Sinvin Realty Co-Founder Sinder Passes Away
NYC Broker Helped Transform Lower Manhattan Neighborhoods into Commercial Hubs


Bruce Sinder, co-founder of Sinvin Realty LLC.
Bruce Sinder, co-founder of Sinvin Realty LLC, passed away on March 13 after a three-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (A.L.S.), better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Sinder passed away at his TriBeca home. He was 55.

Sinder arrived in New York City in the late 1970s and co-founded Sinvin Realty with Steve Levin. The firm found its niche leasing and selling commercial space to artists, trendy retailers and creative firms in the Manhattan areas of TriBeca, Soho, Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District, helping to transform those areas from industrial neighborhoods into office and retail hubs.

Over his 30-year career, Sinder brokered deals for companies including Balthazar Restaurant, Adidas, Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs, Dean & DeLuca, Blue Man Group and Agnès b. Sinder ran the firm after Levin left the real estate business. He handed the company over to Christopher Owles and Steve Glanzberg last December.

He is survived by his wife, Stacie; his sons, Jackson and Reuben; his daughter, Marilyn; and his brother, Robert.

Francis "Ducky" Mello
Of Hingham April 2, 2008. Husband of the late Ellen T. (Murphy) Mello. Loving father of of Diane Huxley of Braintree and David Mello of Plymouth. Devoted grandfather of Karen & Kristin Huxley and Matthew Mello. Brother of Mary Grassie, Elizabeth Longo, both of Cohasset, Eileen Tyeryar of Scituate, Augustine Mello of Lake Village, AR, John Mello of Cohasset, and the late Angelina Garrett & Ida Fortier. Also survived by many many nieces & nephews. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM, Saturday at 8 AM. Funeral Mass in Saint Paul's Church, Hingham at 9 AM. Visiting hours Friday 4-8 PM. Burial in Woodside Cemetery, Cohasset. Donations in Ducky's memory may be made to A.L.S., Lou Gehrig's Disease, 7 Lincoln St., Wakefield, MA 01880 or to the Hydrocephalus Assoc., 870 Market St., #705, San Francisco, CA 94102. Call 1-800-Keohane or see www.Keohane.com for directions & online condolences.

Rae Jean Werntz Leonard, 66, of South Amboy passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family and friends on Monday, March 31, 2008, at the Barbara E. Cheung Memorial Hospice in Edison after a one-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Rae Jean was predeceased by her husband, Frank "Tank" Leonard in 2004, and a son, Mark Heitzman in 1979.

Rae Jean worked at E.I. DuPont, Parlin, until her retirement in 1992 when she joined Tank to enjoy life, family and friends, as well as travel.

She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Luke A. Lovely Post 62, serving as secretary and vice president.

Rae Jean was an avid reader, gardener and doll collector, and loved cats, as well as the beach and ocean. Her family and friends will remember her most for her smile, generosity, outgoing personality and strong will.

Surviving are stepsons, Shawn Leonard and his wife, Laura and their son, Luke of Branchburg, Patrick Leonard and his wife, Kendra and their son, Samuel of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Dennis Leonard and his wife, Debbie, their daughter, Christiane and their three sons, Justin, Ryan and Dennis Joseph of Matawan; stepdaughters, Dawn Micena and her husband, Dean and stepdaughters, Nicole and Brianna of Apex, N.C., and Michele Leonard of Jamesburg; and her dear friend, Eileen "Sis" Martens, who spent much time caring for her over the last year.

Heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff for their support and care at the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey and the Barbara E. Cheung Memorial Hospice.

A celebration of life will be held at Buddies Tavern, 277 Johnson's Lane, Parlin at noon on Saturday, April 5.

Private cremation was held under the direction of The Gundrum Service "Home For Funerals," 237 Bordentown Ave., South Amboy. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Rae Jean's memory to the ALS Association, Development Dept., 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301, or Visiting Nurse Assn. of Central Jersey, 176 Riverside Ave., Red Bank, NJ 07701.

