Maureen Raine
Maureen Raine died peacefully on Good Friday, March 29, after a brave 13-year battle with ovarian cancer, in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. She was 72.
She was the daughter of the Edna and Fordy Laidler of Rothbury, Northumberland, England. She attended Morpeth Grammar School and Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne.
She was a registered nurse in the United Kingdom and continued in that career after she and her husband, Dr. Cedric S. Raine, a medical researcher, moved to the United States in 1968.
In 1985, the Raines adopted a son, Frank, a 12-year-old who was being treated for spina bifida at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, where she volunteered. “We said she brought her work home,” said her family. Mrs. Raine had 12 wonderful years giving Frank a very full life before he died from kidney complications in 1997 at the age of 24.
The Raines, who met as teenagers in England, were married for nearly 50 years. Most of their married life was spent in Rye, where they lived from 1970 until last year. The couple traveled the world while Dr. Raine participated in scientific meetings. He was a professor who led a research team on multiple sclerosis at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, until his retirement in 2008.
Dr. Raine said that during her long illness, his wife often remarked, “It’s a hard life, staying alive.”
The family extends a grateful thanks to AtlantiCare Hospice.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Raine is survived by a brother, John, who lives in Newport, Wales.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 4 at 2:30 p.m. at Adams-Perfect Funeral Home, 1650 New Road, Northfield, N.J. A visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment will be private.
Donations in Mrs. Raine’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society, cancer.org/donate.
Condolences may be left for her family at adams-perfect.com.
Mary Blumenthal
Mary Newkirk Blumenthal, a longtime Rye resident, died peacefully March 23. She was 84.
Born on February 27, 1929, in Akron, Ohio, she was the daughter of Chester and Daphne Newkirk. After attending schools in Akron, she went to Ohio University, from which she graduated in 1951.
She then moved to New York City, and worked in the fashion industry, which gave her the opportunity to travel the world.
She married John Blumenthal in 1954, and the couple moved to Rye in 1959.
In Rye, she was actively involved in many community organizations. She headed the Women’s Association of Rye Presbyterian Church and was the first female trustee on the church’s board. She was an enthusiastic volunteer for the Twig Organization, serving as co-chair of the Annual Christmas Sale and as manager of the United Hospital Hospitality Shop. She was also the Twig chairperson for the Manufacturer’s Hanover Golf Classic. She and her husband were members of Manursing Island and Apawamis clubs.
She will be remembered as “adventurous, athletic, elegant, a passionate leader, and a beloved wife, mother, and friend.”
In addition to her husband John, Mrs. Blumenthal is survived by her three sons: Tim and his wife Lise of Boulder, Colorado; Tom and his wife Amy of Old Greenwich, and Andy of Frisco, Colorado; and two grandchildren, Ryan and Jana. She was pre-deceased by two brothers, Robert and Jerome.
A private family service was held. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
Contributions in Mrs. Blumenthal’s memory may be made to Rye Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Ernest Richards
Internist Dr. Ernest C. Richards passed away at his home on March 16.
Raised in Rye, he attended both Milton and Rye Country Day schools. He graduated from The Hotchkiss School and Yale University, where he sang in the Yale Glee Club and the Wiffenpoofs ’56.
He received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After an internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City, he was drafted into the Army during the Berlin Wall Crisis. He served two years as captain and chief of emergency services at the Nürnberg Army Hospital.
Upon his return from military service, Dr. Richards became Chief Resident in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital. Dr. Richards continued his affiliation with St. Luke’s when he moved back to Rye in 1969. Shortly afterwards, he was asked to join Rye Medical Group and the staff of United Hospital in Port Chester.
Dr. Richards was dedicated to his medical practice and to the welfare of United Hospital. In addition to his long commitment to caring for the health of so many in the community, he was a member and elder of Rye Presbyterian Church, and continued his strong connection with his alma mater.
A lover of classical music, he had the same seats for the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic for over 40 years.
