1947
Dean Ottaway (Forest Technology) 93, joined his wife of 60 years, Dorothy, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.
1949
Robert R. Eastment (FOR), 95, formerly of Queensbury and Glens Falls, passed away on Sept. 25, 2019. He had lived for the past three years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near his children. Bob Eastment was born on Nov. 10, 1923 in Nutley, New Jersey. He grew up in a musical household, but challenged his mother’s operatic orientation by becoming a talented jazz clarinetist. He had a lifelong love of music of the Big Band era. Although he spent summers working on the Jersey Shore, there was an apparent call to the mountains. After graduating from Nutley High in 1941, he enrolled in the Wanakena Ranger School in the Adirondacks. He graduated in February 1943 and in April enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. Thanks to the GI Bill, Bob entered ESF in 1946 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry in 1949. That same year, he married Jeanne Stanwix. In 1952, he joined International Paper Company as a forester and worked for IP for 35 years. In retirement, his greatest passion and relaxation was splitting and chopping wood and maintaining meticulously organized wood piles on the small property that was home for Bob and Jeanne on Pickle Hill Road in Queensbury for 30 years. He was a man of great decency who will be remembered by his family for his work ethic, his wit, his love of the Adirondacks and the Glens Falls community and his commitment to his wife, children and grandchildren. Bob was predeceased by his wife, Jeanne Eastment, a teacher and artist. He is survived by three children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
1950
James M. Gram (WPE), 91, of Soddy-Daisy, passed away on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. Born April 24, 1928 to Milton Gram and Ruth Wilson Gram, he was raised on a dairy farm near Syracuse, New York with brothers Richard and Frederic. He graduated Valedictorian of Fabius Central in the class of 1946. After 4 years at New York State College of Forestry James enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was discharged at T/SGT in 1954. Jim followed his Forestry training for much of his life, both in local wood-working plants and later overseeing the acreage at the TNT plant. When production there ceased he opened Gram’s Landscaping Services with his sons from 1973-2010. He served on the Soddy-Daisy Falling Water Utility District Board of Directors for 13 years and on the Soddy-Daisy Zoning Board of Appeals. James was a member of Soddy United Methodist Church since 1952. He was 50 years member of the Soddy Masonic Lodge #418 F.&A.M. and the Mayflower Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. He received a 25 year service pin with the Soddy-Daisy Food Bank where he was Treasurer. He and Virginia Daughtrey from Soddy were married in 1952 and raised three sons, plus many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
1951
Robert Benjamin Upper (FRM), age 96, of Byron Center, MI went to be with his Lord on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Bob taught math and science in Christian schools in Massachusetts and Michigan for most of his life. He served in Swaziland for Trans World Radio from 1984 to 1995. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 60 years, Phyllis, his daughter, 4 grandchildren, and a brother-in-law. His parents, Benjamin and Esther Upper, preceded him in death.
William C. Vernam (FRM) was born on May 31, 1921 and passed away on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. William was a resident of Warrenton, Virginia at the time of passing. After World War II, Bill attended and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in forestry from ESF. Bill served in the Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946.
1952
Olin Hyde (PSE) died on May 26, 2019, at his home at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. He was born in Syracuse, NY, on April 12, 1930, the only child of Olin Vivan and Nona Smith Hyde. He is survived by his former wife, Carolyn Lime Albert of Latrobe, PA. His second wife, Carolyn Wingate Hyde, died in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Jane Biery Baird Hyde; one daughter, one son, a stepson and two stepdaughters. Olin is also survived by Jane’s children and spouses and 12 step grandchildren. Olin graduated from ESF in 1952. He served in the U.S. Navy as a LT. (jg). He was employed for 23 years at Champion Papers, P.H. Glatfelter Co. and Chesapeake Corporation. From 1979 to 1988, he owned and managed Jerry Bros. Belting Co., Inc., and from 1989 to 1998 he owned and managed Sealeze Corporation, both in Richmond. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, The Country Club of Virginia, The Commonwealth Club, Massey Cancer Center Advisory Board, Kiwanis Club and The Fifty-Five Golf Association. He formerly was a member of Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia Council on Economic Education and the Blazers Golf group.