Orval "The Daredevil Clown" Kisselburg

Orval Kisselburg It's hard to be humble Orval "The Daredevil Clown" Kisselburg passed away in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 29, 2008 after a 26 year battle with ALS ( Lou Gehrig's disease). Born in Vernon, TX on 2-22-22 to Jesse M and Lula B Kissleburg. He was raised in Roswell, NM. He served during World War II in Germany France. He married Shirley Squires in 1946, they had three children. They were later divorced. Orval wanted to be a stuntman from the time he was a boy. He was an auto-daredevil from 1952 until 1981 performing across the US and Canada. He loved gardening, animals, cooking and spending time with his family and friends. He was a member of the LDS church. He is survived by his daughter, Sharon (Jack) Peake, son, Richard (Meg) Kisselburg, Olie Anderson (who was like a son), six grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his son, Michael and grandson, Jeffery. The family would like to thank Gwen Mitchell, his VA home nurse for her tender loving care the last eight years, Tracey and Superior Home Health Care, and the staff at Promise Hospital. It was Orval's wish to be cremated. In lieu of flowers the family asks you donate to MDA or Disabled American Veterans. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Chapel, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Reinhardt, Jo Ann Longway


Jo Ann Longway REINHARDT On March 9, 2008, Jo Ann Longway Reinhardt's battle with ALS ended and she left us with the understanding that family and good living must be the focus of our lives. JoJo was born in Houston, TX in 1962 and immediately began her journey of touching the lives of everyone around her. JoJo continued with this rare ability after the family moved to Washington. After attending Washington State University, Jo embarked on her dream career as a flight attendant for United Airlines. JoJo often described the overwhelming sense of joy she received from climbing aboard a flight and sharing time with friends and strangers alike. She always had stories of adventure to share. We are sure she is still flying. Although flying was JoJo's first love for many years, it paled in comparison to the joy of marrying the love of her life, Rodger, and less than a year later, giving birth to her perfect little boy, Jacob. Even though JoJo was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease shortly after Jacob's birth, she never allowed it to define her life. JoJo would often preach to those around her "it is what it is" and continue on with her life as wife and mother. Jo knew that she did what she was meant to do by bringing Jacob into the world and that he is here to do something special. Jo is survived by her husband, Rodger, and their son, Jacob; her parents, Jack and Alice Longway; her sisters, Jil Click and Jan Lotshaw; her aunt and uncle, Bonnie and Rick; her uncle, George; and a host of very special cousins, nieces and nephews. A private celebration for Jo will be held for the family and a few close friends. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the ALS Association, Jo Longway Reinhardt Tribute Fund.

Reeves left a legacy of dedication




By GREG NELSON
Sun Staff Writer


He was known for being strict and offering "tough love," but he was also a loving father and grandfather who would help anyone.



That's just a few of the ways members of Clarence Reeves' family will remember him.

The 72-year-old lifelong Emerson Township resident lost his battle with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, and passed away Thursday at Gratiot Medical Center in Alma.

Reeves served on the Ithaca Board of Education for 28 years, including 19 as president.

He was also well known in the local agricultural community. His family was the recipient of the Gratiot County Farm Family of the Year Award in 1995 and he was a founding member of the A-Tractive Tractor Club in Ithaca.

"He was fair, a straight shooter," said Reeves' eldest son Mike. "He didn't mince words. He told everyone what he thought. "Anything he got involved with he put his whole self into it and was devoted to whatever he did. He wanted to make sure things worked like they should."

Mike and his brother Tom related how their dad was quite strict and raised them with tough love but fondly recalled a number of stories from their childhood growing up on the farm.

"We had to toe the line," Mike said. "We tried him, but as long as you lived here it was by his rules.

"But there are a lot of great memories. He didn't like to go shopping and didn't like to travel. He was happiest just puttering around in the shop. He was a simple man and wasn't into showy things, but what he had he wanted to look good."

Although their father could be tough, he also liked to laugh and joke around, Tom said.

"He loosened up as he got older," Tom added.

Mike, who is now a member of the Ithaca Board of Education, recalled telling his dad that he was going to run for a seat on the board. "He looked at me and said, Are you nuts?'" Mike said, laughing at the memory.

"Dad's only concern with the school was the kids," Mike added. "He wanted them to have a good place to learn, get a good education and come out of school with something (positive)."

Reeves' daughter, Karen Curtis of Carson City, remembered her dad as a "perfectionist" and being "very creative and smart." "He could make something out of nothing," she said. "He was a very, very hard worker and raised us to be.

"He was very loyal to his friends and when he said something he meant it. There was never any gray area where he stood. He wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed."

