News
Alumni Notes | July 2022
Graduate School Updates
London M. Booker ‘16 (Childhood & Spec Ed) graduated with his Masters of School Counseling at SUNY Brockport in 2021.
Caleigh M. Hitchcock ‘21 (Biology) will be starting Medical School at Northeast Ohio Medical University this summer.
Garrett Maynard ‘20 (Biology) finished his masters degree in Environmental and Forest Biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry.
Career Updates
Christine G. Caplan ‘14 (Health Administration) is now an Administrator at The Hawthorne at St. John's Meadows.
Vivek J. Christy ‘19 (Homeland Security & Applied Intelligence) is now a Network/System Administrator at Rochester RHIO (Regional Health Information Organization).
Kimberly L. Danser ‘01 (Mod RN) is now a Certified Nurse Midwife at Henry County Hospital.
Erik J. Fix ‘18 (Organizational Management (OM)) is now the Assistant City Manager at City of Batavia.
Kelli M. Heiler ‘09 (Music Education) is now a Property Manager at Rushmore Management.
Haleigh J. Monohan ‘18 (Communication) is now a Closing Coordinator at Gallo & Iacovangelo.
Hatice Onogul ‘17 (Master of Social Work) is now a Research Coordinator II at University of Rochester Medical Center.
Angelica Perez-Delgado ‘10 (Health Administration) is now a Current Board Member at: Villa Hope, The Children's Agenda, RochesterWorks!, CommonGround Health, U of R Medical Center, Center for Governmental Research, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School.
David C. Prevosti ‘15 (Pathway to Teaching) is now a 4th Grade Teacher at Terry Taylor Elementary - Spencerport CSD.
Taylor E. Rawson ‘18 (Communication) is now a Marketing Manager at RxVantage.
Caleb Rodriguez ‘12 (Childhood & Spec Ed) is now a Community Resource Teacher for Student Supports at RCSD #9.
Sheila D. Rogers ‘07 (Mod RN) was Appointed to the Northeast Regional Chaplain of Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority May, 2021.
Kari E. Silver ‘94 (Nursing) was recognized for Excellence in Leadership/APRN/APP in Cardiology at University of Rochester Medical Center in June 2022. Kari is a Nurse Practitioner with the Structural Heart Team and APP lead for the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic at URMC. She developed staff education, HCM patient education materials, guidelines for family screening for HCM, and a monthly virtual patient support group.
Alyssa A. Smith ‘11 (Childhood & Spec Ed) is a 2nd Grade Teacher at St. Joseph Regional School and received her M.S. Reading & Literacy at Walden University in 2015.
Brittany D. Smith ‘09 (Criminal Justice) is now an Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions at University of Montana.
Linda Stewart-Wallace ‘15 (Health Administration) is now a Project Strategy Coordinator at Excellus BCBS.
Lara A. Vanderhoof ‘92 (Social Work) is now the Chief Academic Officer at Central Christian College of Kansas.
Victoria N. Verschage ‘19 (Nursing) is now a LDRP Nurse at FF Thompson Hospital.
John Paul S. Vinkle ‘01 (Accounting) is now the Vice President of Finance at Elderwood.
Bethany J. Welch ‘00 (Communication) is now a Novice at Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia.
Obituaries
Allen James (A.J.) Hems ‘20* (Accounting) was born in Rochester, NY on November 21, 1997, to Murray Hems and Jean Allen-Woods. The youngest of four children, he was undoubtedly the baby and frequently caught grief from his older siblings because of it. After beating cancer at the age of 17, A.J. graduated from Palmyra-Macedon High School in 2016 and went on to attend Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY, for two years. In 2018 A.J., after having been cleared by oncologist, made the decision to transfer to Tusculum College, in Greeneville, TN, where he played lacrosse for the Pioneers and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor Degree with a major in Accounting and minor in Criminal Justice.
Known as "the glue" of his family, A.J. had the uncanny ability to reach people in a positive way; helping others and serving his community as a Deputy of the York County Sheriff's Office came natural to him. This was a profession he held with the utmost integrity. A.J. was an avid outdoorsman enjoying fishing, hiking, hunting, horseback riding, and was learning to rope. He followed in his grandfather's abilities and was a self-taught craftsman known for his handcrafted duck calls, leather work of all types. His woodworking focused on rustic decor items and small furniture items. Although A.J. had a strong attachment to his family, he couldn't shake his desire to wake up amongst the Tennessee mountains. In March 2022, A.J. returned to Tennessee, living in a simple yet welcoming town of Crossville. A.J. loved music, especially Country and Blue Grass. He learned guitar and found peace playing his not so perfect yet beautiful tunes. His favorite weekly event was karaoke at The Hangout with friends just before his passing. He would snap chat friends with his little songs throughout the day and always expressed how much music made him feel happy. At the time of his passing, A.J. was working with his college friend, Chase Eichner, as a contractor establishing a new business of their own d/b/a Ike Construction. His family is comforted in knowing, if only for a few months, he was living his dream and finding the happiness he knew was waiting for him in Tennessee.
