Obituary: John Theodore Mitrou

John Theodore Mitrou passed away peacefully on Aug. 25 at the SunHarbor Nursing Home in Roslyn. John was born on Oct. 8, 1919 in New York and over the years lived in Galveston, Texas and Manhasset. He shared his life with his loving wife Mary-Jane, a native of Galveston. John fell in love with Mary-Jane while at the University of Texas and they married on June 22, 1942, in the Galvez Hotel, in Galveston. Mary-Jane and Johnny had been married for 67 years.

John loved boating, fishing, and golf and would often take cruises with Mary-Jane throughout the Caribbean. He was a successful businessman in the petroleum shipping industry, subsequently owned his own fuel oil business, and moved into retirement as a top real estate agent for Century 21. He was a patriot serving our country in World War II caring for our soldiers as a medical technician.

John is survived by his wife Mary-Jane; his daughter Olga-Anne Berest and husband Robert; his son Nicholas; his son Theodore and wife Madeline; his grandchildren David and Jeffrey Mitrou, Heather Berest, Alison Berest Busching and Krista Billard; and his great grandchildren Ryan Mitrou, Anna Mitrou, Lucas Duckstein, and Mark and Paul Billard.

A memorial Mass was held Saturday, Aug. 29 at noon at St. Mary’s Church in Manhasset. John will be laid to rest in Galveston, Texas at the Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be sent to the Alzheimers Foundation of America, 5 Channel Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050.

Obituary: Dr. Edward J. Walsh

Dr. Edward J. Walsh, who celebrated 96 birthdays, of Cooperstown, NY passed away on Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. Ed was born April 9, 1913 in Schuyler, NY, the son of the late Edward T. and Edna (Francisco) Walsh. He was educated in the Mohawk School District, Cortland State Teachers College, and received a masters and his educational doctorate at Columbia University. Ed served in the United States Navy in the South Pacific during World War II.

Always an educator, Ed was the director of health, physical education and recreation and the head football coach at the Manhasset School District where he began his career at Manhasset in 1948 reviving a football program that had sunk to its lowest depth in school history. He won his first league title in the 1950 season and thereafter added many titles. Four of his players went on to play professional football: Jim Thorpe, Steve Jordan, Vin Scott and Jim Brown. During Brown's three-year varsity career, Manhasset teams went 20-1 and Brown averaged 12.4 yards per carry.

Obituary: John N. DeHoff, MD

John N. DeHoff, MD, age 97, 55 Roberts Grove, Orangeville, PA died at his home on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. He was in failing health for eight years.

Born on Nov. 11, 1911 in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was a son of the late Leon D. and Elizabeth (Newcomer) DeHoff. He resided at his home in Orangeville since 1984 and had maintained a summer cottage there since 1950.

He was the eldest of four sons and graduated from Flushing High School, Flushing, NY. His college degrees were earned at New York University. He served his residency at Queens General Hospital in New York City.

Obituary: Robert J. Wynn

Robert J. Wynn, a retired senior executive of J. P. Morgan, died Aug. 8, 2009 from cancer. He was a longtime resident of Manhasset and most recently of Huntington.

Robert (Bob) Wynn joined Guaranty Trust Company of New York in 1941, which merged with J. P. Morgan & Co. in 1959. He retired in 1988 at age 65 as a senior vice president and area manager for Morgan’s operations in Asia. After retirement he was retained as a senior advisor and vice chairman of J. P. Morgan (Hong Kong) Ltd. until 1990. In a career that spanned a half a century, he was directly involved in almost all of Morgan’s extensive operations in Asia. In 1961 he moved to Japan with his family to head Morgan’s first operation in the region, which was a regional office, with headquarters in Tokyo. In the years that followed, Morgan became very prominent in Japanese finance and a major advisor to many American and European companies entering the complex Japanese market. In 1965 he returned to New York headquarters to head the group responsible for all Morgan’s business in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Obituary: Martha Seymour Grossi

Martha Seymour Grossi died on June 23, 2009, after a brief illness. She was born in New Rochelle, NY on December 13, 1914, to Martha Rheinfrank and Alexander Duncan Seymour, an architect and later a professor of architecture at Cornell University.

