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Obituaries

Virginia Caroline Snyder

Virginia Caroline (Hannum) Snyder, 91, died peacefully on Saturday, June 28th at Health Park Medical Center, Ft. Myers, FL. She was born on April 11, 1934 in Buffalo, NY to the late Dr. Charles E. and Florence E. (Washington) Hannum of Dunkirk. A celebration of Virginia’s life will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the McGraw-Kowal Funeral Home; 736 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY. A Service of Remembrance begins at 11 a.m. Interment will be held in Forest Hill Cemetery. A complete obituary will be published in Wednesday's edition of the Dunkirk Observer.

Earl G. Clabeaux

GOWANDA — Earl G. Clabeaux, 95, a life-long resident of Gowanda passed away Wednesday July 2, 2025 at the Gowanda Rehab and Nursing Facility in Gowanda where he had been rehabiltating following a recent fall. Born in Buffalo, NY on June 18, 1930 the son of William and Flora (Batt) ...

Rita Louise Davis

Rita Louise (Wilder) Davis, 81, passed away on November 15, 2024. Born and raised in Dunkirk, NY, she moved to her daughter’s in Virgina after her husband of 48 years, Joseph Edward Davis, passed away in January of 2010. After 35 years working at Dunkirk Ice Cream, which then became ...

William E. “Bill” Probst

William E. “Bill” Probst, 73, of Westfield, NY passed away on Sunday afternoon June 22, 2025 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born on Oct. 20, 1951 in Uniontown, Pa. the son of the late Harry and Carolyn (nee Sowers) Probst. He married the love of his life Kathryn ...

Carol E. (Hook) Chelton

Carol E. (Hook) Chelton, 76, of Dunkirk, NY passed away June 28, 2025 at Buffalo General Hospital. She was born Aug. 22, 1948 in Grove City, PA to Ronald and Virginia (Switzer) Hook. Carol was a graduate of Keystone High School, and she was employed by William K. Larson Advertising and prior ...

James Edward East

James Edward East of Fredonia, musician, artist, and professor, died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of July 1st, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. He was 83. James – known as “Jay” to his friends and colleagues — was born in rural Kansas but spent his formative years in ...