Joseph VerHulst, 85, area farmer

by Kristina Gabalski

Elodie VerHulst relaxes on the sofa, nursing a nasty cold and cuddling a cavy (guinea pig) in her arms.

Animals are a big part of life for the Vet Tech student at SUNY Canton and she remembers how much her dad, Joe VerHulst, loved animals. Joe died January 22 at the age of 85. He was well-known locally for the VerHulst Farm Market on Route 104 near Mt. Read Boulevard, which he ran with his brothers for many years, and more recently for Cobble Creek Farm on Ridge Road in Spencerport, which he ran with his sons and wife, Mary.

"He was a passionate farmer, outdoorsman, and hunter. He loved animals wild and domestic," Mary said during an interview at her home on Cobble Creek Farm. The couple, who would have celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary this April, purchased the 118-acre farm in 1986. "Joe loved this place," Mary said. "He always admired the property. He was a visionary, he thought this place had a lot of potential, (the farm) is really all about Joe."

Mary said Joe suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, commonly known as farmer's lung. He was able to keep active with farm work up until August of last year. He died in mid-winter, during the farm's off-season. "I think he timed his death," Mary said.

The family was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community during calling hours. "It was quite a turn-out," Mary said. "He had quite a reputation." She said Joe was a very literate and generous man. "He was very well-read and informed in a lot of areas and he liked to share the land. He believed in sharing the things that he had," she said.

Joe's sons, Greg and Matt, will carry-on the work of running Cobble Creek Farm, Mary said. A grandson, David, is also showing interest in the family business. "The boys are very innovative and creative, they have a lot of good ideas and they will carry-on," she said.

Mary described how the family developed Cobble Creek Farm. "We started small and slowly evolved the entertainment aspect." The farm hosts school groups and offers hay rides and pumpkin picking in autumn. Fresh cut and you-cut trees are available at Christmastime. The farm also sells evergreens, which are locally grown, and annuals and perennials.

A nursery auction is held every year in the spring. "It helps get the season started," Mary said. "It's like a big sale that jump-starts the season. There are a lot of good buys. It allows people to tree areas that they normally wouldn't be able to do. Joe did all of that, he started the auction."

Joe VerHulst was a long-time Kiwanis member, Mary said. He had not been active the past 15 to 20 years, she explained, but he had been a member for at least 20 years before that.

In addition to wife, Mary, sons, Matt and Greg, and daughter, Elodie, Joe is also survived by daughter, Lara, and five grandchildren. "Our girls are both pursuing their educations," Mary said. Time will tell if they eventually decide to carry-on the farming tradition at Cobble Creek Farm.

No matter what they decide, they will be part of the enduring legacy of an amazing man who loved the land.

AREA

•Glatz, Christopher D., of Canandaigua: February 14, 2009, age 44. He is survived by two children, Stefanie and Anthony Glatz, both of Rochester; two stepchildren, Haley and Daniel Fonda, both of Canandaigua; grandson, Logan Matthew Glatz; parents, David C. and Rose (DellaPenna) Glatz of East Bethany; three sisters, Lori (Sam) Monachino of Batavia, Linda Smart (Ron Szczepankiewicz) of Cheektowaga, Theresa (Eric) Wlazlak of East Bethany; three aunts, Joanne (Richard) Wagner of Batavia, Mary Brege of Batavia, Judith (David) VanDebogart of Darien: several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his wife, Kimberly Glatz; grandparents, William and Geraldine Glatz, Peter and Theresa DellaPenna; uncles and aunts, William and Joan Glatz, Peter and Sarah DellaPenna, Thomas DellaPenna Sr., Salvatore and Lenna DellaPenna, Edward Brege.

A Memorial Service was held February 20 at Crosswinds Wesleyan Church, Canandaigua. Contributions in his memory can be made to an education fund for his children, c/o Parrish and Brassie LLP, 108 South Main Street, Canandaigua 14424 or to the Crosswinds Wesleyan Church, 3360 Middle Cheshier Road, Canandaigua 14424.

•Glatz, Kimberly (Burlingame), of Canandaigua: February 14, 2009, age 38. She is survived by two children, Haley and Daniel Fonda, both of Canandaigua; two stepchildren, Stefanie and Anthony Glatz, both of Rochester; grandson, Logan Matthew Glatz; parents, Anne Burlingame (James Pritchard) of Bristol, Milton (Diane) Burlingame of Colorado; sister, Jennifer (Charles) Chaffer of Naples; brother, Scott Michael (Khrysie) Burlingame of Montana; niece, Hannah; three nephews, Benjamin, Milton Beauregard, Dalton; many aunts, uncles and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband Christopher Glatz.

A Memorial Service was held February 20 at Crosswinds Wesleyan Church, Canandaigua. Contributions in her memory can be made to an education fund for her children, c/o Parrish and Brassie LLP, 108 South Main Street, Canandaigua 14424 or to Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester 14642.

•Silliman, Mary E., age 23, of Albion, formerly of Corfu and Batavia, died February 14, 2009 at Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport. Mary attended Pembroke Central School and Batavia High School. She was a certified nursing assistant at Lakeside Memorial Hospital and will be remembered for her kind, caring and compas-sionate way with people. Survivors include her parents, Harry and Theresa Silliman of Batavia; cherished son, Jamari of Albion; three sisters, Robin Silliman of Oakfield, Ashley Silliman of Batavia and Kayleigh Silliman of Batavia; a brother, James Silliman of Batavia; grandparents, Everett and Mary Rose Silliman of Corfu; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces and nephews.