Mrs. Grossi graduated from Wellesley College in 1936 and received a master’s degree in social work from Simmons School of Social Work in 1939. She trained at Boston Hospital in its neurology department and later worked for the State Charities Aid in New York City. During World War II, she provided volunteer services as a case worker.

Obituary: Helen “Pat” Cooper

Longtime Strathmore Vanderbilt resident Helen “Pat” Cooper, a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and good friend to many, died peacefully with her family at her side on July 29, 2009. Born in New York City to Helen and Paul McCanna, raised in Forest Hills, NY, Pat was a graduate of The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica Estates, NY, and Trinity College, Washington, DC.

Pat’s kind, gentle way was an inspiration to her family and friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. She derived joy from the moments shared and memories created with family and friends. There is no question that Pat was a wonderful wife and mother. She was whole-heartedly committed to her husband and children’s well-being and active lifestyles. She spent much of her time supporting their pursuits, along with her own.

Pat will be fondly remembered by her loving husband, Ed; her daughter Pam and her husband Vincent Angiolillo of Mendham, NJ; her son Dan and his wife Rosemarie of Stormville, NY; her daughter Courtney of Harrison, NY; her son Doug and Martina of Milford, CT; and her five grandchildren, Carolyn and Paul Angiolillo and Andrew, McKenzie and Sarah Cooper. She was a faithful Catholic and attended daily services. Her funeral service was held at St. Mary’s Church in Manhasset.

Obituary: Jean Claire King

Former Bayside, NY resident Jean Claire King, 82, died June 27, 2009 at North Shore Extended Care Unit in Manhasset.

Jean Claire Lappin was born July 30, 1926, in Elmhurst, NY to Catherine and Thomas Lappin.

She graduated from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, NY and soon after married Joseph Charles King (Charlie) on May 22, 1948 at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church. Mr. and Mrs. King went on to have five children. Jean was a homemaker and started raising her family in Bayside, NY before moving to Manhasset. Once her children were full-grown, she entered the workforce as an administrator in admitting at North Shore University Hospital where she was employed for 25 years prior to her retirement in 1996.

Obituary: Marion ‘Tess’ Teslik

At 92, Marion “Tess” Teslik was an independent, quick-witted, working woman with a flair for fashion.

Growing up in Jamaica, Queens, Ms. Teslik attended finishing school after her high school days and later enrolled at Fordham University.

She attended three years of college before meeting her husband, Alexander, Jr., while on a train traveling between New York and Connecticut. They later married and Ms. Teslik, an only child, went on to have three children, Alexander, Steven and Melanie.

Obituary: Philip E. Becker

Philip E. Becker of Jupiter, FL passed away Monday, June 22, 2009 at Jupiter Medical Center. Mr. Becker was born in Brooklyn, NY on Aug. 16, 1937 and raised in Manhasset.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Anne Gay (Fitzpatrick); one daughter, Eileen Gay Weiler of Little Egg Harbor, NJ; and one brother, Daniel B. Becker, Jr. of Sarasota, FL; and was preceded in death by his daughter, Susan Marie.

A visitation was held June 25 at Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home. A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated 10 a.m., Friday, June 26 at St. Jude Catholic Church, Tequesta, FL. Entombment followed at Riverside Memorial Park, Tequesta, FL.

In lieu of flowers, Masses preferred, or contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Obituary: Spencer L. Davidson

Spencer L. Davidson, a former associate editor at Time Magazine and longtime resident of Manhasset, died Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn.

Mr. Davidson was a writer for Time’s Nation and Business sections and served as the magazine’s Atlanta bureau chief from 1959 through 1961. He went on to be one of Time’s most experienced Middle East specialists and spent six months as the bureau chief in Beirut in 1973. He wrote many of Time’s cover stories on that and other subjects. He also wrote for the international edition before his retirement in the early 1980s.