Navy Vet, Cemetery Caretaker Killed In NY UTV Crash 'Lived Life Marked By Strength, Service' Navy Vet, Cemetery Caretaker Killed In NY UTV Crash 'Lived Life Marked By Strength, Service'
Navy Vet, Cemetery Caretaker Killed In NY UTV Crash 'Lived Life Marked By Strength, Service' Carl Gray will be laid to rest in the same cemetery he spent years caring for. The 74-year-old retired Navy chief from Fort Plain died following a UTV crash in the Fulton County town of Ephratah on Thursday, July 24, according to New York State Police. Gray was operating the vehicle on Tilboro Road when he went off the south side of the roadway and struck a utility pole at around 9:20 p.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at Nathan Littauer Hospital. A Little Falls native, Gray graduated from Fort Plain High School before “proudly” serving in the US Navy for 24 years, retiring at the r…
Tom Lehrer, Legendary Satirical Songwriter And Mathematician, Dies At 97 Tom Lehrer, Legendary Satirical Songwriter And Mathematician, Dies At 97
Tom Lehrer, Legendary Satirical Songwriter And Mathematician, Dies At 97 Tom Lehrer, the legendary musical satirist, mathematician, and former soldier, died over the weekend at the age of 97 at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lehrer gained notoriety for his sharp wit and dark sensibilities in songs such as “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,” “The Vatican Rag,” and “The Old Dope Peddler.” His music was constructed much like a math equation, turning logic in on itself to unveil a larger world.  While he is best known for songs that satirized politicians, public figures, social institutions, and the Cold War, his music career was remarkably short-lived. He …
ROTC Cadet, 21, Dies During Fort Knox Training: 'Dedicated, Promising Leader' ROTC Cadet, 21, Dies During Fort Knox Training: 'Dedicated, Promising Leader'
ROTC Cadet, 21, Dies During Fort Knox Training: 'Dedicated, Promising Leader' A 21-year-old Army cadet from New Jersey died during a land navigation exercise at Fort Knox, officials from the US Army confirmed. Cadet Neil Edara, of Ridgewood (Bergen County), became unresponsive on Thursday, July 24, while attending Cadet Summer Training with the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp.  He was airlifted to the University of Louisville, where he was later pronounced dead. Edara was a student at Rutgers University and had joined ROTC in September 2021, officials said. “Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know,” Lt. …
Electrolyte Imbalance Kills Dad Of 3 After Grueling 'Everesting' Challenge Electrolyte Imbalance Kills Dad Of 3 After Grueling 'Everesting' Challenge
Electrolyte Imbalance Kills Dad Of 3 After Grueling 'Everesting' Challenge A 43-year-old Connecticut husband and father of three has died after participating in a grueling endurance event in Wyoming called “Everesting.” Slava Leykind, of Westport, suffered an electrolyte imbalance that caused cardiac arrest on July 2. He had been competing in the 29029 Everesting event, where endurance athletes climb a 1,500-foot mountain trail repeatedly until they've ascended a collective 29,032 feet, the height of Mount Everest, according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Leykind began climbing at 6 a.m. on the event’s second day. After five and a half hours and six tr…
Honorary Cop Connor Taverna, 7, Dies Of Rare Cancer Weeks After Multi-State Convoy—Including NY Honorary Cop Connor Taverna, 7, Dies Of Rare Cancer Weeks After Multi-State Convoy—Including NY
Honorary Cop Connor Taverna, 7, Dies Of Rare Cancer Weeks After Multi-State Convoy—Including NY A 7-year-old boy who stole the hearts of first responders across the region has died, Carlisle Borough Police announced on Tuesday, July 22. Connor Taverna, a dinosaur-loving first grader sworn in as an honorary police officer in November 2023, passed away after a nearly two-year battle with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)—a rare and aggressive brain tumor found in children. Doctors gave him 8 to 12 months to live in 2023, but Connor beat the odds, becoming one of fewer than 10 percent of children to survive beyond the first year. EMS Convoy Tribute Just weeks before his passing, mo…
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' Star Dead At 54: Reports Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' Star Dead At 54: Reports
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' Star Dead At 54: Reports Malcom-Jamal Warner, who played Theo on "The Cosby Show" has died, a source told People on Monday, July 21. Jamal-Warner was in Costa Rica on a family vacation and drowned while swimming, People reported. A native of Jersey City, Jamal-Warner's big break came when he was cast as Theo, the only son of Cliff and Claire Huxtable, whose subpar grades and typical teenage antics caused his parents much consternation.  The character was inspired by Bill Cosby's son, Ennis. Like Ennis, Theo was later diagnosed with dyslexia and worked at a community center. Following "The Cosby Show", Jamal-…
