John O’Connor
John Edward O’Connor of Coral Springs, Florida, passed away August 13 of natural causes.
Born June 7, 1934 to Lillian and John O’Connor, he graduated from Rye High School and served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Bottineau. Mr. O’Connor married Loraine Wood in 1955. The family settled on Eleanor St. in Rye and raised two daughters and a son. He joined the Rye Police Department and rose through the ranks, retiring as a Lieutenant in 1976. He received many awards and accolades over his 20 years with the department.
In 1976, he retired with his family to South Florida, where he enjoyed boating or relaxing with a good World War II book.
He will be deeply missed by his family for his passionate conversations over holiday get-togethers, and his love and generosity throughout the years.
He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Wood O’Connor; children Linda Tumm and her husband Michael, David O’Connor and his wife Anne, Cindy Ciaccio and her husband Daniel Ciaccio; and seven grandchildren.
The family asks that donations be made to the American Diabetes Foundation in his name. Services will be announced at a later date.
Lois M. Hurley
Lois M. Hurley, a longtime resident of Rye, passed away peacefully at The Osborn September 1.
Mrs. Hurley was born October 3, 1920 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. She attended St. Xavier College and graduated from St. Bernard’s Loyola School of Nursing in Chicago. Upon graduation, she returned to Jamestown, N.Y., and became head of the surgical nursing staff at Jamestown General Hospital. It was in Jamestown that she met her devoted husband of 58 years, Joseph M. Hurley. They were married on August 21, 1948, and settled in Rye in 1962.
Mrs. Hurley was a parishioner of Church of the Resurrection and was active in the St. Monica’s Mothers Club. She was also a member of the Woman’s Club of Rye and the Twig. When her children were young, she volunteered for the Cub and Girl scouts.
She returned to nursing, first at United Hospital in Port Chester and later at the Miriam Osborn Memorial Home, where she retired.
Loie, as she was affectionately known, will be dearly missed. She is survived by her children: Michael Hurley and his wife Jeanne of Aiken, S.C., Patrick Hurley and his wife Sharon of Harrison, Maureen Milet and her husband Eric of Rye, and Kathleen Sparanese and her husband Michael of Harrison; seven grandchildren; a great-grandson; her sisters, Marie K. North and Anne Romeo; her sister-in-law, Betty Hurley; and many nieces and nephews. Mrs. Hurley was predeceased by her sister, Eleanor Murray.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Church of the Resurrection September 6.
Donations in Mrs. Hurley’s memory may be made to P.O.T.S. at www.potsbronx.org.
Mary Nolan
Mary Nolan of Rye passed away August 23 at the age of 85.
Born in Manhattan to Edward and Anna (Shannon) Boyle, she grew up in the Bronx, where she attended St. Benedict’s elementary school. She graduated from Cathedral High School in Manhattan.
On April 23, 1949, she married Patrick G. Nolan. They had three children. Mr. Nolan passed away in 1960.
Before moving to Rye in 1994, Mrs. Nolan lived in Farmingdale, on Long Island, for over thirty years. For much of that time, she worked as a tax examiner for the Internal Revenue Service.
During her years in Rye, Mrs. Nolan was an enthusiastic member of the Rye Seniors group. She made many enduring friendships as part of the group, and she always looked forward to meeting and playing cards with the other members.
She had a fine sense of humor, noted her children. A neighbor on Long Island recalls: “With Mary gone, I know I will never again laugh until tears are in my eyes.”
Mrs. Nolan will be lovingly remembered by her children, Ann Reese and her husband Stanley, Gerard, and Peter and his wife Cathy. She will also be remembered as the beloved grandmother of Alex, Patrick, Matthew, Traian, and Ileana Reese, and Connor, Caroline, and Peter Nolan. She was predeceased by her brothers, Edward and John Boyle.
A Mass was held August 26 at Church of the Resurrection, followed by interment at St. Raymond’s Cemetery in the Bronx.
Those wishing to remember Mrs. Nolan are asked to contribute to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Herbert Hardinge McDade Jr.
Herbert Hardinge McDade Jr., a leader in the pharmaceutical industry for 62 years, died peacefully at his Florida home August 17 after a short illness. The Rye resident was 84. Born April 6, 1927, in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the oldest son of Mabel and Herbert McDade. He graduated from Brooklyn Prep, The University of Notre Dame, where he received a B.S. in Biology, and Laval University, in Quebec, Canada, where he received a Bachelor in Philosophy.
After graduation in 1950, Mr. McDade took a job in sales at The Upjohn Company, where he worked for 20 years, rising to Director of Laboratory Procedures. He left in 1970 to co-found and become Publisher of Family Health Magazine, a pioneering publication focused on health and wellness. In 1973, he joined the Revlon Corporation, where he was President of Revlon Healthcare and Revlon Healthcare International. In 1986, he became Chairman, CEO and President of Armour Pharmaceuticals. In 1989, he formed his own consulting firm, The Thoma Corp, advising dozens of companies on all matters related to pharma, with a specific focus on licensing deals outside the U.S. He sat on numerous boards of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and chaired the boards of Discovery Labs, Chemex Corporation, Access Pharmaceuticals, and CytRx Corp.
Outside of work, his focus was his faith and his family, but he always found room for Notre Dame football and golf.
He was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem of the Catholic Church. He also served as a Eucharistic Minister. He was a founding board member of St. Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, now a highly acclaimed liberal arts college.
