Diagram of the world's tectonic plates
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On May 23 and 24 Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory is planning a symposium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of plate tectonics and to honor its scientists who played a decisive role in its discovery. There will be presentations by distinguished senior scientists from around the country as well as mid-career researchers who continue to investigate plate tectonic processes.It’s hard to believe that only fifty years ago many scientists including Dr. Maurice Ewing, Lamont’s formidable director, were unconvinced that continents could plow through ocean basins. Then in 1966 an interesting thing happened. A handful of scientists led by primary contributors Dr. Lynn Sykes and Dr. Walter Pitman III from Lamont proved unequivocally that the earth’s outermost layer is composed of plates that do indeed move.

Marie and Arthur Firestone
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Marie Helen Firestone, a resident of Palisades for 54 years, passed away peacefully at home on November 8, 2015. She previously resided in Brooklyn where she was born on May 14, 1930 to Purphy and Mary Schiano. The Firestones moved to Swan Street in Palisades in 1962. Marie dedicated 44 years of her life to the Palisades Free Library where she was the head of circulation and business manager. Librarian Maria Gagliardi wrote about Marie: “From 1971 - 2014 Marie Firestone was the smiling face at the check-out desk that greeted visitors to the Palisades Free Library. She was devoted to the library and to providing excellent customer service. Last year, the Library Board of Trustees dedicated the Marie H. Firestone Community Room in recognition of her service. Marie always brought good cheer and enthusiasm to work with her each day and had an unwavering love for life. We will miss her very much.”

(That is his name, you know, "Flower" to the second degree.)

It occurred to me the other day while I was in my study listening to the leafblower’s high pitched whine outside my window that the slight figure with the mop of curly hair who was manning the machine was more or less invisible behind the noise and the task, an unsung yet vital aspect of life in our hamlet. I decided to invite Hector in for coffee. The house was chilly so I started a fire in the living room. In spite of my best efforts to prevent it from happening, smoke began to billow into the room instead of up the chimney to such a degree that we had to open all the windows and turn on the fan. Fortunately, that day it was warmer outside than in.

Yuna Shin was a busy young woman this past summer. After graduating from Tappan Zee High School in the spring, she traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina as a member of the prestigious New York Youth Symphony. Upon her return, the long-legged beauty, a talented violinist, headed to Tanglewood for an intensive six-week orchestra music camp. This September she joined the freshman class at Columbia University. “My Dad went to Columbia and it has been a dream of mine to attend too,” Yuna says.

Paula died peacefully in Ketchum, Idaho on August 8, 2015 at the home of her eldest daughter Alex Sundali. She was 85 years old. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 5, 1930 to Eugene and Velma Caputo, Paula grew up in Ambridge, Pennsylvania along with her sister Felisa. As a child Paula showed exceptional talent and ability in ballet. At the age of nine she was asked to join the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo when they passed through Pittsburg, but her mother refused to let her leave home to tour the world at such a young age.

Myra Bryce Richardson, one of two daughters of Joseph and Lucille (Douglan) Bryce, was born in New York City on November 19, 1933. Myra grew up in the village of Harlem where she attended kindergarten at P.S. 10, junior high at P.S. 86 (Stitt), and finally, graduated from Washington Irving High School. Myra was a precocious child, active in school groups, and an accomplished high school pianist. She was also an active member of the Ephesus 7th-Day Adventist Church in Harlem where she sang in the church choir.

According to unassuming Nancy Bucciarelli, being president of a medium-sized union rebar company with projects ranging from the Thomas Jefferson Library at West Point to the Tappan Zee Bridge is no big deal. Sorry, I disagree; heading up Tri-Valley Iron, a company Nancy’s husband Larry started in 1997 with ironworker friend Jim McCarthy, is indeed impressive.

I am not a war veteran of the armed forces of the United States or of any other country. I am however a veteran of war. During World War two, 1939 to 1945, I was bombed by Germans, Russians, Japanese and Americans. For six years I spent my life in a war zone.

