-14
Obituary:
Waldron “Wally” A. Benners, 59, of Candor passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, July 17, 2014. He was predeceased by his parents, Lionel and Ann Benners. Wally is survived by his sister, Gwen Benners of Newark Valley; brother, Bryan (Tiona) Benners; mother figure, Irma Bumgardner; nieces, Monifa, Dania, and Septasia; nephews, Ty’vone, and Rajan; special sister, Frances Bookman; special cousins, Renee Shareef, and Don (Linda) Moody; and special friends, Heidi Tidd and Willy Leonard. He was a 1973 graduate of Newark Valley High School. Wally was an avid Yankee fan who loved to fish and collect many things. He was a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post#907 in Candor and a life member of the Candor Fire Department. He worked for many years at Morse Chain/Emerson in Ithaca and Raymond Corp in Spencer. Wally was a member of the Grace Bible Church in Candor.
There are currently no tributes.

Joseph Bevis

Birth Date: 1954-07-30
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2011-11-04
Obituary:
Joseph Fay Bevis, 57, of Speedsville, passed away at his home Friday evening, November 4, 2011, following a period of declining health due to Pulminary Hypertension. Joe is survived by his wife, Alice (Martin) 'Tizzy' Jordan at home; his mother, Charlotte Bevis; his sisters, Jody (Dave) Seaver and Julie (Dan) Dean; his stepsons, Richard Keith Jordan and Jeffrey J. Jordan; five step-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Joe was born on July 30, 1954 in Ithaca, a son of Charlotte (Jordan) and the late Ernest Bevis. He was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church, Speedsville, an avid deer hunter, NASCAR fan and a talented carpenter. Several area homes exemplify his craftsmanship.
There are currently no tributes.

Victoria Reese (Budney)

Birth Date: 1954-12-24
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2017-04-20
Obituary:
Victoria L. (Budney) Reese, 62, of Newark Valley, passed peacefully at her home on April 20, 2017. Vicki is survived by: her husband of 31 years, Randy D Reese; her daughters Jessica (Mike) Doehring and Miranda (Sam) Sherry; and her son Theron Reese; her stepson Randy (Sue) Reese and her stepdaughter Tosha (Mike) Sisler. Vicki was a devoted grandmother to: Eli, Phaedra, Ella, Michaela, Isaac, Cael, Ian, and Teague. Also surviving are her siblings Ivan 'Joe' (Pam) Budney and Polly (Dan) Carman and her many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents Bessie (Vanderpool) and Arthur Budney.
There are currently no tributes.

Mary Kay Rockwell (Callahan)

Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 1980-12-06
Obituary:
Mary Kay Rockwell, 25, of RD2, Rejmer Road, Berkshire, PA went to be with her Lord Dec. 6, 1980, at her home, following an extended illness. She is survived by her husband, Rodney Rockwell; two sons, Mark R. and Matthew J. Rockwell, all of Berkshire; a brother, James Callahan; two sisters, Mrs. Randal (Theresa) Tyner and Lisa J. Callahan, all of Newark Valley; her parents, Mary Jane Callahan of Berkshire and James E. Callahan of Binghamton; her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Mary E. Callahan of Newark Valley; her maternal grandparents, Mr and Mrs Otto Waitl of Tampa FL; several aunts, uncles, and a nephew also survive. She was a graduate of Newark Valley Central School and had attended Corning Community College. She was a former employee of Riverview Manor, Owego, and of IBM.
There are currently no tributes.

Donald Chamberlain

Birth Date: 1955-03-30
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 1989-02-11
Obituary:
Donald E. Chamberlain passed away February 11, 1989 in Bradley County TN. Donald was born in Endicott NY. He was a loving father.
There are currently no tributes.

Donald Clark

Birth Date: 1955-06-29
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2016-12-12
Obituary:
Donald E. Clark, 61, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family after a courageous fight with cancer. Don was predeceased by his parents, Sophie Judski and Earl Clark; and his older brother, Bob Clark. He is survived by his loving wife, Anie Clark, the love of his life; his three daughters, Michelle Sørum, Kathleen Clark, and Kelly Clark; his four siblings, Diane Latvala, Gary Clark, Patti Barnette, and Susan Batla; plus five grandchildren; and loving nieces and nephews.

