Louise Devine
Louise Katherine Devine passed away peacefully at her home May 6. She’d lived in Rye for 49 years.
“Sweet Lou” as her late husband, Gerald Devine affectionately called her, was born in Newark, N.J. on August 27, 1934. She was the fifth of seven children born to Mary Angelillo and August Davino, a close and loving Italian family. Over the years, Louise and her siblings told countless stories and tales from when they were young that rang of happy times and laughter.
She graduated from Orange High School in Orange, N.J. in 1952. After receiving a degree as an Executive Administrative Assistant from Berkeley Secretarial School in Orange, she set right out to find a job. She found one at Nugent Igo, a small bond firm in East Orange, N.J. It was there that she met her future husband, Gerald Thomas Devine, who was a broker. The two were married on September 26, 1964, and settled in Rye, where they raised their two children.
In 1974, Mrs. Devine returned to her secretarial career. “She thoroughly enjoyed her work,” said her family, “and typed faster than anyone.”
Over the years, she worked for a variety of different businesses, including the Rye Psychiatric Hospital and Kelly Girl Services, and for a number of local attorneys.
In 1990, she went to work for George Grossman, a real estate attorney. She worked tirelessly for him until last year. An “old school” legal secretary, she was the first person people met when they came into the office and she knew it was important to make a good impression. That she did, to clients and attorneys, alike.
Mrs. Devine was an active member of the Twig, sewing and needlepointing and devoting many volunteer hours to the community organization.
Her passion throughout her adult life was art. A talented artist, she painted beautifully right up until her death.
“She was a loyal confidant to all who had the pleasure to know her,” said her family. “She had a wonderful sense of humor and was known for her caring nature and easy way with friends and strangers. She loved animals, most especially cats.”
Mrs. Devine is survived by her son, Jerry Jr. of West Palm Beach, Florida, and her daughter and son in-law, Holly O’Neill-Melville and Garth Aldrich Melville and their two children, Sean and Jack, of Rye. She is also survived by her sisters, Laura Weisbecker of Scottsdale, Arizona and Catherine Kerris of Spring Lake Heights, N.J.
A mass of Christian burial was held May 10 at Church of the Resurrection.
Donations in Louise Devine’s name may be made to the NYC Cat Coalition, P.O. Box 243, Port Chester, NY 10573 or to the Brain Tumor Research Fund at https://onlinegiving.nyumc.org/donate.
Dolores Paganelli
Dolores Ann Paganelli passed away on May 14. She was 55.
Born on July 12, 1957, in Flushing, New York, she was the eldest of six children of Roger T. and Carmela Monteleone Paganelli.
She graduated from Academy of the Resurrection in 1977 and NYU Para-Educator Center. She worked as a home health aide.
“She was passionate about oldies music, Elvis Presley, and recycling,” said her sister Helen Ray. “She was loved by all of her family members.”
Ms. Paganelli is survived by her two children, Erik and Karen Jurgens, five siblings: Armand and wife Janice, Roger and wife Joanne, Michael and wife Regina, Janet Paganelli, and Helen P. Ray; eleven nieces and nephews and many extended family members and friends.
A mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Church of the Resurrection on May 18.
Donations in Ms. Paganelli’s memory may be made to Lifespire Inc., Attn: Ivette Gonzalez, One Whitehall Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10004. The organization provides residential care for her son, Erik.
Anne R. Cook
Anne Rahman Cook passed away May 9 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. In February of this year, her family moved her to spend her last months under the care of Hospice of The Carolina Foothills at her home in Landrum, South Carolina.
A lifelong resident of Rye, she was born to Muriel (Garland) and James S. Rahman on May 28, 1932. After attending the Village of Rye Elementary School, she graduated from Rye High School and earned a secretarial certificate from Katherine Gibbs in New York City.
On March 17, 1951, she married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth L. Cook. She worked at Martin Insurance Co. in Rye, until starting her family in 1952.
In 1964, the Cooks started a successful small business, Westchester-Wilbert Vault Co., which grew to become the largest company of its type in Westchester County. They sold it in 1999.