He was a member of American Yacht Club and an accomplished sailor, and “one of the best tennis players in the area” as a young man. He also enjoyed riding in Montana, cross-country skiing, and gardening.
In addition to his wife Nancy, Dr. Richards is survived by a sister, Laura Ells of Manchester, Massachusetts; a brother, Edward L. Richards Jr. of Northfield, Vermont; their many nieces and nephews; and friends of all ages.
A private service of remembrance will be held at a later date.
Thomas F. Staley Jr.
Thomas F. Staley Jr., a longtime teacher and coach at Rye Country Day School, passed away on March 11. The former Rye resident, who lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was 82.
He was born in Bronxville, on January 22, 1931, the son of Thomas F. and Shirley Haynes Staley of Rye and Delray Beach, Florida.
After attending Rye Country Day, he graduated from Deerfield Academy. He received an undergraduate degree from Davidson College, where he played college tennis, and graduate degrees from Columbia and Rutgers universities.
He served in the U.S. Army in San Antonio and Germany as a lieutenant in the Medical Field Service Corps. After serving his country, Mr. Staley taught History and English and coached lacrosse and swimming at Rye Country Day. Upon his retirement, he directed the Thomas F. Staley Charitable Foundation and served as the clerk of the Session of Rye Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Staley was an avid tennis player and jogger. He loved to sing and participated in many choirs and choruses throughout his life. Participation in both prayer and book groups fulfilled him. His willingness to share his lifelong love of history and reading enriched the lives of all who knew him.
His family said, “Tom was a gentleman and loving soul to the end.”
He is survived by Catherine Staley, his devoted wife of 59 years; his daughter Diane Staley Bernard, and his son, Stuart Staley and his wife Laura; seven grandchildren; and two nieces, Susan Howard Canada and Sarah Howard Wichert.
Mary Cindrich
Mary Elizabeth Cindrich, a longtime Rye resident, passed away March 27. She was 65.
Born in Brooklyn to John Joseph and Mary Agnes Cindrich, she grew up in Virginia and Rye.
She graduated from Resurrection Academy and the Grasslands School of Nursing. She received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Mercy College and a Master’s degree in Nursing from Iona College.
Ms. Cindrich was the supervising nurse of the Cardiology Unit at Westchester County Medical Center. For many years, she also worked at United Hospital as an Emergency Room nurse.
“My sister handled the drama and challenges of emergency medicine in a cool and compassionate manner,” said her brother, Michael Cindrich.
For Ritz, as her family and friends fondly called her, the most important thing was her family. She will be remembered for her generosity and devotion to helping others.
Ms. Cindrich is survived by four brothers: Michael (Linda), James, Joseph (Lori), and Frederick (Joanne); two sisters, Agnes and Cathy; 15 nieces and nephews; and ten great-nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her parents and a brother, Stephen.
A mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Church of the Resurrection April 1. Interment followed at St. Mary Cemetery.
Donations in her memory of Mary Cindrich may be made to foundation@wcmc.com to benefit Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.
Jane Dee Strange
Jane Dee Strange passed away peacefully on April 1, at the age of 86.
Born in New York City, she was the daughter of Peter and Mary Dee of Yonkers. After graduating from Gorton High School, she attended Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore.
She married Walter H. Strange. They raised their six children in Pelham and retired to Rye. They were married for 50 years. He passed away in 1998.
Mrs. Strange, who loved antiques, was co-owner of Past Times in Larchmont. She also had an interior decorating business. An accomplished Life Master bridge player, she gave private bridge lessons.
She will be remembered for her terrific sense of humor and as a woman who enjoyed the company of many friends and extended family.
Mrs. Strange is survived by her sister, Polly Buckley; her brother, Peter Dee; her children: Michael, Walter Jr., Louise, Mary Taylor, Sarah Strange, and Charles Strange; grandchildren Sarah Strange, Will Strange, Travis Appleby, Nicholas Strange, Allie Strange, Mary Jane Taylor, and Daniel Taylor. She was predeceased by her sister, Katherine D. Dunn.
