Saturday, June 25, 2016

Marie Camp obituary

Camp, Marie Anna.

Marie Anna (Neels) Camp of South Kent, CT died unexpectedly on April 15 at the age of 97. She was the daughter of Gustav and Matilda (Hittorff) Neels. Marie was born on December 24, 1918 in the Bronx. Birch Hill in Kent became her full-time home in 1933. Marie graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Kent High School in 1935 and then from Crandall's Secretarial College in Danbury. .

Marie married Philip W. Camp at the Kent Congregational Church on October 18, 1942. She helped her husband as a farm wife, worked at Nellie Rothe's Kent Inn, and was a secretary for South Kent School, Kent School, and the Town of Kent. Marie was an 82 year member of the Kent Congregational Church and a member of the Kent Historical Society, the Monday Morning Art Group, the Kent Informal Club, the Kent Library Association, and the Merwinsville Hotel Association. .

Her friends all enjoyed her paintings, especially her yearly Christmas card with birds on it. Marie loved to spend time researching her family tree and families from Kent. .

She is survived by her two children Philip W. (Bill) Camp, Jr. ( Brenda) of Myrtle Beach, SC and Dianne Lang (Philip) of South Kent, CT; two grandchildren Robert Camp of Myrtle Beach, SC and Charles Camp of Staunton, VA; one great grand-daughter, Colleen Marie Camp; and Marie's sister, Amy Nissen of Nassau, NY. She was predeceased by her husband. A memorial service will be held on June 19, 2016 at 2:00 in the Kent Congregational Church, Kent CT. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Contributions can be made to the Kent Historical Society or the Kent Congregational Church. .

Published in News Times from Apr. 20 to Apr. 29, 2016 -

Obituary: Joseph Hittorff Jr.

Ensign Joseph Parker Hittorff, Jr., was born in Kingston, NJ on December 2, 1916. He died 25 years later on the Oklahoma after it was bombed in Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. Joe (or Bud, as his older sister Marion called him) was the son of Joseph Peter Hittorff and Ethel (Van Wagenen) Hittorff.

Joe’s family resided in Springfield, MA for a brief time where his father was a commercial traveler for a coffee company. Marion, Joe, and their parents then moved to 211 Virginia Avenue in Westmont, NJ. When Joe was a junior in high school, his mother died. In 1934, Joe graduated from Collingswood High School. He had managed his high school football team during his senior year and had attained the rank of Eagle Scout. After graduation, he attended Brown Preparatory School for English and math. Joseph had always wanted to go to sea, and so he chose to start a career in the Navy.

In June of 1936, he entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and graduated in 1940. His initial assignment was serving on board the battleship USS Oklahoma, a 583 foot battleship attached to the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. Joe had completed all of the requirements for being promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade but his commission had not come through at the time of his death.

Joe sent frequent letters home. In one from November 2, 1941, he expressed concern that there were war clouds on the horizon, and he was "expecting the worst -- and hoping for the best." On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The Oklahoma sank, and Joe was among the casualties along with 395 enlisted men and 19 other officers. Seven days later, a telegram was sent to his parents and sister saying, "The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your son, Ensign Joseph Parker Hittorff, Jr., United States Navy, was lost in action."

Joe’s Naval Academy ring was recovered from the wreckage at a later time. Also returned to the family was a ceremonial sword from Annapolis. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the American Defense Medal.

On March 7, 2016, seventy-four years and three months later, Joe’s remaining family members were notified that his remains had been identified after being disinterred from the Punch Bowl Cemetery in Hawaii. Sadly, his oldest living relative, Marie Camp of South Kent, CT passed away early this April. Marie, her sister Amy Nissen of Nassau, New York, and cousin Norma Medlicott of Zephyrhills, FL were all first cousins of Joe and Marion.

A funeral has been planned for June 18 at 11:00 in the Kent Congregational Church, Kent CT with burial immediately after in the Kent Congregational Cemetery.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Invocation of Peace by Fiona Macleod

Deep peace I breathe into you,
O weariness, here:
O ache, here!
Deep peace, a soft white dove to You;
Deep peace, a quiet rain to you;
Deep peace, an ebbing wave to you!
Deep peace, red wind of the east from you;
Deep peace, grey wind of the west to You;
Deep peace, dark wind of the north from you;
Deep peace, blue wind of the south to you!
Deep peace, pure red of the flame to you;
Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you;
Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you;
Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you;
Deep peace, pure grey of the dew to you,
Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you!
Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the sleeping stones to you!
Deep peace of the Yellow Shepherd to you,
Deep peace of the Wandering Shepherdess to you,
Deep peace of the Flock of Stars to you,
Deep peace from the Son of Peace to you,
Deep peace from the heart of Mary to you,
And from Briget of the Mantle
Deep peace, deep peace!
And with the kindness too of the Haughty Father
Peace!
In the name of the Three who are One,
Peace! And by the will of the King of the Elements,
Peace! Peace!

(From "The Dominion of Dreams. Under the Dark Star by Fiona Macleod (William Sharp,1895))

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Norman Nissen Obituary

Nissen, Norman NASSAU Norman Nissen, 57, passed away unexpectedly at home on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. Norman was born in Cobleskill, on October 7, 1958, to a dairy farming family and he grew up with a love of the farming life. He graduated from Cobleskill High School and earned degrees from SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Plattsburgh, where he graduated with a bachelor's in geography. Upon graduation, he returned to his family farm. He spent many years as a member of the Cobleskill Town Planning Board, including time as chairman. For the last 19 years he worked at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, where he was known as a loyal and stellar bookseller. Norman was a warm, intelligent, caring man with an infectious laugh, and he touched many with his compassion and humor. He loved books, music and the outdoors and was enthusiastic about life and learning. Most of all, he was deeply devoted to his family and was a best friend to his wife and children. Norman is survived by his wife of 25 years, Janice Nissen; his children, Samuel and Abigail Nissen; his mother, Amy Nissen; and his brother, Steven Nissen of Binghamton. He was predeceased by his father, Arne Nissen. Calling hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at the W.J. Lyons Jr. Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer. A memorial service will be held at the funeral home Thursday, June 23, 2016, at 11 a.m. A celebration of life for Norman will be held at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza from 6-8 p.m. on June 23, 2016. All are invited to come and share memories and stories of him. In lieu of flowers, Norman's family ask that donations be made to Homeward Bound Dog Rescue of New York, Ltd., PO Box 5782, Albany, NY 12205, or to The Conservation Fund, 1655 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1300, Arlington, VA 22209 (online to: community.conservationfund.org/donations. Condolence page at wjlyonsfuneralhome.com.