NJ Grandfather Killed In Lightning Strike While Doing What He Loved NJ Grandfather Killed In Lightning Strike While Doing What He Loved
NJ Grandfather Killed In Lightning Strike While Doing What He Loved Tributes are pouring in for Robert Montgomery, a 61-year-old New Jersey resident killed on Wednesday, July 16, when he was struck by lightning while volunteering at an archery event. Montgomery, of Cinnaminson, worked as an engineer and was passionate about his career, according to his obituary from the Givnish Funeral Home website.  An animal lover, Montgomery was devoted to his three dogs, Mia, Franco and Vedder, walking them every day, his obituary reads. "They became his constant companions and a source of joy," according to his obituary. "Robert will be deeply missed by their thr…
Singer, Actress Connie Francis, Voice Of A Generation, Dies Singer, Actress Connie Francis, Voice Of A Generation, Dies
Singer, Actress Connie Francis, Voice Of A Generation, Dies Connie Francis, the beloved American pop singer and actress whose voice defined an era, has died. She was 87, and had been hospitalized the last two weeks. Ron Roberts, the president of Francis' label, Concetta Records, announced her death on Facebook. "it is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that i inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night," wrote early Thursday morning, July 17. "I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news." Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, Francis rose from neigh…
'Missed Beyond Measure': Motorcyclist Killed In LI Crash Cherished 'Freedom Of The Open Road' 'Missed Beyond Measure': Motorcyclist Killed In LI Crash Cherished 'Freedom Of The Open Road'
'Missed Beyond Measure': Motorcyclist Killed In LI Crash Cherished 'Freedom Of The Open Road' Loved ones are mourning the loss of a Long Island man whose life was cut short following a motorcycle crash in Levittown. Gary Bertsch, 54, was critically injured Sunday, July 13, when the 2019 Aprilia motorcycle he was riding collided with an SUV on Valley Road just before 5 p.m., Nassau County Police said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died of his injuries the following day. The SUV driver, identified as a 20-year-old woman, remained at the scene. The crash is under investigation, police said. Bertsch was remembered as a devoted husband, proud grandfather, and the kind of man w…
Long Island Native Greg Swenson Dies 6 Months After Welcoming Baby Boy Long Island Native Greg Swenson Dies 6 Months After Welcoming Baby Boy
Long Island Native Greg Swenson Dies 6 Months After Welcoming Baby Boy The death of Gregory "Greg" Swenson, a new father, educator, and lifelong athlete, is spreading shock and sadness across multiple states. Greg, 29, of Cranford, NJ, died peacefully on Saturday, July 12 following a short illness, according to his obituary on the Gray Funeral Home. Greg's death comes six months after welcoming a baby boy, Lars, with his wife and college sweetheart, Morgan. A GoFundMe page launched for the pair had raised nearly $70,000 as of press time. A Farmingdale, NY native, Greg later moved to East Lyme where he was a three-sport athlete at East Lyme High School, h…
Ghost Hunter Dan Rivera Dies Suddenly On ‘Annabelle’ Doll Tour: 'We As A Family Are In Pieces' Ghost Hunter Dan Rivera Dies Suddenly On ‘Annabelle’ Doll Tour: 'We As A Family Are In Pieces'
Ghost Hunter Dan Rivera Dies Suddenly On ‘Annabelle’ Doll Tour: 'We As A Family Are In Pieces' A well-known figure in the paranormal community died unexpectedly while on a tour stop in Pennsylvania, part of an event exploring widely believed haunted artifacts. Dan Rivera, 54, of Connecticut, the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), died Sunday, July 13, while on the Gettysburg leg of the “Devils on the Run” tour—a national series featuring the allegedly haunted Annabelle doll. Rivera was found unresponsive in his hotel room Sunday evening, TMZ reports. His death was later confirmed by NESPR.  River's cause of death has been revealed. Click…
Marine From NY Dies At 22: Community Rallies To Bring His Platoon To His Services Marine From NY Dies At 22: Community Rallies To Bring His Platoon To His Services
Marine From NY Dies At 22: Community Rallies To Bring His Platoon To His Services When Rockland County native and Lance Corporal Ryan James Barnard died earlier this month while serving with the US Marine Corps in Hawaii, his community he called home responded with one goal: bringing his brothers in arms to his services to say goodbye.  Barnard, a 22-year-old from Valley Cottage, died on Wednesday, July 2, while stationed at Kaneohe Bay, assigned to the Third Littoral Combat Team, Second Platoon, Ares Company. A Marine through and through, Ryan was known for his deep loyalty, quiet strength, and unwavering commitment to those around him, his obituary said.  His…