In addition to farming, Reeves, who graduated from Ithaca High School in 1955, worked at Redmond Industries, Carl Oberlitner Well Drilling, the Ashley Corp. and Michigan Chemical Co.

He is also survived by his wife of 52 years, Sandra, who was his high school sweetheart; another son Andy; and 17 grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.

Visitation will take place today from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Barden Funeral Home in Ithaca. Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ithaca United Methodist Church. Donations in the memory of Reeves can be made to the ALS Foundation of Michigan. For more information, see the obituary listings.

A gifted teacher who touched many lives, Debbie Stromme will be missed
By Mike Bellmore - Features Editor
Published: Tuesday, April 8, 2008 2:58 PM CDT



Debbie Stromme
Tributes were pouring in from near and far over the weekend and on Monday for Deb Stromme, a long-time Devils Lake educator who died Friday at Mercy Hospital after a year-long battle with (ALS) Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Stromme was hired by former Devils Lake Superintendent Dr. Richard Kunkel in 1976 as a kindergarten teacher at Praire View Elementary School, and evolved into one of the district’s most beloved and respected teachers over a period of 30-plus years.

“She was so impressive right from the start,’’ Kunkel said on Monday.


“It turned out so well that all the parents wanted their child in her class. She was loved and respected by the whole school district and will be forever remembered for her kindness and love for kids.’’

Funeral services for Stromme will be held Thursday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church at 3:30 p.m. Peace Lutheran Church Pastor Rev. Rafe Allison will officiate and burial will be at the Devils Lake Cemetery.

School officials, teachers and students were informed of her death on Friday. Notes were sent home with each youngster at Prairie View School informing the parents of each of Stromme’s passing, and they were to inform their children.



It made for a tough Friday, according to Allison (Soper) Yoder, one of a handful of Stromme’s former kindergarten students who were teaching alongside her at Prairie View.

“The thing I’ll always remember about her was that she was always smiling, friendly and cheery,’’ Yoder said. “She knew everyone. It’s just a tough time right now.’’

Retiring Prairie View Principal Julie Schuler was having a tough time with her words Monday. She termed Stromme a remarkable person and a teacher.



“She touched the lives of so many,’’ said Schuler. “She made kindergarten meaningful for the kids and was a tremendous role model for staff in her loyalty to the district and the school.’’

“She had such a desire to excel and do her best.’’

Lexie (LaFleur) Dion called her former kindergarten instructor a tremendous teacher because she made so many youngsters love school. She had a direct bearing on her decision to become a teacher.



“Friday was a tough day, and I expect it to be a tough week,’’ she said.

Angie (Follman) Wakefield, another of her former students, was having a tough time holding back the tears on Monday. She not only had educational experiences with Stromme, but helped her with swimming lessons during the summer.

She said she will remember her for the classy and friendly way she treated everybody. Angie said she’d often watch Debbie at work and hope she could replicate how she operated.



“Debbie always made kids feel so special,’’ she said. She affected and inspired so many people and kids and she will really be missed.’’

Devils Lake Superintendent Steve Swiontek said Stromme was a person who really loved and cared for each of the kids under her wing every year, and that included his own son, Connor.

He said she was active in promoting full-day kindergarten in North Dakota, testifying in front of the Senate Education Sub-Committee in the North Dakota Legislature. She was a former Teacher of the Year and Teacher of the Quarter in the school district, and president of the North Dakota Kindergarten Association a handful of years ago.



“She will be missed very much,’’ the top Devils Lake administrator said.

Carol Leevers was a former teaching mate of Stromme’s at Prairie View years ago, and remembers a lot of enjoyable hockey trips, hockey fun, and hockey camps with the Strommes.

“She had a heart of gold and was so generous,’’ Carol recalled.



Former Superintendent Ron Bommersbach called Debbie one of the finest, kindest and most compassionate people he ever knew. Her kids simply loved her - every year she worked, he said.

“She’ll be sorely mised by the kids, the school and the community,’’ he said.

There will be a visitation at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. with a prayer service conducted by Rev. Dale Kinzler at 5:30 p.m. Visitation on Thursday will be at St. Olaf’s Lutheran Church from 1 p.m. until the time of service.



Memorials are to be directed to a future Debbie Stromme Scholarship Fund.

