Ed Kaufmann
Ed Kaufmann of Rye passed away December 26, 2012. The cause of death was respiratory failure.
Mr. Kaufmann was born in Davenport, Iowa on May 17, 1938. He attended Davenport High School, where he was an All State Football Champion. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell University, Class of 1960, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. After NROTC at Cornell, he served three years in the US Navy as a navigator on a troop transport ship.
After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1966, Mr. Kaufmann started his law career at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, where he became a partner in 1974 and later became head of the Corporate Department. He retired in 2001.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Morgan Kaufmann; his daughters, Anna Horner (Jonathan) and Laurie Willard (Baron); three grandchildren, his brother, Jack Kaufmann (Betsy); his sister, Grace Kaufmann, his brother-in- law, Robert E. Morgan (Ceci); and his nieces and nephews.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 5, at 11 a.m. at Christ’s Church. A reception following the service will be held at American Yacht Club.
Contributions in his memory may be made to The Friends of Alta in Alta, Utah.
James Holley
James Holley, a longtime resident of Rye, died peacefully at his son’s home in Norwich, Vermont on December 30, surrounded by family.
He was born in the North Square, Gartsherrie, Coatbridge, Scotland on January 4, 1928, to Robert and Marion (MacSporran) Holley. He attended the Gartsherrie Primary School, and at the age of 14, began working full-time in the Gartsherrie Iron Works, where he apprenticed as a mechanical engineer.
From 1946-48, he served with the Seaforth Highlanders in the British Army and was stationed in Palestine. After returning to Gartsherrie, where he completed his apprenticeship at the Iron Works, he emigrated to Toronto.
In Canada, he worked with fellow Scotsmen and eventually accepted a position as an engineer aboard merchant ships out of Portland, Maine. From there he traveled around the world for several years until he met his future wife, Blanche Gill, at the Royal Navy Merchants Officers Club dance at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. They were married on September 3, 1955 in Queens, N.Y.
In 1963, they moved to Rye, where Mr. Holley continued his work as an engineer at the Russell, Burdsall & Ward Bolt and Nut factory in Port Chester, until it closed in 1974. His engineering work once again took him around the world to oversee the management and construction of cooling systems for nuclear and co-generation power plants until his retirement.
His family said he was a well-dressed man, a true Brit who was often seen wearing a tie while working in his garden. A highly educated, self-taught man, Mr. Holley was a voracious reader, who spent countless hours in the Rye Free Reading Room.
Mr. Holley was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather and was gracious to all. He was known for his charm and storytelling. He could recite poetry at will from Burns.
He was predeceased by his wife, Blanche; his brothers, Duncan and Robert; and his grandson, James. He is survived by his son, Robert; daughter-in-law Lisa; and grandson, Duncan.
His last toast on Christmas night with a whiskey in hand in front of the fire was, “To all our family and good old friends. And to the many new friends we will make in the months and years ahead.”
A Memorial service will be held at Rye Presbyterian Church, Saturday, January 12 at 1 p.m.
Contributions can be made in memory of James Holley to: Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Development Office, One Medical Center Road, Lebanon, NH 03756.
Gerald Crennan
Gerald Crennan died peacefully December 28 at his home in Rye, where he had been a resident for 60 years. He was 95.
A decorated World War II veteran, he served in the Army Air Corps and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was a retired Vice President Media Director at the William Esty Advertising Agency.
He was married for 58 years to Anne Tanzillo Crennan, who predeceased him.
In the eulogy for his father, Douglas Crennan said, “He was a kind, charming, and thoughtful man. A steady and calm presence, he was the rock, upon which our family was founded.”
In addition to his son Douglas, Mr. Crennan is survived by his son Jeffrey; daughters-in-law Elizabeth and Melissa; and grandchildren Caroline, Allison, James, Nathan, and Katherine.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated January 2 at The Church of the Resurrection.
Donations in Mr. Crennan’s memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Anthony Scarfone Sr.
Anthony Paul Scarfone Sr. passed away December 7, at his home in Arlington, Wash., a week before his 84th birthday.
He was born in Port Chester, on December 14, 1929, to John and Carmella Summa Scarfone.