1956
William Merrill Belden (LA) died on Feb. 24, 2019, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the age of 85. Bill was born in Cumberland, Maryland, on Jan. 14, 1934, but he and his family were generations’ long residents of Upstate New York. Son of Orma Merrill and Harris J. Belden, he grew up in Watertown, NY, and attended Syracuse University’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry, earning a BS in Landscape Architecture and an MS in Land Use and Regional Planning. He began his career as a designer for the National Park Service in Washington, DC, where he designed Bryce Park, among others, and supervised the design and construction of the Rose Garden at the White House during the Kennedy administration, for which he received the National Park Service’s Special Service Act Award. After shifting to a private landscape architecture firm in the DC area, Bill spent the rest of his professional life working in an interdisciplinary role for small and medium-sized cities, doing economic and downtown development, preservation, urban design, affordable and elderly housing. He was executive director of Three Rivers Development Corporation in Corning, New York; executive director of Downtown Albany Development Corporation; president of Downtown Madison, Inc.; deputy director of Downtown and Riverfront Development for the Department of Planning and Economic Development in the City of St. Paul, MN; executive director of Elmira Downtown Development; and the principal for Belden Associates, a consulting practice based in Elmira, NY. In his retirement in Centerville, Massachusetts, he served on the Barnstable Planning Board, the Barnstable Economic Development Commission and the board of the Cape Cod Arts Center. He was also a member of the Osterville Men’s Club. Bill was a highly creative person and a lifelong lover of music and art. While in the Army he sang in a vocal quartet and played banjo with the Fourth Fifths, a group that appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show after winning the vocal group category of the All Army Entertainment Contest. Bill studied painting and drawing while an undergraduate at Syracuse University and he took night classes at the Corcoran School of Art. He maintained a sketchbook throughout his professional life and returned to oil painting when he retired. He was a juried member of the Cape Cod Art Center. He was also a member of the Wednesday Painters. Family was of the utmost importance to Bill. He met his wife, Margaret Norris Belden, at a party in Washington, DC, in 1959. They were married for fifty-eight years and had four children; he is also survived by eight grandchildren and a sister.
1959
Bruce S. Washburn (WPE) was born on Dec. 18, 1937 and passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2019. Bruce was a resident of Lauderhill, Florida at the time of passing. Bruce attended school in Pittsburg and graduated as valedictorian from Pittsburg High School in 1955. Bruce was appointed to the U.S. Air Force on June 1, 1959, and was honorably discharged as a captain in 1968, at which point he accepted a commission as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.
1958
J. Patrick (Pat) Van Buskirk (Forest Technology), 83, formerly of Boon Street, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2019 at the Presbyterian Residential Community, New Hartford with family at his side. Pat was born on March 10, 1936 in Syracuse, son of the late Harold and Alice (Shackford) Van Buskirk. He graduated from Nottingham High School in 1954 and the New York State Ranger School in 1958. On Nov. 28, 1958, Pat was united in marriage with the former Lorna M. Cusack. Patrick joined the NY State Troopers in 1962 and was assigned to the Remsen Barracks in 1964 where he was posted until his retirement in 1986. Pat opened Pat’s Place for gun repair, and became a recognized gunsmith and gun appraiser. Pat also worked in the Pistol Permit Office for Oneida County, both in Utica and Rome. In 1988 Pat was elected Justice of the Peace for the Town of Trenton and served as The Honorable J. Patrick Van Buskirk until retiring in the fall of 2017. Pat was active with the NY Magistrate’s Association during those years. Pat was a baseball umpire and officer of the Mohawk Valley Umpire’s Association. He was a long time member and officer of the Trenton Fish and Game Club and member and officer of Glass Hill Golf Club. During the 56 years they lived in Barneveld, Pat served his community in various committees and boards such as the Recreation Committee, and the Library Board. Pat was an avid hunter, golfer, bowler, stamp collector, coin collector, chair caner, and gun safety instructor. Pat also loved playing cards with family and friends. His JP the JP license was frequently found at the Trenton Town Hall, the Trenton Fish and Game Club, the Oneida County Office Buildings, or his driveway. Pat is survived by his wife Lorna, who resides at the Presbyterian Home; one sister; three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. 113, Holland Patent, NY 13354, Barneveld Fire Department, P. O. Box 480, Barneveld, NY 13304 or STaR Ambulance, P. O. Box 409, Remsen, NY 13438. Envelopes will be available at the service.
1963
William L. Quartz (EFB), age 79, resident of Pulaski since 1966, passed away on June 5, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. William was born Aug. 27, 1939 in Syracuse, the son of George and Ruth Lortie Quartz. He graduated from Baldwinsville High School in 1957 and earned his bachelor’s degree at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. William served in the United States Army Reserves. He was married to Beverly Loveless Quartz on Jan. 9, 1965. He was employed by Schoeller Technical Papers in Pulaski for over 30 years. William was a member of the Park United Methodist Church in Pulaski. Surviving, are his wife, Beverly, one daughter, three sons, two sisters, and six grandchildren.
1964
Palmer M. Shupe (WPE), 77, of Bridgeport passed away on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. A graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Palmer worked in Lumber Sales for Georgia Pacific and was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He enjoyed boating, hunting, fishing, woodworking and remodeling. Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth A. Shupe, two children, four grandchildren, two brothers and several nieces and nephews.
1966
William T. Winter, Ph.D. (CHE), 74, of Syracuse passed away Sunday, June 30, 2019. Bill was born in Queens, NY on Nov. 14, 1944. He was a Professor of Chemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He was also a long-standing member of the American Chemical Society. Before his days teaching, he enjoyed his two years as a Peace Corp. volunteer in Malaysia. Bill is predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife Jeanna R. Swanson; a stepson, a brother, and two step grandchildren.