Don retired from BorgWarner Morse TEC Corp. in 2015 after 37 years of devoted service. He graduated from Newark Valley High school, was a member of St. James Catholic Church, and was fond of John Deere tractors. Don was a caring man who found fulfillment in surprising neighbors and friends by plowing their driveway, mowing their lawn, or just lending a hand when needed. He enjoyed puttering at home on all sorts of projects but mostly on any project that involved hopping on his John Deere tractor, from mowing the lawn to digging a ditch to uprooting a tree, or just riding around his pond. Don and his wife enjoyed traveling around the US visiting baseball parks and visited a handful of stadiums including the Yankees, Orioles, Nationals, Rangers, Oakland A's, Angels, and Blue Jays, plus fulfilled Don's dream to tour the John Deere plants in Iowa where due to a stroke of luck, even received a VIP tour in Des Moines.
Bonnie (Clark) Carson - September 5th, 2023
While I appreciated the invite, I’ve truly been “on the fence” as to whether to attend this 50th homecoming celebration as my family and I moved to Arizona my senior year and I graduated from Mesa High School. However, I recently received a sign, or more of a “push” from you dear cousin.???? My Mom was looking through her dog-earred family book as she does from time to time, when she randomly read your name out loud, and I suddenly felt you in the room. It was just like back in the day in homeroom, where they sat us alphabetically with you at the desk immediately behind me and you were always tapping me on my shoulder to talk about family or teasing me about something to make me laugh! It was in this moment, in my head, I said, “Okay, I’ll go, I’ll represent us both, but I wish you (Don) were going to be there with me!” It was then that I heard you whisper, “I will Cuz, you can count on it!” You were always there for me Don and for that I remain so very grateful! Tu me manques! ❤️

Thomas Hibbard

Birth Date: 1955-04-10
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2023-12-25
Obituary:
Thomas Charles Hibbard passed away suddenly on the evening of December 25,2023. He came into this world on Easter Sunday 1955, the first-born son of Charles Hugh and Jeanne Congdon Hibbard.


Tom is survived by his wife, Debra Onofrio Hibbard, and their son, Christopher and wife Amanda Fisher Hibbard, and daughter Kelly and husband, Raimund Sarion. Also, surviving Tom are his twin sisters, Cheryl and husband David Gourley (nephew Brian and great nephew Brendon) and Carol and husband Jon Bartmess (nephews Timothy and Justin Addington, and niece Julia Hedge and husband Rudi), and youngest brother Richard Hibbard (nephew Jonathan and wife Stephanie and great-niece Madison and great-nephew Parker; and nephew Mike and wife Katie and great-nieces Lauren and Julie). Tom is also survived by many cousins on the Hibbard side, and many in-laws and their families on the Onofrio side. He is also survived by his furry companion of 17 years, Lilly Hibbard.

Tom and his family grew up in Endicott, New York for a few years, before moving to Owego, New York. He attended Newark Valley High School, in Newark Valley NY. Tom was very close to all of his brothers and sisters through the years, and they continued to enjoyed daily and nightly chats together on social media, comparing favorite tv programs, music, and football games.


Tom met and dated Debbie in high school. After high school, he attended Sullivan Community College in New York, receiving an AA in Graphic Design. From there, he attended the University of Buffalo, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art. Shortly after graduation from the University of Buffalo, he married Debbie in April, 1978.


In 1979, Tom and Debbie moved to Cary, North Carolina, where Tom found work as a graphic designer. In 1982, their son Christopher Thomas was born, and in 1985, their daughter, Kelly Lynn was born. Tom was a great father. He was an involved and active father, who was patient, kind, and knew where to draw the line. He was so proud of his children and their spouses and loved them dearly. In 2021, Kelly married Raimund Sarion in New York City, and in 2022, Christopher married Amanda Fisher in Raleigh, North Carolina.


Tom was a spiritual, very tender-hearted man, who had a deep empathy for others. He became a Stephen Minister and felt called to reach out and support those who were going through a hard time in life and who needed a listening ear and compassionate heart.

Tom was an artist, whose medium was pastels. He loved to create through his art and did so throughout his life. He left a large catalog of drawings and pieces that will be cherished. Tom was a great music lover of all kinds of music--international, jazz, rock and roll, and instrumental. He constantly had music in the background of his life and it brought upbeat joy and peace to the house. He was a voracious reader, reading paperbacks by day and his Kindle by night. He also had favorite movies and TV shows that he looked forward to watching and discussing with his family and friends.


Tom had a great sense of humor and often saw the humor in life. He enjoyed his neighbors, looked forward to phone calls and visits with his children and his friends, and having his wife with him. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, and friend to those who knew him. He made a difference in so many peoples’ lives.


How do you sum up someone’s life in such a short quantity of words? His presence, his smile, his laughter, his physical self, and kind and tender heart will be missed.
There are currently no tributes.

Diane Seymour (Kelley)

Birth Date: 1955-01-18
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2018-09-28
Obituary:
Diane passed away passed away on September 28, 2018 from cancer. She was living in El Cajon, CA at the time of her death.
There are currently no tributes.