John Dorsey, former Sun critic, dies of Lou Gehrig's disease
Writer's essay topics included food, architecture and art


Undated photo of former Sun writer John Dorsey (Photo courtesy of Robert Armacost / April 9, 2008)




By Jacques Kelly | Sun reporter
12:18 PM EDT, April 11, 2008

John Dorsey, a former Sun arts and restaurant critic, died this morning of Lou Gehrig's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, from which he had suffered for nearly four years. He was 69 and had been at the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care.

Mr. Dorsey was a versatile Sun writer for decades. Readers turned to his essays on Baltimore's restaurants with their morning coffee in the 1970s -- often before reading the main news. A decade later, his learned criticism forged interest in Baltimore's artistic community and drew audiences to little-known studios and galleries.

Newspaper patrons recognized the familiar byline and that what he had to say could irritate, chide or praise. They also knew his prose was readable, clear and full of precise opinions.

While he covered architecture, local history, music and cultural topics, it was his wit-doused restaurant reviews that appeared in the 1970s and again for a while in the 1980s that propelled him into a popular status he personally shunned.




"He would arrive quietly and leave quietly," said C. Peter "Buzz" BeLer, the owner of the Prime Rib in Mount Vernon. "He wrote exactly what he felt and people believed him. He could not be influenced."

After a decade as restaurant critic, Mr. Dorsey then served as the paper's art critic throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

"As a critic he was among the most erudite that Baltimore has ever seen," said Stiles T. Colwill, Baltimore Museum of Art board chairman. "As a curator, you lived and breathed by what Mr. Dorsey had to say. And yet, when he criticized a show, patrons came to see why he was so wrong or so right."

For his restaurant critic's debut on April 25, 1971, Mr. Dorsey selected the old Marconi's, which he called "the most Baltimorean" of restaurants.

He addressed the readers in a conversational tone. He found fault with Marconi's "practically tasteless" bread but went on to praise the chicken Tetrazzini and the sole Marguery.

On another review, for a steakhouse on the Alameda, he said, "You think yourself in the recreation room or the boudoir."

Many of his reviews mentioned a nameless dining companion he called "the lady." Readers also became aware that Mr. Dorsey enjoyed a martini and wine with his meal. He also grew weary of the widely served 1970s dessert known as Mrs. Pose's cheesecake, as well as iceberg lettuce.

His other writings revealed a deep affection for Mount Vernon Place -- where he organized a 2004 symposium. He owned a Matisse drawing and James Whistler etchings. He also had two cats, Anthony and Cleopatra. He simultaneously read and walked the streets near his Roland Park home.

"John was soft-spoken, but he had a core of steel," said James Dilts, a newspaper friend with whom he collaborated on a guide to local architecture. "He was a graceful and prolific writer on the myriad subjects covered by the feature pages or the Sunday Sun Magazine. He was a gentleman of the old school, as they like to say in Baltimore."

Born John Russell Dorsey in Baltimore, he called himself "a lover of his native city" in a short autobiographical sketch. Raised on St. George's Road, he was a 1957 Gilman School graduate who earned a bachelor of arts from Harvard University. He lived for many years in old homes in Bolton Hill and at his death resided in Roland Park.

He was the son of Charles Howard Dorsey Jr., managing editor of The Sun, and Emma Beck Dorsey.

Friends said that the elder Dorsey and his son had two different personalities. At his father's bidding, the younger Mr. Dorsey began work in June 1960 at The Sun as a summer vacation job. He joined the staff permanently in September 1962 and retired in early 1999.

For a brief period in the 1980s he tried his hand at running an antiques business on Howard Street.

For many years he was a cultural features writer and edited the old Sunday Sun Magazine for a year-- a task he did not enjoy.

"He was quiet, almost shy," said J. Wynn Rousuck, the paper's former drama critic. "He was meticulous about his desk, his person and his written copy."

He was also the book review editor from 1967 to 1969 and spent much of his later career as the paper's art critic.


"He had a commitment to the Baltimore art scene," said artist Raoul Middleman. "Yet he was not sentimental or automatically accepting in his criticism. He expected something and kept the bar high. For him being an art critic wasn't a job. It was an act of pure conscience."

Mr. Middleman recalled his "refined sense of taste and natural elegance" and writing that "matured by the year and grew better and better."

Jay Fisher, of the Baltimore Museum of Art, recalled that Mr. Dorsey "truly believed that art had the power to transform and enlighten."