1970
Gary L. “Speen” Speenburgh (PSE), 71, passed away on Thursday, March 7th 2019. Gary was 71 years old. Gary was born in the Catskill Mountains in East Jewett, NY. He graduated Cum Laude from ESF. Diamond Shamrock Corporation employed him in Morristown, NJ where he lived until moving to Parsippany in 1977. He was a Chemical Engineer managing the pilot plant for Cognis in Harrison, NJ until 2003. Survivors include his loving wife Mary Ann (nee-La Salle) Speenburgh, two daughters, as well as his cousins and many nieces and nephews.
1982
Kenneth Peter Hotopp (EFB) passed away in the early hours of June 7th, 2019. He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 58, having survived two years since his diagnosis with the disease. Despite the difficulty of contending with an aggressive cancer, Ken never failed to make those around him laugh and feel loved. Ken passed away at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine. His family is thankful for the care provided by the staff at the hospice house during Ken’s stay. Ken was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on Nov. 30th, 1960. His family moved to rural New York State when he was young. He spent his childhood roaming through forests and farm fields, the beginning of his lifelong love of the outdoors. His skill as an artist was also apparent from a young age, and he spent days sketching and painting his surroundings. Ken graduated from Cobleskill High School in 1978. Carrying his interest in the natural world into his studies, Ken graduated in 1982 from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse NY. He went on to earn a M.S. degree from SUNY, Albany in 1987. Ken met his love and adventure partner, Dr. Robin Gorrell, in Kennebunk, Maine in the summer of 1987. Two years later they were married and moved together to the Appalachian Mountains of Frostburg, Maryland. Ken worked as a biologist for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program from 1990-1997. The family moved to Bethel, Maine in 2005. Appalachian Conservation Biology was his consulting business specializing in the ecology and conservation of land snails. He was a research associate of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ken, Robin, and daughters Marian and Alice canoed, hiked, and cross-country skied wild places from West Virginia to Ontario, Canada reaching as far as Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland last summer. Ken was a fierce defender of wilderness and the climate, working locally to protect natural places and participating in actions against climate change. As a part of their effort to reduce impact on the environment, Ken and Robin built and lived in a passive-solar home in Newry, Maine. Ken is survived by his adored wife, Robin Gorrell, 2 daughters, his loving parents Marian Manion Hotopp and Kenneth Robert Hotopp (’59, FRM), two sisters, and a brother and numerous loved aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
1994
Maxine Dakins (ENSCI), a faculty member in the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources, died on March 16, 2019. Dakins taught as a professor of environmental science while based in Idaho Falls.
Merry ‘April’ Ellis (EFB), 46, of Albany, passed away on Oct. 22, 2018 at her home. April was born on April 22, 1972 in Rochester, NY. She was a graduate of Gloversville High School and went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. April enjoyed watching movies and listening to music, and was very interested in politics. She was especially proud to be a Research Scientist for the New York state Department of Mental Health in Albany. April is survived by her loving family; her mother, two uncles, and several nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members. April was predeceased by her maternal grandmother.
2004
Kelly A. Cook (ES), 37, passed away suddenly. Kelly was born in Buffalo, NY, grew up in Manlius, NY and resided in Manchester, NH. She was a graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School and SUNY ESF & Syracuse University. Kelly was known for her amazing musical talents, which included community theater and church cantoring. She loved painting, writing, cooking, traveling and her pets Wellington and Charlotte. She had a great sense of humor and giving spirit. Kelly was predeceased by 2 grandfathers and a grandmother. She is survived by her mother and father, a grandmother and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.
2013
Robert C. “Chip” Stokes, II (FRM), age 28, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Jan.26, 2019. Chip was born on Feb. 23, 1990 in Syracuse, NY, to parents James T. and Patricia W. Stokes. He attended Morrisville-Eaton schools, graduating from Morrisville-Eaton High School in 2008. He, later, graduated from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, first with an associate’s degree from the Ranger School in Wanakena, NY, and then with a bachelor’s degree from the main campus in Syracuse, NY. After college, Chip worked doing surveying for Myers & Associates in Canastota, and also for Power & Construction Group of Henrietta, NY. Chip was known by his family and friends to be clever, humorous and adventurous. Growing up, he worked on the family farm and played several sports, and during his high school years, he raced all across the northeast on the Rock Maple Sno-Cross racing circuit. He had a real knack for fixing just about anything, and spent much of his time restoring and repairing cars, equipment and appliances for family and friends, as well as just being there with a helping hand. He also had a deep love for animals and was rarely seen without his dog “Boss” by his side. Chip will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him. Chip is survived by his parents, one sister, one brother, his paternal grandfather, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.