U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
John 'Benny' Tyska
Calverton native John "Benny" Tyska, who worked at the Riverhead Polish Hall for more than 25 years, died Aug. 4, 2003 at Central Suffolk Hospital at the age of 87.
Born in Calverton on Aug. 17, 1915, he was the son of Joseph and Clara (Zambriski) Tyska. Mr. Tyska, who left farming in 1960, was for 63 years a member of the Riverhead Polish Independent Club. A family statement said he loved cards, golf and OTB, and had a great sense of humor.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Helen Goozda; their two sons, Dennis, of Calverton and Gregory, of Manorville; and a daughter, Carol Wowak of Calverton; two sisters, Stella Sobczyk and Josephine Yakaboski, both of Calverton; and two grandchildren.
Visitation was Aug. 6 at F.J. McLaughlin Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral mass followed the next day at St. Isidore's R.C. Church, with interment at the church cemetery.
Howard C. Bokee
Howard C. Bokee, president and CEO of Riverhead National Bank in the 1970s, died on Aug. 4, 2003 in Tampa, Fla., at the age of 86.
Mr. Bokee served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church and a former director of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, as well as a member of the Riverhead Kiwanis Club and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was also an ardent devotee of barbershop singing.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred; their daughter, Marilyn Greenfield of Chesterfield, Va.; two sons, Robert, of Tampa, Fla., and Paul, of Calverton; and six grandchildren.
Theodore William Slivonic
Aquebogue native Theodore William Slivonic died at Osceola Regional Hospital in Kissimmee, Fla., on July 29, 2003 at the age of 82.
He was born in Aquebogue on Feb. 15, 1921. His wife, Norma, predeceased him in 2000. He is survived by a son, John, of Kissimmee; a sister, Agnes Tymel of Riverhead; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation was Aug. 4 at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral service was conducted the next day at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Terry officiating. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.
Robert Love Jr.
Robert Love Jr. of Riverhead died suddenly on Aug. 3, 2003 at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital at the age of 25.
Born in Bay Shore on June 13, 1978, he was the son of Robert Emmitt and Pearl (Higgins) Love, both of whom survive him. He also is survived by his stepmother, Marilyn Love of Riverhead, his fiancÉe, Latishia Diego; and seven children: Laquana Tiara and Tanaya, both of Coram, Naquaisia and Ciera, both of Mastic Beach, Kyona and Jaianna, both of Riverhead, and Niles, of Huntington.
Also surviving are four sisters, Nedra, Christie, Verlena and Keona Love, all of Riverhead; and four brothers, Michael Love and Kenneth Robinson, both of Bellport, Tarone Love of Riverhead, and Durrell Hobson, who lives in Florida. Mr. Love also is survived by his grandmother, Carolyn Love of Riverhead.
Visitation was Aug. 6 at Galilee Church of God in Christ in Riverhead, where a funeral service was held the next day. Burial followed at Poospatuck Cemetery in Mastic Beach. Arrangements were under the care of Seay Memorial Chapel of Riverhead.
Frank Taylor Clark
Frank Taylor Clark of Riverhead died July 29, 2003 at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital in Patchogue at the age of 46.
Born on April 12, 1957, in Montclair, N.J., he was the son of Horace and Dorothy (Lance) Clark. He was married to the former Eileen Lawson, who survives him. At the time of his death, Mr. Clark was employed as a chauffeur by Passengers of Coram.
A funeral service was held on Aug. 1 at First Baptist Church of Riverhead, with the Rev. Charles Coverdale presiding. Interment followed at Riverhead Cemetery. Arrangements were under the care of Seay Memorial Chapel of Riverhead.
Octavia Liggens
Octavia Elizabeth Dabney Liggens, a Riverhead native who moved to Ohio in 1935, died July 17, 2003 at Copley Health Center in Akron, Ohio, at the age of 86.
Born in Riverhead on Aug. 20, 1916, she was the daughter Percy and Martha (Taylor) Dabney. She worked for many years in Akron as a sales clerk for J.C. Penney and was a member of Temple AME Zion Church.
She was predeceased by a son, Francis Dabney, and by her husband, Morris Liggens, and is survived by their sons, Alvin and James; two daughters, Glenda Liggens and Mary Warren; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
A graveside ceremony was held on July 25 at Riverhead Cemetery, with the Rev. William Fields of Goodwill A.M.E. Zion Church presiding. Arrangements were under the care of Seay Memorial Chapel of Riverhead.
William P. English
Former Mattituck resident William P. English of Morris, N.Y., died at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta on Dec. 7, 2003. He was 69.
The son of Michael and Florence (Callan) English, he was born in Centereach on July 3, 1934. He married Barbara (Bryant) Tommasini on Dec. 17, 1977, in Aquebogue. Mr. English worked for Grumman Aerospace in Calverton as a production control supervisor for over 30 years. He was an avid reader and enjoyed pen-and-ink sketching and woodworking. Mr. English served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara; six children, Wendy Gajowski, Paula D'arienzo, Michael Flora, Patrick English, and Nancy and Robert Tommasini; and eight grandchildren.
Services took place in Morris, N.Y.
