Joseph F. Metz, 86, of Oaklawn Avenue, Rotterdam, died Wednesday at St. Clare's Hospital in Schenectady.

Born Dec. 2, 1910 in Amsterdam, he was a lifelong area resident.

Mr. Metz was employed as a machinist for the General Electric Co. in Schenectady, retiring in 1970.

He was a member of the G.E. Quarter Century Club.

He was married to Margaret M. Metz. She died in 1976.

Survivors include a brother, Louis Metz of Amsterdam; a sister-in-law, Eleanor Metz of Amsterdam; a brother-in-law, Philip Autelitano of Rotterdam and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 1605 Helderberg Ave., Rotterdam, followed at 9 a.m. by a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Princetown Road, Rotterdam. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery.

Calling hours will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stanislaus School, 42-44 Cornell St., Amsterdam.
 

DeWayne Barker
March 5, 1997

DeWayne Barker, 70, of Route 10, St. Johnsville, died Wednesday morning at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville.

Born June 7, 1926 in Fonda, he was the son of Harry and Elizabeth Blakely Barker. Mr. Barker attended local schools and was a lifelong area resident. He lived in Fonda and Johnstown for 40 years before moving to St. Johnsville in 1979 where he has since lived.

Mr. Barker was employed as a dairy farmer on the family farm on Barker Road in Fonda. Later, he worked as an iron worker and carpenter for local construction companies in the local area and Capital District retiring in 1988. He was a member of the Steel Workers Union in Albany.

He married Lucille Hayes Barker on May 19, 1949.

In addition to his wife, survivors include five sons, DeWayne Joseph Barker of Fonda, Harry Barker of Johnstown, John Barker of Gloversville, Michael Barker of Ephratah and Steve Barker of Albany; three daughters, Judith Hale of Johnstown, Lois Bradt and Janet Duesler of Ephratah; two sisters, Eleanor Fisher and Doris Humphrey both of Fonda; 17 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mr. Barker was pre-deceased by a son, Gary W. Barker who died in 1992.

Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Jackson & Betz Funeral Home, 15 Main St., Fultonville. Burial will take place in Evergreen Cemetery, Fonda.

Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ephratah Volunteer Fire Department in care of the funeral home.
 

Edmund Schuyler
March 4, 1997

Edmund K. Schuyler, 70, of Route 30, Minaville, died Tuesday evening at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady.

Born June 4, 1926 in Amsterdam, he was the son of George S. and Mary Burnley Schuyler. Mr. Schuyler was a veteran of World War II of the U.S. Army. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart. He was a lifelong area resident and a graduate of Wilbur H. Lynch High School.

Mr. Schuyler was employed by the Army Depot in Schenectady and later was employed by the Minaville GreenHouse from 1962 to 1969. He lastly owned and operated Carol's Wholesale Flowers of Minaville, retiring in 1986. He was a member of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau and a member of Perth Bible Church of Perth.

Mr. Schuyler married Carol Winfield Schuyler on June 29, 1957.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Edmund G. Schuyler of Minaville; four daughters, Cynthia M. Schuyler of Dallas, Texas, Mary-Ellen Isakson of Minaville, Carolyn A. Schuyler of Lawrenceville, N.J., and Amy S. Morrill of Hudson Falls; a brother, Donald S. Schuyler of Minaville; three grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Perth Bible Church, with the Pastor Stanley Ponz and the Rev. Robert Calhoun officiating. Burial will take place in the spring at Chuctanunda Cemetery, Minaville.

Calling hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Betz Funeral Home Inc., 171 Guy Park Ave., Amsterdam.

Memorial contributions may be made to Perth Bible Church, 1863 County Route 107, Amsterdam.
 

Petra Berrios
March 6, 1997

Mrs. Petra Berrios, 73, of Storrie Street, Amsterdam, died early this morning at St. Mary's Hospital.

Born Feb. 17, 1924 in Caguas, Puerto Rico, she was the daughter of the late Julio and Lydia Maldanado Ortiz. She first came to Amsterdam in 1951 and resided here permanently since 1989. Mrs. Berrios was a homemaker.

