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Thomas Ditto
Mar 26, 2025
ANCRAMDALE — Thomas Ditto of Ancramdale, born Thomas David DeWitt Aug. 11, 1944 in New York City changing his surname to Ditto at marriage, passed peacefully on Pi Day, March 14, 2025. He was a husband, father, artist, scientist, Shakespeare scholar, visionary, inventor, actor, mime, filmmaker, clown, teacher, lecturer, colleague, and friend. Recipient of numerous grants, awards and honors in both the arts and sciences, a Guggenheim and NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts fellow, he was a creative genius beyond his time. In addition to authoring scores of papers, he held several patents and invented the first motion capture system and the Ditto-scope, a radically new kind of telescope. He was a pioneer in computer generated video, film, and performance.
When not hard at work, he was always there to help when needed and he knew how to bring smiles to faces. He loved his family and pets and was supportive of his wife’s cat rescue work.
He is survived by wife Beverly (Botto), son David, sister Alice Pero and nieces and nephews in the extended family. He was predeceased by his parents David and Madlyn Dewitt and sister Peggy.
Memorial contributions may be made to any of the following non-profits.
Collaborative Cats Inc. PO Box 88, Ancramdale, NY 12503 www.collaborativecats.org
eba inc. dance theatre company, PO Box 145, Albany, NY 12201 www.eba-arts.org
Wave Farm transmission arts WGXC 90.7 FM PO Box 13 Acra, NY 12405 www.wavefarm.org
American Astronomical Society 1667 K Street NW, Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 www.aas.org
American Cancer Society 2678 South Road, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. www.cancer.org
A Celebration of Life memorial service will take place at a future date and will be announced on the funeral home website.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Ave., Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
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Winifred Anne Carriere
Mar 26, 2025
SHARON — Winifred Anne Carriere passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 87. A resident of Sharon for many years, she later retired to Ancramdale, New York.
Born in New Haven to writers Albert Carriere and Winifred Osborn, Anne grew up in New York City. Raised in a Quaker family, she attended Friends Seminary, and The University of Wisconsin. Anne studied American Architectural History through Bard College’s University Without Walls. For her degree, she wrote a comprehensive history of the architecture of Sharon during its first hundred years.
Anne worked as an editor for her mother’s publication Professional Florist Magazine. She also served as Public Relations Director for South Street Seaport Museum, and later, as a legal secretary at the firms Paul Weiss and Coudert Brothers.
A writer throughout her life, Anne produced numerous short stories and poems. Her work was published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Herald Tribune. Best known is Anne’s children’s book “Jennifer’s Walk” published by Golden Books in 1973, and illustrated by her then-husband New Yorker magazine cover artist Arthur Getz. The book was inspired by the outdoor adventures of their young daughter.
Anne was an activist. She participated in the anti-nuclear movement, volunteering for the campaign Ground Zero. Upon retirement she founded the non-profit community service organization Ancramdale Neighbors Helping Neighbors. She helped develop the somatic nonviolence method, Aiki-AVP, editing its first training manual. Anne served as a Trustee for Fifteenth Street Quaker Meeting in New York City, and later served on various committees of the Bulls Head-Oswego Quaker Meeting in Clinton Corners, New York.
Anne was passionate about nature, and always preferred to be outdoors. She was an avid hiker, long-distance swimmer, cross-country skier, canoeist, and flower gardener.
She also was a voracious reader, and loved poetry, classical music, and humorous wordplay.
Anne is survived by her husband, William “Bill” Leicht of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, her son, Kurt Gubrud of Canaan, and her daughter, Sarah Getz of Sharon.
The family wishes to thank the staff of The Meadows, the memory care division of Brookmeade in Rhinebeck, for their compassionate care of Anne during her final years.
A memorial gathering will take place this spring at the Bulls Head–Oswego Quaker Meetinghouse with a date to be announced.