Cindy Krol (Koehler)

Birth Date: 1955-10-30
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2002-09-15
Obituary:
Cindy L. Krol, 46, passed away at her home on September 15, 2002, following an illness. Cindy was born on October 30, 1955, in Binghamton a daughter of Emil O. and Joyce I. (Whidden) Koehler. In addition to her parents of Newark Valley, she is survived by her husband, Matthew J. Krol, at home; her son, Eric Auffhammer, Dryden; daughters, Misty Auffhammer and Sherry Krol, both of Owego; her grandchildren, CJ, Kris, Justin and Damien; her brothers, David Koehler, Binghamton, Michael Koehler, Endicott and Steven Koehler, Endwell; and her paternal grandmother, Ellen Koehler, Binghamton; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins also survive. Cindy was a graduate of Newark Valley High School, Class of 1973 and an employee of Frost, Klossner Insurance Agency, Newark Valley. She enjoyed flower gardening, writing poetry and solving puzzles but most of all she enjoyed photographing her beloved grandchildren. Private family services were held at the MacPherson Funeral Home, Newark Valley, with Rev. David C. Seaver, Chaplain of Spiritual Care, Lourdes Hospital, officiating.
There are currently no tributes.

Thomas McLain

Birth Date: 1953-11-15
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2011-05-06
Obituary:
Thomas A. McLain II., 57, formerly of Newark Valley, passed away suddenly on May 6, 2011 in Fl where he had been residing. A devoted son, father and grandfather, Tom is survived by his mother, Isabelle McLain, his former wife and friend, Valerie McLain, his children, Lindsey (Jason) Cote and Brian (Jennifer) McLain, sister, Carol (Bruce) McLain-Renwick, brother, Joseph McLain, grandchildren, MacKenzie and Trevor Cote, Ashlee Carberry and Jameson McLain. He was preceeded in death by his father Thomas Anthony McLain, I. Tom was born on November 15, 1953 and attended Newark Valley High School and Broome Community College. He was an active member of Forest Park Security in N.Fort Myers and had a great passion for animals and the NY Yankees.
There are currently no tributes.

Suzanne Dickson (Pierce)

Birth Date: 1955-02-13
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2007-03-01
Obituary:
I, Rose Suzanne (Suzy) Dickson am leaving this path in search of a new one. It was a great life with great times. I am predeceased by my husband Ernest W. (Spud) Dickson III and my dad Leon L. Pierce Sr., who were always there when I needed them. I am survived by my sons, Michael D. Arvonio, Greenfield WI, who is the son everybody wished they had. I leave behind a very loving family even though we don't tell each other that we LOVE hem as much as we should; My Mom Mrs. Virginia Pierce, Owego NY, my sister Cynthia and Mike Vallese, my loving brothers (who were there in a heartbeat for me) Leon and Michelle Pierce, Newark Valley, Edward Pierce, Owego and his loving daughter Paige and a special brother-in-law David Mundt. I also leave behind several nieces and nephews... I will miss all of you. Several aunts and uncles I will miss along with Spud's family whom I will always have fond memories of... lots of them with his family, all funny and... what can I say, they are great people. I guess this is the part where you should tell people what your accomplishments were. Don't worry about mine were, concentrate on your own because I'm out of here and if you knew me then you knew my accomplishments, so I won't waste the ink or time that is precious to all. I wasn't perfect but I had a heart full of love - for my critters, all of those I cared for. - "I'll see you on the other side" ...I love all of you!!!!
Kenny Zahl - July 31st, 2023
Wow - I hardly knew you that well, but these words all well written and more profound than the Shakespearian lines from MacBeth "Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,..."

Richard Ross

Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2022-03-01
Obituary:
Richard J. Ross, 67, of Maine, NY died at home on Tuesday, March 1st. Rick was predeceased by his parents Richard L. and Patricia Owens. He is survived by his wife, Kristie Knapp of Maine, his son Christopher, Daughter-in-law Melody and Grandson Matthew Ross of Bluffton, SC as well as many relatives from the Buckenmeyer, Owens, and Pettinella Families.

Kenny Zahl - July 31st, 2023
RIP Dick

James Spohn

Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2023-05-14
Obituary:
It is always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved James C. Spohn of Owego, New York, who passed away on May 14, 2023. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family.

He was predeceased by : his parents, Lloyd James and Winifred Joyce Spohn (Barnum); his brother Jack Wayne Spohn; and his daughter-in-law Donna Spohn. He is survived by : his wife Sereta A. Spohn; his children, Jason Spohn, Jessica (Jamey Azersky), Christy (Dan Paulsen), Ariel Ford and Brandon Ford; his grandchildren, Bryant Craft (Shannon), Dustin Shoemaker, Samantha Standish (CJ), Colby Spohn, Dominique Spohn, Scartlet Azersky, Aurora Azersky, Nora Paulsen, Julian Dangelo and Rayne Ford; and his great grandchildren, Ryan Rhodes, Emilee Rhodes, Caydon Standish, Oliver Burns and Asher Burns. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.
There are currently no tributes.

Brian Vincent

Birth Date: 1954-02-01
Graduation year: 1973
Deceased Date: 2014-08-01
Obituary:
Brian L. Vincent passed away in August 2014 in Avondale AZ.
There are currently no tributes.