She was a communicant of St. Michael The Archangel Roman Catholic Church.

She was married to Modesto Berrios. He died in 1988.

Survivors include three daughters, Nelida Quinonez, Carmen Estrada, and Alice Berrios, all of Amsterdam; four sons, Jose Berrios of Puerto Rico, Julio Berrios, of Fredericksburg, Va., Richard Berrios of Amsterdam, and Raul Berrios of Orlando, Fla.; a brother, Jose Ortiz, and a sister, Clementina Ortiz, both of Puerto Rico; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; God-children and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Calling hours will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today. 

Interment will be in Monte Calvario Cemetery, Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Arrangements are by the Jendrzejczak Funeral Home, 200 Church St., Amsterdam.
 

Florence Venditti
March 4, 1997

Mrs. Florence Antanelli Venditti, 82, formerly of Randolph Road, Schenectady, died Tuesday at the Glendale Nursing Home, Glenville, after a long illness.

Born and educated in Schenectady, Mrs. Venditti was a lifelong area resident.

She was a homemaker.

Mrs. Venditti was a member of Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God Church.

She was also a member of the Highway Tabernacle Church, Mechanicville, where at one time, she served as pianist and Sunday School teacher.

She married Nicholas Venditti on Sept. 24, 1938. He died in 1988.

Survivors include two sons, Nicholas R. Venditti of Sacandaga Lake and Louis A. Venditti of Glenville; two sisters, her twin, Christine Pirro and Rose Antanelli, both of Schenectady; three brothers, James, Salvatore, and Henry Antanelli, all of Schenectady; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at the N. Rossi & Sons Funeral Home, Union at North Jay streets, followed at 11 a.m. at Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God Church, 1840 Albany St.

Spring burial will be in Northampton Cemetery.

Calling hours will begin after 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 85 Watervliet Ave., Albany, 12206; or Hospice of Schenectady, 1411 Union St., Schenectady, 12308.
 

Orilla Paquin
March 6, 1997

Orilla Paquin of Fort Johnson Avenue, Fort Johnson, died this morning at the home of her daughter in the Town of Florida after a long illness.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Rossi Funeral Home, 11 Mohawk Place.
 

Grace Handy
March 5, 1997

Mrs. Grace M. Handy, 83, formerly of Johnstown, died Wednesday at Montgomery Meadows in Amsterdam.

Born and educated in Charleston, Mrs. Handy worked for Baronet Litho and Knox Gelatin at one time. Later she worked for Johnstown Hospital before retiring in 1979.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and its Circle Two, Eureka Philathea Class, and the United Methodist Women.

Mrs. Handy was also a member of the 50-Plus Senior Citizens and the Wells House Auxiliary.

Survivors include four sons, Burton Handy of Colorado, Emmett Handy of Ticonderoga and Robert and Ernest Handy, both of Johnstown; three sisters, Reva Antis and Eva Mereness, both of California, and Elreda Hughes of Michigan; six brothers, Charles Miller of Malone, Edmond Miller of Canajoharie, Howard Miller of California, Fayette Miller of Michigan, and Milford and Everett Miller, both of Johnstown; 18 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

A service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday at the A.G. Cole Funeral Home, 215 E. Main St. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Fonda.

Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 p.m. today and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
 

Ernest "Joe" Reinke
March 5, 1997

Ernest J. Reinke, 65, of Colonie, died Wednesday at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady after a short illness.

Born and educated in Albany, Mr. Reinke lived in Schenectady for many years before moving to Colonie in 1984.

Mr. Reinke was veteran of the U.S. Army.

For many years, Mr. Reinke was a driver for Liberty Trucking and APA trucking. At one time, he also was proprietor of an antique shop.

He was the widower of his first wife, Edna Seaman Reinke.

He was married to Beth Phillips Reinke.

