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Out of options, Bethany Town Board seeking bids for demolition of old town hall

By Howard B. Owens
old bethany town hall
The Old Bethany Town Hall, built in 1832, is fated for demolition.
Photo by Howard Owens

Even many of Bethany's oldest residents, said Town Supervisor Carl Hyde, have come to accept the unpleasant but unavoidable and undeniable reality of the situation. The old Town Hall, built in 1832, must come down.

The town is currently accepting bids from demolition contractors.

Paul Strogen

By Joshua Smith
Pic

Paul D. Strogen 81, of Daly City, California and formerly of Batavia, passed away January 29, 2023 at his home.

Mr. Strogen was born May 17, 1941 in Batavia, the son of the late Joseph P. Strogen and Elva Hyde Strogen.

Surviving are his son James Wohlford (Sherri) of Bloomsburg,PA, brother James A. Strogen (Virginia) of Sunrise Beach, MO and sister Mylynne Austgen (Wayne) of Elizabeth,CO.

Mr. Strogen was a graduate of Batavia High School where he played drums in the band and ochestra. He also was a member of the Saint Joseph Drum and Bugle Corps.

Paul served his country honorably in the United States Navy, serving on the USS Dewey and later as an electronics instructor at the Treasure Island facility of the US Navy at San Francisco.He served during the Vietnam years on a special warfare intelligence aircraft.

He was a member of the Batavia VFW as well as in San Francisco.

In later years he worked as an electrical engineer for various firms.

Mr. Strogen travelled extensively all over the world.  He especially loved to sail his own sailboat  with friends.

Special destinations for him were the Hawaiian Islands, Australia , Europe and especially Slovakia where he visited Strogen family relatives.

Mr. Strogen was a patron of the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Opera and participated in folk dance in Europe and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.  His motto was: "Music feeds my soul-Dance is my lifeblood"

He will be missed by family and a large number of friends all over the world.

Mr. Strogen's Navy Honors Memorial Service we be held at the West Bethany cemetery at 1:00 pm on Saturday June 17th, 2023.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the United States Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. Ste 123, Washington,DC, 20004-2608.

DENNIS J. WITTMAN

By Michael Tomaszewski

DENNIS J. WITTMAN ~ Age 77, of Batavia, passed peacefully at Charlotte House in N. Java, NY. He was born to the late Jerome and Evelyn (Hamilton) Wittman on June 2, 1943 in Buffalo, NY, he was also preceded in death by a brother, Allan Wittman and sisters-in-law, Jeanette Bangs and Dolores Clark.

Dennis was a graduate of Cleveland Hill High School, his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Wadham’s Hall Seminary, Ogdensburg, NY and earned his master’s degree from the University of Rochester.

He was employed for 36 years with Genesee County as a Probation Officer and in 1980 was asked by the late Sheriff, W. Douglas Call to head up a new program, Alternatives to Incarceration, which was a first in the United States with law enforcement and third such program in the United States. He began the first rural and fourth in New York State Child Advocacy Center and Multi-Disciplinary Teams serving Genesee County, as well as neighboring counties. He started the Driving While Intoxicated Conditional Discharge Program, Justice for Women Program and Team, the Western New York State Victims Coalition, he was President of the New York State Crime Victims Board Advisory Council and, Vice President of the New York State Association for Alternative Sentencing. Former Governor George Pataki appointed Dennis to the Western New York Citizens Review Panel (abused children), First Victim/Offender Reconciliation Program in New York State dealing specifically with serious/violent cases, National Institution of Corrections consultants, Office of Victims of Crime consultants, Chairman of Criminal Justice Advisory Council. Dennis represented the United States in a Bi-Lateral Summit in Japan, addressed the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, addressed the Canadian Parliament on Restorative Justice and traveled to forty states and the Canadian Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and British Columbia.

Dennis recently served on the Diocese of Buffalo Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Policy Task Force. He was an Adjunct Professor at Roberts Wesleyan College and served as Town Supervisor for the Town of Bethany from 1978 to 1990. He was a faithful member of Ascension Parish in Batavia where he served as Vice President and President of the Holy Name Society, President of the Parish Council and Usher under the former Sacred Heart Parish.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol (Chmielowiec) Wittman of Batavia whom he married in 1971; loving daughters, Holly (Michael) Stoddard of Honeoye and Jennifer of San Antonio, TX; faithful Husky companion, Kodah; sister, Kathie (Paul) Beaulieu of Cheektowaga, NY and brother, Philip (Nancy) Wittman of Akron, NY; brother-in-law, Dr. A Steven Bangs of Long Island; sister in law, Marsha Deman of Defiance, Ohio along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great niece and nephew.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Epidemic a Mass of Christian Burial will be announced later. Memorials in his memory may be made to Charlotte House, P.O. Box 123, 4316 Route 98, North Java, NY 14113: Ascension Parish, 17 Sumner Street, Batavia, NY 14020, or MUSH Rescue Inc, 12820 Wyngate Trail, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

Thank you to our Wednesday morning library friend, Roger Richardson. Tuesday lunch time prayer group: Marg Miller, Leta Sackett, Pastor Ken Cromer and Elder Ron. Emilie, Board of Directors, the many volunteers, weekly communion from Holy Family Polish National Church and the community at Charlotte House for the excellent care provided, to the many doctors at University of Rochester Medical Center and Rochester Regional that provided such excellent care, for their prayers and visits Rev. Father David Glassmire, Deacon Mark Kehl, Rev. Father Matthew Kawiak, Deacon Corey Foegen and especially Sue Hatrick for giving a part of herself to Dennis.

The family kindly asks people consider signing to be an organ donor. Two special people gave Dennis thirteen extra years with his family.

Please share your words of comfort with the Wittman family at www.tomaszewskifh.com

THE FAMILY OF DENNIS J. WITTMAN IS BEING CARED FOR BY THE MICHAEL S. TOMASZEWSKI FUNERAL & CREMATION CHAPEL, LLC 4120 WEST MAIN STREET ROAD BATAVIA, NEW YORK 14020 – (585)343-7500

 

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