Private services were held. Burial will be in Evergreen Hill Cemetery, Corfu. Contributions in her memory can be made to the family.

ALBION

•Peacock, Kimberley Allen, February 9, 2009 at age 53. Loving husband of Patricia Quincey. Beloved son of Leona Turner; brother of Todd (Sherri) Phillips and Tracy Harrison (Carl Borgstrom); uncle of Jill and Joel Phillips; son-in-law of Carol Quincey. Kim was a graphic designer and owner of New York Sportswear in Holley.

A Celebration of his Life was held February 13 at Open Bible Baptist Church, Brockport.

BERGEN

•Kolmetz, Suzanne J., February 14, 2009, age 70. Survived by her husband, William Kolmetz of Bergen; a daughter of Melodie (John Cuba) Kolmetz of Bergen; a son Kevin (Kelly) Kolmetz of Rush; grandchildren, Evan and Owen Cuba and Elayna Kolmetz; two brothers, Louis (Ann) Crocker and Judd (Marilyn) Crocker, both of LeRoy; a sister, Zoe Thompson of St. Petersburg, Florida; nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held February 17 at H. E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, Bergen. Burial at the convenience of the family. Contributions can be made to Lakeside Health System Foundation, 156 West Avenue, Brockport, NY 14420 in her memory.

BROCKPORT

•Ellwanger, Betty J., (Lynch) (White), On February 12, 2009, at age 73. She is predeceased by her husband, Donald Ellwanger; son, Daniel Ellwanger; and father, Charles Edsall. She is survived by her children Thomas (Dawn), Kenneth Ellwanger and Susan (Michael Maloney) Foss; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchil-dren; mother, Stella Edsall; sisters, Sharon (Tony) Kinminski, Sheryl (Roger) McBroom, Margaret Proper, Alberta (Larry) Vetromile, Joice Demuck and Dorothy McGee; brothers, Charles (Judy) and Chester (Kathy) Edsall; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held February 17 at New Comer Funeral Home, Greece. Private interment. Donations can be made to Morton Baptist Church, 1152 County Line Road, Morton 14508 or Lifetime Care Hospice of Rochester, 3111 Winton Road South, Rochester 14623 in her memory.

•Northrup, Charlotte V., February 13, 2009. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert W. and son, Robert E. Survived by her daughters, Barbara (Edson) Hefke, Deborah (John) Wahl, Cynthia (David) Siegfried; daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Northrup; grandchildren, Scott (Madonna) Hefke, Ann (Michael) Wall, Susan (Steven) Sondericker, Cheryl (Ronald) Thomas, David Siegfried, Kelly Siegfried and Sean Wahl; nine great-grandchildren.

Private service with spring interment at Garland Cemetery. Contributions can be made to Lakeside Beikirch Care Center, Floor 2, 170 West Avenue, Brockport 14420 or the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, 840 University Avenue, Rochester 14607 in her memory.

•Whiteman, Lenna (Scott), Died February 12, 2009 at age of 87. Predeceased by husband John. Survived by daughter, Beverly of Holley; son, Eric (Tonya); grandsons, Jared and Jonathan of Plattsburgh; sister, Bessie Larsen; nephew, Robert (Jan) Larsen, Virginia; several nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

Funeral Services were held February 17 at Bergen United Methodist Church. Interment, Glenwood Cemetery, Perry, New York. Donations can be made to the Bergen United Methodist Church or Lakeside Memorial Hospital in her memory.

HAMLIN

•Leverenz, Dorothy R., February 11, 2009, age 79. Predeceased by her husband, Carl, 1997. Survived by her children, Charles (Betty) Leverenz and Yvonne (Richard) Alexander; grandchildren, Vicki Leverenz, Valerie (Steve) Warren, Kelly (Dave Willis) Leverenz, Yvette (Frank Candela) Alexander and Karl (Carrie Brown) Alexander; seven great grandchildren; her brother, Wilmer Rockow; sister, Marion Unterborn; many nieces and nephews. Also predeceased by her great-granddaughter, Stephanie Warren and her brothers, Norman and Harold Rockow.

A Private Family Funeral Service was held at the Thomas E. Burger Funeral Home, Inc., Hilton, with spring interment, Lakeside Cemetery. Contributions can be made to St. John Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or Lakeside Foundation in her memory.

HOLLEY

•Norman, Randal "Randy," Age 41, died heroically February 14, 2009. Born February 13, 1968, in Rochester and had lived in the Holley area all of his life. Randy, an avid fisherman and hunter, was a long-time employee of Kodak. Survived by his wife Katherine "K.C."; children, Megan Norman of West Seneca, Melanie and Jacob Norman of Holley; parents, Robert and Mary (Tabone) Norman Sr. of Holley; brothers Thomas (Carrie Whipple), Robert (Erin) Jr., both of Holley; very special friends Audra and Alyssa Dillon; five nieces, three nephews; aunt Jean Nicholson of North Carolina as well as several other aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral Services were held February 19 at the Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Inc., Holley. Contributions in his memory can be made to a fund being established for his children.