Mr. McDade is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of almost 60 years, Anne F. McDade; his brother Brian of Cataumet, Mass., four children; and eight grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Church of the Resurrection, followed by internment at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Donations in Mr. McDade’s name may be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Margaret Waugh Hayward
Margaret “Peggy” Waugh Hayward died peacefully August 12. She was 91.
She was born March 27, 1920 in West Orange, New Jersey, to George Morton Waugh Jr. and Marjorie Vernol Waugh. Her father, a pioneer of Scarsdale, purchased a parcel of land and built a dream house on Kensington Road. It was there that she and her older sister, Virginia, grew up.
She attended Fox Meadow Grammar School, Scarsdale High School, and the Knox School in Cooperstown. After graduation from Chevy Chase Junior College in Washington, D.C., she continued her education at Parsons School of Design, where she studied dressmaking and interior design.
At the age of 16 she met Howard Boynton Hayward at the Debutante Cotillion and Christmas Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria. He was 20 years old. Rather than attend to his chaperone duties, he danced with her the entire evening. Their courtship began and lasted for four years. At the onset of World War II, they quickly married and moved to Los Angeles, where he was stationed in the Army Air Corps. Soon after the war they returned to Scarsdale and began a family. Their golden years were spent in Vero Beach, Florida. Upon her husband’s death in 2001, Mrs. Hayward returned to New York and resided at The Osborn.
Mrs. Hayward was active in the community as a director of The Scarsdale Woman’s Exchange and a member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club and the Scarsdale Historical Society.
Her hobbies included cooking, making every sort of custard imaginable, sewing, gardening, traveling, and time in the sun at Shenorock Shore Club, where she was a member for over 70 years.
Mrs. Hayward is survived by her two daughters, Deanne Moynahan and her husband Stephen of Stamford, and Brooke Morell and her husband Mark of Rye. She also leaves behind seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. “Gigi” will be missed for her clever wit and independent spirit.
Mark Fleitzer
Mark Hart Fleitzer, who taught science in the Rye City School District for 40 years, passed away peacefully at Connecticut Hospice August 22. He was 90 years old. Mr. Fleitzer resided in East Haven, Conn., having previously lived in Old Greenwich for over 50 years.
Born in New Britain, Connecticut on June 8, 1921, the son of Rose Howley and Marcus Fleitzer, he graduated from New Britain State Teachers College and received a Master’s degree from Columbia University. A much-decorated World War II Air Force pilot, he served in the European Theater and twice survived interment as a POW.
Mr. Fleitzer taught science at Midland Elementary School in Rye. As a master teacher he developed an innovative experiential curriculum that was implemented across many disciplines. His boundless enthusiasm, irrepressible sense of humor, and passion for teaching made him an exceptional and beloved teacher, colleague and mentor.
He co-authored a children’s book, “Experimenting With Plants and Seeds”, which included many of the experiments he developed and used in his classroom. He was a man of many interests and talents, which included boat building, a love of astronomy, and a passion for music. In retirement he found great joy and fulfillment pursuing his lifelong love of painting.
Mr. Fleitzer is survived by his wife, Ann O’Brien Fleitzer; daughters Marie A. Drotar and her husband Michael of Branford, Conn., and Catherine Mayers of Wilmington, Del; a grandson, Mark J. Mayers; a step-granddaughter, Samantha K. Drotar; and his sister, Marjorie Schmale of Rochester, NY.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held August 27 at St. George Church in Guilford, Conn. Contributions in his memory can be made to the Cos Cob Library, 5 Sinawoy Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807-2311 or Silvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan, CT 06840.
Eleanor Huntington
Eleanor Huntington, a longtime resident of Rye, passed away peacefully at home August 24 with her family by her side.
Born October 2, 1938 to Thomas and Eleanor Gallagher in Philadelphia, she graduated from Raven Hill Academy in Philadelphia. She attended Manhattanville College for two years before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, from which she graduated with a B.A. in History in 1960. It was there she met her future husband, Robert H. Huntington.
Shortly after marrying, the couple moved to Rye, where she remained active in community and church affairs over the next forty years. Mrs. Huntington served on the board of directors of Samaritan Counseling Center (formerly Sound Shore Counseling Center), and was a founding member of the Rye Youth Council Outreach Program. She was the Treasurer and later three-term President of the 26th Twig, an organization devoted to raising funds for United Hospital in Port Chester. Mrs. Huntington later served on the Board of Directors of United Hospital. She was also an active member of the Rye Garden Club and its Conservation Committee.
At Church of the Resurrection in Rye, she taught religious education and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She later was instrumental in forming the Interfaith Church Group (ICARE), an organization devoted to training individuals to assist parishioners in need.
Mrs. Huntington was a longtime member of Apawamis Club, where she played competitive tennis and golf for many years, and later chaired the Women’s Golf Program.
The Huntingtons were married for 50 years. Mr. Huntington passed away in 2010 after a long illness.
Mrs. Huntington is survived and will be missed by her three children: Robert H. Huntington III and his wife Katherine of New York City; Thomas Andrew Huntington and his wife Melissa of Oakland, Calif.; and Betsy Gallagher and her husband Jim of Rye; along with five grandchildren: Amanda and John Huntington, Ben Huntington, and Emma and Georgia Gallagher.
She was loved and respected by her family and large circle of devoted friends. Her humor, great stories, and competitive fire will be sorely missed.
The family will receive friends at Graham Funeral Home Tuesday, August 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated August 31 at 11 a.m. at Church of the Resurrection.
Donations may be sent to Open Door Family Medical Centers (https://support.opendoormedical.org/sslpage.aspx.).