He married Frances Russo on April 5, 1953 at Church of the Resurrection. The couple lived in and near Rye for 60 years. In 2003, they relocated to Arlington, Wash., to be near their daughters.
During the Korean War, he was drafted and served as a Private, 1st Class in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Scarfone worked at many jobs in his lifetime, including 20 years as a mechanic at Arnold Bakery in Greenwich. He retired from that position in 1982.
Among the things he loved was volunteering his time. Mr. Scarfone served as a volunteer fireman at Milton Firehouse and was captain of the Rye Fire Police Patrol.
One of his hobbies was building birdhouses from scrap lumber, earning him the nickname, “Birdman.” A plaque bearing that name is still proudly displayed over his favorite workbench. Mr. Scarfone also built birdfeeders, fire hydrants, and even ship wheels. He enjoyed gardening and watching the birds that occupied the many birdhouses placed around his property.
“He was a kind, compassionate man who loved to do things for others,” said his family.
In addition to his wife, Frances, Mr. Scarfone is survived by a son, Anthony Scarfone Jr. of Rye; two daughters, Anna Schoof of Oak Harbor, Wash. and Ida Click of Marysville, Wash.; a brother, Joseph Scarfone; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, John; his brothers Angelo, John, Rocky, and Salvatore; and his sisters: Frances, Annie, Ida, and Donata.
Donations in Mr. Scarfone’s memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
Anne-Marie Saracino
Anne-Marie Saracino, a Rye resident for 66 years, passed away peacefully December 10. She and her late husband, Marc, owned the former Rye Shoe Store and Marc’s Bootery businesses on Purchase Street for over 70 years.
Born in Greenwich, April 7, 1919 to Lillian and John Castronovo, she attended Greenwich schools and went to work at A. J. Norris Interior Decorators and Ruth Johnson Interior Design.
She married Marc Saracino on March 30, 1942. She worked at Witek’s Soundview Studios, an interior decorating firm, until her husband left to serve in the Army during World War II. Before her husband went overseas, Mrs. Saracino worked at Fort Pendleton in California at the PX. While he was serving his country, she worked in Stamford at McGuire’s Industries, assisting in the war effort.
During her lifetime, Mrs. Saracino was a professional seamstress, an avid golfer and bowler, loved to travel and dance, and was a regular parishioner of Resurrection Church. Mary, as she was known, will be remembered fondly and with great respect by those who knew her, and with a sense of profound loss by those who loved her.
She is survived by her three children: Sandee Turnesa of Rye, Marc Saracino of Rye, and Michael Gayle Saracino of Stamford; two sisters, Grace Castronovo of Greenwich and Eleanor Orrico of Cos Cob; her aunt, Ann DeFilippo of California; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her five brothers: Frank, Ralph, John, Patrick, and Michael.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Church of the Resurrection December 13.
Donations in Mrs. Saracino’s memory may be made to the organization of your choice.
Alice Heires
Alice C. Heires, a resident of The Osborn retirement community in Rye, died December 3. She suffered from congestive obstructive pulmonary disease and died of complications from pneumonia. Mrs. Heires was 83.
Born Alice Rea Chamberlin in Philadelphia, January 26, 1929, she grew up outside the city in Andalusia.
She earned a bachelor’s degree at Manhattanville College, where she studied philosophy. She also studied fine arts at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1955, she married John H. Heires, a graduate of Yankton College and Yale Law School, who was a Rhodes scholar and studied at Oxford University.
The couple and their three sons lived in Washington, D.C., before moving, in 1963, to India, where Mr. Heires worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development. They then lived in Japan and Singapore, where he worked for the Private Investment Company for Asia.
The family returned to the United States in 1973 and lived in Greenwich. In 1986, after Mr. Heires retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the couple moved back to Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Heires was predeceased by her husband, John, and by her eldest son, John Jr. She is survived by her brothers: William B. Chamberlin III of Andalusia, Penn., and Norris B. Chamberlin of Rosyln, Penn.; her sons: David Heires, 54, of Bronxville, and Gregory N. Heires, 52, of Montrose, N.Y.; and her grandchildren: Sonja Heires-Manrique, 16, and Marco Heires-Manrique, 15.
