Eleanor Poremba Smith
April 30, 2011

Eleanor Poremba Smith 94, Amsterdam, NY, passed away peacefully Saturday at the Edward L. Wilkinson Residential Health Care Facility.
Born in  Dupont, Pa., January 4, 1917, the last surviving child of John and Anna Salach Poremba.
She moved to Hagaman as a child and was educated there and in Amsterdam.
Prior to her marriage, she worked at Mohawk Carpets and later was the bookkeeper for the family business V.O. Smith Auto Sales for many years. She was a licensed real estate agent with Blake Realty in Amsterdam.
Eleanor and her late husband had homes in Port St. Lucie, Fla. And Speculator, NY.
She was honorary life member and past president of the Emblem Club 273, former member of the Columbiettes, Century Club and the Rosary Society of her parish, St. Stephen’s in Hagaman.
Eleanor bowled with the St. Stanislaus’ Tuesday Matinee and Over 20 Friday Nite leagues. She was a member of the Hamilton County Twigs in Speculator.  
In Florida, she was a parishioner of St. Lucie’s Church serving on the phone committee and the PSL Home Owner’s Association .
Eleanor enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading and knitting. Known for her hospitality, she was always welcoming guests into her home. She had a “thing” for cleaning windows and was armed with windex and towels.
On April 11, 1937, she was married to Vincent O. Smith who passed away on February 22, 2003.
She leaves her daughter Carolyn (Mrs. Edward F.) Bovee of Amsterdam;    son Gerald W. (Margie) Smith of Connecticut and Ft. Pierce Fla., three grandchildren; Jodi L. (Scott) Biezenbos of Savannah, Ga., Vincent O. (Jane) Smith, II of Scotia, NY and Wendy M. (Daniel) Skawinski of Ballston Spa, NY; great grandchildren; Amelia Marion , Erin Elizabeth and Kathryn Lucille Smith all of Scotia, and Brenden Logan and Caellan Vincent Raf Biezenbos of Savannah; nieces, nephews; brother in law Thaddeus Zawilinski of Bloomington, Ind,  sister in law Josephine Smith of Largo, Fla.; and extended family in Pt. St. Lucie.   
Eleanor was predeceased by brothers, Staff Sgt. Peter Poremba in WWII, Stanley, Frank, and Edward Poremba; and sisters Mary Bessell, Victoria Mack Wojcik, Rose Rogers, Mildred Cetnar and Lottie Zawilinski.
Services are Thursday at 8:30 am at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 am  at St. Stephen’s Church, Hagaman. Fr. Martin DeRose, celebrant.
Interment is in St. Stanislaus’ Cemetery.
Calling hours are Wednesday from 4:00-7:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to St. Stephen’s Church, Community Hospice of Amsterdam or the Make A Wish Foundation all in care of the funeral home office.
Please visit her family’s on-line guestbook at www.brbsfuneral.com.

William E. Burwell
January 30, 2011

William E. Burwell, age 77, of Inlet, NY passed away on January 30, 2011 in Daytona Beach, FL where he spent his winters for the past 10 years.
A funeral Mass to celebrate Bill’s life will take place at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Inlet, NY on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 10:00am. Interment will be in Riverview Cemetery in Old Forge immediately following the service.  
Those who wish to donate to his memory are asked to consider Inlet Volunteer Emergency Services, PO Box 300, Inlet, NY 13360.