The family will receive friends at Graham Funeral Home on Thursday April 4 from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Church of The Resurrection on April 5 at 11 a.m.
David Magee
David B. Magee Sr. died peacefully March 11 at White Plains Hospital after a short illness. He was 87.
He was born on July 6, 1925, in Kuling, China, of Episcopal (Anglican) missionary parents. His father, the Reverend John Gillespie Magee Sr., served as priest-in-charge of the American Church Mission in Nanking (now Nanjing), China, from 1912 to 1940. His mother, Faith Emmeline Backhouse, went to China as a missionary from the Church of England in 1919. They were married in Kuling in 1921.
In 1937, during ‘the Rape of Nanking’ by the Japanese, Mr. Magee’s father played a key role as a member of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. At that time, he filmed the atrocities committed by the Japanese soldiers. In 2002, David Magee went to Nanjing and presented the home-movie camera used by his father in 1937 to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall.
After early schooling at the Hillcrest American School in Nanking, Mr. Magee was enrolled at St. Clare School in Kent, England, which was near the family home. He then attended Charterhouse School, where he became an accomplished cricketer.
With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the family settled in the U.S., where he continued his education at the Hotchkiss School, graduating in 1943. Mr. Magee served in what was then the U.S. Army Air Corps until 1945, when he left the Army with the rank of First Lieutenant.
After the war, he completed his education at Yale, graduating in 1949 as an English major. He subsequently joined what was to become the Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. in New York, where he served for almost 30 years as an investment portfolio manager, retiring as a vice president.
He was married in 1950 to the late Helen J. Rice, of Brooklyn, with whom he had four children. He was later married for 43 years to Frances W. Bernhard of Rye.
As a resident of Rye, Mr. Magee was a member of Rye Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder and sang in the choir for many years.
Mr. Magee is survived by his wife, Frances, and his four children: Martha Rice Magee of Martha’s Vineyard; David B. Magee Jr. of Salt Lake City; John G. Magee III of Fort Lauderdale; and Mary Moore Magee of Salt Lake City; and by a brother, Canon F. Hugh Magee of St. Andrews, Scotland. He is also mourned by his wife’s four children, grandchildren, a niece, and three nephews, all of whom cared deeply for him.
He was predeceased by his brothers, Christopher W. Magee Sr. and Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr., author of the well-known sonnet, “High Flight.”
A memorial service was celebrated at Rye Presbyterian Church on March 19.
Donations in Mr. Magee’s memory may be made to Rye Presbyterian Church.
Jack Curran
Beloved coach and mentor Jack Curran passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Rye on March 13. He was 82.
Born in New York City on September 6, 1930, to Helen Matthews and Thomas J. Curran, he attended All Hollows High School and St. John’s University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in English. In his senior year at St. John’s, he captained the baseball team and went on to play professionally with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.
Mr. Curran spent 55 years as a basketball and baseball coach and physical education teacher at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, N.Y.
Known for his strong, Catholic faith and for the dedication and integrity he brought to his daily life, Mr. Curran will also be remembered for valuing every individual and for his selfless generosity and good deeds, both on and off the courts and playing fields.
His family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to his other family at Molloy High School, and to the countless friends, students, and colleagues who generously gave their support and touched his life over the years.
Mr. Curran is survived by his sister, Mary Lyons Manion of Herkimer, N.Y. and her family, Jeanie and Joanne Lyons; and by the children of his late brothers, Thomas and Gerard Curran.
A Funeral Mass was held at the Church of the Resurrection on March 20.
Donations in Mr. Curran’s memory may be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor (www.littlesistersofthepoor.org), 2999 Schurz Avenue, Bronx, NY 10645, or the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service (www.dsfhs.org), 299 North Highland Ave., Ossining, New York 10582.
