Obituaries – February 14, 2014

Col. (ret.) Seth F. Hudgins Jr.

August 24, 1941 – February 8, 2014

Col. (ret.) Seth F. Hudgins, Jr., USMA Class of 1964, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 8, at his home in Cornwall after a lengthy courageous fight with cancer. He was the son of the late Seth Foster Hudgins, Sr. and Dorothy Duval Hudson Hudgins, and was born in Fort Jay, N.Y. on Aug. 24, 1941. After serving 26 years in the U.S. Army, including two combat tours in Vietnam, he retired at West Point in 1990 and became the President of the West Point Association of Graduates for the next 17 years, finally retiring in 2007.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joy Schelhammer Hudgins, at home, and their sons, Cmdr. (Ret.) Seth F. Hudgins, III, USN,  and his wife Jennifer of Cudjoe Key. Fla., Lance T. Hudgins and his wife Melissa and sons Max and Walker of Virginia Beach, Va., and their daughter, Meredith H. Snizek and her husband Stephen and children Emma, Ethan and Evelyn of London, England.

There will be no visitation. Cremation will take place at Cedar Hill Crematory, Middle Hope, NY. A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, in the Old Cadet Chapel, Washington Road, at West Point, and will be followed by inurnment in Post Cemetery, West Point.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Seth F. Hudgins, Jr.  may be made to the West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996, (www.westpointaog.org); or to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc. 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550 (www.hospiceoforange.com).

Funeral arrangements are being handled by William F. Hogan Funeral Home, Highland Falls, N.Y. (www.wfhoganfuneralhome.com).

Rose N. Merola

March 26, 1927-February 6, 2014

Rose N. Merola, 86, of Cornwall, and formerly of Brooklyn, died on Feb. 6 at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh.

She was born March 26, 1927 in Burlington, Vt. to Enrico Azzarelli and Carmela Mucia. She married the love of her life, Augustine Merola, on June 9, 1945.  ‘Augie’ predeceased her on November 27, 2002.

Rose is best known for her love of family, community and her Church. She had a career in special education and graphology. Up until her death, she served as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. Rose is remembered for her many gifts, including her ability to touch the mind and heart of each person young or old.

Rose will be dearly missed by her children: Alexander Merola and his wife, Madelyn of Lincoln, Calif.; Patti Bayack and her husband, Ray of Newburgh; Linda Suarez and her husband, Ed of Cornwall; Ricky Merola and his wife, Sherry of Ft. Worth, Texas; Augustus Merola (Eleanor, wife, deceased) of Brooklyn; Paul Merola and his wife, Randi of Cornwall-on-Hudson; Mary Rose Parisi and her husband, Patrick of Niskayuna, N.Y.; Kevin Merola of East Meadow, N.Y.; Eddie Merola and his wife, Maureen of Mt. Arlington, N.J.; John Merola and his wife, Janice of Middletown, N.J.; and Peggy Tavolaro and her husband, Cono of Commack, N.Y.; grandchildren: Linda and Liam, Michael and Ikumi, Raymond and Gary, Nick and Michelle, Brian and Jerry, Jessica and Andrew, Michael, Annabelle, Anthony and Sara, Jennifer, Ryan and Kevin, Paul, Dillon, Joseph, Rose, Tori, Chris, Megan, Alexis, Lisa, Kristen, Stephanie, CJ, Sarah; great-grandchildren: Maya, Dylan, Mylia, Carissa, Bryce, Lila and June.

Visitors were received on Feb. 9 at Quigley Brothers Funeral Home in Cornwall-on-Hudson. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Feb. 10 at St. Thomas of Canterbury Church in Cornwall-on-Hudson, and was followed by burial in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.

Eleanor A. Pavek

October 6, 1925-February 5, 2014

Eleanor A. Pavek, a lifelong resident of Cornwall, passed away on Feb. 5 at The Kaplan Family Hospice Residence in Newburgh.  She was 88.

Daughter of the late Carl and Mila Falk Grimm, she was born Oct. 6, 1925 in West Point.  She was the widow of Victor A. Pavek.

Eleanor was a retired Postal Clerk in Mountainville.  For over a half century she was an organist and choir director for Mountainville and Highland Mills Methodist churches.  Along with being on the church board and being administrative officer, she was a youth fellowship leader and church nursery school music teacher.  She was a troop leader for Boy and Girl Scouts; a member of the Mountainville Volunteer Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary; an election poll volunteer and a member of Mountainville Grange.

Survivors include her children: Gary Pavek and wife Jean of Greenville Township, Diane Bull-Brundage and husband Everett of Hubbardton, Vt., Richard Pavek and wife Noy of Phoenix, Ariz.; her grandchildren: John Pavek and wife Virginia of Burlington, N.J., Mila Pavek of Boston, Mass., Brian Bull and wife Amanda of Eastchester, Alicia Hughes and husband Andy of Colchester, England, Christopher Pavek and wife Julie of Phoenix, Ariz.; her great grandchildren: Alexander Pavek and Logan Wells Bull; and many loving nieces and nephews.

The family received visitors on Feb. 11 at Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Home in Highland Mills. A Funeral Service was held on Feb. 12 at Highland Mills Methodist Church, and was followed by interment in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Mountainville.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550 or COVAC (Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps.) PO Box 151, Cornwall, NY 12518.

Funeral arrangements made by Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Home, www.ssqfuneralhome.com.