Obituary of Edmund C. DeCora

STAR LAKE – Edmund "Ed" C. De Cora, age 92, of Star Lake, passed away on January 31, 2015 at his home under the care of hospice. There will be a funeral mass on Friday, May 15, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Hubert's Catholic Church in Star Lake. Burial with military honors will follow at the St. Hubert's Cemetery. Arrangements have been handled by French Family Funeral Home, Star Lake. Ed was born on September 6, 1922 in Ballston Spa, NY to the late Edward and Teresa (Coy) De Cora. He graduated from the Ballston Spa High School in 1940. Later, Ed graduated from Siena College in 1950 with a BBS in Accounting and in 1975 finished his post graduate studies at Clarkson University. Ed joined the United States Navy in 1942 to help win Word War II. While overseas, Ed operated and maintained the equipment necessary to direct the fire of all Naval gunnery on board. Upon his honorable discharge in 1946 he had received the Good Conduct Medal, American Theatre Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with 4 stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 2 stars, and the WWII Victory Ribbon. Mr. De Cora married Leona Charon on February 15, 1947. She passed away in May of 2000. He married Betty (Smith) Reynolds on October 5, 2002. Ed was employed by General Electric in Schenectady in 1940 as a wire insulator. In 1941 he was transferred to the GE Accounting Department and in 1951 he secured a job with the Troy Shirt Makers Guild where he installed the first NCR Accounting Machine. In 1965 he began working for the Newton Falls Paper Mill where he also installed the first machine accounting system. Ed loved to play golf and enjoyed hunting. He was a member of American Legion Post 1539 in Star Lake, the Star Lake Golf Club, Knights of Columbus where he served as Treasurer for 50 years, and the Star Lake Senior Citizens. He was a former member of the Systems and Procedures Association, Boy Scouts of America where he was Troop Chairman in Glen Falls and S. Glen Falls. He was also a former member and Treasurer of the Executive Board of the St. Lawrence Council, National Association of Accountants, and the Knotty Pine Investment Club. His survivors include his wife, Betty De Cora of Star Lake; two sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Joan De Cora of Virginia Beach, VA, Mark and Elizabeth De Cora of Oakdale, CT; 2 step-sons; 1 step-daughter; 3 grandsons; 3 granddaughters; 4 step-grandsons; 7 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents; his first wife, Leona; and his three sisters, Martha Waite, Ruth Goodheart, and Theresa Woods and a grandson, James DeCora. Donations in memory of Ed may be made to Star Lake Fire Department, P.O. Box 22, Star Lake, NY 13690 or to Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, 6805 US Hwy. 11, Potsdam, NY 13676. Condolences may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com.