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Ilene Tetenbaum
Mar 26, 2025
SALISBURY—Ilene Tetenbaum, 94, passed away peacefully at her home in Salisbury, on March 14, 2025. Ilene will be remembered for her unwavering devotion to her large family and her elegance.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ilene was the daughter of Samuel Abrams and Blanche Brave Abrams.
She studied at the University of Maryland. While in Baltimore, Ilene met her future husband, Stanley, on a blind date. They married in 1948 and raised three sons, Stefan, Robert, and David.
Ilene loved to read and immerse herself in Jewish traditions and gardening. She was active in her synagogue and owned a florist shop called the House of Flowers.
Ilene and Stanley moved to New York City in 1978 and relished their vacation house on the Twin Lakes in Salisbury, which ultimately became their permanent home. Ilene volunteered at the Scoville Library and was involved in numerous writing workshops and book groups. Ilene loved being in the Berkshires where she created beautiful gardens that were enjoyed by her family and friends.
After 47 wonderful years together, Stanley passed away in 1995. Sometime later, Ilene met Irwin Leff, her future partner, who passed in 2017.
Ilene is predeceased by her dear brother, Paul Abrams. She is survived by her three children, Stefan (Stella), Robert (Roxana) and David (Anne); and eight grandchildren Olympia (Marshall), Roland (Jackie), Max (Jin), Lauren (David), Adam (Lowell), Michele (Brandon), Paul and Claire, and eight great grandchildren.
A celebration of Ilene’s life will be held this spring in Salisbury, Connecticut.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury, CT. www.scovillelibrary.org/about-us/support.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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Jack Burcroff
Mar 26, 2025
CORNWALL — Jack Burcroff of Cornwall passed away in March, 2025. He was born on April 20, 1951, in Fayetteville, New York to Ann (Schlect) Burcroff and the late Walter Burcroff, both of whom were students at Cornell University at the time of his birth. His family moved to Salisbury in 1955, where Jack excelled at everything he did.
As a boy scout, he achieved “Order of the Arrow” which was the highest honor the scouts had at the time. At 16, he was named Paper Boy of the Year for delivering the Waterbury Republican, and as a senior in high school he was chosen as Scholar-Athlete of the Year. After attending the University of Western Michigan, he started a business restoring antique cars. The business thrived and after three years he and his companion, Bev Hoffman, bought a house in Plainwell, Michigan, adding a garage where he worked on vehicles. In addition, he was a Certified Master Mechanic and a Certified Master Plumber. Jack delighted in working the gardens around his house, despite having had to work in his family’s garden while growing up.
When Bev died in a motorcycle accident, he sold his business and moved back to Northwest Connecticut to be near his family. Back in Connecticut, Jack enjoyed seeing friends, playing golf, volleyball and softball, motorcycling, bowling, and sitting in for many poker games with a terrific group of friends. Jack was known for his extensive knowledge of just about anything. To say that Jack knew his trivia is putting it mildly. He could talk knowledgeably and in great detail about anything from car engines to electrical systems to world history. For a while he was even in the running to appear on Jeopardy. Jack was also very musical. As a teen, he organized a band called The Counts, which played Herb Alpert-style music. Jack was the saxophonist in the band. He taught himself guitar and had a giant collection of music. A good sound system was very important to him. Jack was the devoted caretaker at Cream Hill Lake in Cornwall for many years, and Cream Hill Lake is where a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Jack was predeceased by his father, Walter Burcroff and his sisters, Ellen Burcroff and Amy Burcroff Reel. Jack is survived by his mother Ann Burcroff of Montpelier, Vermont, his brothers, Larry Burcroff and his wife Jen of Lakeville, Connecticut and Erik Burcroff and his partner Joan Wattman of Plainfield, Massachusetts, his brother-in-laws David Reel of Lakeville, Connecticut and Robert Anderson of Sharon, Connecticut, and many beloved nieces and nephews. We will all miss Jack’s beaming welcome and easy companionship.
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