I write to thank all the wonderful, caring people of Palisades and Sparkill. Last fall I was forced to take a medical leave of absence from my job at the Palisades Free Library. I don’t like calling it a job as it meant much more than that to me.

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Henry Merwin Shrady, III, age 78, died at home in Snedens Landing in February after a long struggle with cancer.

Angie Hyde Bjorklund was a force of nature all her life. Born in 1926, Angie was the daughter of Robert Hyde and Lydia Tonetti Hyde of Palisades. In the mid 1930s Bobby and Lydia parted ways and he moved to Santa Barbara. Lydia died in 1941, leaving Angie and her brothers Joe and Francy to be brought up in the Pirates’ Lair by their grandmother Mrs. Tonetti and James the butler.

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Roberta E. Stewart, 84, died peacefully at Grand Islander Nursing Home in Middletown, RI, on April 11, 2015. Roberta was born in Englewood, NJ, daughter of the late Robert and Peggy (Erickson) Stewart. She grew up in the tiny hamlet of Palisades, New York, graduated from Nyack High School, married and raised three adorng children. Later in life she was the proprietor of Roberta Stewart Antiques in Cambridge, NY before retiring to Rhode lsland. Through the years, she has treasured spending quality time with family and friends and doted on her eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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Frances Gray Pellegrini passed away of natural causes just after midnight on January 27th. She was 94 years old and lived in Sparkill. Born in White Plains in 1920 to science author George W. Gray and Ada Bruner Gray, she grew up in Sparkill where she was home-schooled and then attended the Dwight School in Englewood, NJ.

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It can be said that Simonaire was an interior designer’s designer. Featured in numerous design magazines, Simonaire’s spaces reflect a passion for elegance and sensual comfort in everyday life. But good interiors are more than picturesque roomscapes and Sharon’s warm and generous spirit called out from every room she touched.

Informal Retrospective - Grace Knowlton 1975-2014 through Sunday March 8

Grace Knowlton has been a resident of Palisades for half a century and has been creating works of art from day one, up on the top of the hill in Snedens Landing. She works in a circular realm, literally from spherical sculptures alternating with white corners and intersected by lines. The spheres, which Grace creates through different materials from clay to concrete, were initially inspired by creating a magical safe space in which she might hide.

It saddened me to learn that Albon P. Man passed away on Oct. 22. The first time I met Albon was at a busy street corner in Nanuet. A group of us (Rockland Coalition for Peace and Justice) used to meet there each week to participate in peace vigils to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Throughout the 9 years of our vigils, we developed a special bond of affection for each other. I remember that in the last few years of our vigils, Albon became fond of handing out antiwar flyers to the passing motorists, even after he turned 90. He seemed to get so much satisfaction when people accepted the flyers.

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Joya Broga Verde, born Joya Maude Greene, left this world on Friday, Aug. 29, 2014. Born December 10th, 1932 to Vincent Greene & Mae Ellen Caverno in Englewood, NJ, this child of the Great Depression, along with her twin Joanne and younger sister, Karen, gorged themselves on music, dance, Shakespeare, the movies and ice cream. After high school, she met and married Warren R. Frye, with whom she had 6 children: Thomas, David, Charles, Michael, Cecelia & Gwynneth.

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Gordon Jacoby Jr., a Columbia University researcher who hiked, flew, dove and paddled into some of the wildest corners on earth in search of trees that could reveal the planet’s workings, died on Oct. 1 at a hospital near his home in Raphine, Va. He was 80.

picture by Eric Vorenkamp
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Albon P. Man, a community volunteer and activist for peace both early and late in his life, died Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, of natural causes at his home on Oak Tree Rd. He was 95.

Christopher Daly of Troop 37 of Pearl River NY and son of John and Jennifer Daly of Palisades, NY recently achieved the highest Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout. He is 17 years of age and entering his senior year at Tappan Zee High School.