Herman W. 'Larry' Burz

FALLS VILLAGE —  Herman W. “Larryâ€� Burz, 95, of Yonkers, N. Y., died peacefully in his family’s care on April 20, 2009.

He was born in Frankfort, Germany, on Feb. 20, 1914, and came to America in 1927.

Larry attended Stuyvesant High School and City College in New York City.

During the war, he was kept stateside, utilizing his machinist skills.

In 1942 he met Pearl Berman; they were married in 1947, and moved into the house he built in Yonkers in 1951.

Larry was a very loving and devoted family man with a great sense of humor, a loving smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

He was a master craftsman, machinist/tool and die maker, model maker, wood carver, steam engine designer/builder. He loved building live-steam boats, steam rollers, trains, whirligigs and so much more — all totally scratch-built (no plans) to scale with magnificent detail. Riding his “Burz Railroad� steam train was a great time.

Larry had a great love/respect for nature. He was an avid ice boater and enjoyed building (including sewing his own sails) and racing his “Flying Spider� with the Westchester Ice Sailing Club.

At the summer home Larry built in the Adirondacks, he and his family loved to fish, hike and enjoy all the wonders of nature, including Pearl’s beautiful flower gardens.

Larry and Pearl visited Falls Village often, and he admired its beauty.

In addition to his wife of 62 years, he is survived by his sons Robert of Scottsville, N. Y., Brant of Falls Village and Leonard of Rochester, N. Y.

Larry will be greatly missed by his family. A private memorial service will be held in the Adirondacks.

Latest News

Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less