In addition to his wife, survivors include three sons, Done Reinke of Rotterdam and James and Russell Reinke, both of Schenectady; two daughters, Cathy Maul of Scotia and Joanne Russell of Schenectady; four stepsons, John L. Phillips Jr. of Lydonville, Vt., Kevin Phillips of Lexington, S.C., Scott Phillips of Glenville and Eric Phillips of Colonie; a stepdaughter, Victoria Kramer of Galway; a sister, Mary Girgenti of Albany; 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 8:15 a.m. Saturday at the New Comer-Cannon Family Funeral Home, Route 155, and at 9 a.m. at the Church of St. Clare, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated.

Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery.

Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
 

Ann Schoonmaker
March 4, 1997

Mrs. Ann M. Schoonmaker, 77, of East Main Street, Nelliston, died Tuesday at home after a long illness.

Born July 10, 1919, in Presque Isle, Maine, she was the daughter of Peter and Mary Cyr Bowers. Mrs. Schoonmaker was educated in Van Buren, Maine, and moved to the Nelliston area in 1938.

She was a machine operator for Helmont Mills in St. Johnsville, retiring in 1984.

Mrs. Schoonmaker was a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Fort Plain.

She also was a charter member of the Mohawk Valley Rovers and a member of the North American Campers Association.

She married Edwin C. Schoonmaker on April 20, 1940.

In addition to her husband, survivors include two daughters, Joan Cecil of Inverness, Fla., and Mary Ripnikar of Las Vegas; a sister, Helen Violette of St. Clair, Maine; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, two aunts, and nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by a son, Larry Schoonmaker Sr.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. James Roman Catholic Church. Cremation will be in Parkview Crematory, Schenectady. Burial will be in Fort Plain Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mountain Valley Hospice, Gloversville.

Arrangements are by the Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, Canajoharie.
 

Claude Plummer
March 5, 1997

Claude D. Plummer, 82, of Plummer Road, Ballston Spa, died Wednesday at home after a long illness.

A lifelong Ballston Spa resident, Mr. Plummer worked at Cottrell Paper Mill in Rock City Falls for 26 years, retiring in 1977. He also was a farmer and a former member of the Milton Grange.

He was the widower of Mary Plummer.

Survivors include two sons, Robert and Charles Plummer both of Ballston Spa; a daughter, Margaret Sturtevant of Burnt Hills; three sisters, Ruth Granger of Orlando, Fla, Charlotte Stockwell of Apopka, Fla.; and Minnie Simmons of Schaghticoke; three brothers, Earl Plummer of Mount Dora, Fla., and Raymond and Irving Plummer, both of Galway; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Armer Funeral Home, 39 E. High St. Burial will be in Powell-Wiswall Cemetery.

Calling hours will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Saratoga, 1411 Union St., Schenectady 12308.
 

Sophie Reno
March 5, 1997

Sophie A. Reno, 90, of Division Street, Amsterdam, died late Wednesday evening at St. Mary's Hospital.

Born May 17, 1906 in Amsterdam, she was the daughter of Vito and Angelina Greco. She was a lifelong resident and attended local schools.

Mrs. Reno was a homemaker and a communicant of St. Michael The Archangel Roman Catholic Church.

She was also a member of the Santa Sofia Society of the Church.

Her husband, Albert Reno Sr., died March 27, 1972.

Survivors include two sons, Ralph Martuscello of Amsterdam and Albert Reno Jr. of Syracuse; four daughters, Mary Romeo, Delores Lynaugh and Diane Morin, all of Amsterdam, and Angeline (Angie) Myslanka of Schenectady; a step-daughter, Evelyn Volpe of Little Falls; two brothers, Arthur Gatto of Watervliet and Daniel Gatto of Canandaigua; a sister, Jennie Reali of Colonie; 19 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Mrs. Reno was predeceased by a step-son, Michael Reno.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Rossi Funeral Home, 11 Mohawk Place, Amsterdam, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at St. Michael's Church. Interment is in St. Michael's Cemetery. 

Calling hours are from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, where the Santa Sofia Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. for prayers.