Arthur L. Royal

COPAKE —Arthur L. Royal, 77, of Copake, and a former longtime resident of Millerton,  died Sept. 13, 2009, at his residence.

He was born on April 15, 1932, in Poughkeepsie, the son of the late Bernice A. (Allen) and Carleton L. Royal.

Mr. Royal was educated in Millerton and later attended business school in Poughkeepsie. He had been employed as a building supervisor at the Wassaic state school for more than 36 years until his retirement in 1991. While at Wassaic, he also served as an auditor with the CSEA Union.

Mr. Royal was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the Navy from 1951 to 1955. He continued his veteran affiliations by becoming a member of the Millerton American Legion Post No. 178 and the Cadby-Shutts VFW Post No. 7552 in Hillsdale, N.Y. He was also a longtime volunteer at the Newman Community Residence in Copake Falls, where he assisted and drove veterans to various appointments.

Active in his communities, Mr. Royal was a member, head usher and served on the vestry of the Church of St. John in the Wilderness in Copake Falls. He served as councilman for the town of North East from 1976 to 1977 and was also an election inspector for the town of Copake.

He is survived by his wife, Pauline L. (Elster) Royal of Copake; a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Robert Tencer of Phoenix, Ariz.; a daughter, Susan Godejohn of Mesa, Ariz.; and a son Gary Godejohn of Seattle, Wash.; a grandson, Samuel Tencer of Phoenix; a sister, Anna Warren of Amenia;  a brother, James Surdam of Idaho; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a brother, Roland Surdam; and his stepfather, Arthur Surdam.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. from the Church of St. John in the Wilderness, the Rev. E. Walton Zelley Jr. officiating.

Burial with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be offered to either the Church of St. John in the Wilderness, Copake Falls, NY 12517; or Community Hospice of Columbia-Greene, 47 Liberty St., Catskill NY 12414.

Arrangements are under the care of the Peck and Peck Funeral Home in Copake. To send an online condolence, go to peckandpeck.net.

Latest News

Housatonic softball beats Webutuck 16-3

Haley Leonard and Khyra McClennon looked on as HVRHS pulled ahead of Webutuck, May 2.

Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — The battle for the border between Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Webutuck High School Thursday, May 2, was won by HVRHS with a score of 16-3.

The New Yorkers played their Connecticut counterparts close early on and commanded the lead in the second inning. Errors plagued the Webutuck Warriors as the game went on, while the HVRHS Mountaineers stayed disciplined and finished strong.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mountaineers fall 3-0 to Wamogo

Anthony Foley caught Chase Ciccarelli in a rundown when HVRHS played Wamogo Wednesday, May 1.

Riley Klein

LITCHFIELD — Housatonic Valley Regional High School varsity baseball dropped a 3-0 decision to Wamogo Regional High School Wednesday, May 1.

The Warriors kept errors to a minimum and held the Mountaineers scoreless through seven innings. HVRHS freshman pitcher Chris Race started the game strong with no hits through the first three innings, but hiccups in the fourth gave Wamogo a lead that could not be caught.

Keep ReadingShow less
The artist called ransome

‘Migration Collage' by ransome

Alexander Wilburn

If you claim a single sobriquet as your artistic moniker, you’re already in a club with some big names, from Zendaya to Beyoncé to the mysterious Banksy. At Geary, the contemporary art gallery in Millerton founded by New Yorkers Jack Geary and Dolly Bross Geary, a new installation and painting exhibition titled “The Bitter and the Sweet” showcases the work of the artist known only as ransome — all lowercase, like the nom de plume of the late Black American social critic bell hooks.

Currently based in Rhinebeck, N.Y., ransome’s work looks farther South and farther back — to The Great Migration, when Jim Crow laws, racial segregation, and the public violence of lynching paved the way for over six million Black Americans to seek haven in northern cities, particularly New York urban areas, like Brooklyn and Baltimore. The Great Migration took place from the turn of the 20th century up through the 1970s, and ransome’s own life is a reflection of the final wave — born in North Carolina, he found a new home in his youth in New Jersey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Four Brothers ready for summer season

Hospitality, ease of living and just plain fun are rolled into one for those who are intrigued by the leisure-time Caravana experience at the family-owned Four Brothers Drive-in in Amenia. John Stefanopoulos, pictured above, highlights fun possibilities offered by Hotel Caravana.

Leila Hawken

The month-long process of unwrapping and preparing the various features at the Four Brothers Drive-In is nearing completion, and the imaginative recreational destination will be ready to open for the season on Friday, May 10.

The drive-in theater is already open, as is the Snack Shack, and the rest of the recreational features are activating one by one, soon to be offering maximum fun for the whole family.

Keep ReadingShow less