Mills Funeral Home

FORESTPORT-Grant Douglas LaQuay, age 98, passed away on December 30, 2025 at his home, with his loving daughters by his side. He was born on August 28, 1927, a son of the late William and Helen Fuller LaQuay. Grant was raised in Hawkinsville, New York. In his youth, he helped his father at the sand quarry in Boonville. When old enough, Grant worked driving large loads of timber down from Tug Hill. He spoke of many harrowing trips he made, including losing his brakes on one of the downhill runs. Grant served in the Korean War as a Corporal and was a very active member of the Charles J. Love Post American Legion #406 in Boonville. He took great pride in the legion and the contributions...

HOLLAND PATENT- Janet Broadbent, 74, life-long resident of Steuben, passed away on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at Wynn Hospital in Utica. She was born on July 18, 1951 in Steuben, a daughter of the late Mervin and Myra Fraser Broadbent. Janet grew up on the family farm and attended and graduated from Holland Patent High School with the class of 1969. After graduation, she worked on the family farm, had her own dog sitting service, and a cleaning business. Janet enjoyed reading, gardening, fishing, walking her dogs, family get-togethers, craft shows, dog sitting, and selling eggs. Above all, she loved her family and was happiest fishing at the pond with her devoted dogs by her...

Boonville - Thomas K. Alger, a lifelong resident of the Golden/West Leyden Road, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at home on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the age of 75. Thomas was born on October 2, 1950, a son of the late Arthur (Jack) Miller and Allie Pettigrew Alger. He learned early the value of hard work, responsibility, and the simple joys of country living growing up on the family farm. He attended and graduated from Adirondack Central School in 1968, and continued his post-secondary education at Morrisville Community College, where he earned an Associate's degree in animal husbandry. On April 27, 1974, Thomas married the love of his life, JoAnne Oleynick at St....

Janet P. Kirk, 82, of Rome passed away at home peacefully surrounded by her family on October 30, 2025. She was born in Lee Center on December 23, 1942 a daughter of Lyle and Pauline Weibel Pratt. She grew up in the Lee Center area and graduated from West Leyden High School in the Class of 1960. She was united in marriage with Herman R. Kirk on July 7, 1962 at St. Joseph's Church, Lee Center. He died January 16, 2019. After their marriage the couple settled on Beartown Road in Ava. Janet was employed with the Oneida County Sheriff's Office in the correctional facility from 1990 until she retired in 2002. She was a member of the Point Rock Fish & Game Club. Janet greatly enjoyed her...

West Leyden- Thomas J. Smigle, 82, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at Waterville Residential Care Facility after a brief illness. He was born on January 3, 1943 in Rome, the son of the late John and Veronica Lech Smigle. He graduated from Rome Free Academy and upon graduating served honorably in the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army as a paratrooper (1961 - 1964). He later worked as a Construction Surveyor on many building and road projects around New York State until he retired. After retirement, he was known to hop in his car and drive wherever he wanted, whether it was to nearby Osceola, NY or to Alaska by way of Canada. Once he got his furry friend, Woofie, he had a...

AVA/Remsen- Clayton A. Baker, 80, passed away on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at Rome Health. He was born on July 8, 1945 in Utica, the son of the late George and Mildred M. Ingersoll Baker. Clayton grew up on the farm on James Road and graduated from Remsen High School with the class of 1963. After school, he worked odd jobs along with continuing to help on the family farm. Clayton later went to work at the Central New York Psychiatric Center in Utica as a Therapy Aid, a job he held for over 30 years until his retirement. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and shooting trap. Clayton also enjoyed reloading bullets for many people through the years. He was a life member of the Trenton Fish and...

BOONVILLE - John Berard Brown, 92, passed away on October 7, 2025 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on July 11, 1933 in Lowville, a son of the late Oswald and Therese Berard Brown. John grew up in Boonville and attended Boonville Central School. In 1951 he entered the United States Navy, serving until his honorable discharge in 1954. On May 24, 1958, he married Kay M. Spencer at St. Joseph's Church in Boonville, a loving union of 57 years lasting until Kay's passing on August 30, 2015. John worked at Revere Copper and Brass in Rome as an industrial plumber for 42 years. He was an avid skier, starting at an early age by walking up Park Hill and Jackson Hills to...

Brown ? John B. Brown, 92, of Boonville, passed away on Oct. 07, 2025. Services will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Christ Our Hope Church, Boonville. No calling hours. Burial in St Joseph's Cemetery. Arrangements by Mills Funeral Home, Boonville.

REMSEN-Clifford W. Hill, 81, of Commons Road, passed away on October 5, 2025 at Wynn Hospital after a brief illness. Clifford, a son of the late Wilson and Lorretta Kellogg Hill, was born on May 3, 1944 at his family home in the Town of Leyden. He first attended school in Port Leyden and later graduated from Remsen Central School in 1962. Clifford was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Patricia Horn, on July 22, 1967. They happily shared 58 years of marriage and raised their three children at the family home on Commons Road. Clifford worked for Niagara Mohawk and National Grid as a hot stick lineman and line foreman for over 30 years. After retiring, he worked alongside his...

WESTMINSTER, MD/WESTERNVILLE- On Thursday, September 25, 2025, Bernice Marie Pfendler, age 86, of Brightview Senior Living Center, Westminster, Maryland, formerly of Westernville, passed away peacefully after a brief illness, with her loving family by her side. She was born on October 6, 1938, to Erwin and Bernice Bromley Coleman, in Frankfort, NY. At a very young age, Bernice and her family moved to Coleman Road in the Town of Western, where she lived the majority of her life. In 2019 she moved to Rome to live with her son, Brian, and in 2023 she moved to Brightview Senior Living Center in Westminster, Maryland, to be closer to her daughter, Vanessa. Bernice spent two wonderful years at...