Mr. Dorsey was the author of several books, including a guide to local architecture.




"One day I showed John an architectural guidebook I had brought from Chicago, Chicago's Famous Buildings, and said, "We should do this in Baltimore." He said OK. I have to admit our first effort was a little rough, but A Guide to Baltimore Architecture has now been through three editions with the same authors, sold about 25,000 copies total," said Mr. Dilts, his friend and fellow reporter.

Mr. Dorsey also called himself "an admirer and student of H.L. Mencken" and edited On Mencken, published by Alfred Knopf in 1980. He also edited a 1974 booklet on Mencken's writing about food, architecture, food and politics in Baltimore.

In 2005 his last book, Look Again in Baltimore, a collaboration with architectural photographer James DuSel, was published.

After retiring, Mr. Dorsey served on committees for the Baltimore Museum of Art, including its Decorative Arts Accessions Committee and its Print, Drawing and Photograph Society.

He also sat on an advisory board of the Garrett Jacobs Mansion and the Friends of Mount Vernon Place.

He was the first winner, in 1974, of the A.D. Emmart Award for "journalism in the field of the humanities published in Maryland."

"During his time at The Sun, Baltimore's museums grew stronger, and the gallery scene more vibrant," said the Maryland Institute College of Art's president Fred Lazarus. "The artistic community grew as a result of his criticism."

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. April 19 at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Art Museum Drive.

Survivors include his partner of many years, Robert W. Armacost of Baltimore, and a cousin, Anne Deputy Stewart of Fort Myers, Fla.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obi...,5777727.story

Roger E. Ross
Born:
Tuesday, May 22, 1951
Died:
Friday, April 11, 2008
Visitation:
12:30 p.m. - until service (2 p.m.), Thursday, April 17, 2008 @ Avance
Funeral Home
Service:
2 p.m., Thursday, April 17, 2008 @ Avance Funeral Home

Age 56, of West Chester, OH who was diagnosed with ALS in 2004 passed away on
Friday, April 11 at home. He was born May 22, 1951 in Wichita, KS, the son of
Calvin and Arlene (nee Burton) Ross. On July 12, 1986 he married Deborah Watts.
Roger was proud to have worked for Harrington Industrial Plastics for the past
18 years.
He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Deborah Watts of West Chester, OH;
parents, Calvin and Arlene (nee Burton) Ross of Wichita, KS; brother, Kent (Ann)
Ross of Denver, CO; niece, Aimee Ross; nephew, Derek Ross and their families;
mother and father-in-law, Laura and Stanley Watts of Columbus, IN; 3
sisters-in-law; and 1 brother-in-law and their families:
Visitation will be 12:30 p.m. – until time of service (2 p.m.), Thursday,
April 17 at the Avance Funeral Home & Crematory, Fairfield. Memorials may be
made to The ALS Association of Central & Southern Ohio, 1170 Old Henderson Rd.,
Suite 221, Columbus, OH 43220 866-273-2572 (toll free) - 614-273-2573 (fax) -
alsohio@... Condolences at avancefuneralhome.com.

Avance Funeral Home
4976 Winton Rd.
Fairfield, OH 45014
513-829-6257
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Deborah Ross, CALS, to Husband - Roger, dx 11/04
EARNED HIS WINGS 4/11/08

Betsy B. McLaren | Secretary and Volunteer, 77

Betsy Bollmann McLaren, 77,of Exton, a retired secretary and hospital volunteer, died of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, April 2 at Miller Health Care Center in Kankakee, Ill. She had been living in Illinois since January to be near family.
Mrs. McLaren grew up in Midlothian, Ill. In 1951 she married her high school sweetheart, Charles E. McLaren Jr. The couple raised four children in Midlothian. In 1976 they moved to Exton, where he took a position with Conrail and she went to work for Johnson Matthey Inc. in Wayne. She retired in 1996.

Mrs. McLaren had been a member of the Chester County Hospital Women's Auxiliary. She enjoyed shopping, reading, and spending time outdoors walking, gardening, and watching birds in her backyard, her son Brian said.

In addition to her husband and son, she is survived by another son, Kevin; daughter Kathleen Wilson; and a sister; her son Charles died in 1983.

Services were private.

Memorial donations may be made to ALS Hope Foundation, 219 N. Broad St., Philadelphia 19107.