A.J. is survived by his cherished mother, Jean (Bill Woods) and father, Murray (Shiellee Adams); his brother, Andrew Hems (Kayla Cox) of Rock Hill, SC; his sisters, Megan Hems (Jeremy McNamara) of Deansboro, NY, and Courtney Hems of Laurens, SC; five bonus-brothers and four bonus-sisters; his grandmother, Sandra Allen of Ontario, NY; his nephews, Greyson Cox, Noah Furfaro and Cayson Cook; his nieces, Caroline Cox, Abigail Hems and Emmy McNamara; his lifelong friend, Thomas Knapp of Walworth, NY; loving aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and his adopted, rescue lab, Oliver. He was predeceased by his grandfather, Thomas Allen of Ontario, NY, his grandmother, Doris Hems of Rochester, NY, and his grandfather, Raymond Hems, of Fairport, NY. Condolences may be made to the Hems family at www.greenefuneralhome.net.
*AJ attended Roberts from 2016-2018 but is considered an alum of the class of 2020.
Ruth Kelly Jones ‘53 (English) 89, of Heritage Village, formerly of South Dayton, went to be with the Lord, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021.
Born Jan. 24, 1932, in Ellwood City, Pa., a daughter of the late Robert and Blanche Searfoss Kelly. She was a graduate of Ellwood schools in 1949, received her bachelors degree in English from Roberts Wesleyan College in 1953, where she met her husband to be Richard, and a masters degree in English education from SUNY Fredonia.
Ruth was a middle school English teacher at Belfast, Salamanca, Pine Valley and then for 20 years at Little Valley Central School until her retirement in 1994. She also assisted her husband with the daily operation of the family horse farm, was a fulltime homemaker, devoted wife and mother who enjoyed supporting her children in their show horse competitions.
Ruth was a longtime member of the South Dayton Free Methodist Church. Wife of 68 years to Richard A. Jones; mother of Suzanne (Dennis) O’Malley, Stephen Kent (Mary), Gregory Scott (Kristina) and the late Jonathan D. Jones; grandmother of Jason (Erin), Justin (Hope), Tiffany,
Christian, Garrett, Sarah and Ethan; great-grandmother of Richard, Lorelei and Ashley; sister of the late Bruce Kelly.
Funeral services are private. Burial in Gerry Cemetery. To leave a condolence visit jordansinclairville.com.
Helen L. (Cooley) Ness ‘68 (Music Education) Helen Louise Ness, 79, passed away Tuesday, June 28,2022 following a long illness. There will be no service per her wishes. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Melvin Ness. She is also survived by a sister, Ruby Smith of Lakeland, FL. Helen was born June 4, 1943 in Jamestown, NY to Ernest and Thera Cooley who predeceased her. Helen moved to Dothan to accept a teaching position at a local school where she met her future husband. Helen was a member of Central Baptist Church where she played piano and organ. She and Melvin were the first couple married at the church. Helen taught piano for many years in the Dothan area. In addition to playing piano, she enjoyed doing word puzzles and playing board games.
Grace I. (Schaefer) Skelton ‘42 (High School Alum) 98, of Theresa, passed away July 8, 2022. Mrs. Skelton resided in Watertown most of her life until September 2008 when she moved with her son to his Hyde Lake home near Theresa.
Born November 11, 1923, in Watertown, a daughter of Fred and Cora Lee Schaefer, she was a graduate of Watertown High School and attended Roberts Wesleyan College. She married Charles Skelton October 24, 1946, at the Watertown Free Methodist Church with Reverend Leonard H. Skelton, father of her husband, officiating.
She worked as secretary to the Dean while attending college, and during World War II worked at Pine Camp, now Fort Drum, as receptionist and then as secretary to the Pine Camp Commanding Officer, also having charge of the Camp’s secret files and Post funds. When the couple moved to Rome, she worked for the Kallet Theater firm helping to start a new radio station, WKAL, and then worked as Traffic Control Manager of WKAL. After moving back to Watertown, she worked for the New York Telephone Company as business representative. When her husband, a Niagara Mohawk employee, transferred for four years to Lowville, she worked as Commercial Representative for Niagara Mohawk in the Lowville office. For her last thirteen years of work before retirement, she was office manager for the B. Mecklin, MD medical firm.
She enjoyed downhill and cross-country skiing and ocean vacations in Maine and Nova Scotia. Since moving to Hyde Lake, she has enjoyed kayaking.
Mrs. Skelton is a member of the Watertown Church of the Nazarene and had served in its prayer and communion ministries.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Lori Skelton, Theresa, a daughter and son-in-law, Sherry and Dale Gamache, Virginia, a grandson and granddaughter-in-law Grant and Corrie Gamache and four great grandchildren, Virginia.
Her husband Charles Skelton died March 10, 1997. She was predeceased by three brothers, John, Floyd and Joseph Schafer and three sisters, Evangeline and Evelyn Schaefer, twins who died in infancy, and Mary Schaefer DeVos and three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Joseph (Betty) Schaefer, Mrs. Floyd (Geraldine) Schaefer and Mrs. John (Eileen) Schaefer.
A private graveside service will be held at North Watertown Cemetery. Online condolences may be made to www.dlcalarco.com.