Mrs. Cook volunteered much of her time to the Port Chester-Rye Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where she served for many years as an EMT alongside her husband, who was a driver. They were both first responders to the Stouffer’s Hotel fire in White Plains.
A perpetual student, her talents and skills exceeded the average in all she touched, from business to gardening to cooking to needlework. She threw pottery, restored her old International Scout herself, and maintained her own buildings.
She will be remembered as a “swell gal.”
Mrs. Cook is survived by her husband, Ken, of 62 years; her three children, Michelle Richardson of Harpswell, Maine, Lynn Cross, of Landrum, South Carolina, and Jimmy Cook of Antrim, New Hampshire; one granddaughter; seven grandsons; and five great-grandsons.
Contributions in Anne Cook’s memory may be made to the Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS, 417 Ellendale Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573.
Condolences may be left at www.pettyfuneralhome.com.
Timothy Murphy
Timothy Patrick Murphy passed away peacefully on April 27, at his home in Rye, where he lived surrounded by family for the past 47 years.
Born on March 11, 1928 in New York City, he was the son of Philip and Margaret Collins Murphy. He attended Power Memorial High School and graduated from Manhattan College Class of ‘52.
Following college, he earned his public accounting certification and began his career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen & Co. Subsequently he held the position of Senior Vice President and Comptroller for GTE Corporation and served as a member of the board of directors of Cognitronics Corporation.
He was proud to have honorably served his country in the U.S. Army and aided in the reconstruction of Japan following World War II. With a dedication to community engagement and service, he enjoyed volunteering at his church, serving as Treasurer of his neighborhood association, and being an active member of the Lions Club, American Legion, American Yacht Club, and Jonathans Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla.
Mr. Murphy will be remembered most of all for his devotion to family. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, the former Maureen Jones, and their four children and spouses: Tim and Eileen Murphy of Darien, Bill and Kim Murphy of New York City, Cameron and Peg Jackson of Rye, and Dan and Melissa Murphy of New York City. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Elizabeth, Maggie, Lauren, Chase, Bell, Finn, Siobhan and Mac.
A mass of Christian Burial was held at the Church of the Resurrection May 3.
Helmer Johannes Åberg
Helmer Johannes Åberg died on April 18, in Cromwell, Connecticut, surrounded by loved ones. He was 103.
Born September 29, 1909, in Tving, Sweden, a small town in the Southern province of Blekinge, he was the son of Hilda (Olsson) and Enock Åberg.
In 1928, he came to the United States with his father and, capitalizing on their farming background from Sweden, began working in the landscaping business in New Rochelle. As their business expanded throughout much of Westchester County, they eventually bought property in Rye, where they established Åberg’s Nursery, a six-acre retail tree nursery on the corner of Boston Post and Old Post roads.
As Mr. Åberg became more experienced in the nursery business as well as planting design and landscape contracting, the business thrived. When his father passed away, he and his wife, Linnea, continued to successfully run the business for more than 40 years. The extent of his planting projects is significant, with many trees now reaching “landmark” status.
With the start of a growing family, he built a house right on the nursery property. The Åberg lived there long past his retirement. In 2001, they moved to Covenant Village in Cromwell.
While Mr. Åberg worked hard his whole life, he also enjoyed life and his family. He and his wife were members of the VASA Order in New York, a Swedish-American fraternal organization, where they enjoyed an active social life with the greater Swedish community. He was also a member of Rye Presbyterian Church, where he served in numerous capacities.
Besides fishing, his favorite pastime was tending to his flower and vegetable gardens, a hobby he continued even after retiring to Connecticut. His dahlias were his pride and joy. He was also an accomplished oil painter, who started painting when he was in his 70s. Many of his friends and family are still proud owners of the paintings he gave away as gifts through the years.
In addition to his wife, Linnea, and two sons, Lennart Åberg of Bristol, Rhode Island and Roland Åberg of Long Lake, Minnesota, Mr. Åberg is survived by four grandchildren, (Christy, Erika, Lorentz, and Yvonne), one great grandchild, (Judah), and numerous nephews and nieces, most of whom live in Sweden. He was pre-deceased by eight brothers and sisters.
